Words from Fr. Roberto Ruben Elago,MSP

Dong, TY uli for advertising my BD sa blogspot nyo. Inggit pa rin ako sa blogspot nyo... pede ba makopya yon? Cheers and congrats for your work well-done there. rubz
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY PADRE! MAY YOU HAVE MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS TO COME!!

Congratulations!!!

We would like to congratulate Fr. Resti Galang, MSP, for successfully defending his dissertation proposal last January 10, 2008. Accordingly, being able to defend successfully the dissertation proposal in La Salle is like winning half of the battle, so to speak. So we are proud and happy of Fr. Resti’s initial success and we are confident that he can make it to the end…and with flying colors.

Nangungusap and Diyos Ngayon!

Ika-3 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon:

Nangungusap ang Diyos Ngayon!
“Nakita ko sa Internet ang kuwentong ito mula kay Daniel O. May isang binata na dumalo sa isang “Bible study.” Tungkol sa pakikinig sa tinig ng Diyos ang paksa nila. Nang pauwi na siya , nasabi niya sa sarili : “Nangungusap pa rin ba ang Diyos sa tao? Panginoon , kung talagang nangungusap ka pa rin, sige nga, kausapin mo ako.”

Habang nagmamaneho, bigla siyang nakarinig ng tila isang bulong na nagsasabing bumili siya ng gatas . Pagkatapos, nagpatuloy siya sa pagmamaneho nang tila may bumulong na naman sa kanya na huminto sa tapat ng isang bahay at kumatok sa pinto. Nag-alanganin siya dahil baka baka magmukha siyang tanga. Pero muli, sumunod siya sa tinig . Kumatok siya. Isang lalaking mukhang masungit ang nagbukas ng pinto. Kinabahan siya pero wala sa loob niyang nasabi: Nagpunta ako para ibigay ‘tong gatas?” Biglang nawala ang sungit sa mukha ng lalaki at napaluha ito at sinabi: “Nagdarasal kami kanina ng asawa ko. Wala kasi kaming pera. Sabi ko, Panginoon, tulungan mo kaming makahanap ng gatas para sa aming bunso.’ At dumating ka!”
Angkop na angkop sa kuwentong ito ang Ebanghelyo ngayon. Tungkol din sa “pakikinig at pagsunod sa tinig” ang paksa ng Ebanghelyo. Tinawag ni Hesus si Simon Pedro, Andres, Santiago, at Juan (ang apat na mangingisda) at inanyayahan sila: “Sumunod kayo sa akin, at gagawin ko kayong mamamalakaya ng mga tao.”

Madalas, ginagamit ang pagbasang ito kapag pagpapari, paghehermano at pagmamadre ang pinag-uusapan. Ngunit ang totoo, tungkol din ito sa pagtawag ni Hesus sa bawat tao sa buhay-Kristiyano-bilang pari, relihiyoso o layko.

Ngunit paano nga ba sumunod kay Hesus? Maririnig sa unang bahagi ng Ebanghelyo na ang unang hakbang ay “pagsisisi at pagtalikod sa kasalanan” (4:17). Sa Griyego, “metanoia” ang katumbas na salita nito na ang ibig sabihin ay radikal na pagbabagong-buhay: pagbabago ng pananaw, pamantayan at mga pinahahalagahan.

Sa katunayan, hindi naman nananatiling tapat ang ang mga tinawag ni Hesus. Ngunit lagi rin silang bumabangon. Hindi nagsasawa ang Diyos na “makipagsapalaran” sa tao, kaya naman, hanggang ngayon, hindi nagsasawa ang Diyos na tawagin ang tao-ang bawat isa sa atin.
Patuloy na tumatawag ang Diyos sa tao ngayon. Patuloy siyang nangungusap sa atin sa pamamagitan ng kalikasan. Noong nakaraang taon, inilathala ng Interngovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ang ulat tungkol sa “global warning” na tinatalakay at nilagdaan ng 130 pinuno ng mga bansa. Makikita sa ulat kung paano unti-unting nagbabago ang klima ng mundo at kung paano nito babaguhin ang pamumuhay ng mga tao kung hindi mapipigilan ang lalo pang pagkasira ng ozone layer. Mas maraming pagbaha, bagyo, tagtuyot at pagkamatay ng mga halaman at hayop ang magaganap. Ang mapang-abusong paggamit ng enerhiyang nagbubuga ng carbon ang sinisisi sa paglala ng “global warming.” Nagmumula raw ang carbon sa pagsusunog ng mga “fossil fuel” sa mga planta ng enerhiya na pinagmumulan ng kuryente. Sinasabi rin sa ilang pag-aaral na ang carbon ay galing din sa pagsusunog ng basura; sa “air-condition” sa mga sasakyan, sa mga bahay at mga opisina. Lalo pa itong pinalalala ng pagkapanot ng mga bundok at mga kagubatan dahil sa pagtotroso.

Kailangang mapigilan ang pagkasira ng “ozone layer.” At sa palagay ko, ito ang bagong tawag ng Diyos sa ‘San-Kristiyanismo. Bawat Kristiyano ay may pananagutan sa Diyos kung masisira ang planetang ipinagkaloob niya sa atin. Hindi sapat na manatili na lamang sa sakristiya o sa loob ng Simbahan ang ating pagka-Kristiyano.

Kailangang aktibong makisangkot ang bawat Kristiyano, lalo na ang mga Katoliko, sa pangangalaga sa kalikasan. Hindi lang “prayer meeting,” mga sermon, mga liham pastoral at pagtatalumpati ang kailangan. Wala ding mapapala sa pagtuturuan (kung sino ang mali) at pagsisisihan. Makinig tayo at tumalima sa tawag ni Hesus sa kasalukuyang panahon at sama-samang kumilos para sa kaligtasan ng nag-iisang mundong tinitirhan nating lahat, para sa ating lahat at pananagutan nating lahat. Sa kaibuturan nawa ng ating mga puso, marinig natin ang tinig ni Hesus na bumubulong: “Halika sumunod ka sa akin at gagawin kitang tagapangalaga ng daigdig.” Amen.

~Atty. Arnold Rimon Martinez~

Was Mary Without Sin? (Series LXXIII)

The Gospel according to Luke refers to Mary with the Greek word kecharitomene, meaning “highly graced” or “full of grace” (see Lk 1:28). In this deferential term of address used by the angel Gabriel - not used in Scripture of any other human being - we find one indication of an unparalleled grace given by God to our Lady: She was conceived without the defect of original sin. (Catholics call this reality the “Immaculate Conception.”) Throughout her life as well, God preserved her from committing any actual sin.

Why would God have granted Mary such a gift? When the eternal Word took on flesh (see Jn 1:14), he took his flesh from her. God wanted his sinless Son, Jesus, to receive his human nature from a sinless mother. And it was most fitting for Jesus to be reared by a woman without sin.

Some Christians have argued that Mary’s sinlessness is impossible because St Paul writes that “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23). But in Scripture the word “all” (pas in Greek) doesn’t always mean literally “every single one without exception.” For example, in the same letter, St. Paul writes that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26), yet we suspect that at least some Jewish people will not be saved.

This is also a matter of common Hebrew idiom. In Romans 3:10-12, St. Paul quotes Psalm 14:3, which reads: “All have gone astray; / all alike are perverse. / Not one does what is right, / not even one” (see also Ps 53:2-4). Yet the very next psalm refers to those who walk “without blame” (Ps 15:2). Obviously, then, the lament in Psalm 14:2-3 is emotional and exaggerated language, not intended as a literal utterance. Since St. Paul is referring back to these sorts of passages, the interpretation of his words should take them into account, too.

We should also note that Jesus, who shared our human nature, was without sin (see Heb 4:14-15). This fact alone demonstrates that St. Paul cannot mean that “every single human being has sinned.”

Some Christians object that if Mary was sinless, she didn’t need Christ as her Savior. But the Church teaches, as does Scripture, that she did indeed need a divine Savior (see Lk 1:47). She wasn’t saved out of sin, but rather saved from sin. The rest of us have been delivered out of original and actual sin, while she was preserved from it. Either way, her salvation was God’s gracious gift through the merits of her Son.

