January 2011
No. 248 Vol. 21
Inspiring You to Live a Fantastic Life
A Young Cancer Survivor
Shares Her Bucket List
A Servant Learns the Art of
Extracting a Blessing
There Is Virtue in Stopping,
Waiting and Believing
You, Too, Can Be a Miracle Worker
by Bo Sanchez
E
N
JOY
SHOR
T
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T
ERM
WINS
A
ND
ACHIE
V
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LIFE
DREAMS
Liturgical Wish List for 2011
Spell Out Your Love
Find Grace in Rude Interruptions
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Spiritual, emotional and chemical
toxins can make you physically ill.
But here’s the good news:
You have the power to heal yourself!
Bo Sanchez shares with you the Six Principles
to Optimal Health in
Open the pages of this book and let your God-given natural and supernatural
healing powers work in your life.
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JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA
I
’m now an early riser.I wasn’t like this before. There was a time when I’d wake up at 7 am, sometimes at 8, and it was all rush, rush, rush from there. It’s shameful to admit this to all of you, but in my haste, I even tried brushing my teeth, combing my hair and taking a leak at the same time. (You don’t want to try it.)
A long time ago, I thought I was a night person.
In college, I read in our psychology textbook that there are morning people and night people. Because I slept late and woke up late, I concluded that I was a night person.
Twenty years later, I realized I was wrong. I woke up late because I slept late.
Today, I wake up at 5 am. Sometimes, even 4 am.
That’s when I do my “inner work.” This sacred time includes my morning Tai Chi, cycling on my stationary bike, reading books, writing on my journal and chats with the Almighty.
Picture this: Before 5 am, in the darkness of my backyard, I inhale the cool air and slowly do my Tai Chi movements. It’s just wonderful.
By 7 am, I do my preliminary work: planning and answering emails.
By 8 am, I bike around the village with my boys. We have breakfast and we horse around the house a bit. My favorite part of my day.
By 10 am, I’m back in my home office working.
Man, I just love my mornings!
People ask me, “Bo, how can I wake up early?”
t
h
e
B
o
ss
by Bo Sanchez
I can give you lots of advice, but let me start with the most important one: Have a big dream that’s so exciting, it’ll wake you up every morning.
Some people ask, “What dream? I don’t have a dream…”
Perhaps that’s the problem.
If you really had BHAG Dreams (Big Hairy Audacious Goals), you’ll have no problem waking up in the morning.
Are you excited with life?
Do you believe that God made you for greatness?
Write down your dreams. Read them every day. Talk about it with your friends. Get passionate about life!
Years ago, I had the habit of waking up but staying in bed for a few more minutes just to rest a bit. I always felt that my sleep wasn’t enough. Sometimes, because I chose to lounge around the warm bed, I woke up really late.
So it was rush, rush, rush again. Not wise.
I’ve now decided to do something very simple: the moment my eyes open, I stand up. That’s it. This little habit has worked miracles for my day.
I stand up and start my morning ritual. When you study successful people in business, many of them wake up early.
I know that my financial mentors, who are either multimillionaires or billionaires, wake up early, too.
Why not you?
May your dreams come true.
Early!
W
a
ke Up
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011
room
M
a
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I used to be a writer and editor of sexy magazines, but now I want to make up for that and write something sensible and truly inspiring through your reading materials. Could you help me please?
Marvin S. KFam Member
Thank God, I found KeryGma on the Internet. I am more alive and happy even if I’m working far away from my family. It keeps me inspired and serves as my guide for my plans and dreams while working here in Saudi arabia. more power to Bo!
Cristina Galindez KFam Member
“Life Without Hands” by maricel apatan (august 2010 issue) made me cry at man’s inhumane acts on fellow humans, especially on an innocent defenseless girl. But maricel’s tenacious faith is what I envy most. may God pour His mercy and forgiveness to those who harmed maricel for they know not what they have done. God bless maricel and her parents.
Evan A. Nayve Tacloban City
It uplifts my spirit and boosts my confidence every time I read KeryGma. aside from being food for the soul, it also feeds my mind. I hope to meet Bro. Bo personally. more power and God bless!
Maria Fatima B. Gonzaga Malolos, Bulacan
my employer, Breeders agrinet Supplies, Inc., is one of your subscribers. It distributes your mag to its employees. and because I’m one of them, I get a copy every month. I’m really blessed to have this mag. you inspire the lives of others. and your October issue, “How to Grow in God’s Wisdom,” was tackled during our conference meeting. It touches me when one of our bosses tells us that we’re not working for the company but for God. your magazine serves as a reflection material for young people. Thanks to Bo Sanchez and all KeryGma staff.
Leuqar Gultiano Cagayan de Oro City
Today, my boss asked me to go to the bank, where I first saw your mag. It caught my attention so I asked the manager of the bank if I could have it. I was inspired and it gave me strength to face my difficulties in life.
Lyndy Tapia Maysan, Valenzuela, Bulacan
I am a long-time reader of KeryGma but I was unable to buy a copy for about a year. right now, I am so thankful that a friend sent a copy of your November 2010 issue because I was able to realize and learn many things. Now I acknowledge and celebrate my brokenness, to be what the Lord wants me to be. more power to you, KeryGma staff! may you be blessed more with wisdom and good health so that many will still be touched by your kindness.
Myk Botis Malolos, Bulacan
ERRATUM: In Kerygma’s December 2010 issue, George Gabriel’s
testimony on page 30 was truncated. The last two sentences should have read: “It came to a point that I was serving God five days out of seven days a week. Because all I ever wanted to do was sing, speak and think of ways to communicate the love of God.”
