Asian Youth Day 2009
September 30, 2008CBCP asks Pope to visit Manila in 2009
by ARIES RUFO, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak | 09/29/2008 6:05 PM
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has formally invited Pope Benedict XVI to attend next year’s celebration of Asian Youth Day to be held in Manila, abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak has learned.
It will be the second invitation extended by the Catholic Church to the Holy Father, who declined an offer this year to make a side trip to the Philippines from his visit to Australia for the World Youth Day last July.
Two bishops confirmed that an invitation has been forwarded to the Vatican, following consultations with other CBCP members.
The invitation was prompted by a separate request of the Catholic Church in Taiwan for the Pope to attend its 150th anniversary of its evangelization. Taipei’s local bishops have asked the CBCP to also invite the Pope, noting that Manila would host the Asian Youth Day next year.
The Asian Youth Day (AYD), a regional version of the World Youth Day, was last observed in Hongkong in 2006.
But one of the sources said the Pope is likely to refuse the offer, considering the diplomatic implication of the Pope’s visit to Taiwan, which is still considered a “renegade” province by China.
Asian Youth Day
According to a July 30, 2008 story on Asian Youth Day on the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN) website, organizers plan to hold the AYD in the Philippines last week of November or first week of December 2009.
The UCAN report said, “AYD organizers have not decided on the theme for the celebration, but activities will center on the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) thrust toward Eucharist in the context of the young.”
The report said “AYD celebrations, held in years when no international WYD celebration takes place, aim to inspire Asian Catholics to continue and live their faith “passionately, in a more dedicated way,” according to Jessica Joy Candelario, the head of the desk of the FABC’s Office of Laity and Family.
Asian bishops vowed in a previous World Youth Day celebration to “give more priority to the needs of young people.” They agreed to establish a “youth office that will give a more concrete voice for young Asians,” the UCAN report said.
“Three years later, the FABC established its laity office’s Youth Desk. The desk organized the first AYD celebration in Thailand in 1999,” the UCAN report said.
Feast Day of St. Lorenzo Ruiz
September 28, 2008
“I AM A CHRISTIAN, AND THIS I PROFESS UNTIL THE HOUR OF MY DEATH AND FOR GOD I SHALL GIVE MY LIFE. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT COME TO JAPAN TO BE A MARTYR, NEVERTHELESS AS A CHRISTIAN AND FOR GOD I SHALL GIVE MY LIFE.” St. Lorenzo Ruiz.
Happy Feast Day of St. Lorenzo Ruiz to all the Filipino people!
It has been three (3) years since the time I assumed the responsibility of taking care of the Novena and Mass in Honor of San Lorenzo Ruiz De Manila in the Parish, it is just my regret that this year I was not able to sponsor a procession in his honor due to concerns on possibility of heavy rains that does not happen anyway.
Im sharing to you juys the novena to San Lorenzo Ruiz and his short life story! Again Happy Feast Day!
OPENING PRAYER
Almighty God, you have given us St. Lorenzo Ruiz as a model of an unwavering fidelity and unflinching courage as he withstood the forces of death to defend his faith. Give us the same courage and fidelity to remain steadfast as we face the difficulties and temptations of our daily life.
We present all our petitions to God through your help so that by our actions, we may know and love more Jesus, our Lord and Savior. We humbly implore your intercession in this novena, for the glory of God and in honor of your triumph as a martyr of Christ and defender of Christianity.
O courageous St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you were an exemplar father, a witness of Christ until the last hours of your earthly life. You did not hesitate to say that even if you have a thousand lives, you will give them all to Jesus. Intercede for us before the throne of the Most High and inspire us, especially the fathers among us, to lead our families in prayer and worship.
Amen.
FIRST DAY / Friday
(September 19, 2008)
Almighty God, you chose St. Lorenzo Ruiz, a humble sacristan of Binondo to carry the gospel to Japan. We are also called to be your missionaries, to announce the gospel and the joy of your Kingdom. Enlighten us that we may learn to carry this mission faithfully and effectively, first in our homes and then in our neighborhood. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you diligently did your work as a sacristan, preparing the daily masses and other sacraments. Help us to be committed to our parish work and activities and see them as our way of evangelizing.
Amen.