Return From the Gates of Hell (4th of a Series)

Colombia, South America Interview of Dr. Gloria Polo by Radio Maria

I went into some tunnels heading downward. At first, they had light and looked like bee hives. There were lots of people. But I started descending and light became scarce and I started roaming some tunnels in pitch darkness. That darkness has no comparison. The darkest darkness on earth is like noontime sunlight compared to it. That darkness cause pain, horror, and shame. And it smells very bad. I finished descending down those tunnels and landed desperately on a flat spot. I used to claim I had an iron will, that nothing was too much for me. But that was useless now, I was grabbed by my feet. My body was inside that hole, but my feet were being pulled from the top. It was a very painful and horrifying moment. My atheism fell to the wayside. I started clamoring for the souls in was useless now, because I wanted to climb up and I couldn’t. At that point, I saw a huge mouth opening up on the floor and I felt immense emptiness in my body, a bottomless abyss. The most horrifying thing about that hole was that not even a bit of God’s love was felt in it, not a drop of hope. The hole sucked me in and I felt terrified. I knew that if I went in there, my soul would die. In the midst of that horror, as I was being pulled purgatory to help me out of there. As I was shouting I felt intense pain because I realized that thousands and thousands of people are there, mostly young people. Very painfully, I heard the gnashing of teeth, horrible screams and moans that shook me to the core. It took me several years to assimilate this because I would cry every time that I remembered their suffering. I realized that’s where people who commit suicide in an instant of desperation end, finding themselves surrounded by those horrors. But the most terrible torment there is the absence of God. God couldn’t be felt there. In the midst of all that pain, I started screaming? Who made this mistake? I’m practically a saint! I’ve never stolen, I’ve never killed. I gave food to the poor; I gave free dental treatments to those who couldn’t afford them. What am I doing here? I went to Mass on Sundays. I always went even though I considered myself an atheist. I didn’t miss more than five Sundays my entire life. I always went to Mass, what am I doing here? I’m a Catholic, please, I’m a Catholic, take me out of here!? While I was screaming about being a Catholic I saw a tiny light. I need to tell you that any light in that darkness is the best gift anyone can get. I saw some stairs over that hole and I saw my Dad, who had died five years before, next to the hole, lit by a faint light, and four steps higher I saw my Mom, with plenty more light and in a prayerful posture. When I saw them I was very happy. I started yelling ….To be continued

LANDAS NG PAGPAPAKABANAL

108. Narito ang paraan niya kay Lazaro: “Alisin ang batong nakatakip.” Hindi madali ang magbukas, ang mag-alis ng takip ng mga pinakakatago-tago nating mga lihim na bumabagabag sa atin. Tulad ni Marta, ayaw nating mangamoy. Sino bang gustong makitang muli ang baho niya, ang kabulukan ng buhay niya? Subalit ito ang unang hakbang sa pagpapabangon sa patay. Kasunod na nito ang panawagan Niya: “Lumabas ka, Lazaro.” At paglabas niya, makikiusap Siya sa atin, “kalagin ang mga nakatali sa kanya.” Kung kasama Niya tayo sa libingan, sa misyon ng pagpapabangon sa patay, hahamunin Niya tayong huwag matakot sa mga nagkukubli sa libingan, hihikayatin tayong sumama sa pagkakalag sa mga nakatali sa ating kapwa, upang makabangon siya sa piling ng mga buhay.

Alagad, Apostol
109. Marami pang maaaring sabihin tungkol sa landas ni Kristo. Kayo na sana ang bahalang magpuno sa kakulangan ng aming abang pagsusumikap na mailarawan ito. Higit sa lahat ang mahalaga ay ang marubdob na pagpupunyaging laging makasunod sa Kanya. Pagsunod ang kahulugan ng pagiging disipulo, pagiging alagad. Pagsunod upang matutuhan ang landas Niya, ang kalooban Niya. Pagsunod upang maging mga kaibigan Niya. (Juan 15:14-16)

110. Subalit hindi pa buo ang pagiging mga alagad natin hangga’t hindi niya tayo naisusugo. Ito naman ang buod ng pagiging mga apostol. Lumalapit tayo sa Kanya upang makilala Siya; upang ang kalooban Niya’y maging kalooban natin, upang ang landas Niya’y maging landas natin. Bukod-tanging sa ganoong paraan lamang tayo maaaring maisugo bilang Kanyang kinatawan. Sa atin—bilang pamayanan—dapat maaninag si Kristo, katulad ng pahayag ni San Pablo: “Hindi na ako, kundi si Kristo ang nabubuhay sa akin.” (Galatia 2:20) Tayong pinagkalooban Niya ng iisang Espiritu at naging buhay na katawan ni Kristo, tayo ngayon ang magpapatuloy sa Kanyang Gawain sa kasalukuyang panahon: ang maibalik ang paningin ng mga bulag, ang pandinig ng mga bingi, ang mapalakad ang pilay, mapabangon ang mga patay at maipahayag ang mabuting balita sa mga dukha.

111. Maraming mga tao sa ating piling ang nabulag sa mga maling paniniwala at pagpapahalaga, maraming nabigo at malugmok sa kawalan ng pag-asa, maraming napipi ng masasaklap na karanasan, maraming wala nang gana sa buhay. Sila ang naghihintay kay Kristong nabubuhay sa atin.

IV. PANAWAGAN
112. Bago tayo magtapos, sandali nating balik-tingnan ang layunin ng sulat-pastoral na ito na aming isinaad sa simula. Nabanggit naming doon ang aming hangaring pagtuunan ng pansin ang landas ng pagpapakabanal na ating nakagisnan bilang mga Katolikong Pilipino. Saan tayo nagsimula, nasaan na tayo ngayon, saan tayo patungo? ... itutuloy

Never Be Sick Again

Wy Iraq? (The End)

by Edwin Corros

At his age of 43, he should be retiring in a matter of twenty years as he started working when he was in his mid– twenties. But this does not mean that he needs to be continuously working overseas. When I told him to save money for his future, I was glad to know that he had been wiser this time. In Fact, he has informed me that he sought a well-known insurance company to managehis fund. He made me proud after knowing this. I am glad that he is taking bolder steps to secure his savings, rather than investing them in a business that he was not really familiar with, such as the case when he left the country for the first time. I believe, just like many seasoned OFWs, Domeng has perceived that the country could really do much for its people. He has to do something for himself first and maybe for the country. An advantage that my younger brother enjoys is: no one among the siblings is depending on his salary. He has it all for himself and his wife.

Analyzing the life of my younger brother who has been an OFW for a long time, he too had already embraced the vicious cycle of migration mentality. He would not apply for a local job, because he is all the time waiting for his visa to arrive. He focuses his attention mostly on the jobs overseas instead of local jobs this country could offer. He is always waiting to wait for the next job to arive. Like those residents at our Scalabrini Center for People on the Move (SCPM), a halfway home for OFWs in Manila, my brother would spend time waiting for the next working visa from the several agencies where he submitted his application. Sometimes, the waiting takes a month, but it could also take a year. When I call him each week, I would always ask him how is he doing and the usual response is “I’m Okay.” He has remained patient waiting for the next overseas job to arrive.

Earlier, reflecting on my brother’s experiences when he was still working in Iraq, I found it even ironic that while I am actually working for the rights and protection of OFWs and their families I am equally helpless to help him when he needed my help. I have also accepted the reality that the OFWs could not expect help from others but themselves more than anyone else. My brother was a perfect example. I may not be happy when he backed off from the interview with the media to expose the exploitation he suffered from his company and the inability of the agency or the government to protect him, but later I realized that my brother was one of the many OFWs who needed to survive and have been imbued with the migration mentality that has been with us for so many years now.

Ang Diyos sa Mata ng Bata!

!!! VIVA SANTO NINO !!!

Kapistahan ng Santo Nino:

“Maituturing na natatangi sa ating mga Filipino ang pagdiriwang ng Kapistahan ng Sto. Nino. Bahagi na ng ating tradisyon na ipagdiwang ito mula sa isang simple hanggang sa isang magarbong paraan tulad ng pagpu-prusisyon ng mga imahen ng batang si Hesus na nadadamitan ng iba’t-ibang kasuotan . Gaano man kasimple o kagarbo ang ating pagdiriwang, huwag sana natin malimutan ang tunay na kahulugan at dahilan kung bakit natin ginugunita ang pagiging bata ni Hesus : na sa kanyang pagkakatawang-tao–na siyang dakilang pagpapamalas ng pag-ibig ng Diyos sa sanlibutan - kanya ring maitampok ang kalikasan nating mga tao. Tulad nating lahat, naging bata rin siyang lumaki “sa karunungan at pangangatawan” (Lc 2:52).