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JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA
I
was numbed by the news. I was chatting on Yahoo with a high school classmate who told me that a common friend had just passed away.He was just a year older than us. An athlete, practically a vegetarian, healthy and fit.
Then last weekend, he went to sleep because of a headache. And he never woke again. He left behind his wife and his toddlers.
It made no sense. How can someone so healthy go so quickly? I was so bothered by the news that I had to cut our chat short.
“Sorry, I have to go,” I told my classmate. “I just have to hug my husband.” And I went straight to our bedroom, kissed him and curled up beside him. Just the night before, I was irritated because my sleep was repeatedly interrupted. I try to go to bed early on Sundays because I co-host Bo Sanchez’s radio program on Veritas at 5 AM on Mondays. That means I get up at around 4 AM and drive to the station some 10 or so kilometers away.
My husband decided to let our eldest sleep between us because she had a fever. I had to keep checking her temperature. And every time she woke up, I’d pat her back to sleep. It had been only 1 AM and I’d already woken up a couple of times. Three hours to go and I’d be getting up.
As I raced against time to catch some precious shut-eye, I heard some incessant scratching. Dry skin rubbing against dry skin. My husband was wiggling his toes. That’s his sign language for, “I can’t sleep. Can you give me a foot massage?”
Normally, I’d be sensitive enough to decode his sign language. But this time I was simply annoyed over the rude interruption to my sleep.
“Hon! Shhh! I’m so sleepy,” I hissed at him. And the wiggling stopped.
It was the next day when I found out about my friend’s death.
That night, without him even asking, I gave my husband a foot massage. And I promised myself that I would never deny him a foot massage no matter how sleepy I am. (Shhhh! Don’t tell him, OK?)
Read the Bible and you will notice that Jesus welcomed every disruption to His schedule.
A demoniac who blocked their path as they alighted from their boat.
A hemorrhaging woman who drew power from Him as He went to cure an official’s dying daughter.
A sinful woman who cleansed His feet with her tears and hair while He was having dinner at a Pharisee’s house.
I’d like to follow Jesus’ lead. Because life is short.
Some wives will never get the chance to give their husbands another foot massage.
And some wives can no longer kiss their husbands and curl up beside them.
And some wives do not sleep soundly at night, not because of incessant wiggling toes, but because they miss their husbands.
So welcome the rude interruptions. Because without them, life will even be shorter.
And less meaningful.
I pray that your New Year may be filled with them.
Oh, remember that my life is but wind (a puff, a breath, a sob)… (Job 7:7)
For comments, email me at justbreatherissa@ gmail.com.
W
h
at to Expect This Month:
Write Now!, my narrative writing seminar on October 23, 2010, was postponed due to a medical emergency I had. My apologies to those who weren’t informed of the changes. The new schedule is on January 15, 2011 at Santuario de San Antonio parish hall, Forbes Park.
Upgrade your skills with this one-of-a-kind seminar that will surely boost your writing prowess. Get the stuff I learned from Poynter Institute, a school for journalists in St. Petersburg, Florida, for a fraction of what I spent. For more info, call or text Noel of Creative House at 6687766, 0915-4493600 or 0928-2109765. Or email [email protected]. Register before the event and you’ll get a discount!
just
B
reathe
by Rissa Singson-Kawpeng
3
living by grace
It’s What Makes Our Life Worth Living
RUDE
Interruptions
Rissa’
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011
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JANUARY
vol. 21 no. 248
What’s
InsIde
The Bo Files.
Columns.
Special
Section.
Testimonies.
1 The Boss Wake Up
Early! 40 Point of Contact 2 Mailroom 6 New You 7 Real Stuff 9 In the News 10 Dear K 12 Kfam Insider 14 Feast Snapshots 15 Laughingly Yours 17 It Happened Fulfilling My Bucket List
39 One Last Story
A Change of Heart
21 Introduction Enjoy
Short-Term Wins and Achieve Your Life Dreams
22 You Can Be a Miracle
Worker
28 Enjoy Short-Term
Wins in Your Life
3 Just Breathe Rude
Interruptions
35 Catholic Soul Liturgical
Wish List for 2011
37 K Preacher Spell Out
Your Love
26 Stop, Wait and
Believe
32 The Art of Extracting
a Blessing
1
32
17
3
Departments.
JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA 5ABOUT OUR COVER MODEL
This MD (musical director) will soon have another MD attached to his name. Yes, aside from his musical prowess, Christian “Didoy” Lubaton is a registered nurse who’s also working on his medical degree. Didoy wasn’t particularly interested in taking piano lessons when he was young. When his piano teacher would arrive, he’d either run outside to play basketball or, if successfully pinned down, he’d memorize the teacher’s hand movements instead of read the piano pieces.
Things became different when he was 13. He came to know and love the Lord through Bukas Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community. He asked his sister to teach him how to play the piano because, for him, worship is extra special if it has accompaniment. Since then, he has not stopped playing for the Lord. Currently, he serves as musical director and worship leader at the Makati Feast and, whenever his schedule allows it, he leads worship in other Feasts.
