Ang buhay ni San Ignacio sa Azpeitia, Guipozcoa, Hilagang Espanya ay masasabing marangya at napupuno ng kasiyahan.Lumaki siya na may patutunguhan at may pangarap para sa sarili.Pero tumigil ito nang tamaan siya sa paa ng canon ball.Ang canon ball na siyang nagdala sa kanya sa daan na ginawa para sa kanya.Ang canon ball– minsan ito’y nagsisilbing pampagising. Minsan inaakala mo na ito’y isang trahedya, pero malaki ang kabuluhan sa ating buhay.Masakit pero hindi natatapos doon ang lahat, maaring ‘yun lamang ang umpisa. Tulad ni San Ignacio ay may sarili rin akong patutunguhan at pangarap.Sabi ko sa sarili ko ngayong taong ito, magiging pokus ako sa aking mga plano.Makabili ng sariling bahay, makabili ng laptop, ang mag-aral muli at kumuha ng Masters, pati ang pagkakaron ng kasintahan ay naplano na.Pero may nangyari sa buhay ko na nakapagpagising sa akin.
Tulad ni San Ignacio may “canon ball” na tumama saken.Nagkasakit ang aking ina.Nakitaan siya ng bukol sa kanyang rectum.Ayon sa doktor kailangan daw siya maoperhan para hindi ito maging sanhi ng mas malala pang sakit, ang colon cancer. Naging sanhi ito ng maraming pagbabago sa akin at sa aking pamilya, nadagdagan ang gawaing bahay, nagkaproblema sa pera, nagkaalitan ang magkakapatid, nagkatampuhan kaming mga magkakamaganak. At higit sa lahat hindi na natuloy ang pagkakaroon ko ng kasintahan.Samakatuwid, nasira na ang aking mga plano. Napakabigat sa pakiramdam.Ngunit ang sitwasyong ito ay nakapagpamulat sa akin sa maraming bagay, marami pang bagay pala na mas mahalaga.Sa sitwasyong ito natagpuan ko ang aking sarili na nagdarasal. Kailangan ko magdasal yun ang sabi ko sa sarili ko, kailangan ko ng Kanyang gabay, dahil malapit na ko bumigay.Sa bawat oras na nasa ospital kami nakita ko ang presensiya ng Diyos.Sa bawat araw na naghahanap kami ng pinansiyal na suporta, nakita ko ang Diyos sa aking kapwa.Nakita ko rin ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaisa at pagmamahalan naming magkakapatid, kahalagahan ng pamilya, kahalagahan ng pagpapasensiya at pang unawa, at ang pinaka importante ang kahalagahan ng oras at ng buhay.Hindi nga naisakatuparan ang aking mga plano, pero may mas mahalagang di nawala, ang buhay ng aking Nanay. Minsan may nangyayari sa buhay mo na hindi mo gusto, na hindi mo inakala. Huwag mo itong ituring na kamalasan o masama, o dahil pinaparusahan ka.Kasi ito’y maaring isang daan upang akayin ka Niya sa direksyon na kung saan dapat ka tumungo, na tumigil ka at magbalik loob sa Kanya.Ang magpatuloy sa buhay, na huwag bumitaw sa pananampalataya.
Marami pang “canon ball” na darating.Marami pang pampagising ang Diyos na ating mararanasan, habang patuloy tayo sa paglalakbay at pag diskubre ng nakalaang misyon ng Diyos para satin.
Good morning. In line with our theme for the week – “St. Ignatius the Pilgrim who sought the Glory of God” – it is perhaps apt to relate or juxtapose “St. Ignatius the Pilgrim” to a certain “rich young man” we find in the Gospel.
In Matthew’s Gospel, the “rich young man” desires to have a more meaningful life, and seeks out and approaches Jesus and inquires about what more he can do to live a better life – after all, he has already observed the ten commandments, which are difficult enough by themselves. Jesus sees his sincere desire and responds with an invitation to go further, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. We can probably imagine that Jesus, in his humanity, felt sad for the rich young man as well. He was a good young man, but he just couldn’t take that next step. Maybe he had something he couldn’t let go of, or he had responsibilities at home and his family expected much from him, it could be that he is to take over the family business, or perhaps he just wasn’t ready to surrender everything, to surrender himself. In any case, he turned away with his head bowed down.
In many ways, Ignatius too was a “rich young man”. He lived in a castle, he was brave, and an exemplary fighter and swordsman, admired by his peers and the ladies of the court, even his enemies greatly respected him. You could say he had it all. But he too was interested in a better life, not just of comfort and wealth and women and power, but a life of greater meaning and purpose. Like the “rich young man” in the Gospel, he went far and wide in search of meaning; he became a “pilgrim”. And in his travels, like the “rich young man”, he met Jesus, and the Lord, saw his sincerity, invited him to come and follow. But unlike the “rich young man”, Ignatius said “yes”. If we try to imagine that moment in Ignatius’ life, his “yes” might have been said with a little fear for he did not know where Jesus will take him and a little nostalgia at the once grand life he was abandoning. But surely, it was a “yes” filled with much trust and much faith and much love. And as we know, his “yes” to Jesus has made all the difference in his life and in the many lives he has touched then and even now, in the many Jesuits over the years and across nations, and, of course, his “yes” has made a big difference in the many people these Jesuits know, like the students, the teachers, the staff and professionals in the Ateneo High School.
And if we think and look carefully, we will see Ignatius’ “yes” repeated by many in our community, some more obvious than others, some also rich and also young and talented and accomplished and handsome – but have sought a better life, have sought a life of deeper meaning, have sought to follow the God who knows only to love and to give without measure.
To be sure, the world and its values will see these “rich young men” as crazy. But perhaps it will also make them ask, make us ask: “Who is this Jesus who can inspire these men to give up everything to come and follow him?”
