Grow Old, Grow Good

Grow Old, Grow Good!

"Do not neglect to do good..." 
                 -Hebrews 13:16 (ESV)

There was a woman who lives for one hundred years. During her birthday celebration, she was asked to share her secret to a long and happy life.

She shared a very simple, yet straight and worth reflecting words. She said:

"This is what I consider a recipe for sweet long and happy life. I do not have dirty mind. I do not have a foul mouth. I just do good deeds."

Let us learn from her. Take that recipe to heart.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to grow old, to grow good. Amen.

Walk For Christ

Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco
Founder of the Congregation of Sisters of St. John the Baptist

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. "   -Ephesians 2:10


I was told that it was during the ancient Russian Empire that rich landlords owned vast tracts of lands. They usually hired people to guard the boundaries of their properties. When these hired guards encountered other guards, they normally asked "For whom do you walk?". This is to be identified to whom they were working and the limits of the properties.

One day, a priest was walking towards a sick person to be anointed. A guard met him, not knowing he was a priest, he was asked, "Sir, for whom do you walk?"

The priest, surprised with the question answered reflectively, "I walk for Jesus!"

For whom do we walk? Do we walk for Jesus?

Prayer:
Lord, let me walk for you. Amen.

The Farmer

Farmers harvesting taken in Nueva Ecija. Photo by Michael Sinjin A. Pineda

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

                                                                                                       -James 4:7 (ESV)

There was a farmer approached by a beggar asking for some rice. The devil came and whispered to the farmer. "Don't give him. When you give, he will ask for more."

The farmer decided to give him rice. The devil again tempted him, and even suggested, "Okay, you can give but give him the inferior rice."

The farmer chose the first-class kind of rice he has for the beggar. Again the devil suggested just a cup of rice to the beggar. No more or even less.

The farmer replied to the devil, "if you will not stop tempting me I will even give the best and half of my harvest to the beggar." And the devil fle from him.

May we learn from the farmer, like him we can always resist devil's temptation! Pray always and do good to people!

Prayer:

Lord, please give me strength to resist temptation. Amen.

New Life

My friend Mark Anthony N. Tayo who recognized God's goodness in bringing

him to a newness of life. He recognizes God's unbounded love for him.

"Behold, I am making all things new...Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." -Revelations 21:5 (ESV)

Sharing another SMS (text message from my friend Mark Anthony N. Tayo which he sent me on October 10, 2013 at 11:20 in the evening:

"wow grabe ka naman ohhh, bakit ganyan ka mag-isip at magsalita? kinilabutan ako promise...napakalalim at napakatalinghaga...at napakamakabuluhan mong tao..."

(wow, you're really great ohhh, why you think and speak that way? I have goosebumps promise...it was so meaningful...you're such a good person...)

The following touched me most again:

"basta pasalamat talaga ako sa'yo at kay Papa Lord kasi binigyan n'yo ako ng 2nd life...meaning patay na ako nung wala ka pa. Eh dumating ka kaya eto!! I'm back at buhay na buhay para ipakitang may kabutihan pa din talaga at gawin ang mga mabubuting gawain na 'di ko pa nagagawa..."

(I am very thankful to you and to the Lord because you have given me 2nd life...meaning I have been dead when you came...you're now here so this is it!! I'm back and alive to show the goodness and do the the good things I wasn't able to do...)

I shared this because I am really touched by his recognition of the goodness of God. He acknowledged the life which out of God's goodness restored in him. I am happy that somehow, God made me an instrument to bring my friend into life and hope again.

Remember this, there are souls that as a priest I cannot bring closer to God but you my dear readers can! There are souls that can only be saved through you. Let us be open to God and his grace, we might be His instruments of bring others back to life again.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for using me to bring life to a friend. Please continue guiding him towards the newness of life. Amen.

A Prayer From A New-Found Friend

Mark Anthony N. Tayo in one of his photo shoots. 

"Be thankful in all circumstances..." -1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)

Yesterday, I wrote a story about my new-found friend, whom I first thought was not a good company but after our first-ever conversation I found out that he is a man of hope and deep aspirations.

His name is Mark Anthony N. Tayo.