RESPONSORY:
Leader: Jesus has many who love his Kingdom in heaven, but few who bear his Cross. He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share his feast, but few his fasting. All desire to rejoice with him, but few are willing to suffer for his sake.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
Leader: Why do you fear to take up the Cross, which is the road to the Kingdom? In the Cross is salvation and life, protection against our enemies, infusion of heavenly sweetness: in the Cross is strength of mind, joy of spirit, excellence of virtue, perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of soul nor hope of eternal life, save in the Cross.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
Leader: Take up the Cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and go forward into eternal life. Christ has gone before you, bearing Cross; he died for you on the Cross that you also may bear your cross and desire to die on the Cross with him. And if you share his sufferings, you will also share his glory.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
Leader: See how the Cross, all things consist; and in dying on it, all things depend. There is no other way to life and to true inner peace than the Way of the Cross. Go where you will, seek what you will: you will find no higher way above nor safer way below than the road of the Holy Cross.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
Leader: The Cross always stands ready, and everywhere it awaits you. You cannot escape it, wherever you flee; for wherever you go, you bear yourself, and always find yourself. Look up or down, without you or within, and everywhere you must have patience, if you wish to attain inner peace, and win an eternal crown.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
ALL: Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us to follow you not only to the breaking of bread but also to the drinking of the cup of your passion. Help us to love you for your own sake and not for the sake of comfort for ourselves. Make us worthy for your name, Jesus, our crucified and risen Lord and savior, now and forever. Amen.
SECOND DAY / Saturday
(September 20, 2008)
Almighty God, you gave St. Lorenzo Ruiz priest companions who were after his welfare. They protected him when he was falsely accused of murder in Binondo and allowed him to go with them to Japan. We pray also for our priests and may they always be inspired to work for the welfare of their flock. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, bless and intercede for our shepherds that they may be able to guide us in our parish activities. Let them be models of faith and charity, light in our communities that we may become beacons of fraternal love in our world. Amen.
THIRD DAY / Sunday
(September 21, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with love for work as he did his duties as a sacristan with fervor and honesty. Through human work, may we develop our potentials and talents, inspire us always to meet the challenges of our profession and give work to the unemployed. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you were also a notary; intercede before the throne of the Most High, that all of us may have decent jobs and thus be able to provide for our family. Amen.
FOURTH DAY / Monday
(September 22, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with a happy family that became his support even though he had to leave them and flee for Japan to escape an unjust arrest. You stirred the heart of his wife and children to put their trust in you in the absence of Lorenzo.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, your life is embodied today by the millions of Filipino fathers who work abroad to support their families. The absence of these fathers has created a lot of problems. Intercede in the throne of the Most High to increase the faith of these mothers and children, so that their bonds with their husbands and fathers may be strengthened. Amen.
FIFTH DAY / Tuesday
(September 23, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with the love for Mary, our mother. He participated in a group that professed to pray the rosary and propagate its devotion to others. To love Mary is to love you even more. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, help us to love Mary so that through her, we could go near Jesus. Inspire us to love the rosary and to recite it daily so that we will always be covered by the powerful intercession of the mother of God. May your love for Mary increase our devotion for her. Amen.
SIXTH DAY / Wednesday
(September 24, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with companions whose missionary zeal enabled them to leave their country and spend their lives spreading the gospel in foreign and even hostile lands like Japan in those times. The spread of the gospel was the obsession of these Dominican priests who left their country without thinking of seeing it once again. We want to imitate their zeal and spirit of sacrifice to spread the gospel. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you carried in your heart the flame of the gospel, influenced by the company of these missionaries who taught you that to offer one’s life for the spread of the good news is the best of all decisions. Inspire in us the love for mission and support Filipino missionaries working abroad. Amen.
SEVENTH DAY / Thursday
(September 25, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with the gift of martyrdom. This is a privilege you give to a chosen few. Through the call for us all is to live our faith with much constancy, we, too, are invited to be martyrs for your sake, in the name of charity, of love, of sacrifice for our neighbors and those who are in need. Bless us Father with much perseverance.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, may your martyrdom inspire in us always the courage to serve our fellowmen and women without counting the cost, to forgive and understand them with patience and compassion, and to love them without limit, that we all may also be welcomed with the gift of eternal life in the Father’s heavenly abode, as he has received you in his heavenly embrace. Amen.