As we ask, we pray: In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Father, You know us, You know our desires, You know our deepest desires. Grant us the wisdom that we may recognize it ourselves. And grant us the strength, the perseverance and the patience to pursue it with all that we have and all that we are. Amen. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
St. Bernardino Realino (1530-1616), the Apostle of Leece, was of the Italian nobility. Before entering the Society of Jesus, he was an accomplished lawyer. He was also a chief tax collector, a mayor, and a judge. He also became a superintendent of the fiefs of the marquis of Naples. Yet, despite his success, St. Realino found himself unfulfilled with worldly honors.
When he heard God’s call, he gave up everything to be a religious, a priest, a Jesuit. He became a model confessor, a sincere preacher, and a diligent teacher of the faith to the young. He was a dedicated shepherd of souls and a pastor to the poor, the slaves, the sick, and the prisoners. When he was 32, he wrote to his brother, “I have no desire for the honors of this world, but solely for the glory of God and the salvation of my soul.”
In our world today, we often equate success with worldly things. How rich we are is defined in terms of money, property, and recognition. Many of the youth today labor just to climb the ladder of success. They go to school and work hard day in and day out.
The culture of today is a culture of productivity. The more a person produces, the more successful a person is. The more one accumulates, the better one is. But the life of St. Bernardino Realino reminds us that giving glory to God and the salvation of our souls are far more important than worldly honors. And in the eyes of God, this is success.
S. Bernardino Realino is an example of a rich young man who made the right choice, a young man who gave up everything to follow Jesus and who found his success in heaven rather than in the world.
Which is better: Success only in the eyes of the world or success in the eyes of God? Choose. To be an apostle of God is to be detached from worldly things and to hold on to God, to surrender and follow.
What are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of God’s glory and the salvation of your soul?
Lord, we pray that we may be able to follow St. Bernardino Realino and respond to Your call, for Your glory and the salvation of our souls. St. Bernardino Realino, pray for us.
GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may, Old time is still a-flying: And this same flower that smiles to-day To-morrow will be dying.
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, The higher he's a-getting, The sooner will his race be run, And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first, When youth and blood are warmer; But being spent, the worse, and worst Times still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time, And while ye may go marry: For having lost but once your prime You may for ever tarry.
So wrote an English romantic poet and lover of life, Robert Herrick, as he dedicates these verses To The Virgins, To Make Much of Time. His poem emphasizes the shortness of life, the beauty of the world, the glory of love and our inescapable human need of finding our one, true, lasting commitment that we will keep for the rest of our lives.
***
Last Friday, we honored the Most Holy Spirit, with a Celebration of the Eucharist.
Before one another, in front of our parents, teachers and friends, we made a commitment to form ourselves according to the vision of the school described by the 5 C’s.
We asked the Spirit of God to strengthen our resolve to put Christ, our Lord, at the center of our lives and thus, from there, influence the quality of our learning, the practice our conscience, the way we relate to one another, and the effort we put into fulfilling our different promises. Life is short. Non habemus tempus. We have no time.
***
What if, one day, God sends one of his angels to tell you that you have only one more year to live?
Will you still go to school or just stay home? Will you start asking people to pray for you and take care of you while life slowly drifts away? Will you begin to list every human experience that you would have wanted to feel and enjoy and make sure to fulfill them one after another?
An angel saying: “Here comes your last year on earth” -- was how Aloysius Gonzaga exactly received the vision of Archangel Gabriel.
The Gonzagas were a rich clan from Northern Italy.
Aloysius, humble of his origins, avoiding often the attention caused by his surname, would often sign his name simply as “Louie” or “Luigi.”
Aloysius’ father, who was a famous military person, exacted from him the same kind of discipline yet provided him with the best education. It was through his studies that he learned about saints and priests. Thus, at an early age, Aloysius expressed a desire that he will be a priest and a saint one day.
His father having learned about this, sent Aloysius to a military camp at age 5 to ensure that only a military life will take root firmly in his heart.
So much was expected from this young man, that initially his father and his relatives discouraged him from pursuing his dreams to become a priest.
After a fierce battle of wills, and only after several years, Aloysius won his father’s approval. He entered the Society of Jesus with a strong resolve of finishing his priestly studies.
Non habemus tempus. We have no time.
Archangel Gabriel told him: “Here comes your last year on earth.”
Even before finishing the course, St. Aloysius faced the inevitable yet beautiful design of God’s plan.
A serious plague broke out in Rome. Aloysius volunteered at once to help in the hospital. During his time, hospitals were not clean, orderly places that we are familiar with today. It was very easy to catch an illness. That is what happened: Aloysius became very ill. No medicine could help him. He died when he was only 23 years old. He was not afraid to die. During his life, he had focused himself on doing what Christ wanted: serving and loving God, our Father, and His big family.
What if, one day, God sends one of his angels to tell you that you have only one more year to live? What will you do?
We now have one new school year. What will we do?
Dum tempus habemus, operemur bonum. While we have the time, let us do the good.
*** GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may, Old time is still a-flying: And this same flower that smiles to-day To-morrow will be dying.
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, The higher he's a-getting, The sooner will his race be run, And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first, When youth and blood are warmer…
***
Let us pray, + Good Father in Heaven, thank You for Your gift of life. Help us, while our youth and blood are warmer, to gather the many graces You give us each day and everyday.
That even when your lamp, the sun, has neared its setting or finished its race, we have rendered you greater glory by using our time well. Amen.
All you, Jesuit Saints and Beati, pray for us. St. Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us.
+
Sources: Saints and Feast Days (Loyola University Press, 1985), pp. 133-4. www.wikipedia.org on St. Aloysius Gonzaga and Robert Herrick
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloysius_Gonzaga en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Herrick Images seached through www.google.com
“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1)
Let me begin this reflection by sharing the story of a family mansion that caught fire one night. The parents rushed out into the garden, holding their two smaller children in their arms, and shouting to their eldest, a boy of five, to follow them. However, frightened by the flames, he rushed up the stairs to the attic, and from its balcony began to shout, “Daddy, Daddy, save me!