Didoy hopes to become either a surgeon or an internist. But he takes his dream a bit further. He wants to become a doctor-preacher someday — a healer of body, mind and spirit.
publisher BO SANCHEZ • editor-in-chief RISSA SINGSON-KAWPENG • managing
editor TESS ATIENZA • creative director REN CORTES • graphics director REY DE GUZMAN • contributing writers JUDITH CONCEPCION, MARJORIE ANN DUTERTE, ALVIN FABELLA, ELEANORE LEE, DINA PECAñA, LEEANNE SY • photographers
ED SANTIAGO, DANIEL SORIANO, DAKILA ANGELES • columnists ED DE VERA, OBET CABRILLAS • marketing director JOSEPH MARTINEZ • chairman of the board BO SANCHEZ
KERYGMA. A Greek word meaning Proclamation of the Gospel. It is a Catholic
inspirational magazine. It aims to be an evangelistic tool to all nations, providing Scriptural, practical and orthodox teachings to Catholics, particularly those in the Catholic Renewal, as an alternative to present-day magazines. It is also committed to fostering the renewal and unity of the whole Christian people. Philippine copyright: Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc. 2011. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. KERYGMA is published monthly by Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc., whose editorial and business offices are located at 60 Chicago St., Cubao, 1109 Quezon City. Tels: 725-9999, 411-7874, 725-1190. Fax: 727-5615 Email: editsvp@ shepherdsvoice.com.ph. Website: www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011
6
A
fter enjoying all the parties during the Christmas season, most people complain that they can’t fit into their clothes anymore. But becoming overweight isn’t really an overnight thing. It’s usually the result of some bad habits that can be easily corrected. Here are some of those:1. Overweight people use larger plates. With a bigger plate, you’d think you’re not eating as much. Use a smaller plate instead and get a smaller belly. The same is true for drinks. Opt for a smaller glass or cup.
2. Overweight people eat while looking at the food. Keeping food within your sight makes you reach out for them easily. Keep them instead in the pantry, not out on the countertops.
3. Overweight people dive in. The more overweight people usually charge right in at the buffet table while the leaner ones normally take a longer time choosing what they want to eat. Just because it’s a buffet or an eat-all-you-can diner doesn’t mean you have to eat all the choices. Be more selective of what you eat.
4. Overweight people skip breakfast. You think this will help you lose weight? Think again. Missing this crucial meal increases your risk of obesity by a whopping 450 percent, according to a study. Start your day with some lean protein and fiber. This will jumpstart your metabolism and keep you full.
Source: http://health.yahoo.com
F
alling asleep on the job or committing other workplace taboos have different consequences (or none at all), depending on the company. Some can be forgiven, but others may have serious repercussions, such as an immediate dismissal.A US-based poll of 5,700 workers revealed some top workplace taboos which, if you value your work, you should avoid at all cost:
1. Falling asleep at work. This looks unprofessional and is generally not
appreciated by employers. Check your lifestyle or your career choice. If you find yourself drifting off on a regular basis, you are probably spending late nights out or in need of a more stimulating career.
2. Stealing from the office. It may seem like it’s no big deal —bringing
home office supplies like bond paper, paper clips and so on — but still it’s considered stealing. And it doesn’t only apply to material things. Stealing could take the form of using office time for personal matters, like spending so much time on Facebook or chatting with a friend.
3. Taking credit for someone else’s work. Again, this can be classified as
stealing. You steal an idea from a colleague and make it appear as if it were your own. How to prevent someone from stealing your idea? By keeping your supervisor informed of your ideas and your progress.
4. Spreading a rumor about a coworker. You may think some office gossip
is relatively harmless, but it sure is damaging not only to the subject but also to the rumor-monger. You can get the reputation of being untrustworthy or downright devious. And it can lead you to a lawsuit. So watch out!
5. Lying about an academic background. In most companies, this is a
ground for dismissal. If you feel you don’t have the required education, it is better to earn a real degree than lie about one on your resume. Source: www.careerbuilder.com
h
e
alth
c
a
reer
WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE
OVER
W
EIGHT
—
AND HERE’S HOW TO
GET SLIM FAST
WORK
P
LACE
TAB
OO
S
TO
A
V
OID
CANTALOUPE
C
antaloupe is a melon belonging to the family of cucumber, squash, pumpkin and gourd. It is round or oval in shape with a netted skin. Its color ranges from orange-yellow to salmon. Its soft and juicy texture and sweet aroma make for a refreshing snack or breakfast.Cantaloupe is an excellent source of vitamin A owing to its concentrated beta-carotene content. It is also a good source of vitamin C and potassium.
Source: www.whfoods.org
n
e
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Y
o
u
tips for personal development
St. Agnes of Rome
JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA
T
rimming down your expenses? Don’t just focus on the big ones. So much money is wasted on things you could get for free or, with a little creativity, would not cost you a single centavo. Kerygma surveyed some people and here’s what they said:1. Credit card annual fees. Many credit card companies
waive their annual fee. And when they do charge you, call them up and ask them to reverse the charges. Most of them will waive it on the condition that you charge a certain amount within a given time. Charge your monthly expenses like gas, cell phone bill, groceries, etc. and voila — your annual fee is waived.
2. Drinking water. We didn’t have to buy drinking water
years ago, why do we have to do that now? Opt for filtered water in restaurants instead of ordering bottled water.
3. Basic skills seminars. With the Internet, almost every
information you need to enhance your competencies (except actual hands-on experience) is available for free. Before enrolling for a seminar, check out free resources on the Internet. Chances are you’ll find a free online course or, at the very least, instructional materials you can learn from.
4. News. By cutting your daily newspaper subscription,
you can save more than P6,000 a year. And it’s not like you’ll be missing out on the news because you can read your broadsheet online in their website.
5. Overseas calls via landline. With the availability
of Skype, Facebook, Yahoo Messenger, and other applications that allow people to talk online, why pay for overseas calls? Your broadband fee already covers it.