EIGHT DAY / Friday
(September 26, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with the gift of fidelity. His sufferings were terrible and the tortures that he bore were beyond human endurance. Yet as he dangled bloodied before a filthy pit, he reaffirmed with a firm voice that even if he had a thousand lives, he would willingly give them all back to you. Give us the same courage to withstand the temptations of our daily life. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, inspire us to remain steadfast in our combat against sin and evil. Give us the resistance to withstand the attacks of pleasure and easy life. Amen.
NINTH DAY / Saturday
(September 27, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with the company of ardent martyrs who encouraged, strengthened and prayed for each other until they were slaughtered. They died singing psalms in your honor, eager to meet you in the kingdom promised to all the faithful. Eternal life filled their hearts as they withstood terrible tortures and pains.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, be with us in our journey in this valley of tears, inspire us that the thirst for eternal life may posses us and that with your company, this longing for eternal life may be intensified and thus, we may be unmindful of sacrificing and suffering for Jesus’ sake. Stir in us a deep love for heaven and a yearning to reach it soon. Amen.
Short Trip to the Sunshine City of the North-Laoag
September 23, 2008
Last weekend I went to Laoag City upon the invitation of a couple friend for the wedding of their eldest son. I went there to serve as a Commentator in the Wedding Mass held at St. Monicha Church in Sarrat Ilocos, Norte where the wedding of former first daughter Imee Marcos was also held.
It was a fun filled weekend and I would say that It is one of the best wedding I attended not because of the high profile entourage or the lavished backdrop it had (by the way the reception was held at Fort Ilocandia, one of the most popular landmark in the North) but the sincerity of the couple. The exhange of vows then were the most sincere and most passionate vows I ever witnessed.
The people there in Laoag are great, warm and very accommodating. I also had the chance to visit some of the popular landmarks in Laoag like the Malacanan Palace of the North in Paoay, the Sinking Bell Tower of St. Williams Cathedral in the heart of the city and the only first class hotel in Laoag, the famous Fort Ilocandia. To complement this places, I also had the chance to taste and even brought home some of the famous delicacies of Laoag like “bagnit” with KBL (kamatis, bagoong and sibuyas tagalog), empanada and chichacorn.
The family of the couple also organized a short trip in Pagudpud for the guests but unfortunately I did not join them because I had to meet a client of our Laoag Branch. But to summed it up, I made the resolution to come back and spend a much longer stay then.
Salamat Laoag! Till my next visit!
PYC: After 14 years (1994-2008)
September 18, 2008
Ngayon ang ika 14 na taong anibersaryo ng aking paglilingkod sa Inang Simbahan sa pamamagitan ng aming parokya. Every year mag isa ko itong inaalala sa pamamagitan ng pagdalo sa Misa at pag-alala sa ilang mga dating kasamahan sa Parish Youth Council (PYC) Batch No. 2 sina Robert Dacer at Jobert but this year nadagdagan na sila, kasama na din sa aking mga panalangin ang mga kaluluwa nina Kuya Jay-R at Jon Jon Badillo. Looking back for the last 14 years, wala akong maipagmamalaki na great achievement except to that of the fact that I’m still in the Parish until this very time very active di na nga lang sa PYC I have now my own group, the UCM.
Just to share to you the text that I sent to some of my batch mates then in the PYC yesterday just to greet them a simple happy anniversary:
“I tried to look for a nice meesage in my phone archive to use it as my special greetings for this very special day. . . But I cant find one that suit for us. . .Until I remembered that when the first time we met last September 17, 1994 all of us just made a tree of promise out of a manila paper (i dont where it is now) that we will stay together and move as one. 14 years had past, we may have different lives now, but the great memories we had then that still brought us smile and joy from time to time, are suffieciently enough for me to take the effort of greeting you on this special day. . .Happy Anniversary!
Were trying to organize a reunion this September 27, 2008 and hopefully matuloy but I promise na ayusin ko pagbalik ko from Laoag City.
I will also try to publish some additional reflections on this occasion in the coming days before the end of September, Birthday ko na next month! Sana i could make a post starting October 1, 2008!
More to come! Thanks & Sa mga nakasama ko sa PYC Batch no. 2 I miss you! and again Happy Anniversary!