The man shouted back, “It’s alright, Johnny, jump down from there and I’ll catch hold of you!” Standing just 20 feet below, his father could see him clearly, but because the smoke billowing up, the boy couldn’t see anything below! Anxiously, the boy sobbed, “But Daddy, I can’t see you!” His father replied persuasively, “
Johnny, it is more important that I can see you. Please jump!” And taking courage, the boy jumped into the safe, strong arms of his father.
The story you just heard is a story about faith. As we formally begin another school year, it is most fitting that we start the school year by reflecting over our own faith journey as a school community.
Last year, we started the school year with challenges we have never expected. The AH1N1 scare during the first week, the devastation of typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng and many other political and economic turmoil we faced as a community and as a nation, but we remained steadfast, because we have kept the faith. Like the boy in the story, we dared to jump though we grapple with uncertainty, into the loving arms of God.
After a challenging year of jumping into the unknown we have all the reason to remain hopeful and keep the faith alive. This is because we know that God is with us and will always be with us, He is most trustworthy. We only need to have faith and dare to jump to his loving embrace.
Today, as we begin another school year, we carry within us our desires and hopes for the coming year. The opening of classes marks the beginning of new projects, new discoveries and learning. To put it more concretely, we desire better grades, more involvement in school activities and better relationship with our peers and many other things. We present to God all of these desires and let us continue to ask for the gift of faith, to jump not only to the unknown that we fear most but to all His possibilities and blessing He desires to give us. Let us keep in mind that the future always brings hope, promises and possibilities of abundance and blessings.
Fueled by our faith that the Lord is with us in all that we do, let us pray too that He may grant us the courage to rise from our mistakes, the strength to carry our many duties and responsibilities. May He give us the courage to face what is ahead of us with renewed hope and inspiration.
Let us also not forget how St. James reminds us that “faith without works is dead” (Jas 2:17). At the beginning of this school year, it is also good that we go back to the roots of our identity as a Jesuit school: that we are trained not only to be men of faith, but to be men who put their prayers and faith into action. By this, we become truly what we desire most – to become Lux in Domino, Light of the World.
And so we begin the year with grateful hearts, keeping in mind all the blessings and graces the Lord has given us the past years and look forward to another blessed year. Let us beg for the grace of faith to ‘jump’ to whatever is ahead of us, knowing very well that we have Someone trustworthy and loving to catch us in His loving arms. Amen.
Math Subject Area Reflection Jeremias A. Endrina, Jr. May 17, 2010
Good morning!
A couple of weeks ago I was asked to give a reflection in behalf of the Math Subject Area. This brought me less sleep hours at night thinking of what the reflection would be and how would I communicate it. I was pressured by the reflections given last week. I’m neither sensibly funny like Sir Enzo, part of the main cast of Igkas like Maam Jovy (I was with the cut and paste committee) nor did I cast my vote last elections (I was registered in Bukidnon and nobody was willing to sponsor my fare.) Not until I had my shower last friday that I remembered some thoughts shared to us by Dr. Jaguthsing Dindyal, our Ateneo-Singapore Workhop Speaker. I reflected on those points that same day, which made me think of so many things during the last day of the seminar-workshop. I am sorry for that. Nevertheless, the workshop was all worth it. I was able to reflect and prepare for this morning’s reflection.
I will share what I have reflected about three “don’ts” on assessing student learning. I would like to emphasize that I got these from the words of Dr. Jaguthsing Dindyal. After my reflection, I will show a video for synthesis and post questions for individual reflection. We will then end with a prayer.
The following are the points that struck me during the workshop: 1. don’t rely in assessing student learning on one source of information; 2. don’t conduct a test to penalize weak students rather conduct a test to assess students' learning; 3. don’t give credit to correct answer with incorrect solution for obviously you cannot have an accurate answer if your method is wrong.
First, don’t rely in assessing student learning on one source of information. You might ask, what makes it striking? Let me tell you some of my teaching experiences in my first year here in the Ateneo. For reasons I do not know, I was blessed with challenges last school year. I had the “makukulit, nakaka-inis at nakaka-asar,” students. Sorry for the descriptions. It was my first time, in my three years of teaching, that I felt some pains in the neck whenever I get mad at my students - I hope it won’t lead to hypertension later on. Most of the time, for lack of a better term, I call them “basura” at the back of my mind. Which would trigger my conscience saying, “je, hindi yan magandang gawain.” It is but right for a teacher to reprimand students who often sleep in class, fail most of the long tests and worse, feel tired about their life. One day a student, not one of those unruly ones, a Math achiever in fact, approached me and shared something about a problem his family went through these past few months. He shared that he might not be able to perform well in class because he is bothered and disturbed about it. I didn’t expect something like this from a student like him. My impression of him is that he is a happy-go-lucky person. Now, I learned that not all of what my students show and do are true. They could be facades of what they experience at home. And that I should not judge them for who they are because of what I see in them. This experience echoes what Mr. Bilog said: students who often have sanctions are the same students who experience difficulty at home, and who we are right now is a product of what we have experienced in the past (Sean Covey; 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens).
I would like to add that although my experiences shaped me to become who I am today, I believe that I still have the freedom to reshape it the way I want it to be. I can choose not to be controlled by my life experiences rather I learn from them and soar to greater heights. My students might not understand this by now. But as a teacher, I can start making them feel that they are more than what they say and do in school. I will not rely on one-sided information to know them better. To understand them is to be convinced with the idea that they are more than what they show in class.