T
H
Ings We
sHouldn’T
Be PaYIng
F
or
7BORN AND DIED: 291 – 304, Rome NOTABLE FACTS:
A
s a young girl raised in a Christian family, St. Agnes made a promise to God never to stain her purity. She hated sin even more than death. Many young men wished to marry Agnes, who was very beautiful, but she would always say, “Jesus Christ is my only Spouse.”This angered one of her suitors, the governor’s son, Procop. Despite being promised of magnificent gifts, Agnes still refused the son’s offer of marriage. The governor had her chained but this did not change her mind. Instead, her face radiated with joy. When she was condemned to death, Agnes was as happy as a bride on her wedding day. She prayed and simply bowed her head to be struck with the sword. Her feast day is on January 21 and she is the patroness of the Children of Mary.
saints at a glance
s
t
uff
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011
8
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JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA
by Tess V. Atienza
9
“
R
emember the population bomb? The newthreat to the planet is not too many people but too few.” This is according to Michael Meyer, author and journalist, in an article he wrote for Newsweek back in 2004.
He continues, “Across the globe, people are having fewer and fewer children…. The world’s population will continue to grow — from today’s 6.4 billion to around 9 billion in 2050. But after that, it will go sharply into decline. Indeed, a phenomenon that we’re destined to learn much more about — depopulation — has already begun in a number of countries. Welcome to the New Demography.”
At this point in our history as a nation, we are faced with the issue of legalizing contraception, which is tantamount to population control. The proponents of the reproductive health bill have raised the argument that the Church should stay out of it as the bill seeks to give women the freedom to decide on the number of children they want to have and to solve the country’s poverty.
Demography-wise, this is a cause for alarm. We have seen its ill effects in many urbanized countries and what these countries are experiencing now — a population collapse — is also what awaits us should contraception be legalized in the Philippines.
Decline of the Total Fertility Rate
The total fertility rate (TFR) is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime. In his paper, “World Population Collapse: Lessons for the Philippines,” Fr. Gregory Gaston, executive director of the SAFE Program operating under the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, wrote, “A TFR of 2.1 is necessary to replace a country’s population. In the Philippines, where mortality rates are higher, it is estimated to be around 2.29. Below this level, population could still grow temporarily, because of population momentum (relatively many women of reproductive age), reduced deaths (longer life expectancy due to better health care and less wars, hunger and calamities) and immigration (which is not the case in the Philippines). But some two or three generations after the TFR goes below replacement level, as the country eventually loses its population momentum (as the bulk of its women age) and lifespan reaches its maximum, population decline will take place.”
The UN Population Division states, “The primary consequence of fertility decline, especially if combined with increases in life expectancy, is population aging, whereby the share of older persons in a population increases
in
t
he
n
e
ws
T h e N e w D e m o g r a p h y :
ARE
WE GETTING T
H
ERE
?
relative to that of younger persons (World Population Prospects. The 2004 revision: Highlights).”
An Aging Population for the Philippines?
Fr. Gaston further writes, “The situation that those in favor of population control wants us to foresee is when there will be few children to care for, and by that time, they say, the
Philippines will be well-off. But they never explain what will happen beyond this stage: population aging and decline. By then, a huge number of elderly have to be supported by a smaller number of working people. Families with only a few members will find it more difficult to care for the elderly than those with more members, unless they are extremely rich. The pension fund and the social security system will be overburdened. There will be a decline in the number of new workers, and the labor force will be older and less efficient. Having fewer and older people means a smaller market, especially for certain sectors such as baby food, clothing, vaccines and certain
other medicines, sports facilities, office equipment, education, etc. — products and services that the elderly employ less.”
How then will the Philippines support its aging population?
Are we also going to invite workers from other countries to replace our dwindling workforce? How can we attract immigrants if we have no jobs to offer in the first place?
Let us learn from the lessons of the richer countries, which now import workers to support its aging population or which now even give attractive maternity benefits to lure their female population to raise more children.
Do we want to follow their footsteps?
For the complete text of “World Population Collapse: Lessons for the Philippines” and other resource materials, visit www.safe.ph.
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T
his may be a trivial question to some, but I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I figure, if I bought the drink, I can drink it, give it to the poor, share it with a friend, etc., but the restaurants apparently say that we’re not allowed to share bottomless iced tea.I have this friend who’s against music or movie file sharing because it’s a sin, but when I went to eat with his family in a restaurant, I saw him sharing with his sister the bottomless iced tea that he ordered. I asked him about it later and he said it’s not the same.
Can you please enlighten me on this? Zach
I
s
It a
Sin
to Share
Bottom
l
ess
Iced
Tea?
dear
K
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011 Dear Zach,Technically speaking, these are two different situations. The music thing has to do with intellectual property rights while the bottomless iced tea has to do with the commitment one makes when buying a particular product that has certain provisions. Given the state of modern technology, both practically deal with questions of honesty.
The person who writes a piece of music or creates a product has the right to be rewarded for his effort in providing the public with the music they want. File sharing denies a person that recompense. In a sense, it is stealing.
The sharing of a glass of bottomless iced tea is also a form of stealing because it deprives the restaurant owner of the cost of the drink. If you want to share a drink with another person, then buy him a glass of that drink. The restaurant will not have a problem with this as when the glass is empty, you just have to buy another one. The owner is paid the right price for what is consumed. On the other hand, if one brings the example to the extreme, such that an unlimited number of people could share from one glass of a drink but the proprietor of the restaurant is paid for only one glass, is that just recompense?
Of course not!