Nang sinabi ni Hesus na ang paghahari ng Diyos ay para sa mga bata at hindi ito mapapasaatin kung hindi tayo magiging tulad ng isang bata, kapani-paniwala ito dahil Siya mismo ang nakaranas at nagpapakita ng halimbawa sa kanyang buhay. Sa kanyang kamusmusan, lumaki Siyang “kalugud-lugod sa mata ng Diyos at ng tao” (Lc 2:52).

Ano bang katangian mayroon ang isang bata upang mapasakanila ang paghahari ng Diyos? Kapag ang isang bata ay naniwala o may ginawa, lagi itong may kaakibat na pagtitiwala. Kapag tatanungin siya kung bakit niya ginawa ang isang bagay, ang kanyang naging sagot, “Kasi sabi ng nanay ko,” “Sabi ng tatay ko,” o sabi sa kanya ng nakatatanda. Kaiba ito doon sa mga taong naniniwala sa sabi-sabi na kahit na may kakayahan na silang magpasya sa sarili ay hinahayaan pa rin nilang ibang tao ang mag-isip at magpasya para sa kanila. Hindi ganito ang isang bata. Nagtitiwala siyang lubos sa kanyang nanay o sa kanyang tatay sapagkat tanggap niyang mas malaki sila sa kanya, mas marunong at walang ibang hangad kundi ang kanyang kabutihan lamang. Kung hindi na ganito ang asal ng isang bata, nakalulungkot isipin na pumapasok na siya sa mundo ng matatanda nang wala sa tamang panahon.

Ang pananampalatayang may “pagtitiwala” (pagtataya o pag-aalay ng sarili) (ang hinihingi sa atin ng Panginoon. May mga pagkakataon sa natin na hinahamon ang ating pananampalataya at pagtitiwala sa Diyos lalo na sa harap ng naglalakihang mga problema. Huwag sana nating kalilimutan na mas malawak ang pang-unawa, ang awa at kagandahang-loob ng Panginoon. Mas “malaki,” mas dakila at mas marunong Siya sa atin. May mga pagkakataong ang pamamaraan ng pagpapamalas ng Kanyang pagmamahal at pagkalinga ay taliwas sa ating inaasahan at maaaring hindi natin lubos na nauunawaan. Sa mga ganitong pangyayari sa ating buhay, maaari tayong matuto sa mga bata. Kung ang bata ay walang pag-aalinlangang nagsasabi: “Sabi ng nanay ko…”o “Sabi ng tatay ko…? Buong pagtitiwala rin nating sabihin: “Kasi ‘yon ang sabi ng Diyos… Kasi ‘yon ang sabi ni Hesus,” kung mayroong tayong gagawin o pagpapasya. Kapag ganito ang pananaw natin sa buhay, tunay na nasa atin ang paghahari ng Diyos. Sa ating paningin at iyon nga ang totoo sa paningin din ng Diyos, tayo ay mga batang mahigpit niyang niyayakap sa kanyang dibdib at malugod na pinauupo sa kanyang kandungan.
~ P. Lordencio D. Honrada ~

Did Jesus’ Resurrection Really Happen? (Series LXXII)

The claim that Jesus Christ truly died and truly rose bodily from the dead is not optional for Christian faith. It is central to the gospels and the witness of the apostles (see Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-14; Lk 24:1-49; Jn 20:1-29; Acts 2:22-36), the guarantee of our own resurrection (see 1 Cor 15:20-22). As St. Paul insists, if Christ has not been raised from the dead, our faith is in vain (see 1 Cor 15:17; see also “Hasn’t Science Disproved Miracles?”).

Skeptics have dismissed Jesus’ resurrection as a hoax or hallucination, a superstition or myth. But all of the evidence points the other way. First, if it was a hoax perpetrated by his followers (see Mt 28:11-15), would they have devoted the rest of their lives, and willingly suffered prison, torture, and death, for what they knew to be a lie (see Acts 12:1-5)? If the tomb wasn’t empty, why didn’t Jesus enemies simply produce the dead body?

Second, if it was a hallucination, how could so many otherwise sane men and women be convinced they had encountered Jesus alive - more than five hundred witnesses on separate occasions and in various locations (see 1 Cor 15:3-8)? If the resurrected Jesus was only a hallucination, how could people touch his body and watch him consume the food they gave him (see Lk 24:36-43)?

Third, as the scriptural account shows, first-century people were no more likely than we are to be superstitious or gullible about claims of returning from the grave. Even the apostles reacted with skepticism, not to mention others (see Lk 24:9-11; Jn 20:24-25; Acts 17:32).

Finally, a myth takes generations to develop and take hold within a culture. But Jesus’ followers were testifying to his resurrection within a few days after his death. Even the biblical accounts of the Resurrection were written within the lifetime of those who knew what had really happened and could decisively challenge their claims if they had evidence to the contrary.

For all these reasons, the Christian testimony that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead must be taken seriously by non-Christians.

Dr. Gloria Polo’s Return From The Gates of Hell (3rd of a series)

Colombia, South America Interview of Dr. Gloria Polo by Radio Maria

I had great legs and breasts. But in an instant, I saw with horror how I had spent my life taking care of my body. That was the center of my life: my love toward my body. But now, there was no body and no breasts; just some horrible holes. In particular my left breast had practically vanished. My legs were the worst: empty gaps with no flesh, completely charred and blackened. From there, we were transported to a hospital, where they quickly moved me to the operating room and began scraping all my burned tissue.

When I was under anesthesia, I came out of my body again. I saw what the surgeons were doing to my body. I was worried for my legs. All of a sudden I went through a moment of horror. I had been a dieting Catholic? all my life. My relationship with the Lord was down to Sunday Eucharist, no longer than 25 minutes, wherever the priest’s homily was shortest, because I couldn’t stand anything longer. That was my relationship with the Lord. All the trends of the world tossed me like a windsock. In fact, when I was already in graduate school, I once heard a priest say that hell didn’t exist and neither did demons. That was the only thing that had kept me in the Church. When I was told the devil didn’t exist, I just thought we were all going to heaven regardless of who we were. That distanced me completely from the Lord. My conversations became bad, because sin was not contained inside of me. I started telling everyone that demons didn’t exist, that they had been invented by the priests, that they were manipulations. Hanging out with college friends, I started to say that God didn’t exist and that we were the sole product of evolution. But back to that instant in the operating room, I was really terrified! I saw demons coming for me and I was their pay. At that moment I saw many people coming out of the walls of the operating room. At first sight they looked normal, but with a look of hatred on their faces, a horrible look. At that point through some special insight given to me, I realized I owed each one of them. I realized sin was not for free and that the main infamy and lie of the devil was to state that he didn’t exist. I saw how they were coming for me. You can imagine how scared I was. This scientific and intellectual mind was of no avail to me. I bounced off the floor, into my body, trying to come into it again, but my body wouldn’t let me in. I ran away and I’m not sure when I went through the wall in the operating room. I was hoping to hide in some hallway in the hospital but I ended up jumping into thin air.

I went into some tunnels heading downward. ….To be continued

LANDAS NG PAGPAPAKABANAL

104. Mahalagang matutunan ang aral na ito, lalo na sa ating mga Pilipinong babad sa kultura ng “pagtatanim ng galit” sa mga tinuturing nating mga “walang utang na loob” at sa lahat ng taong walang idinulot kundi sama ng loob. Gaano man kahirap, pinanindigan niya ang kanyang salita: “Mahalin mo ang iyong mga kaaway.” (Mateo 5:44) At pinatunayan Niya ito hanggang sa krus, nang patawarin Niya ang mga nagpahirap sa Kanya: “Ama, patawarin mo sila, pagkat hindi nila alam ang kanilang ginagaw.” (Lk 23:34) Tinuruan din niya tayong ituring ang mga makasalanan hindi bilang criminal na dapat hatulan, kundi bilang maysakit na nangangailangan ng kalinga ng duktor. (Mt 9:12-13) Para sa kanya, wala maiaalok na gamut na mas mabisa pa kaysa pagpapatawad.