Second, don’t conduct a test to penalize weak students but to assess students' learning. I confess that I sometimes violate this sacred principle of assessment. Looking back, I would sometimes wish that the unruly students would fail in all assessments I conduct, so that the agony of always reprimanding them will come to an end. I would at times find pleasure in the low scores of my unwanted students. And worst, I would box them as the “no wonder why” students. Sad to say, even though they do not do homework regularly, these same students have more than enough ability to pass the subject.
Last Thursday after the workshop, around 4:30pm, Senator Jinggoy Estrada entered the MST workroom with Sir Jerry Pavia. We were all star struck by his presence that when I passed by him my only thoughts were, “ah, si Jinggoy.” Maam Jo, who was then talking to Patrick, did not stop uttering words as a reaction to what she saw even though Patrick did not anymore understand what Maam Jo was saying. The day after that, I learned that Jinggoy’s son will be studying in our school and could possibly be one of my students. Since I don’t really like Jinggoy, my reaction was “sana hindi ako” and “kung ako magiging guro ng anak hiya, humanda siya sa akin.” How bad those thoughts were. I’m afraid that if I won’t put a stop to it, neither will I be happy with my second year of teaching here in the Ateneo nor he, the son of Senator Jinggoy, will have a meaningful experience of . “Thoughts become things,” a famous line from the documentary entitled The Secret. Because I have a negative impression programmed in my mind about some of my students and Senator Jinggoy, I begin to translate it in not so good ways. I start to notice more of the negative in them. I set out to be very critical on what they do. I embark on thinking about punishing them as a form of revenge. For sure, I will be the one who will have less in this game because I will fail to enjoy their company as my students.
Third, don’t give credit to a correct answer with an incorrect solution for obviously you cannot have an accurate answer if your method is wrong. This made me think of the correct way of learning about life. Is it through the school? Is it through other people? Or is it through experiences? Either way, I am sure that my students taught me a lot about life. My first year teaching experience here in the Ateneo is something that I should be thankful for. Although it was a roller coaster ride, I believe it has molded me to become a better teacher. I strongly believe that my being here is part of the correct method that constantly makes me learn things. And in faith, I believe it was Him who planned all these. He is indeed the greatest teacher - He who deserves all the credit. To Him be the glory! My students, Senator Jinggoy, Dr. Dindyal, my colleagues in the Math Subject Area were instrumental to who I am today – better teacher, better worker and better person. Plus ten to them! I would like to say the words shared to us by Fr. Rudy Fernandez, “For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes.”
Now, I would like to show a video clip as a synthesis of my reflection. The video clip was created from a fictional story written by Elizabeth Silance Ballard published in 1974 by Home Life Magazine entitled "Three Letters from Teddy."
(Show video clip.)
Before the closing prayer, I would like us to spend few minutes reflecting on the following questions: a. What has been my greatest lesson this past school year? b. How did God manifest His teachings to me? c. What do I hope for this coming school year?
Prayer:
Loving God, you believed in me that’s why you entrusted me with a great responsibility of molding not just the mind but the whole person of my students. Give me the grace to open my heart to every student under my care. Bestow me with your wisdom to transcend with the realities of life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit to sustain the strength in me. I thank you for the daily opportunity of becoming a better person for my students. May I be faithful to Your plan here on earth as I try to follow the example of Your Son Jesus Christ, the greatest Teacher. Amen.
It’s been some years since I’ve had a good retreat; I think 2005 was the last one that I truly encountered God’s presence and this was in the Betania Retreat House in Baguio. Prior to this last retreat, I went to the Pink Sisters in Hemady to ask for prayers that I may again experience God just like the way I saw Him in 2005. I was not disappointed.
I was angry about some things when I boarded the bus going to Tagaytay. I thought that I will not have a good one again because I was distracted and it was difficult to concentrate on God’s love when I was thinking about people who irritate me and who I irritate in return. I’m sure that my Spiritual Director was not happy with our first session because I had nothing but angst and he must either had been very disappointed or very challenged. I told him about my difficulty in focusing in my prayers, that my mind would wonder off about so many things. My Spiritual Director advised me to focus my eyes on the crucifix or on a lighted candle to keep my mind off from any other thoughts. The crucifix or the lighted candle would help me go back to Jesus image. I was also told that if my prayers keep on talking about myself, then it is not a good prayer. I had doubts that I’ll have a good one.
In my first prayer in the chapel, just when I started to talk about my problems there was a compelling voice more forceful than mine telling me to forget about my concerns because these are already known by Jesus. Instead, I was told to listen to Him, focus on my relationship with Him, and use it as a bonding time for the two of us. He told me that my problems were not important, that there were things more important to settle and that was for me to build on a strong relationship with Him. I asked, okay then, what ought I to do. My eyes were fixed on the crucifix thinking about the Man whose outstretch arms are reaching out for the entire humanity. Suddenly, my issues no longer mattered, there was only Jesus and myself. I was given an assurance that he takes care of me and that He is constantly on my side and will never leave me. I finished my prayer with a feeling of lightheartedness all personal issues about some people forgotten.
During the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament that night, as I gazed at the crucifix and was wondering how God can listen to so many of us, how he can be mindful of all of us. The silence was deafening and the dimmed lights created an atmosphere of a Holy ground. In a few minutes I can feel His presence all over the place, not just on the Cross and I knew that He is so vast and we are tiny dots compared to His greatness. Later, I came to a realization that if the Jesus hanging on the Cross is chopped to the smallest pieces possible, there is enough for everyone to share just like in the multiplication of the bread. If we squeezed His blood, it will continue oozing until each one of us has drunk it just like what He offered during the Last Supper. Then suddenly, I got the surprise of my life as I saw Jesus with so much brilliance in all His splendor approaching me from the back. It was fast because in so short a second, I saw Him from the back of the upper part of my shoulders and entering my body lowering Himself at the back of my chest moving forward and suddenly settled not in my heart but in my gut. I always thought that Jesus’ place is in the heart, I did not understand this location at all. My tears were falling but I can vividly see Jesus looking up at me from my gut with a very tender eyes. At that moment, there was only Jesus and myself again. In the silence of the night, Jesus has entered my body and I asked Him to stay and I was wondering how to lock Him up inside. I went to sleep very serenely that night.