The two examples are different as we are dealing with slightly different materials, and yet also similar in the sense that the ultimate judgment is that a form of theft is going on in both cases.
The end-user has a responsibility, indeed a duty, to pay a just price for what he is consuming or using and in neither case is this done. The file-sharer knows that he should pay for a copy of the DVD or whatever it is that is being shared and he does not. This is a form of theft. Similarly, the person buying the bottomless iced tea knows that one of the restrictions is that such a drink is not to be shared. He does not comply with the reasonable and just conditions and shares it. This, too, is theft.
In both cases, we may be talking about small amounts of money, but ask any businessman or even child who is trying to save money to buy something and he will tell you that lots of small amounts of money eventually add up to a large amount.
Neither of these practices can be condoned as morally justifiable.
Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
10
Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL, is the spiritual director of the Light of Jesus Community and the Elim Communities. Fun-loving and ever ready for anything, this Australian cleric is presently the parish priest of St. Benedict’s Parish in Don Enrique Heights in Quezon City.
Email your questions to [email protected]. Or if you need to talk to someone, call (632) 726-4709 or 726-6728 to contact a Light of Jesus counselor. Telephone counseling is 24 hours from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sundays. Face-to-face counseling is by appointment. For correspondence counseling, email [email protected] or go to www.kerygmafamily.com.
Or Call
(632) 725-9999
Pregnant? Confused? Abortion is not the answer. Contact Grace to Be Born at 0927-501-0605 or email [email protected].
You may also contact Sr. Pilar Versoza at Pro-life Philippines. Call (632) 733-7027 or text 0920-945-5494 or email [email protected].
I
am a Catholic. I am active in the Charismatic renewal movement and a regular attendee of the South Feast. I just want to ask a question that has never been clear to me: Why do we pray to Mama Mary and the saints if they are not omnipresent like God? With the billions and billions of Catholics all over the world, how can they (Mama Mary and the saints) listen to our prayers?Please enlighten me.
Rey
Why Do
We
Pray
to Mama
Mary
and the
S
aints?
When Fr. Rudy Horst came to the Philippines in 1984, he was first assigned to the Immaculate Conception Parish in Cubao. It was here where he came in contact with the still young Light of Jesus Community. In 1990, he moved to Christ the King Mission Seminary where he still serves as one of the spiritual directors of the seminarians and teaches Religious Education. He also teaches Holy Scriptures at the Maryhill School of Theol-ogy and the Divine Word School of TheolTheol-ogy in Tagaytay.
JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA
Dear Rey,
Your question is interesting because it is one of the questions always asked by non-Catholics but nearly never by a Catholic. But it is always better to ask and clarify things and so be prepared to answer when you will be asked the same questions.
First of all, let me quote the Bible. Luke tells us that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit when she told Mary, “Most blessed are you among women...” (Luke 1:42). And Mary replies with her song of praise and thanksgiving, “From now on will all ages call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).
Here we have the biblical basis for honoring Mary in a very special way. As the Mother of our Savior, she plays a vital role in our salvation and deserves all honor and praise. Even the Muslims honor her. Mary’s name appears more often in the Koran than in the Bible. When I visited the “House of Mary” outside Ephesus, where she is said to have spent the last years of her life and where she died, I was amazed to see countless Muslims going there, praying devoutly to Mary inside her house.
The practice of praying to the saints goes back to the first centuries of Christianity. In the Roman
catacombs and
near the tomb of St. Peter, ancient graffiti had been found made by Christians who asked the saint
buried there to pray for them. There was an absolute certainty that saints are with God and so beyond time and space, and can intercede for us who are still living. If this is true with the saints, how much more with Mary?
The apparitions of Mary also show that she is with God and therefore not anymore bound to a certain place. The miraculous healings experienced by the faithful who prayed to a certain saint also confirm that once we leave this earth and are with God, we are no longer confined to time and space. The doctrine of the “Communion of Saints,” therefore, teaches that all who are baptized belong forever to one community, whether we live or have died. The Catechism calls this the “Church Militant” (we on earth struggling and fighting against evil), the “Church Triumphant” (the saints in heaven), and the “Church Suffering” (the souls in Purgatory).
That is why we can pray to Mary and the saints who are still part of our great community held together by Christ. They hear us and intercede for us as countless examples prove.
I hope and pray that this answer will help you and that you pray, of course, first of all to Christ, but then also the saints, our friends in heaven, and especially to Mary, the Mother of our Lord and our Mother, too.
Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD
“W
h a t
d o
y o u
want to do when
you graduate from
college?”
Rey Ortega,
execu-tive director of Pag-asa
ng Pamilya Scholarship
Foundation, asked the
scholars in one of their
annual gatherings.
One by one, they gave the
usual answers.
“I want to be a teacher.”
“I want to be an accountant.”
“I want to be an engineer.”
“I want to be a social worker.”
But one scholar’s answer
floored Rey and the Pag-asa
volunteers present at the meeting.
The girl said, “I want to go
around the world and I want to do
it all for free and with a salary to
boot.”
Wow!
“And how do you plan to do that?” Rey asked her.
She said, “Kasi po, I am now taking a course in Hotel and Restaurant Management with specialization in cruise tour operations.”
Again, wow!
No longer imprisoned by the poverty mindset, these poor children are now dreaming big not only for themselves but, more so, for their families.
And this is made possible by
Pag-D
r
e
a
ming
B
ig Is
Poss
i
b
l
e for
P
oor
C
h
ildre
n
K
f
insider
am
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011
D
r
e
a
ming
B
ig Is
Poss
i
b
l
e for
P
oor
C
h
ildre
n
asa. They not only provide scholarships — they inspire the children to go beyond the ordinary, to achieve greater things not for their own personal gain and glory but to bless others and to give glory to God.