Write a blog, win a Palanca
DAVID DIZON / abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/18/2008 5:14 PM
Blogging is often used by authors as a pulpit to express their views and hopefully make a profit through Internet ads. Award-winning fictionist and playwright Dean Francis Alfar did it better by writing a blog for a month and then using the finished work to win a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award, the country’s own version of the Pulitzers.
In a presentation at the recently concluded Manila International Book Fair, Alfar said he started blogging after a personal tragedy struck in 2001.
The author said he was working in the advertising industry in Hong Kong when he received a telephone call from the Philippines and found out that his cousin had died.
“I was devastated to hear the news because we were very close. It was so painful. I turned on my computer and started writing as a way to release my pain. I then started surfing and found an article about blogging. That’s when I started blogging,” he said.
Alfar freely admits that he had been writing and winning awards even before he joined advertising in 1994. He said, however, that he felt intimidated by the local literary scene, which placed more emphasis on social realism that genre fiction.
“Growing up in the shadow of literary giants, I always get the sense that ‘marami pa akong kakainin na palay’. I always thought that I had nothing new to say, that other people had already said it and better,” he said.
Blogging gave Alfar the freedom to write anything he wanted, and write he did. Finding the time to write, however, became a problem since he had to juggle his roles as a businessman, entrepreneur, husband and father.
Guerilla writing
A firm believer that a writer should always be producing new work, Alfar said he practiced “guerilla writing” to make the best use of time otherwise spent going from one task to the next.
“In the jungle, guerrillas just pop up from nowhere and start shooting. It’s the same with writing. If I have 15 minutes with nothing to do, I open up my laptop and start writing. Sometimes it’s opinion and sometimes it’s epiphanies. Sometimes if I have enough time, I write vignettes - these small passages of whatever strikes my fancy. Later, when I have time to write, I go back to my blog, mine the vignettes and write it up as a full story,” he said.
Blogging also led Alfar to write his first novel, Salamanca, which he started after discovering National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) creative project in the United States. Under NaNoWriMo rules, authors must write a complete novel of fifty thousand words or simply write the first fifty thousand words of a novel in 30 days beginning November 1. No prizes are given out except for a small Web icon on the author’s blog, declaring him a winner.
Since he always believed that writing should not take a year to do, especially for short works, Alfar found the novelty of writing his own novel in one month incredibly appealing. He opened up a blog and committed to write every night until he completed the required 50,000 word count.
“There were times that my wife (Nikki Alfar) would get mad because we weren’t talking since I had to write my 2,000 words for the night. It was important for me that I wouldn’t be paralyzed by fear, that I could not do it. I didn’t even worry about being plagiarized because all I wanted was to finish the work,” he said.
Winning a Palanca
Alfar finished the novel in 28 days and got the Web icon. He also submitted the finished novel “Salamanca” to the 2005 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and won the Palanca Grand Prize for Novel. The novel was published by Ateneo Press in 2006.
Alfar encourages budding authors to write blogs in order to practice their craft on a regular basis. He says the feedback mechanism also allows authors to know what other people think about their work.
“I want people to write. I want them to express themselves. On the Internet, people are being influenced by other cultures but we need to be writing about ourselves. We should write from a ‘glocal’ perspective and let other people know more about us,” he says.
as of 09/18/2008 5:38 PM
The Gates to Heroism: Defining a Filipino Hero
September 3, 2008
Diana A. Galang, National Historical Insitute | 08/25/2008 12:21 AM
(First published online at www.nhi.gov.ph, 2007)
It is common for Filipinos to look for someone to idolize –saints, politicians, artists, models, etc., somebody they will glorify and imitate. Since the time of the declaration of Philippine independence, 109 years ago, many were acknowledged as Filipino heroes, more so today, that every individual who become so popular or the main character in any particular event is given the title “hero”. The essence of the word “hero” is past declining, today one need not to die or do such gallant act to be given the noble title or that some just won a boxing match. Time has really evolved and so does our standard in defining a Filipino hero. Will our forefathers who gave their lives for freedom feel insulted for this? Are these the Filipinos we’ll look up to for guidance through the times, aren’t our children losing the true meaning of heroism by our doings? All these things we should ask ourselves before giving the title “hero” to anyone.