On Day 2, I was in the chapel at 2:30pm. Fifteen minutes later, the sun dimmed and there was a great silence and a feeling of contentment, peace and security in Jesus. I started to read Isaiah 43, thus, says the Lord… Fear not for I have redeemed you, when you passed through the water I will be with you, in the rivers you shall not drown. Then I noticed that I was no longer directing the reading but there was a male voice reading the passage and I was following His very slow phase. The voice was very masculine and very clear. I continued to follow the reading and I felt very contented, consoled and secured in the love of Jesus. At that moment, I still did not think that it was Jesus voice and continued to contemplate on the psalm. Then the voice disappeared and I was in awe at that time when I realized that the voice must have been Jesus’ voice. I wanted to hold on to that moment but the feeling disappeared. A little while later, I smelled something sweet but not very intense. In the Baguio retreat I mentioned earlier, I encountered God through the sense of smell. So, I said, “No, this is too much.” I continued to fix my eyes on the Cross, there was a sweet smell again, still not very intense. After a few seconds, the sweet smell became very intense I became so excited and I said, “Oh my God, you’re here, you’re here. This is too much.” My tears started to roll and time stood still. There was so much peace, joy and contentment and it was as if nothing and no one existed in the world except myself and Jesus. Then, suddenly, the sweet, fragrant smell disappeared. Later that night as I went to sleep, I remembered about the two apostles at Emmaus. Jesus disappeared when they realized that it was Jesus to whom they were talking too.
I was already in high spirits with the encounters I’ve had. So that when there was again the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament the second night I thought that my prayers will already be dry. But I was mistaken. As I looked at the Cross again, the picture of Jesus in my gut came back. I saw Him becoming bigger and slowly moving out of my body and this time I became smaller and He enveloped me, we had exchanged places, I was in His gut. The picture stayed on for a while then it disappeared. Later on I came to a realization that since Jesus envelopes me, I am very much protected that when someone hurts me, He is the first line of defense. In the same manner the same thing is true for the rest of us, if I try to hurt someone then it must be Jesus I hurt first. We inflict wounds on one another not realizing that we are all hurting Jesus Himself. I came to realize that Jesus envelops me at all times but He is inside when my worldly concerns become my priority. He looks up from my gut with pity knowing that issues, fears, pain, and sometimes even joy cover His presence and remains lock up inside. But when I am focus with His presence, His real place is outside as He envelops me, protecting me from anything and anyone that may harm me. He envelops me whenever He is my priority
Truly this God that I encountered in this retreat was a God of surprises. He came to me when I was not expecting Him and His image is forever imprinted in my mind. He appeared as a King in all splendor and glory, His beauty is beyond words and His face was full of compassion and mercy.
My encounters with Jesus are a challenge for me. Knowing that He is inside my body, I have become aware that I ought to do as He does and follow what He says is the greatest commandment and that is to love one another as He has loved us.
Will I live to the challenge? It remains to be seen as I continue with the many human struggles…
Eighty-one years after he passed away in the island of Sancian, St. Francis Xavier appeared to Fr. Marcello Mastrilli, a Jesuit at the point of death. Several days earlier, Fr. Mastrilli was supervising the removal of a temporary structure put up in celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A hammer slipped from the hands of a worker perched near the top of the structure and hit Fr. Mastrilli on the head, injuring him gravely.
Nobody expected Fr. Mastrilli to survive. As he himself waited for death, Fr. Mastrilli was visited by St. Francis Xavier who told him:
"All those who implore my help daily for nine consecutive days, from the fourth to the twelfth of March, and worthily receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion on one of the nine days will experience my protection and may hope with entire assurance to obtain from God any Grace they ask that is for the good of their souls and the glory of God."
St. Francis also bade Fr. Mastrilli to renew a vow he had made in his youth--to go to Japan and help spread Christianity there. As the vision left him, Fr. Mastrilli stood up fully healed and more resolved than ever to witness to the Kingdom of God in Japan. At that time, missionaries were being tortured and martyred in Japan in the most gruesome ways imaginable. But still Fr. Mastrilli ventured to the Land of the Rising Sun. Before he left, he made sure to publicize his miraculous cure and the promise St. Francis Xavier had made.
Fr. Mastrilli led a courageous band of thirty-three Jesuits to Japan. They had hardly landed there when they were seized, tortured, and hung upside down over a volcanic pit. Fr. Mastrilli faced death again. For certain, St. Francis Xavier was with him, strengthening his faith until the very end.
When can you say a miracle has happened? Not only when there is an unexplained cure, but more so when there is an increase of faith, hope, and love in a person. Truly, a miracle happened to Fr. Mastrilli!
Are you also seeking a miracle? Are you also seeking greater faith, hope, and love? Perhaps, the Novena of Grace can help you...
What is the Novena of Grace?
A novena is a traditional expression of our faith in the communion of saints, one of the beliefs we profess whenever we say the Apostle's Creed. As Catholics, we hold that the faithful here on earth, the souls in purgatory, and our glorified brothers and sisters in heaven have a spiritual solidarity. We are united because we are all part of the Mystical Body of Christ ("saints" in the phrase "communion of saints" does not refer only to those who have been canonized but to all the members of the Body of Christ). Our prayers for the souls in purgatory have value and meaning just as we here on earth (and also those in purgatory) can depend on the effectiveness of the prayers of our glorified brothers and sisters in heaven.
Following the promise of St. Francis Xavier to Fr. Mastrilli, a novena is said beginning on March 4 and ending on March 12, when we celebrate the canonization of St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis. Because of the innumerable graces and favors received through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, this devotion came to be known as the Novena of Grace.