More than a Hundred Graduates
The number of combined graduates of Pag-asa has reached more than a hundred since its inception as Alay Foundation in 1980. Some of them are now working abroad.
The graduates are requested to pay it forward — meaning, to help one of their immediate relatives to go to school or to sponsor one scholar in the foundation.
Profile of Scholars
As of the current school year, 80 percent of the scholars are in college, while the rest are in high school and elementary. Courses, previously limited to Education, Elementary Education and Accountancy,
now include Science, Business
Administration and Engineering owing to the preference of a major sponsor who wanted his 10 scholars to enroll in those fields.
Scholars come from all over the Philippines: Nueva Ecija, Abra, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Antipolo, Cavite, Visayas and Mindanao.
Aside from regular scholars, Pag-asa also supports seven seminarians and two novices. Two seminarians are in the Christ the King Seminary of the Divine Word Society in Quezon City, two are in the San Jose Seminary of the Jesuits, one in San Carlos Seminary, and one each in Bicol and Dumaguete. The two novices are with the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Baguio City.
Pag-asa, a Christian organization, does not limit itself to sending poor Christian or Catholic children to school. It concretizes its love for the poor without regard for race or religion. At present, it has Muslim scholars in Basilan and Zamboanga.
If you feel you are being
called
to
support
this
ministry in whatever way,
you may contact Rey Ortega
at 0922-859-7035,
0927-501-0605
or
reylindo.
[email protected].
Of the more than 100 scholars at present, only around 20 have sponsors. This means that a sponsor has committed to send the scholar to school until he graduates.
How Much It Takes to Send a Scholar
Scholars receive fixed subsidies of P10,000 per semester provided they maintain a required general average in the preceding year or semester. Aside from being poor as one of the qualifications for scholarship, the student must be persevering and this he can show by maintaining good grades.
Rey, who considers himself a perpetual beggar for the ministries he heads (Grace to Be Born, Tahanan ng Pagmamahal and Pag-asa ng Pamilya Scholarship Foundation), needs to raise at least P1.5 million a year to be able to continue supporting the scholars who don’t have fixed sponsors. While God has not failed him and the ministries, Rey believes that more fund raising efforts need to be done.
It takes P20,000 a year, or P2,000 a month to send a poor child to school. If two or more friends or family members would group themselves and raise P2,000 a month for 10 months, they can already make a difference in the life of a poor child — and, eventually, of a family.
The scholars get to meet one another during their annual gathering.
JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA
by Tess V. Atienza
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011
14
W
hile hundreds of thousandscame in droves to join the fun run for the restoration of the Pasig River on October 10, 2010, another event was happening in Imus, Cavite.
The grand launch of the Cavite Feast, dubbed “October Feast,” was held at Cinema 4 of Robinsons Imus along Aguinaldo Highway. The event started with a blessing by Fr. Allan Valero. Bo Sanchez and Hermie Morelos sent video messages to greet and inspire the more than 500 people who attended the event.
F
s
n
e
apshots
ast
“O
C
TOBER
F
EAST”
in
C
A
V
ITE
By Joanne Lejos and
Tess Atienza
Campus missionaries Carlo Lorenzo and John Ben Rodriguez led the people in a Spirit-filled worship. Servants wore Filipiniana attire and this added to the festive atmosphere.
In his talk, Cavite Feast Builder Rex Robillos enjoined his listeners to give wholeheartedly in everything they do — whether in work, prayer or service — and not to lose faith because God’s abundance is on the way.
An enthusiastic and dedicated council supports Rex. Its members are Domie Fernandez, Jomar Mondejar and Peter Fariscal. Ministry heads and servants run the different ministries to make the Cavite Feast — “Ang Pinakamasayang Fiesta sa Cavite” — not only a truly enjoyable and uplifting experience for everybody, but more importantly, a way to grow spiritually. Cavite Feast is now held regularly with a celebration of the Holy Eucharistic Mass every Sunday at the Cinema 5 of Robinsons Imus. It is open to the public.
For inquiries, contact Joanne Lejos at 0921-632-5457, 0917-526-8154, 0922-354-9433 or email at [email protected].
JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA 15
W
e started the year right by focusing on God — serving Him through The Feast in Valle Verde, Pasig, and joining a caring group (CG). My husband and I joined the married couples group under Bro. Ness and Sis. Zosie Nuguid. Our Sundays were never the same again since then. With all the food and the sharing of experiences, it was like having a mini-feast after the big Feast.Everything was going smoothly. I thought that when I serve God, I would have an outpouring of blessings, or if trials would test my amateur faith, I would be shielded by His loving embrace. But I was wrong.
Refuge from the Storm
As I grew in my service and my relationship with God, I discovered that my husband was having an affair. I tried to convince myself that I could handle this trial on my own. Still, I found myself sharing the devastating news to my CG head, Zosie Nuguid, knowing she wouldn’t be judgmental and would be a God-given solace that I badly needed. True enough, she found every opportune time to talk to me and offer consolation in different ways.
One day, I broke down when I was at the office. I called again my CG head. She gave me a generous heaping of godly words and comfort. Her prayers and counsel eased the hurt I was feeling then. My boss and colleagues also showed their understanding and support. I calmed down after a while and I was able to complete my shift. It helped so much that my CG head and coworkers helped me focus on forgiveness and love.