Pagpapalayas sa Demonyo (Markos 5:1-13)
105. Sa may bayan ng Gerasa doon naman Niya ipinakita ang mga hakbang na dapat sundin sa pagpapalayas ng demonyo. Sa ulat na ito, pati ang paglalarawan sa taong inaalihan ng mga masamang espiritu ay pamilyar sa atin: nabubuhay siya sa sementeryo, walang makapagpigil sa kanya, sinasaktan niya ang sarili niya. Mga palatandaan ito ng mga nasa kapangyarihan ng masasamang espiritu na madali nating Makita at makilala kahit sa panahon natin ngayon: sa mga taong nabubuhay na parang patay at lumalayo sa kapwa tao, sa mga taong walang control sa sarili, sa mga taong nalulugmok sa awa-sa-sarili at pagsira sa sariling buhay. Kadalasan, alipin sila hindi lang ng isa kundi ng maraming demonyo: mga galit, hinanakit, inggit, takot, at marami pang iba.

106. Ang unang hakbang Niya’y isang tanong: “Ano ang panga-lan mo?” Paniwala nila na wala kang kapangyarihan sa isang bagay hangga’t hindi mo ito nakikilala at nabibigyan ng pangalan. Gayundin marahil sa maraming masasamang espiritu sa lipunan natin. Hindi natin sila mapapalayas hangga’t hindi natin nasusuri, nakikilala, natatanggap, at nabibigyan ng pangalan. Pangalawang hakbang ang pagpapalayas Niya sa mga demonyo at pagpapapasok sa kanila sa mga baboy. Pahiwatig kaya ito na ang masasamang espiritu ay mahilig manirahan sa gitna ng kababuyan? Pangatlong hakbang ang pagpapauwi Niya sa tao upang magkuwento, upang maging saksi sa kabutihan ng Diyos. Hinugot siya sa piling ng mga patay, at ibinalik ng Panginoon sa piling ng mga buhay upang maging saksi ng Mabuting Balita.

Pagpapabangon sa Patay (Juan 11:17-44)
107. Sa Betania naman naganap ang aral na ito: ang pagpapabangon sa kaibigan Niyang si Lazaro mula sa libingan. Mahalaga ring malaman ito kahit ng mga buhay. Di ba’t marami ring taong naglilibing nang buhay sa sarili dahilan sa mga masakit, mapait, at masaklap na karanasan? Karaniwan nga sa ating mga Pilipino ang magsabing: “Tapos na iyon, kalimutan na natin, ibaon na natin sa limot,” kahit alam natin sa loob-loob na nananatili itong sariwa na parang sugat na nagnanaknak sa ilalim ng natuyong balat? Itutuloy…

Nutrition and Alzheimer's Disease

WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland ClinicWebMD Medical Reference.
… Concluding part

· Furniture. Simplify furniture arrangements. Make it as easy as possible for the person with Alzheimer's disease to navigate a room and get from point A to point B. Move or remove objects, such as a loose throw rug, that could be a tripping hazard.
· Lighting. Be sure there is sufficient lighting. As people get older, they require 2-3 times the amount of light they needed when they were younger. Add the confusion associated with Alzheimer's disease, and you can understand how important it is to have enough light. However, too much light, especially when it causes glare, can be distracting and irritating.
· Driving. Research suggests that even mild Alzheimer's disease is associated with an increased risk of accidents. It is important to check with your state's Department of Motor Vehicles to find out the procedure for evaluating the patient's driving ability. Many areas will perform a thorough "driver safety evaluation" to determine whether it is safe for the person to keep driving. If there is any impairment in vision or judgment, a person with Alzheimer's should not be driving.

Other Tips: * Make your environment as comfortable and sensory pleasing as possible.
· Decorate with colors you find soothing; use potpourri with fragrances that relax you.
· Keep photos and music around that uplift your spirits.
· If you find you would like company during the day, consider a pet such as a bird, fish, or cat. If you are concerned about the pet's daily care, surround yourself with plants or flowers.
· Make sure the temperature and climate are suitable to your sensitivities.
The more comfortable and safe you feel in your surroundings, the more manageable your diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease will be. (End)

Green Tea Reduces Advanced Prostate Cancer Risk
By: Jane Hart, MD

Healthnotes Newswire (January 17, 2008)—Drinking green tea may reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer, according to a new study. Green tea, made from the Camellia sinensis plant, contains catechins—antioxidant substances that may help stop cancer cell growth and prevent cancerous tumors from spreading.

· A variety of factors may contribute to prostate cancer developing, including diet, lifestyle, and the environment. Incidence of prostate cancer is low in Asia, where green tea is a popular beverage, and the authors of the new study decided to evaluate green tea’s effects on prostate cancer development in Japanese men.
· The authors looked at data from the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study, which began in 1990 and included nearly 50,000 Japanese men. The men answered questions about how many cups of green tea they drank each day and for 14 years they were followed for a variety of health factors. The study results, which were published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that men who drank five or more cups of green tea per day had less risk of developing advanced prostate cancer compared with men who drank less or no tea. The authors noted that information was not available on methods the men used to brew the tea, such as the infusion time or strength.

Why Iraq? (10)

by Edwin Corros
Continuation…

Two days after he arrived in Manila, his agency called him at his place. The agency knew very well that my brother was ready to bring his case to POEA. My brother in response demanded simply the pay for the 11 months remaining of his contract as amenable settlement for the psychological anguish he suffered from his employer. In less than a week, they paid his demands in front of the POEA officer. My brother knew that, the employer was able to run away with his abuses by simply paying little. Life has continue as it is for my brother. He did not even complain that the cash he received when they settled his case was less than 5,000 pesos. He was not willing to continue fighting the agency while he needed to find another job.

Earlier that week, at the height og his anger, he was even willing to get to the media to expose the exploitations and the injustice that he has gone through in Dubai and especially while in Baghdad. When he received the money that he was asking for from his company through the agency in Manila, he did not bother anymore to take further action. Earlier upon his arrival, I asked to talk to the media as I knew someone who could help us. This never happened, because the news reporter was not available when we set the schedule for interview. The offer of settlement came so fast that my brother decided not to push through with it afterwards. The reporter was also disappointed not to get a scoop when he came to know that my brother backed off from an interview. Even if I was also disappointed about the decision of my brother, again he reminded me of the many other OFWs whom I wanted to help each time they came to ask for help but later decided not to push through with their complaints.

The case of my brother is just one of the many sad experiences happening to the many Filipinos working overseas. They have to bear insults and unfair treatment in exchange for the dollars they wish to earn as there are no sufficient jobs available in the Philippines in case they return home. The choice has become simple for them. They needed to gets jobs anywhere for them to survive. They are even willing to pay for a price, sometimes outright while waiting for their visa to be released or through a salary deduction. Unfortunately, the government that could not provide work for them neither could not provide protection for OFWs when they find work outside the country. “So whether one in his country or outside the country nothing can be expected from the government,” my brother lamented. “One simply has to defend himself or herself in the midst of abuses,” my brother added. “When you are overseas, you can not really rely on the assistance or protection from the government which first violated your rights in your own country,” he stressed. In a way he was right. A country that could not provide job to his people is already making violation of the right to a decent work.

At his age of 43, he should be retiring in a… ... to be continued

May Kinalaman Ako!

Kapistahan ng Pagbibinyag sa Panginoon:

“Tinanggap ni Hesus ang binyag ni Juan kahit wala siyang kasalanan at hindi niya kailangang magsisi kundi bilang tanda ng pagsisimula ng kanyang paglilingkod sa sambayanan. Ipinahihiwatig dito ang malayang pakikilahok ng Diyos sa kasaysayan ng tao. Siya ang Diyos na may pakialam at may kinalaman sa buhay ng bawat isa sa atin.