How do you say the Novena of Grace?
The short form consists of either the traditional or the more contemporary wording below:
Saint Francis Xavier Novena Prayer
Traditional
O most kind and loving saint, in union with you, I adore the Divine Majesty. The remembrance of the favors with which God blessed you during life, and of your glory after death, fills me with joy; and I unite with you in offering to God my humble tribute of thanksgiving and of praise. I implore of you to secure for me through your powerful intercession the all important blessing of living and dying in the state of grace. I also beseech you to obtain the favor I ask in this Novena:
(-state your intention here-)
But if what I ask is not for the glory of God or for the good of my soul, obtain for me what is most conducive to both.
Amen.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Concluding Prayer: O God, who was pleased to gather unto your Church the people of the East by the preaching and miracles of blessed Francis, mercifully grant that we who honor his glorious merits, may also imitate the example of his virtues, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Contemporary Wording
I join with you, Saint Francis, in bowing before the God of all Creation. When I look at the great things you did during life, I see what marvels can be achieved by a person blessed by God. I join with you in praising God and giving thanks for all the good things I have been given. Dear Saint Francis, please pray to God for me and ask that I may live and die in God’s favor. Please ask God for me for
(-state your intention here-)
provided, of course, that this would be good for me. In the end, my only wish is for whatever gives glory to God and is good for my health in body, mind and spirit.
Amen.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Concluding Prayer: O God, you used Francis Xavier to take the Christian message to the East. You inspired his teaching, supported him in his work for the poor, sick and oppressed, and strengthened him in times of loneliness and trial. May we who are inspired by the life of Saint Francis Xavier imitate his virtues, and come to our eternal joy with you, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
There is also a longer form that includes nine meditations on the life of St. Francis Xavier, one for every day of the novena. To be guided through these meditations, visit Sacred Space, the prayer site run by the Irish Jesuits, by clicking here.
Spread the word about the Novena of Grace. Tell your friends about it by using our referral form below, or by clicking on the mail icon near the top of this page. You can also print this page or save it as a PDF file by clicking on the corresponding icons beside the title of this article.
# 7. Never take yourself so seriously . In fact, be the first to laugh at yourself. How do you think I survived 40 years in this school?
# 6. Never stop learning. Remember knowledge doubles every two years. The info you googled last year may be obsolete by now and where would that leave you?
# 5. Never lose sight of who you are and whose you are and you’ll journey through life with the best Companion – He Who will direct your life according to His Grand Design.
# 4. Never neglect your parents and never doubt your family’s love. Let me repeat the advice about parents and siblings above and you’ll know what I mean. “Get to know your parents. You never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they’re the best link to your past and the people mostly to stick with you in the future.”
# 3. Never take your friends for granted. I’ve stayed in the Ateneo High School long enough to know that the friends you make in high school become your support system for life. If you must know, Noynoy Aquino’s batchmates in the class of 1977 spearheaded on Noynoy’s last birthday a merienda to generate funds which Noynoy could use to host a simple birthday party for the residents in Payatas and the old folks in Golden Acres. Yes, all the alaskahan and shared secrets and class night urban legends made in high school may emerge during reunions but it’s all in the spirit of fun and anyway, why worry – you are among friends.
# 2. Never ever think that words or phrases like magis, ad majorem dei gloriam, men and women for and with others, preferential option for the poor, dignity of labor are merely buzz words whose usefulness is limited to classrooms, academic convocations a or sesquicentennial celebrations. Neither are they slogans or mantras the students can intone in the hope of boosting their scores in an exam, a termpaper or an oral defense. These terms are meant to be lived.
# 1. And the Top One “Never” is Never forget that AMDG is BEST written in our hearts, not only at the top of our size ones.
1.) According to canon law, what is required of Catholics this Lent?
The days of Lent are precisely from Ash Wednesday to midday of Holy Saturday. The Roman Catholic Church’s teaching on Lent is expressedly mentioned in Canon 1250 of the 1983 Code. And the context of this is the simple directive that the season of Lent contains the days and times of penance for the universal Church.
Penance is an act of mortification, that is, any human pain observed or experienced as a sign that one remembers and wishes to participate in the sufferings that our Lord Jesus Christ went through for the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation.
The canonical forms of penance during Lent are precisely: fasting and abstinence.
2.) What exactly does fasting mean? Who are required to fast? What are we allowed and not allowed to do?
Fasting is one of those two means of Lenten penances which canon law obliges (the other being abstinence). In canon 1251, fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In canon 1252, fasting binds those who have attained their majority. What does this mean? It means that this law applies to you from midnight of your eighteenth birthday until the beginning of your sixtieth year, that is, until midnight of your fifty-ninth birthday.
The law of fasting prescribes that only one full meal a day is taken. Two lighter meals are permitted to maintain strength according to each one’s needs. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed.
3.) What if I can't fast? What reasons can exempt me from fasting?
It is basic in any human law that one cannot oblige anyone to observe something which is not possible or even inhuman to follow. The two forms of penances, fasting and abstinence, are more realistically applied to the moneyed, able, powerful, and privileged. Consequently, the materially poor like our fellow Filipinos living in shanties or under the bridges, the very sick like those who are bedridden and immobile, the maids and houseboys and other laborers who have to work more than nine hours a day, employees whose jobs require them to be attentive like policemen and security guards, doctors and nurses on duty, and the like, must be exempted. Jesus is not certainly a sadist to require these kind of persons to be mortified more than what they already undergo in most of their every day lives.
4.) What can I do instead of fasting?
Offer your pains (and the work that you do that makes it unwise for you to fast) in exchange for the canonical Church requirement to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
5.) What exactly does abstinence mean? Who are required to abstain? What are we allowed and not allowed to eat?
Abstinence is the other form of penance which canon law requires during Lent (canons 1251 and 1252). Aside from observing it on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, abstinence is to be observed on all Fridays – unless a Solemnity should fall on a Friday.