The following days weren’t easy. I was firm in my decision to separate from my husband. It wasn’t God’s plan, I guess.
One day, as I was praying the rosary, I realized how I missed my husband, that I still loved him, and how I was willing to forgive him and ask forgiveness for my own shortcomings.
When I reached the office, I got a text message from my husband asking for forgiveness and saying how foolish he was for his infidelity. He said he couldn’t afford to lose me. So I texted him back saying that I forgive him and that he should treat me for lunch. The ice broke and I was overcome with joy.
I immediately shared the good news with my CG head. She was delighted even more saying that the Holy Spirit was with me.
My husband and I just celebrated our 12th year of togetherness. Our relationship has become stronger and deeper as we have asked forgiveness from each other and most especially from God. We’ve started on a clean slate.
People Need People
I have learned that people need each other. And that’s where my CG comes in. With them, I share not only my problems and trials, but also how God is touching my life. Doing so made a lot of difference. And I thank God that He made a way for me to get closer to Him through The Feast and CG gatherings.
A big, burly man visited a woman well known for her charitable impulses.
“Madam,” he said in a broken voice, “I wish to draw your attention to the terrible plight of a poor family in this district. The father is dead, the mother is too ill to work, and the nine children are starving. They are about to be turned into the cold, empty streets unless someone pays their rent, which amounts to $400.”
“How terrible!” exclaimed the woman. “May I ask who you are?”
The sympathetic visitor applied his handkerchief to his eyes. “I’m the landlord,” he sobbed.
An old preacher was dying. He sent a message for his banker and his lawyer, both church members, to come to his home.
When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room, the preacher held out his hands and motioned for them to sit on each side of the bed. The preacher grasped their hands, sighed contentedly, smiled and stared at the ceiling. For a time, no one said anything.
Both the banker and lawyer were touched and flattered that the preacher would ask them to be with him during his final moments. They were also puzzled; the preacher had never given them any indication that he particularly liked either of them. They both remembered his many long, uncomfortable sermons about greed, covetousness and avaricious behavior that made them squirm in their seats.
Finally, the banker said, “Preacher, why did you ask us to come?”
The old preacher mustered up his strength and then said weakly, “Jesus died between two thieves, and that’s how I want to go.”
l
a
ughingly
Y
o
urs
T
e
stimony
T
h
e
Difference
a
Caring Group
M
akes
By Mickey Alcain
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011
M
y heartbeat
stopped for
a moment
when I heard the word
cancer.
How can I have cancer
when I’m so young?
Am I going to die?
I cried a bucket of tears. I
had just been through a major
operation in September 2006 to
remove a tumor in my right ovary.
It turned out malignant. But my
doctor assured me that I wouldn’t
die because it was an early-stage
cancer: 1C. Still, I had to undergo
chemotherapy for six months.
Suddenly I was faced with a reality I wasn’t prepared to accept. It was painful not only for myself but also for my family, friends and my boyfriend. They kept me
By Gemms Pasimio
Cancer pushed me to pursue
my dreams
F
u
l
fill
ing My
B
u
cket L
i
st
JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMAh
a
ppened
I
T
17Gemms fulfills one of her life’s dreams: visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
company while I recuperated from the surgery. My boyfriend of three years promised to walk with me throughout my ordeal. Their love and God’s grace helped me to accept that I have cancer. I’m going to fight this, I said to myself. But my first chemo session left me completely bald and feeling ugly. I looked like a freak and didn’t want to go out of the house.
My insecurity hit rock bottom after my second chemo session in November of that year. The man who promised to stand by me at the most crucial time of my life broke up with me to be with another woman.
I was emotionally stressed — who wouldn’t be? Cancer and a breakup — God must be punishing me!
All the people around me got worried. My doctor talked to me and said, “A lot of cancer patients die not primarily because of their illness but because of depression. Don’t let this heartbreak affect you. That man doesn’t deserve your tears.”
Right there and then, I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and focus instead on being healthy and getting better. I decided to fight cancer with positive thoughts. I was determined to win this battle.
I completed my chemotherapy treatment in March 2007. In May, just before my birthday, my active cancer cells dropped from 300 to eight — the biggest miracle and the greatest birthday gift God had ever given me!
I started living a normal life again. My hair started to grow back a few months later. With my doctor’s go signal, I went back to my sports — running, swimming, snorkeling. I took long drives with friends. I went back to my old life — parties, gimmicks and nightlife.
Dying Young?
In April 2008, my cancer spread to my remaining ovary and my abdomen. This time it was an advanced stage: 3C-4A. The MRI revealed a five-centimeter tumor in
my left ovary and a 10.9-centimeter tumor in the abdomen, resting on the vena cava, leading directly to the kidney and the heart. My doctors said that once the bigger tumor hits any major organ, the clock would start ticking. In other words, I could die soon.
The doctors proposed two major operations and another round of chemo afterwards. I asked them if these procedures could assure me that I would be completely free from cancer. As expected, there was no guarantee.
I went home alone crying, furious with God. Why did He allow me to feel victorious after the first treatment only to take it back so soon? I should have died in 2006 when I was at my lowest point. It didn’t make sense to me.
My parents were out of the country on mission work for the Light of Jesus Family. I informed them the following day and they went back to Manila immediately. They talked to my doctors. When they asked me for my decision about the
proposed medical procedures, I told them, “No to operations, no to chemo.”
Everyone — family and friends — pleaded with me to reconsider my decision. They said it was suicide, that I was letting myself die quickly. I was even given a timeline — I’d be lucky to still be alive by Christmas 2009.