Sa pagbibinyag kay Hesus, ipinakikilala ng Ama kung sino siya: “Ito ang aking minamahal na Anak, na lubos kung kinalulugdan” (Mt 3:17). Siya ang ipinahihiwatig na Lingkod ni Yawe na ipinahayag ni Propeta Isaias: “Akong si Yawe ang tumawag sa iyo dahil sa katarungan...gagawin kitang isang tipan para sa sambayanan at liwanag sa mga bansa, upang imulat ang mata ng mga bulag palayain sa bilangguan ang mga bihag at pakawalan sa kulungan ang mga nasa dilim” (42:6-7)

Sa pagpapabinyag, niyakap ni Hesus ang ating pagka-“tao”. Nakibahagi siya sa bawat kwento ng ating buhay: kuwento ng ligaya at kalungkutan, tagumpay at pagkatalo, liwanag at pagtataka, kapayapaan at pagkalito, buhay at kamatayan. Sa paglubog niya sa tubig ng Jordan, ipinahihiwatig ang malayang pagyakap niya maging sa ating kamatayan. Sa kanyang pag-ahon naman, nababanaag na ang tagumpay niya sa kamatayan-ang muling pagkabuhay na handog niya sa lahat. Inaanyahahan tayo sa Kapistahang ito na makisangkot din sa buhay ng ating kapwa. Marami ang naghihirap, nagugutom, nakararanas ng karahasan at puno ng takot sa buhay. May pakialam ba tayo sa pangungulila at malalim na kalungkutan ng kapwa? Tayo’y mga anak ng Diyos. Tayo’y magkakapatid. May pananagutan tayo sa isa’t isa.

Ayon sa isang kuwento, isang babae ang nangibang-bansa upang mamasukan bilang katulong. Sa kasawiang-palad pinagsamantalahan siya ng kanyang amo. Nakatakas nga siya sa kanyang amo ngunit nagbunga naman ang ginawang kahalayan sa kanya. Kinupkop ng isang madre ang babae. Noong manganganak na siya, dinala siya ng madre sa ospital. Nasiraaan sila ng sasakyan sa daan. Napilitan ang madreng iwanan siya sa sasakyan sa gitna ng dilim at nagyeyelong paligid upang humingi ng tulong. Habang wala ang madre, lumabas na ang sanggol sa kanyang sinapupunan. Pinilit na pinutol ng ina ang pusod upang makahinga ang bata. Nanginginig sa lamig ang sanggol. Hinubad ng ina ang lahat ng kanyang damit at ibinalot sa bata. Nadatnan ng madre at ng kumadrona ang sanggol na umiiyak at ang hubad na katawan ng kanyang inang wala nang buhay. Inampon ng madre ang bata. Sa pagdiriwang niya ng kanyang ka-18 na kaarawan, hiniling ng binata sa madre na dalhin siya sa lugar kung saan siya ipinanganak. Nang makarating doon, hiniling ng binata na mapag-isa siya. Hatinggabi rin noon at nagyeyelo rin sa paligid. Hinubad niya ang lahat ng kanyang suot at nahiga sa lugar kung saan siya isinilang. Habang nanginginig sa lamig ay nasabi niya” “Inay, ganito pala kalamig nang ialay mo ang buhay para ako mabuhay.”

Higit pa rito ang pagmamahal at pakikisangkot ng Anak ng Diyos sa ating buhay. Sa ating sariling binyag, tinanggap natin ang utos ng Panginoon: “Magmahalan kayo! gaya ng pagmamahal ko sa inyo, gayundin kayo magmahalan” (Jn 13:34).

~ P. Alex Balatbat ~

Why Do Catholics Call Priests ‘Father’? (Series LXXI)

Answers to the Questions of the Catholic Faith

“Call no one on earth your father,” Jesus teaches. “You have but one Father in heaven” (Mt 23:9). In light of these words from the Gospel, many non-Catholic Christians abject to Catholics calling priests “Father.” How do Catholics understand this passage?

In this situation, Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees for their spiritual pride (see Mt 23:2-10). He reminds them that God alone - God the Father - is ultimately the source of all authority, even the authority these men wield within the religious community.

Is this simply an admonition to the proud, or does Jesus actually mean that under no circumstances are we ever to refer to anyone as “father”? Just consider: If the latter is true, then we could never legitimately speak of Church fathers, or founding fathers of a country, or even biological fathers.

This cannot be Jesus’ intent, given the words of Jesus on other occasions reported in the gospels. The truth is that our Lord himself uses the term “father” numerous times (see, for example, Mt 15:4-6; 19:5, 19, 29; 21:31; Jn 8:56). In telling the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus even has the rich man use the title “Father Abraham” three times to refer to the ancient patriarch (see Lk 16:24, 27, 30). Later on, St. Paul certainly has no qualms about calling himself a “father” to other Christians (see Phil 2:22; 1 Cor 4:15).

All this can be said as well of Jesus’ instruction immediately before his words about not calling anyone “father.” He warns, “Do not be called ‘Rabbi’ [literally, “Teacher” in Jesus’ native tongue, Aramaic; see Jn 1:38]. You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers” (Mt 23:8). Do those who object to calling priests “Father” refrain from calling anyone “teacher” as well?

Jesus himself speaks of teachers (see Mt 10:24-25; Lk 6:40; Jn 3:10). Paul calls himself a teacher (see 1 Tm 2:7; 2 Tm 1:11) and noted that teachers are in fact one of the ministries God has set in the Church (see 1 Cor 12:28-29; Eph 4:11). Any Bible concordance will reveal many other occurrences of the words “father,” “fathers,” “teacher,” and “teachers” throughout Scripture.

Return From the Gates of Hell (2nd of a series)

Colombia, South America Interview of Dr. Gloria Polo by Radio Maria

... no human words that can describe the grandeur of the moment. The climax of the moment was immense. I was happy and joyful; nothing weigh me down inside that tunnel. At the bottom of that tunnel I saw a sun, a most beautiful light. I call it white to name a color because no color on earth is comparable to that most beautiful light. I felt the source of all that love, all that peace.

And in that instant of emptiness for my children, I looked and saw something beautiful: my flesh was not in this time or space. I saw everybody in a single instant, at the same time, both the living and the dead. I embraced my great-grandparents and my parents, who had passed away. I hugged everyone; it was a full and beautiful moment. That’s when I realized I had been cheated into believing in reincarnation, which I even defended. I used to see my grandfather and my great-grandfather everywhere. But they hugged me here, I met with them in an instant, we embraced and I embraced all the people I had anything to do with in my life, everywhere, at the same instant. When I hugged my daughter, she got scared. She was nine years old. She felt my embrace. No time had gone by during that moment, so beautiful, out of my flesh. I didn’t see in the same way I did before, where I only noticed who was fat, thin, dark-skinned, or ugly, always with prejudice. Now, out of my flesh, I would see people on the inside. How beautiful it is to see people on the inside. I would see their thoughts, their feelings. I embraced them in an instant and, still, I kept rising and rising, full of joy. At that point I felt that I was going to enjoy a beautiful sight, an extraordinarily beautiful lake. At that moment, I heard my husband’s voice. My husband was crying and with a deep cry, with deep feeling, he called out to me and said, Gloria, please don’t go! Gloria, come back! The kids, Gloria, don’t give up!? !? In that instant I took a big glance and I saw not only him, but I saw him crying in deep pain. And the Lord allowed me to come back, although I didn’t want to. What a joy, how much peace, how much happiness! Then, I started descending slowly to find my body, where I found myself lifeless. . My body was on a gurney at the medical center on campus. I saw how the doctors gave me electric shocks to pull me out of cardiac arrest. We lay there for two and a half hours. They couldn’t pick us up because our bodies were still conducting electricity. When that finally stopped they were able to assist us and they started they started resuscitation. I set my feet here, on this part of my head, and I felt a spark that pulled me in violently. I went back into my body. It was very painful to go back because sparks came out everywhere. And I saw me fit into such a small thing. My flesh hurt, it was burned. It hurt a lot. Smoke and vapor came out of it. And the most horrible pain was that of my vanity. I was a woman of the world, an executive woman; an intellectual, a student, enslaved by my body, beauty, and fashion. I would work out four hours each day. I would slave to have a beautiful body: massage therapies, diets, well, everything you can imagine, that was my life; an enslaving routine for the sake of a beautiful body. And I would say, if I have beautiful breasts, I might as well show them off. No point in hiding them! The same was true for my legs, because I thought I had great legs and breasts. ... To be continued

LANDAS NG PAGPAPAKABANAL

100. Tinawag nilang wala ang limang tinapay at dalawang isda dahil konti lang ito. Ang ibig nilang sabihin talaga ay: “Wala pong kuwenta ito para sa napakaraming tao.” Itong kahiligang tawaging wala ang mayroon dahil kakaunti lang ito - ang unang ninais burahin ng Panginoon sa Kanyang mga alagad sa hangad Niyang maturuan silang magmilagro. Para kay Hesus, hinding-hindi magaganap ang isang milagro hangga’t tinatawag nating wala ang konti. Di ba’t ganito din kung minsan ang nasasabi ng mga maralita: “Mahirap lang po kami. Wala po kaming pinag-aralan. Iskuwater lang po kami…” na para bang “wala kaming maibigay, dahil walang-wala kami sa buhay.” Isip-dukha ang tawag dito. Isang kaisipang sinikap itama ng Panginoon nang kunin pa rin Niya ang limang tinapay at dalawang isda, pinaghati-hati at ibinigay sa mga alagad upang ibigay sa mga tao. Alam na natin ang kasunod ng ulat pagkatapos dalhin at ibigay sa Panginoon ang kaunting pagkain na kanyang pinagpira-piraso at ibinahagi: himala. Walang himalang magaganap sa buhay ng tao hangga’t minamaliit niya ang sarili niyang pagkatao, ang sarili niyang kakayahan. Hindi magsisimula ang himala, hangga’t hindi maialay at maibahagi ng tao ang mayroon siya, gaano man kaliit, gaano man kakonti ito.