But what does being a hero mean? Dr. Esteban de Ocampo, a known historian, stated in his book about Rizal that a hero means a prominent or central personage taking an admirable part in any remarkable action or event; a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering; and a man honored after death by public worship because of exceptional service to mankind. The true heroes of Philippine history deserve to be called so for they didn’t have any idea that one day they will be measured up, they just acted upon their principles. The concept of honoring heroes came only to the Philippines in 1900, when the Philippine Commission (Pardo de Tavera, Legarda, Luzurriaga (Filipino members) and headed by William Howard Taft) approved Act No. 137 combining the districts of Morong and Manila to be named as “Province of Rizal,” in honor of the most illustrious Filipino. Actually, this Act was disputed by many but the basis of the Commission was so strong that it has surpassed the public’s questions.
Since then, heroes were celebrated here and there, citing their names in every politician’s speeches, declaring holidays, naming streets, constructing monuments, etc. in their honor. Until one day, realizing that so many names were acknowledged as heroes, need to evaluate the situation was proposed. During Marcos’ presidency, he tasked the National Heroes Commission to come up with the criteria for national hero. On March 28, 1993, thru the President’s Executive Order No. 75, the National Heroes Committee was created, commissioned to study, evaluate and recommend historical figures to be declared as national heroes. The Committee composed of worthy members, with a series of discussions came up with the new criteria.
The criteria is composed of 10 standards: First is the extent of a person’s sacrifices for the welfare of the country. Second, the motive and methods employed in the attainment of the ideal (was his ideal purely for the welfare of the country and without any taint of self-interested motives, most of all the method of attainment should be morally valid). The third is the moral character of the person concerned (the person should not have any immorality issue that affected his ideal). The fourth is the influence of the person concerned on his age and or the succeeding age. Fifth is that heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom (they must have desired the country’s freedom in any situation especially when there’s a threat of invasion in any form). Sixth is that heroes are those who define and contribute to a system of life of freedom and order for a nation (one who helps in the orderliness and betterment of the country). Seventh is, heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation. Eight, a hero is part of the people’s expression (the citizen must have recognized and acknowledged the person as a hero). Ninth, a hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations, his concern for the future generations must be seen in his decisions and ideals). Lastly, the choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in history, but of the entire process that made this particular person a hero.
Filipino’s expectations of public figures are different now than it was more than a hundred years ago, maybe because of the realization that no one is perfect. This is the reason why today so many were acknowledged as heroes and many were voted in important governing positions with flaws and questionable characters. Lucky are those who aspire one day to be called a hero that the criteria was already set to pattern their decisions with. I hope that the criteria for national heroes will not only be checked against the historical figures but also with the politicians to whom we will entrust the power to govern our country.
PRAYER OF COMMITMENT For HUMANAE VITAE
September 1, 2008 God our Father, In you we find the fullness of life and love,
And the truth that they belong together.
In you we find the meaning of marriage,
Of the human body,
And of our responsibility to be open to life.
As we celebrate the anniversary of Humanae Vitae,
Pope Paul VI’s documents on human life,
Bless your entire Church with a new generosity.
We rejoice that you are the Lord of our lives
and our freedom,
Of birth and death and everything in between.
Keep us strong in saying “Yes” to life
And “yes” to you.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
ANG PAGSASALIN NG BUHAY AY SAGRADO
Message delivered by His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila during Mass in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Encyclical Humanae Vitae at UST Grandstand, España, Manila,
on July 25, 2008.
Matapos ang 40 taon na binitiwan ng Santo Papa Paulo VI ang kanyang sulat na Encyclical Humanae Vitae nananatili pa rin po yung puso ng kanyang liham, at ito’y: “Na kung kikitilin yung isang buhay sa sinapupunan ng isang ina, kung saan man ito mangyari, sa klinika, sa health centers, sa mga pagamutan o kaya ay sa mga bahay; ang pagkitil ng buhay sa sinapupunan ng isang ina ay ito raw sa ating salawikain ay inuulit natin ang massacre ni Herodes dun sa mga inosenteng bata, at lilitaw na pag may gumawa ng ganyan ang Herodes na mamamatay sanggol ay maaaring kapitbahay ninyo.
Yan po ang sinabi ni Papa Paulo VI. Hindi lingid sa ating kaalaman na ang buhay ng isang tao kung ito ay ikukumpra sa kung sino man, ang buhay ng isang tao ay hindi lang mahalaga kundi sa mga unang sandali ng kanyang pamumuo sa sinapupunan ng kanyang ina ay ito na raw po ang pinakamahina, pinkamarupok na buhay na maaaring matuklasan sa ibabaw ng lupang ito.