The law of abstinence forbids the eating of meat, but eggs, milk products, and condiments made from meat may be eaten. Fish and all cold blooded animals may be eaten, for example, frogs, clams, turtles, etc. The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year and older. One is not bound on the fourteenth birthday, but begins to abstain at midnight at the close of the birthday.
6.) What if I can't abstain? What reasons can exempt me from abstinence? What can I do instead?
The same principles for exemptions apply as in numbers 3 and 4 above. Nevertheless, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines teaches the following: Except on Good Friday and Ash Wednesday, abstinence may be substituted with exercises of piety, such as reading the Bible, going to Mass, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, praying the Holy Rosary, or with acts of charity, such as visiting the sick and prisoners, giving alms to the poor, or teaching catechism.
7.) Is this it? This is all I'm required to do as a Catholic this Lent?
Yes. But in the end, life and love are not just about "what you are required to do." Jesuits always try to live out the ideal of the magis, the more. This is not just about "bigger and better," or greater in number or size. The more here pertains to what will help us to come closer to God. So what magis can you do this Lent? What is the more that you can do to be able to come closer to God? And this question cannot be answered by canon law.
- Fr. Reginaldo M. Mananzan, SJ and PhJesuits.org
Do you have a canon law question? Use the contact form at the bottom of this page to send us an e-mail. We'll try our best to answer it.
A question from the web:
I'm a nursing mother. I don't think I should fast. What can I do instead?
PhJesuits:
Yes, it would be unwise for nursing mothers - and pregnant women to fast. Maybe you can offer up your lost sleep--something we are sure is quite a burden for you these days--to God in exchange? Try to "suffer" through it with more patience, and even joy. Or maybe you can fast from the types of food you love, the type we usually refer to as "junk food." Eating healthier will also help your baby!
Lord, at times such as this, when we realize that the ground beneath our feet is not as solid as we had imagined, we plead for your mercy.
As the things we have built crumble about us, we know too well how small we truly are on this ever-changing, ever-moving, fragile planet we call home. Yet you have promised never to forget us.
Do not forget us now.
Today, so many people are afraid. They wait in fear of the next tremor. They hear the cries of the injured amid the rubble. They roam the streets in shock at what they see. And they fill the dusty air with wails of grief and the names of missing dead.
Comfort them, Lord, in this disaster. Be their rock when the earth refuses to stand still, and shelter them under your wings when homes no longer exist.
Embrace in your arms those who died so suddenly this day. Console the hearts of those who mourn, and ease the pain of bodies on the brink of death.
Pierce, too, our hearts with compassion, we who watch from afar, as the poorest on this side of the earth find only misery upon misery. Move us to act swiftly this day, to give generously every day, to work for justice always, and to pray unceasingly for those without hope.
And once the shaking has ceased, the images of destruction have stopped filling the news, and our thoughts return to life’s daily rumblings, let us not forget that we are all your children and they, our brothers and sisters. We are all the work of your hands.
For though the mountains leave their place and the hills be tossed to the ground, your love shall never leave us, and your promise of peace will never be shaken.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Blessed be the name of the Lord, now and forever.
Amen.
Why does God allow natural disasters?
At the heart of Haiti's humanitarian crisis is an age old question for many religious people - how can God allow such terrible things to happen? Philosopher David Bain examines the arguments. Read the article by clicking here.
Last Sunday, January 18, we celebrated the feast of the Sto. Niño. The image of the Holy Child in Cebu was, according to a widely accepted belief, the gift of Ferdinand Magellan to the Queen of Cebu during her baptism in 1521. The image was recovered in April 1565 by the conquering troops of Legazpi inside a burning house, the image well preserved inside a chest. Soldiers who were veterans of numerous campaigns in Europe and who were familiar with the devotion to the Holy Child recognized the image as Flemish in origin. The image was entrusted to the Augustinian friars who were with Legazpi in the Cebu expedition. It was enthroned in a hastily-made chapel built on the spot where the image was found. And from then on, the devotion to the Sto. Niño flourished to the form it has taken on today. The Sto. Niño of Cebu has an even older history than the Holy Infant of Prague whose own history began in 1628.
On the feast of the Sto. Niño, all Cebuanos take to the streets and dance the Sinulog, waving to the image of the Sto. Niño as if it were a superstar, and praying Pit Senyor, Pit Senyor with an amazing variety of Sto. Niño images. Perhaps, it is only in the Philippines where the Sto. Niño can be a policeman, a baker, a nurse, doctor, fisherman — there is even a Sto. Niño na dyumi-jingle!
For some, this form of devotion has gone to excesses. And of course, there is more than a grain of truth to this observation. That is why some too quickly judge the Filipino’s piety or Christianity, as superficial, mababaw. For instance, the Sto. Niño is vested so lavishly while, ironically, in one’s surroundings roam street children dressed despicably. And there are so many abused children not only in Cebu but in practically every place in this supposedly Christian country.
Yet in spite of the seeming superficiality that others may see in this uniquely Filipino devotion, there is a hidden and distinct depth to it which mirrors a plain and simple faith: the faith that God is with us, and it is our deepest desire that he abide in us, in our lives and undertakings, and in our many aspirations. That is why the Sto. Niño in the Philippines can be a policeman--because the world of the policeman is part of the realm and sovereignty of God notwithstanding the existence of corrupt and kotong cops. Because the world of the policeman can be employed, and should be employed for the good of the people to bring about security of property and of persons. That is why the Sto. Niño can also be a fisherman--because the sea is also God’s domain where many make their living as they labor to gather the produce of the sea, even as we also know that it is not God’s will that the sea be ravaged of its resources. That is why the Sto. Niño can be a doctor or a nurse--because God continues his work of healing through the skill and knowledge of people like doctors and nurses. Their profession is a noble one, placed at the service of people and not for simply enriching themselves. In summary, God is in all aspects of the human situation and every human situation can be an opportunity for glorifying God and reflecting the face and the goodness of God.