101. Sa huling suma, ito ang mismong aral ng Eukaristiya: pagbabahagi ng sarili bilang pagkaing magbibigay buhay sa kapwa. Sa paulit-ulit nating pagsisimba, paulit-ulit ding itinuturo ni Hesus sa atin ang landas Niya, ang landas ng Eukaristiya, ang landas ng kusang-loob at taos pusong pagbabahagi ng anumang mayroon tayo, ng ating buong buhay.

Pagpapatawad (Juan 8:3-11; Lukas 15:1-31; Markos 2:1-12)

102. Hindi lang minsan, kundi maraming beses Niyang itinuro ang landas na ito. At pangunahin na sa mga hindi makaunawa sa simula ay si Juan Bautista. (Lukas 7:18-23) Ipinakilala siya ni Juan Bautista bilang Mesiyas. Ipinahayag na Siya ang hahatol sa mga makasalanan at gagantimpala sa mga matuwid. Kaya’t mula sa bilangguan, nalito siya nang malaman na ang Mesiyas ay nakikisalo sa mga makasalanan. Ito rin mismo ang ikina-iskandalo ng mga pariseo tungkol sa Kanya. Ngunit sinikap pa rin Niyang ituro ang landas Niya: nang ipagtanggol ang babaeng nahuli sa pakikiapid (Juan 8:3-11), nang makisalo Siya kay Zaqueo (Lukas 19:1-10) at kay Levi (Markos 2:14-17), nang isalaysay Niya ang tatlong talinghaga ng patawad: ang nawawalang tupa, ang nawawalang salaping pilak, ang alibughang anak (Lukas 15:1-31).

103. Patawad din ang paraan niya upang mapalakad muli ang lumpo (Markos 2:1-12). Ni hindi Niya hiningi bilang kondisyon ang pagsisi bago siya nagpatawad. Lagi’t lagi, nauuna ang patawad Niya, at ang dalisay na pagsisisi ay nagiging bunga ng paglaya, pagmamahal, at kaligayahan ng taong nakaranas ng patawad. Ang hindi mapagbago ng lipunang mapanghusga ay binago Niya nang lubusan sa pamamagitan ng patawad. Lahat ng pinatawad Niya ay para bang mga patay na bumangon mula sa libingan at nabuhay na mag-uli. Itutuloy…

Nutrition and Alzheimer's Disease (5th of a series)

WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland ClinicWebMD Medical Reference.

· Long-term, residential treatment. The person receiving therapy lives at a treatment center. The length of stay can vary, depending on the treatment program and progress of therapy. A program can last more than a year or just a week or two. Settings include hospitals, home-like structures, and clinics. The person focuses mainly on his or her problem and on getting well. Other activities, such as work, school, family, and hobbies, take a backseat to treatment. In most programs, the person receives counseling daily and participates in regular group therapy. Additional counseling may be needed after residential treatment has ended.

· Self-help and support groups. These include a network of people with similar problems. These groups usually meet regularly without a therapist or counselor. There are support groups for people with Alzheimer's disease and also for their families and caregivers.

Alzheimer's Disease:Creating a Safer Environment.

~Adapting Your Environment ~

Because Alzheimer's disease can make daily activities -- including eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, and using the toilet -- more difficult, it's important to modify the living environment to make it as easy as possible for the person with Alzheimer's to live and function.

What Are Some General Safety Measures?

Some practical things which will help create a safer environment include:

· Have emergency numbers -- police, fire, poison control, and a neighbor's phone number -- readily available in case of emergency. It is probably best to write these numbers on a sticker and put it on the phone receiver.

· Have at least one phone located where it is always accessible. Keep a cordless phone in your pocket. This is especially important if you fall and can't get up to use the phone.

· Make sure smoke detectors work properly.

· Avoid using space heaters and electric blankets; these are fire hazards.

Consider installing a medical alert or personal alarm system for emergencies. Professional systems link directly to a representative 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If a person has an immediate medical problem, he or she simply pushes a button on a special device worn around the wrist or neck, and a signal for help is sent immediately.

Home Safety

You should take a good look around your home, especially noting the physical layout and services that are available for support. Some people can continue to live independently if they have complete support services. If you care for someone with Alzheimer's disease, it is important to make sure that they can use the stove or oven safely and be safe in the bathroom -- particularly using the bathtub or shower. A full home safety evaluation can be performed by therapists and social service workers who are professionally trained to look for potential hazards.

Bathroom. The bathroom can be a dangerous place for a person with Alzheimer's disease. As the person's ability to function decreases, it may become necessary to install grab bars in the shower or fold-down shower seats. Also, be sure to use non-slip floor mats and slip-resistant appliqués or tiles in the shower or tub. …to be continued

Why Iraq? (10)

By Ed Corros

... continuation

Everyone has to keep one’s job as they have to think of their children being sent to school. I remembered a Filipino in Taiwan who had to work overtime, even when he was too tired to do it regularly, because a sick parent needed money for his medicines. Then, his Filipino room mate was pressured to work without complaining for a house being paid monthly in Laguna while another OFW in that same factory in Taipei was to remit regularly for a car bought in installment. There are a thousand of reasons why the Filipinos have to forget their pride as they suffer similar abuses from their employers abroad. All these stories reminded me of my brother’s depresing situation. He sought again the assistance of the labor office attaché only to discover that the latter will side with his employer instead. When he realized that nothing will happen about his case, now that the Filipino government officer assigned to defend or his rights while working abroad has become useless, he decided to leave his work. He bought his own plane ticket and returned to Manila secretly.

“What my brother did was right,” I told myself. I was convinced too that many of our labor attachés were indeed not capable of delivering the services expected to them. Again, such treatment my brother received reminded me of the same stories and complaints of OFWs when I was still working in Taipei. My only edge when I was still in Taipei was my privilage to use the media and the pulpit to call the attention and to force our government officials to act into the cases of our OFWs. I do not enjoy such privilage anymore now that I am in my own country. In Taipei, I had the whole parishioners listening to my homily and it would always be a very privilaged occasion to call the attention of our government servants who were not doing their jobs well.

How my brother fled hids work from Dubai was well palnned. With the assistance of some friends in the dormitory he succeeded to trick the company guards. He was in his slippers and did not change his clothes when he left their dormitory compound. He requested a companion who was having a rest day to schedule the sending of a balikbayan box containing all his personal effects to the Philippines and he got a taxi to proceed to the airport. That time, he was already guarded by the company’s security officers as he refused to go back to work. Since he was in his slippers and house clothes, the security guards did not even have a clue that he was sneaking out from the compound. His departure was only discovered a day after his supervisor summoned him to return to work. I admired my brother’s talent of escaping from his abusive company. He was actually not different from many OFWs in Taepei who have sought refuge from abusive employers at St. Christopher’s Church when I was the parish priest. My brother also reminded me of my amazement of how our Filipino domestic workers escaped from their very strict employers.

Two days after he arrived in Manila, his agency … ... to be continued

Pananampalatayang Hatid ng EPIFANIA!

Dakilang Kapistahan ng Pagpapakita ng Panginoon:

“Ang Epifania, ayon sa Katesismo ng Iglesia Katolika, ay “ang pagpapakita ni Hesus bilang Mesiyas ng Israel, Anak ng Diyos at Tagapagligtas ng sanlibutan” (blg.528). Nagpapatotoo sa katotohanang ito ang Ebanghelyo ni Mateo, kung saan hango ang ebanghelyo ngayon. Pangunahing paksa ni Mateo ang katauhan ni Hesus bilang Tagapagligtas at ang simula ng paglaganap ng kanyang Paghahari.