After he read the story I wrote about him, he called me crying thanking me for the write-up. He told me that he was able to know himself well. And I assured him that what I have written was the person that I saw and experience in him. I thought, the conversation and the so many "thank you's" finished when we ended the call. But at 07:08 in the evening of November 9 (the same day I have written the story) he sent me an SMS (text message) which made me cry, too. A message that inspired me more. And I would like to share it here as it was:

"sa simula 'di ko alam kung sino ka at kung saan ka nanggaling, pero eto na, nagkakilala na tayo. Now, sasabihin ko sayo..Ronaldo Berber Manabat..maraming salamat sa pagsagip mo sa buhay ko."

What touched me more was the following which was part of his message to me, a prayer:

"Lord, salamat po kasi 'di kayo nagpapabaya sa taong alam mong kaya pa at may pag-asa pa. Na need lang ng isang kasama at katulong sa paglalakbay. Papa Lord salamat po sa pareng zenki ko...ito naman po ang dasal ko para sa kaibigan at maestro ko. Lord 'wag nyo po s'yang pababayaan, mas lalo n'yo pa po s'yang pagpalain para mas marami pa s'yang matulungan na kagaya ko. Alam ko pong may maiaambag ako sa kanya na sana magiging masaya ang bawat isa sa amin simula po ngayon. 'Di na po ako makakalimot at palagi na po akong magdadasal at itutuwid ko na po ang lahat ng kamalian ko. Tao po akong nagkakamali kaya Lord, patawad po sa mga kasalanan na nagawa ko. Mahal na mahal kita Panginoon. 'Wag mo din po pabayaan ang aming mga pamilya. Salamat po. Amen."

Oh, what a very inspiring and touching message and prayer! I thought I was the one who inspired him, but with his gratefulness to what happened, to our conversations and to my written story about him, but with this he was the one who inspired me and keep on inspiring me to touch more lives.

Now, I can really say to people that this friend, actually a new-found friend is a man not just of hope and aspirations. But a man with a true heart that loves and appreciates the goodness of others. He is a man with a grateful heart. A man of sincerity.

Pareng Mark, thank you for the inspiration. We journey together. I texted you back and you know my answer to this. Keep reading it and keep the faith!

You made me more proud of you! 

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for inspiring me. You really know when I needed it most. Thank you for sending me people. Thank you, Lord for the gift of persons, for the gift of friends. Bless him and all my friends, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Father, Will You Marry Me?

The wedding of my Utol Engr. Andrew dela Cruz and Tin-Tin Palad which
I officiated and witnessed. Note. This is not the wedding of a friend who called.

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever."

                                                                                                        -Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)

I don't usually answer phone calls with unregistered numbers in my cellphone. But I do not know what moved me to answer a phone call with unregistered number one morning.

When I answered it, a guy from the other line greeted me and said, "Father, will you marry me?" 

I was shocked with the proposal! Only to found out that the guy was a schoolmate way back in my high school days. What he really wanted to asked was If I can solemnize his marriage with a long time girlfriend. Of course I accepted the invitation.

In the evening of the same day, in my usual reflections, I realized something. I told myself, I should have answered him with a big yes when he said, "Father, will you marry me?

I realized something. Faithfulness is needed for a marriage to last forever. When I was ordained, I am indeed married to the Church. The conversation reminded me that I should always be faithful to the Church. I must always be faithful to my priesthood.

All of us Christians must be faithful to our baptismal promises. We must all be faithful to Christ.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. Help us and give us the grace to be faithful to you. Amen.

Look At The Inside

I learn to judge not the person by appearance.

"There is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." -Proverbs 23:18 (ESV)

Sometime in August I met a guy whom when you look at him at a first glance you will be afraid to approach him because of his tattoos, but on a second look, seeing him embracing a little child will make you think that he must be good.

By providence, I met him again after more than a month, and was able to have a quite long conversation with him. I doubted his intentions of talking to me, but as we go along, he opened up things about his life, his love for family especially for his mother. He shared his realizations, wonderful realizations. He shared his thoughts on faith.

I told myself he is not just a guy. He is a guy with goal. He is a guy who needs companion on his journey. I see hope in him.He listens well and take everything in his heart and mind. I saw tears in his eyes.

I realized one thing, I should not look at the external appearance of a person, I should look at what is inside his heart. He is good. there is hope. He is a man of love and aspirations for his family.

I pray that he may find the way towards the realization of his goal in life. I hope I can journey with him at least through prayers.

Ah, he asked me, if he can be counted among my friends. And I said, Yes!