It’s unusual that this vulnerability of humans not only from the womb of the woman or the mother continues until childbirth. Ito raw ang pinakaiingatan at lahat ng buhay matapos dyan pagkat sinasabi dito, this vulnerability continues even after birth towards infancy. Napakarupok daw ng bata kaya ang pag-aalaga dito sa buhay na ito na nagmumula sa ilang sandali sa sinapupunan ng isang ina ay isang banal na tungkulin. It’s a sacred duty.
Responsible parenthood is what Pope Paul VI called human parenting. Responsableng pagiging magulang, yan ang tawag niya. This is the reason why, and we quote from him, “in the task of transmitting life humans are not free to perceive completely as they will as if they could determine in a holy and autonomous way the honest path to follow. But they must confirm their activity to creative intention of God expressed in the very nature of marriage and of its acts.”
Hindi daw po ito maaari na yung pagsasalin ng buhay hindi maaaring basta ipagkatiwala sa sinuman. Ang pagsasalin ng buhay ay hindi lang siklab ng ilang sandali. Napakabanal pala nitong pagsasalin ng buhay na ginagamit ang isang lalake at babae sa pagiging ina at ama. Sagrado ito. Hindi maaari basta ipagkatiwala sa simbuyo ng ilang sandali. Kaya kung sakali man na ang kabiglaanan ng iba ay tutuklas ng paraan para kitilin ang buhay, yan ay malaking pagkakasala. Sa ano mang paraan tawagin o ano mang titulo iyan sinasabi ni Paulo VI na hindi maaari.
Napakabanal ng pagsalin ng buhay. Ito ay hindi laruan at kung minsan ang kabiglaang kabataan ay kung ano ang tutuklasin yan na nga wawasakin, dudurugin ang isang banal na buhay. Responsible parenthood using the natural method of planning of birth demands of the husband and the wife the possession of true values of life. Yung pagiging responsableng ama at ina ang hinihingi sa lalaki at babae, ano yun? Una dapat daw ay mayroong pagpapahalaga sa buhay. Nagpatuloy pa ang Papa Paulo VI, ang sasang ayon sa Diyos sa pagsasalin ng buhay sa kapwa hindi lamang pagpapahalaga sa buhay kung hindi merong sintido ng pamilya. Pagkaunawa ng kung ano ang pamilya at hindi basta ang pagsasama ng ama at ina kundi kasama ang mga anak na kasambahay. Meron din sapat na pag disiplina sa sarili. Dapat pala ang sasang ayon sa pagsasalin ng buhay hindi lang may pagpapahalaga sa buhay o sa pamilya kung hindi mayroong disiplina sa buhay, mayroong self control. Yun pala ang kinakailangan ng sasang ayon sa Diyos na isasalin ang buhay sa kapwa at ang disiplinang ito sabi nga ng Santo Papa magdadala sa angkan ng bunga ng kapayapaan, katahimikan, at itataboy ang kasakiman, pagsasarili na siyang kaaway ng pag-ibig.
Ang Diyos ay marunong. Ano at ang tao ay tutuklas pa ng masamang paraan na kikitil ng buhay? Ano at ang tao nung matuklusan ang hirap dumadami ang tao, gumaganit ang pagkain, nagmamahal ang gasolina ay iisip pa ng masama imbes na padamihin ang pagkain, pag saluhan ang yaman ay iisip pa ng masama. Tayo lang ba ang nakatuklas ng paghihirap ng buhay? Alam ng Diyos yan bago pa niya nilalang ang daigdig. Anong klaseng Diyos yan kung hindi niya alam na hihirap ang buhay? I know that the God I believe in knows better than I am. That life will be difficult to accompany children? To lead children, to correct children, alam ng Diyos iyan. Bakit ang solusyon natin ay iba? Kung kaya’t kanya nga ipinunla sa tao ang lunas sa pamamagitan ng pag didisiplina sa sarili ay matuklasan niya yung pagbibigay ng agwat sa mga anak. Yan ang tinuklas ng Diyos bago pa niya tayo lalangin. Alam niyang magkakaproblema. Ang solusyon ba ay nasa laboratoryo? Sa mga gamot? Sa mga lason? Wala. Ang solusyon ay ipinunla ng marunong at banal na Diyos, ipinunla sa lalake at babae. Alam ng Diyos na yung binhi ng buhay sa lalake at babae ay hindi tatagal ng ilang oras. Alam ng Diyos yan at yan ang dapat tuklasin ng siyensya para ituro sa mga tao na sa loob ng ilang sandaling yan disiplina ang kailangan.