I stood pat on my decision. If it was God’s will to take me at a young age, then so be it.
Preparing My Bucket List
I went out with my high school friends that same week. We planned for an out-of-town trip. I wanted to go back to Boracay one last time. I simply wanted to enjoy the beautiful beach, to parasail and go snorkeling. I wanted to drink lots of fruit shakes at the popular joints there. My friends made it happen. For once, I didn’t think of my illness.
When I went back home, I made a list of things I wanted to do and places I wanted to visit before I die. It was a long list. Among the things I wrote were:
· go to Binondo and explore Chinatown, and to eat in the estero;
· tour Intramuros, including Fort Santiago, and ride a calesa;
· eat street foods like kwek-kwek, isaw,
betamax and the like (I grew up sheltered
and wasn’t allowed to eat street food when I was growing up);
· ride the MRT, the LRT, the jeepneys and the bus with confidence and without fear at all (I drive a car, you see);
· go scuba diving again and try other extreme sports;
· explore the beauty of the Philippines and see lots of beaches; · see Europe, specifically Paris and visit the Eiffel Tower;
· go back to the US to spend time with my brother and sister-in-law and play with my niece, their first baby.
At the bottom of my long list, I wrote: I want to be close to God and build a relationship with Him.
Checks on My List
Amazingly, the things I enumerated started happening one by one. I took it as a sign that, indeed, I was going to die young.
A friend invited me to the Christian Life Program (CLP) of Singles for Christ in Makati. I attended but I didn’t take it seriously. If there was a conflict between a Friday night
KERYGMA • JANUARY 2011
18
Gemms runs for her health — and for fun.
gimmick and the CLP session, I’d skip the latter. I thought, what’s the use of attending it if I’d die soon anyway?
Then three weeks before my birthday in May 2008, my dad told me, “Gemms, we have a birthday gift for you! We’re joining a Marian pilgrimage so we can ask God and Mama Mary for a miracle. The last leg will be Paris. You will see Eiffel Tower. Isn’t that exciting?”
I froze at the mention of the Eiffel Tower. This is it, I thought, I’m really going to die soon!
During the entire pilgrimage, we heard Mass and prayed the rosary every day. Though I enjoyed the trip, I was scared at the same time. I was afraid that the clock would start ticking the moment we returned to Manila. My parents kept reminding me to ask God and Mama Mary for a miracle. Perhaps God wanted to tell me something so I should listen. But how do I listen? Would God really talk to me?
During our Mass in Spain, I felt that the homily was especially meant for me. The priest said, “It’s OK to beg from God. If we are in a difficult or painful situation, we can beg God to help us. If we are sick, we can beg God to heal us.”
The thing is, it’s not like me to beg. Why would I beg God to heal me if He allowed this to happen?
For some strange reason, I began to cry silently. And for a much stranger reason, I started to beg. I begged God to heal me from cancer. I begged God to grant me a longer life. I asked Him for forgiveness.
Then I became still. In my silence, something very beautiful happened. For the first time in my life, I heard God speak to me. He said, “Be not afraid, be not afraid, be not afraid.” The words were crystal clear. It was God speaking to me in my heart. I embraced God’s words and no longer felt afraid.
We returned to Manila on the day of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the CLP I had attended. Even if I had a bad jetlag, I still went. When it was my turn to be baptized, I decided to surrender everything to the Lord and completely trust in His name. Three sisters prayed over me and the experience was overwhelming. It was a perfect moment and I cried tears of joy. I felt so calm and at peace. If I received my miracle and lived a longer life, then praise God. If not, I would continue to be grateful. After all, God has given me a wonderful life.
Growing Closer to God: Big Check!
Today, I am a member of Singles for Christ (Makati chapter) and I also attend The Feast at the PICC. I love God and have grown much closer to Him.
Until now I am in awe. I never imagined myself praising God amidst my sickness. I can’t explain how and why, but I am genuinely happy and at peace. God is my Lord and Savior. He loves me.
Despite having cancer, I’m enjoying my life to the fullest, doing the things I love. I regularly swim and can do 50 laps, freestyle. I go to the gym and run marathons.
I resigned from my job in December 2008 to be free from the stress of the corporate world. I’ve been exploring beautiful places for relaxation and
tranquility. I was finally allowed to scuba dive again! What a joy to swim with the fish or simply feed them while snorkeling. With God’s grace, I’ve emptied myself of all the negative feelings in my heart. I’ve learned to forgive. I’ve forgiven the man who left me when I got sick.
Today, because of my faith and positive attitude towards life, and without unnecessary stress, I am receiving God’s healing power. Medical tests show that even without chemo or surgery, both of my tumors have been shrinking slowly but surely. God is truly amazing!
Life Is Beautiful Despite Cancer
It is now my advocacy to help, encourage and inspire people with cancer. Having cancer is not the end of life. In my case, I only started living in the real sense when I got sick.
With God at my side, I live one day at a time. Every day is a beautiful gift from the Lord and I enjoy each one to the fullest. I am happy and I am at peace. God is my healer and I give my life to Him. I want to love and serve Him until my last breath. And oh, by the time you read this, God will have granted me another wish from my bucket list. I’ll be in California visiting my brother. The last time I saw him was in 2006 when he got married (and before I found out I had cancer). Now I’m back and the whole family is together again. More importantly, I get to play with my lovely niece.
It’s great to be alive!
Gemms in Avila, Spain with her parents, Roy and Rory.
Sharing her life story in a Singles for Christ conference.
JANUARY 2011 • KERYGMA 19
Parasailing gives Gemms a natural high.