Allow me to share excerpts of Fr. Joe Galdon’s article entitled, “January Has Two Faces.”
“Nick Joaquin has a very interesting story about the feast of St. Sylvester, which falls on December 31, the last day of the year.Joaquin writes ‘to open the doors of the New Year, the Romans invoked the god Janus, patron of doors and beginnings.(That is why the first month of the year was called January!)Janus’ two faces (one staring forward, the other backward) are a symbol of man’s ability to dwell on the past while speeding into the future.’‘In Christianity, the role of Janus has been taken over by another Roman – St. Sylvester, Pope and confessor, whose feast falls on the last day of the year.At midnight on that day, according to traditions, St. Sylvester appears on earth, and with the keys of his office, opens all the gates of the principal archepiscopal cities, and celebrates the first Mass of the year in each cathedral.’
“As we start this new year, this year 2010, let us then look back to the year that was:accomplishments and failures, good weather and the typhoons we had to whether through, good health and illness (A H1N1, Dengue), life and death.“It’s good for us to figure out what went wrong last year, open the doors to the new year, and try to be a little bit better in the days that lie ahead.Ayn Rand says that if we want to be truly happy people, we have to look back and say ‘I’m sorry’ and look forward and say ‘I will!’…I guess that is why the month of January has two faces, too!To remind us to look back and to look forward and to change.
The beginning of the new year… has always been the traditional time for changing our lives and for making resolutions.One of the most consoling realizations as we grow older is that we CAN change our lives!We can open the door to a new life.We are not prisoners of the past!”WE learn from our past.We dream of our future and work on it.The turning of a year is always a good time to take stock of where we are and to look for lessons of the past that may guide us into the future.
Allow me to share with you a story which was part of the homily I gave yesterday at the Mass at the Gesu for the Feast of the Epiphany.Henry van Dyke wrote the story called “The Other Wise Man.”It is about the 4th person who is supposed to accompany the other three wise men on their journey to search for the newborn King.The name of this other wise man is Artaban.It is said that as Artaban prepares for the journey, he takes with him a bag of precious stones as his present to the baby King.On his way to join the other three wise men, Artaban stops to help a poor person.In so doing, he misses his rendezvous with the others.He is left behind.Artaban tries to catch up but every time he constantly runs into people who need help.And he always stops to help them.In so doing he gives away all the precious stones he planned to give to the newborn king.As the story ends, Artaban is old and poor.He never realized his dream to meet the King of Kings and to place at his feet his gift of precious stones.
The story of “The Other Wise Man” could end here but if it did it would be a story of a man who never realized his one big dream.But the story does not end here.It continues that one day Artaban is in Jerusalem.The city is buzzing with excitement.Authorities are about to execute a criminal.When Artaban sees the criminal, his heart skips a beat.Something tells him this is the King of Kings for whom he has been searching for all his life.Artaban is heartbroken at what he sees.He is even more heartbroken when he sees he can do nothing to help the King.Then something remarkable occurs.Artaban hears the King’s voice say to him: “Don’t be heartbroken, Artaban.You have been helping me all your life. When I was hungry, you gave me food.When I was thirsty, you gave me drink.When I was naked, you clothed me.When I was a stranger, you took me in.”
I tell this story of “The Other Wise Man” to stress the reality that sometimes we are not able to succeed in the pursuit of our dreams.When we look back to our past there are failures.The story of Artaban is the story of many of us.We start our journeys with a fervent desire to pursue our dreams.But somehow, somewhere, something happens which makes us “lose” our direction towards our dreams.We do not have to look beyond our shores to search for examples.We know of the many lives and properties lost with the typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng the past year.Many of the people who were affected had worked hard to have a comfortable home and a good life but the floods made the fulfillment of their dreams a thing of the past. But the wrath of nature and the greed of people destroyed not just the dreams of people but lives and homes as well.
My dear friends in the Lord, let us not stop dreaming or pursuing our dreams.If we had failures in the past year, let us learn from them.Our God has promised us that He will never abandon us.Have faith in Him.If we come to think of it, God’s dream for us is for us to be happy.God the Son embraced our human nature to be one with us.He is one with us in our joy as well as our sadness.When we were not yet content with that love, He embraced pain and suffering and even death on the cross to show us His love, to make us happy.At the end of our lives, I believe one question God will ask of us is, “Were you happy?”… really, truly and genuinely happy?If we are happy, God is happy.But let us not end with that.Let us end with making God to be happy, to have as our dream the happiness of God.
Artaban was happy not only because he found Jesus but more so because he realized that what he has been doing all along was making Jesus happy.We will be happy this year not so much because we have found God but because we have made God happy:with our words, our deeds, our lives.May we find God in everything and may everyone find God in us.
Let us end with the prayer of Dag Hammarsjold, “For all that has been, thank you; and for all that will be, Yes.”
Ang buhay ni San Ignacio sa Azpeitia, Guipozcoa, Hilagang Espanya ay masasabing marangya at napupuno ng kasiyahan. Lumaki siya na may patutunguhan at may pangarap para sa sarili. Pero tumigil ito nang tamaan siya sa paa ng canon ball. Ang canon ball na siyang nagdala sa kanya sa daan na ginawa para sa kanya. Ang canon ball– minsan ito’y nagsisilbing pampagising. Minsan inaakala mo na ito’y isang trahedya, pero malaki ang kabuluhan sa ating buhay. Masakit pero hindi natatapos doon ang lahat, maaring ‘yun lamang ang umpisa. Tulad ni San Ignacio ay may sarili rin akong patutunguhan at pangarap. Sabi ko sa sarili ko ngayong taong ito, magiging pokus ako sa aking mga 
Life is short.