Pareng Marky, this is for you. Remember what I told you? God is making ways for us to be closer to him, He will make ways for us to reach our goal. That is if we will give him a chance in our life. That is if our goal is also clear to us. Keep the faith pare!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for a new-found friend. I lift him up to you, please encourage him more. Inspire him more. Bless him and his family. Amen.

Saintly Light

"You are the light of the world...let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." 

                                                                                     -Matthew 5:14,16 (ESV)

There was a family who went on a tour. They visited magnificent Cathedral in a very famous city. The Cathedral is noted for its very beautiful and amazing stained-glass windows.

With the sun glowing in its splendor, it penetrates through the stained-glass windows which gives the inside of the Cathedral a radiant colors and lights..

While looking at those beautiful windows, the little girl asked her parents, "Who are those people in those beautiful windows?"

Her parents answered her, "They are Saints."

On their way to the Hotel, inside the car, the little girl told her parents and siblings. "I knew who are those Saints in the windows!"

The parents and her siblings with amazement, in chorus asked the little girl, "And who are they?"

The little girl in her innocence answered, "They are people who let the light shine through!"

Wow, what a very true statement. Saints are those who brought the light of Christ in their lives. Through them, we are able to give glory to God.

We are also challenged to be Saints, to be bearers of light through our good works. May through us, may through our lives and witnessing, others may see Christ, the true and eternal light.

Prayer:

Lord, please be my light so that my life be enlightened, that I may share yourlight to others by my works and life. Amen.

Pay It Forward

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another..." -1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)

A man was driving in a deserted road when his car broke down. He has no means of fixing the car. He tried to fix it with his bare hands but he was unsuccessful. He waited and prayed.

Another car passed by and stopped upon seeing him and his car. Seeing the need to repair, the man from the other car took his toolbox and help him repaired something in the engine.

The engine started. The man, out of his gratitude offered a monetary reward. The other man firmly refused. He insisted. But the man continued to resist the money.

"How can I repay you? How can I show my appreciation for what you did to me?" He asked.

The man replied, "Just do what I did. When help is needed, stop and be of service."

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the time you send us people to help us. Teach us to do the same, to be of service to others. Amen.

Father?!? What?!?

Dog strap found in the accident scene.

"Lying lips are abomination to the Lord..." -Proverbs 12:22 (ESV)

There was a car accident. People came out to see the victim and to know what happened. They surrounded the victim. Timely, a newspaper reporter happened to pass by. He thought of sensational news, but he he could not see the victim because of the crowd. He could not go nearer. People would not give way to him.

He thought of a gimmick. He shouted on top of his voice, "Make way! I am the father of the victim! Let me pass! Give way for me, please!"

The people surprisingly looked at him. He shouted the more, "I am the father of the victim! Let me see him!"

The people moved out and gave way to him. He saw the victim. To his surprised, the victim was just a dog.

When we are lying we put ourselves to shamefulness.

Prayer:

Lord, let me not speak of lies. Let me always be truthful in all things. Amen.

Teach Your Children

Mother teaching her son. Photo from dreamstime.com

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."   

                                                                                                                   -Proverbs 22:6

There was a man walking along a very dark street late at night. Then, a thief held him up and demanded his wallet. The frustrated thief remarked, "You looked rich and you don't have money?"

The man replied that his money was secretly hidden in his belt . The thief immediately got the belt. There was a secret small pocket on it and true enough his money was there. The thief in his surprised asked the man, "Why did you tell me where your money was hidden?"

The man answered, "My parents always repeated to me three things in life that I must always do as I grow older. First, I must always pray to God. Second, I must always do good things to others. And lastly, I must always tell the truth."

The thief regrettably remarked, "If my parents told me those three things, surely I would never have ended up a thief."

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for our parents who are guiding us as we grow in age and wisdom. Bless our parents. Amen.

Agents of Christ's Love and Compassion

"So we are Christ's Ambassadors; God is appealing through us." -2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT)

I heard the story of a mother who heard his son screaming in the middle of the night. The boy woke us because of a very bad dream. The loving mother went to him and said:

"Do not be afraid. God is here. God is everywhere. He will protect you."

"Oh, yeah!" The boy replied. He continued, "But I need someone who has skin."

In other words the boy needed someone there that he could feel and touch. He needed someone whose protecting presence he can sense.