Sa aklat ni propeta Isaias, ipinangako sa Jerusalem na ito ay “liliwanagan ni Yahweh, at mapupuspos ng kanyang kaluwalhatian”(60:2). Ipinahihiwatig ng propesiyang ito na matutuklasan natin ang tunay na katauhan ni Hesus kung babalikan natin ang kasaysayan ng mga Judio at tatanggapin natin ang pangako tungkol sa Mesiyas ayon sa nakasulat sa Matandang Tipan. Subalit ang pagkilala kay Hesus ay hindi lamamg pagbabalik-tanaw sa kasaysayan ng kaligtasan; kaakibat nito ang pagiging tapat sa pananampalatayang “inihayag ngayon ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu, sa kanyang mga banal na apostol at mga propeta” (Efe 3:5). Sa pagiging tapat sa pananampalatayang ito na tinanggap natin sa Iglesia Katolika tunay tayong magiging “katoliko” (Pangkalahatan), sapagkat tayo’y “may bahagi rin sa mga pagpapala ng Diyos tulad ng mga Judio” at kabilang din tayo sa “iisang katawan at maybahagi sa pangako ng Diyos dahil kay Kristo Hesus” (Efe 3:6).

Ang pananampalataya kay Hesus na nagmula pa sa mga apostol ay higit at kakaiba sa paniniwala ng ibang relihiyon sa mundo na may eksklusibong pananaw at nagsasabing para lang sa iilan (sa mga kasapi lang nila) ang pagpapala ng Diyos. Ang kaibahang ito ay nahahayag sa sinabi ng mga Mago: “Nakita namin sa silangan ang kanyang bituin, kaya’t naparito kami upang siya’y sambahin” (Mt. 2:2).

Nasasaad sa kasulatan na ang mga Mago ay “pinangunahan ng bituing nakita nila mula sa silangan” (Mat 2:9). Bagaman itinuturing ng mga pagano ang mga Mago, ang marubdob na paghahanap nila sa Hari ng mga Hari ay humantong sa pananampalatayang hindi kagagawan ng sariling pangangatwiran o kagustuhan. Ang Diyos ang unang kumilos upang tunay silang “makakita” at ganoon na lamang ang kanilang kagalakan nang masumpungan nga nila si Hesus (Bas. Mt 2:10). Ngunit ang pananampalatayang naghahatid ng kagalakan ay hindi lamang nagtatapos sa pagkakakita sa Panginoon. Ang pananampalatayang ito ay nagiging buhay kapag ang sumasampalataya ay nagpapatirapa, sumasamba at nag-aalay sa Diyos.

Nakalulungkot isipin na marami pa rin ang hindi sumasampalataya kay Hesus. Marami ring mga Kristiyano ngayon ang unti-unti nang tumataliwas sa pananampalataya ng mga apostol sa Panginoong Hesu-Kristo. May mga taong ibinabatay sa kung ano ang maginhawa at madali sa kanila. Mayroon din naming naniniwala (daw) pero hindi naman “sumasamba.” Ang pagdiriwang ng tunay na diwa ng Epifania ay nagpapatunay na ang mga ito ay isang malaking kasinungalingan. Ang mga ito ay hawig sa kasinungalingan ng Herodes: “Hanapin ninyong mabuti ang sanggol. Kapag natagpuan ninyo siya, ipagbigau-alam agad ninyo sa akin upang ako man ay pumunta roon at sumamba sa kanya” (Mt 2:8) Ang paniniwalang walang pagsamba ay huwad; ang pagsambang walang pag-aalay at pagbibigay ng sarili ay isang pagbabalatkayo.

Samakatuwid, ang Kapistahan ng Epifania ay isang paanyaya upang pagnilayan ang tunay na katayuan ng ating pananampalatayang Katoliko: buhay ba ang ating pananampalataya sa paraang may kaakibat itong pagsamba sa Diyos at pag-aalay ng sarili sa kanya?

Why Is the Catholic Church Unique? (Series LXX)

Answers to the Questions of the Catholic Faith
“You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” (Mt 16:18). When Jesus founded the Church, he established a concrete, visible institution that can be traced in an unbroken line down through the centuries. The Church is both a living organism and an organization. So Christian unity is expressed not only spiritually, but in organizational and practical terms as well.

Jesus spoke of the Church as “a city set on a mountain” (Mt 5:14). The Church is not invisible. It was intended by God to be readily identifiable.

When Jesus declared that the apostle Peter was the “rock” on which he would build his Church, he made it possible to identify that Church, to know where it could be found. St. Peter became the first bishop of Rome, and the bishops of Rome who have succeeded him (the popes) have continued to fill his special office as the “rock.” The Church Jesus established is thus the Church in spiritual and organizational communion with the successors of St. Peter - the Catholic Church, which is also called the Roman Catholic Church because of the leadership role of the Church of Rome.

The central role of the Roman Church in historic Christianity can be seen in that Church’s unique and decisive function in upholding Christian orthodoxy (literally, “correct doctrine”) throughout the ages. It is also evident in the papal leadership in ecumenical councils (such as the Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council).

Why is the Church called “Catholic”? The word means “universal.” It describes both the scope of Jesus’ saving mission - he came to redeem the whole world - and the extent of the organization he established - a global Church embracing all peoples. The first recorded use of the term is in a letter written by a bishop of Antioch, St. Ignatius, who was taught by the apostle John and may well have known the apostle Peter himself.

The Catholic Church, then, is the universal Christian family in communion with St. Peter’s successor, the pope. Founded by Jesus Christ himself through the apostles, it is unique both in its catholicity and in its adherence to the “rock.”

Dr. Gloria Polo’s Return From The Gates of Hell

(First of a series)
Colombia, South America Interview of Dr. Gloria Polo by Radio Maria

Brothers and sisters! It’s beautiful for me to be with you.

Sharing this precious gift my Lord gave me more than ten years ago. (This was at the National University of Colombia in Bogotá). I was attending graduate school, along with my nephew, who was also a dentist. My husband was with us that day. We had to pick up some books at the School of Dentistry on a Friday afternoon. It was raining very hard and my nephew and I were sharing a small umbrella. My husband was wearing his raincoat and he approached the outside wall of the General Library. Meanwhile, my nephew and I approached the trees without noticing, while skipping puddles. As we were about to skip to avoid a huge puddle, we were struck by lightning. We were charred. My nephew died there. He was a young man who, despite his young age, had given himself over to the Lord and was very devout to the Infant Jesus. He always carried the Infant Jesus Image inside a quartz crystal next to his chest. According to the coroner, lightning entered him through the image, ran through his heart, burned him on the inside and exited through his foot. But on the outside, he was not charred or burnt. In my case, instead, lightning came in this way and burned my body in a horrifying way, on the inside and outside. This body you see here, this reconstructed body, is through the mercy of our Lord. Lightning charred me, left me without breasts, practically made my whole flesh and ribs vanish. My stomach, my legs; lightning went out my right foot, my liver was charred, my kidneys were burned, just like my lungs. Therefore copper, an excellent electrical conductor, charred me, it pulverized my ovaries. I was left in cardiac arrest, lifeless, my body jumping from the electricity that remained in it. But look: that’s the physical part. The most beautiful part is that while my flesh was there charred, at that instant I found myself inside a beautiful white tunnel full of joy and peace, a happiness for which there are no human words ... to be continued

BEATITUDES OF THE HOME

1. Blessed is the home where prayer is said because the Lord is present.
2. Blessed is the home where the Lord’s Day is kept holy, because those who live therein shall be happily united in heaven.
3. Blessed is the family that seeks not evil diversions, because it enjoys Christian happiness.
4. Blessed is the home where no cursing is heard; nor slander; where there is no bad reading; no intemperance, because it shall abound in blessings and peace.
5. Blessed is the home where babies are quickly baptized because they will become inhabitants of heaven.
6. Blessed is the home in which the priest is quickly called for the sick ones, because infirmities shall be alleviated and death shall be blessed.
7. Blessed is the home where Christian doctrine is taught and loved, because in it faith shall be active and living.
8. Blessed is the home where parents where parents are consoled by numerous and obedient children and where children learned from their parents filial fear of God.