Tingnan ninyo kaya buong buo ang pangangaral ng Diyos na ito ay pag merong disipilina sa bahay lalo na sa kama ng mag asawa, may disiplina din sa lansangan, may disipilina sa paaralan, may disiplina maging sa pamahalaan. Walang gumagamit ng dispilina na siyang inilagay ng Diyos na paraan at tayo ay reklamo ng reklamo.
Look at the traffic that you see, how undisplined. Look at the way they move. Why? That is a reflection that there is no discipline in the house. Kaya heto balikan natin ang pagtuturo. Pero huwag din natin kalilimutan na meron ding mga mahihina. Ang mahihinang kasama ay hindi lang ang sanggol. Oo nga’t ang sanggol sa sinapupunan ay ang pinkamahina na wala talaga. Napakabigat na kasalanan yan sapagkat kung meron kang kaaway pwede mong suntukin, lalayo siya, tatakas siya, pwede siyang manuntok sa iyo, he will fight you back. This is the reason why the church considers abortion a terrible crime because the child has no choice. The unborn child has no choice. He cannot fight back the mother or the father or the doctor or the nurse. He couldn’t even escape. That is why the church considers this a terrible crime. So don’t ask anymore why the church is this strict!
Alam ninyo na walang ligtas ang bata, hindi siya makakatakas. It’s the worst kind of sin. Wag ninyo tatanungin kung bakit ganyan ang simbahan sa abortion. Pero meron din tayo mga kapatid na nahihirapan. Merong mga bata na naglalakad yan yung mga dukha na namamahay sa mga liblib na lugar sa mga tabing lansangan, ngbabahay sa mga ilog, sa kanal, ilalim ng tulay. Hindi natin dapat limutin ito. Oo nga wala ito sa Humanae Vitae, idinadagdag ko dito. Huwag natin lilimutin lapitan ang mga dukha. Sila ang ating kaligtasan. Maniwala kayo hindi tayo papasok ng langit kung hindi natin mamahalin ang mga dukha. At sabi ni Hesus siya ang nasa puntahan ng langit at hindi si San Pedro.. Yan ay maliwanag kay Mateo 25, at sasabihin niya “ako ay nagutom ako ay pinakain, ako ay nauhaw ako ay pinainom, ako’y hubad ako’y dinamitan, ako’y may sakit ako’y dinalaw ako’y nabilanggo ako’y pinuntahan, halina pumasok kayo ang langit ay para sa nagmamahal sa dukha.
Special care and protection must be given to the family. Sinasalakay ang karangalan at kabanalan ng pamilya. Kanya pangalagaan natin ito. Himukin natin ang mga matatanda na maaaring gustong mamuno sa atin. Kung mambabatas man yan marurunong daw, himukin natin na ipagtanggol at palakasin, suportahan ang pamilya. Ang pamilya po ang pugad ng pag ibig, dito po nagmumula, dito magigising ang lahat sa pag-ibig na nagmumula sa pamilya bago tayo maglakbay patungo sa Maykapal.
Sa katapusan po sinabi din dun sa Humanae Vitae, ang gandang mangaral ni Paulo VI. Akala ninyo galit hindi, napakabait ng papang iyan. At sa bandang huli sinabi niya , dalawa ang kinakausap niya, ang kinakausap nya ay pari at obispo at ito ang sabi niya matapos nyang pangangaralan ang mga tao. In ending he said you must teach without diminishing the teachings of Jesus Christ. Patience and charity should accompany the teachings of priests and bishops who like Christ came to save not to condemn. Jesus was uncompromising with evil but he was merciful to all. Ayaw nga ni Hesus ng kasalanan, kasamaan at kasalanan ngunit kung may nagkakasala sabi ng Santo Papa magdalang habag kayo katulad ng Panginoon.
Salamat po at pagpalain kayo ng Maykpal.