The story do not underestimate the power of  God, but the story reminds us Christians that we are the Body of Christ. We bring God's tangible presence into our world and into the lives of those who are feeling alone and crushed by life. We help them carry their burdens.

I remember Saint Teresa of Avila who said:

"Christ has no body but yours. He has no hands and feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes of Christ with which he looks with compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours."

Indeed, through our prayers and acts of love we can bring God's loving presence to all those who are desperate, to all those who are lonely, to all those who are needy. To all those who fear. In short to everyone who wants to feel God.

Be his Ambassadors! Be Agents of His love and compassion!

Prayer:

Lord, use me to let other people feel your loving and compassionate presence in their own lives. Amen.

Cardinal Van Thuan: A Man of Love and Forgiveness

His Eminence Francis Xavier Nguyen Cardinal Van Thuan
with the Cross he made  from bits of woods and copper
electric wire while in Prison which later served as his
pectoral cross. Photo by Steven Siewert

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." -Romans 12:9 (ESV)


His Eminence Francis Xavier Nguyen Cardinal Van Thuan, a Saintly man of God was imprisoned in Vietnam by the communist regime. He related his experience  during a Lenten Retreat with Pope John Paul II. This is the story:

While in prison, a guard asked him, "Do you Love us?

The Saintly Cardinals answered, "Yes, I love you."

The guard was surprised by the answer. He cannot believe the cardinal and his answer.

"That's very impossible! We have kept you in prison for many years. There was no sentence, no trial, and you still say you love us? Oh, that's not true!"

The good Cardinal replied, "You know it is true. I have been with you for many years."

The unbelieving guard said, "When you are free, will you send your followers to burn our houses, and kill our families for revenge?

"No, even if you want to kill me, I love you still." The Cardinal answered.

The guard asked again, "But why?

Cardinal Van Thuan  lovingly and in a soft voice answered, "Because our Lord Jesus taught us as his followers to love everyone, even our enemies. When I don't, I am no longer worthy to be called Christian."

"Very difficult to understand."  The guard finally said. "But beautiful!" He added.

Indeed, it is very hard to understand. It is very hard to love and forgive people who do harm to us, but let Jesus reminds us as Christians:

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." -Ephesians 4:32

Prayer:

Lord, teach us to love and forgive. Thank you for giving us a model in the person of Cardinal Van Thuan of Vietnam. Amen.

On Confession

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." -1 John 1:9 (NIV)

In one of the Kumpisalan ng Bayan which we organized when I was the Parish Priest of Sto. Domingo de Guzman Parish in Basco, Batanes I was moved to tears seeing many people came to avail of the Holy Sacrament of Confession.

One of the faithful who saw me wiping my eyes as I went out of the confessional approached me and asked:

"Father, were you crying? What made you cry then? Is it the sins you heard in confession?"

I answered:

 "Yes, I was in tears. They were tears of joy. I am very happy to see that the Church, I mean, you and me, our Parish, our people, we still have Christ in us and with us. We still see our need of Him".

Then, I shared to her what Blessed John Paul II said during his homily on an Ash Wednesday.

The Blessed Pope said:

"When we forget the need for penance, self-denial and sacrifice, we forget the fact of sinfulness. When we forget that we are sinners, we forget our need of Christ. And when we forget we need Christ, the we have lost everything."


Prayer:

Lord, thank you very much for the wonderful Sacrament of Your Love and Compassion--the Holy Sacrament f Confession. Amen.

A Man in the Drive-Thru

"..let each of you gently consider the others as more important than yourselves." -Philippians 2:3

Whenever I am on the go, I do not want to waste time. One time, while I am rushing going to my scheduled meeting and I was so hungry, I asked Kuya Santie, my driver to pass by a fast-food restaurant.

Seeing long lines in almost all its cashier section, I asked him to just take a drive-thru. As we turned the corner, I was surprised to see a man walking, making his order, went to the next window to pay. I saw the crew's face in amazement!

Wow, what a very resourceful man. I thought I have better idea. But this man has!

Sometimes, we need to learn from people around us. We don't just stick to what we know. We don't just stick to what we thought is good. We don't just stick to our own ideas. Others may have the best!

Prayer: 

Lord, thank you for opening my eyes to the truth that I do not have all the best in life. Help me recognize the good in others. Amen.