LANDAS NG PAGPAPAKABANAL

Sulat Pastoral ng Kapulungan ng mga Obispong Katoliko ng Pilipinas-Sa mga Pilipinong Katoliko

96. Alam na rin natin ang landas na ito, kahit paano. Di ba’t hindi lang tubig kundi lahar ang bumagsak sa Pampanga? Natakot din sila, muntik nang lumubog, ngunit tulad ni Pedro, kumapit kay Kristo. Hayun, nakatayo na sila ngayon at naglalakad sa lahar! Hindi bagong paraan ito. Madalas lang malimutan. Kung tulad niya, tayo rin ay matutong manalangin sa bundok at kumapit sa kapangyarihan ng Kanyang Ama, matututuhan din natin kung paano lumakad sa tubig, sa gitna ng unos at bagyo, kung paano sumakay sa Bangka at patahimikin ang dagat.

Pagpapalaki sa Maliit (Lukas 19:1-10)
97. Itinuro naman ito sa bayan ng Jerico sa isang pandak na ang pangala’y Zaqueo, isang taong hindi matanggap ang kaliitan at nagsumikap na palitawing malaki ang sarili sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakayaman sa paniningil ng buwis. Nagbago ang lahat sa buhay niya nang makatagpo niya si Hesus - isang taong maliit sa lipunan, ngunit tinitingalang malaki ng maraming kumikilala sa kanyang kabanalan. “Zaqueo, bumaba ka diyan.” Ito ang unang paraan ng paglaki: pagbaba. Para bang sinasabi ng Panginoon sa kanya, “Hindi mo na kailangang tumuntong sa iba, upang lumaki, Zaqueo. Kahit maliit ka, kahit mababa ka, makikita pa rin kita. Ni hindi mo kailangang umakyat sa puno.” At bumaba nga si Zaqueo at nagpakumbaba. Subalit nang makasalo niya sa hapunan ang Panginoon, noon lamang niya naramdaman na siya’y malaki. Ang pagpansin, ang pagpapahalaga, ang pagtanggap sa kanya ng Panginoon sa kabila ng kanyang kaliitan ang nagpalaya sa kanyang dating bansot na ugali at pagtingin sa sarili.

98. Kailangang-kailangan natin ang landas na ito, tayong mga maliliit na Pilipino. Di ba’t natututo na rin ang marami sa atin na tumuntong din sa kapwa, upang maramdamang sila’y malaki? Di ba tayo madalas makatagpo ng mga taong maliit ang pagtingin sa sarili at kumakapit sa yaman at baril upang sila’y “lumaki”, upang sila’y mapansin, upang sila’y igalang? Hindi galit ang kailangan ng mga taong kulang sa pansin, kundi awa, tulad ng awa ni Kristo. Kung minsan, isang simpleng pagtanggap ang kailangan nila, pagkilala sa kanilang likas na halaga at importansya, upang sila ri’y mapalaya sa bansot na kaisipan at kultura.

Paghahati ng Tinapay (Markos 6:35-44; Mateo 14:15-21; Lukas 9:12-17 at Juan 6:1-14)
99. Itinuro daw ito sa may bayan ng Bethsaida, nang pakainin Niya ang maraming tao mula sa limang tinapay at dalawang isda. Kailangan din nating matutunan ito lalo na’t parami tayo nang parami, tayong mga Pilipino, habang pakonti nang pakonti ang likas na kayamanan sa atin. Pag-aralan natin ang aral ng pagpapakain sa marami - ang aral na itinuro niya sa Kanyang mga alagad nang sabihan Niya sila: Tulad ng mga alagad, di natin maunawaan ang utos niyang ito. Mas madaling “Bigyan ninyo sila nang makakain.” Mas madaling paraan ang pauwiin sila kaysa pakainin sila. Paano sila pakakainin? “Wala po tayo kundi limang tinapay at dalawang isda.” itutuloy...

Nutrition and Alzheimer's Disease (4th of a series)

WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland ClinicWebMD Medical Reference.

What Happens After the Assessment?
Once you complete the assessment, a treatment plan will be devised. At this time, you and your counselor can discuss:
· The best type of counseling.
· The best place for counseling (counselor's office, outpatient clinic, hospital, residential treatment center).
· Who will be included in your treatment (you alone, family members, others with similar problems).
· How often you should go to counseling.
· How long counseling may last.
· Any medications that may be needed.

What Are the Different Types of Counseling?
The following list briefly describes common types of counseling. These can be used together or alone, depending on the treatment plan.

· Crisis intervention counseling. In cases of emergency (such as initial despair over diagnosis), the counselor will help you get through the crisis and refer you for further counseling or medical care, if needed. These services are provided by community health agencies, help lines, and hotlines.

· Individual counseling. The person meets one-on-one with the counselor. Counseling often takes place in the privacy of the counselor's office. This type of counseling works well when problems originate with you and your thinking patterns and behaviors. Also, some problems are very personal and difficult to confront with others present. If you are experiencing depression, anxiety, or grief in dealing with your Alzheimer's, this may be appropriate.

· Family therapy. A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can affect the entire family. If you are the primary provider in the home, there can be financial strain. If you are a homemaker, there may need to be adjustments in the distribution of chores. These everyday strains combined with the emotional effects of dealing with a long-term illness have an enormous effect on the family dynamic. Family therapy can help family members resolve issues among each other. It also can help them adopt ways to help another family member cope better. Family members can learn how actions and ways of communicating can worsen problems. With help, new and improved ways of communicating can be explored and practiced.

· Group therapy. In group therapy, people join in a group and discuss their problems together. The session is guided by a counselor. Members in the group often share the same problem, but not always. The group session provides a place where people can confide in others who understand and share their struggles. They also can learn how they see themselves and how they are seen by others. Members gain strength in knowing that they are not alone with their problems. Group therapy is useful for a variety of problems.

…to be continued

Why Iraq?

By Edwin Corros

continuation…...

Subsequently, he went to the personnel manager and inquired about the war damage claims due them. He was ignored, as the company told him that war claims could be given only in case a war erupts in Dubai. After his talk with the manager, he informed us about his sad predicament. When I got the chance to talk him, I advised him to try talking to our labor attaché. I was informed by my friend in OWWA that the labor attaché will be waiting for his visit. When he visited the Philippine Labor Office to consult about his claim, he was also informed that he could not get the claim that was due him. He was instead advised to complain about his contract that was violated, by being assigned in Iraq. His passport even has carried a note: “Not valid to travel in Iraq.” With such advice from the labor attaché in Dubai, my brother decided to file a complaint on contract violation.

Upon his arrival at his company’s office, he was scolded by his new Canadian supervisor, for seeking intervention from his American manager. He went directly to his manager accordingly about his earlier complaint. Annoyed by the scolding of his supervisor, he answered back and told his employer to fire him instead and to send him back to Manila if they were not happy of his service. The managemant did not agree. He described his argumentative bout with his employers as a very clear case of discrimination. He fought back precisely because he was unfairly treated when he was in Iraq. As a veteran OFW my brother knew quite well to handle himself. My coaching was not necessary. He was in Kuwait when that country was also invaded by Iraq and he stayed put. He was able to get his war damage compensation for working in the country. He believed that he had all the rights to ask for compensation, the fact that he and his companions were illegally transferred to work in war torn country. As he was fighting to his rights while talking to his American manager and Canadian supervisor. My brother felt bad that no one among his Filipino colleagues similarly working in that office helped him. He felt he had been bullied by his Canadian and American employers, and he did not get a single word of support from the Filipinos.

While he told me this incident, I was reminded of the many similar stories of Filipinos who had fought for their rights, but were unsuccessful because others in the group were not willing to support them. Looking back, I believed that the Filipinos in similar predicament could not do anything as they too needed to survive like what happened to my brother who was helpless when he was illegally deployed in Iraq last year.

Everyone has to keep one’s job as they have to think of their children being sent to school. I remembered a Filipino in Taiwan who had to work overtime, even when he was too tired to do it regularly, because a sick parent needed money for his medicines. Then, his Filipino room mate was pressured to work without complaining for a house being paid monthly in Laguna while in another employer abroad. All these OFWs in that same factory in Taipei was to remit regularly for a car bought in installment. There are a thousand of reasons why the Filipinos have to forget their pride as they suffer similar abuses from their stories…...
… to be continued