Wednesday, September 30, 2009

CCS @ 6

In celebration of the 6th Anniversary of CCS tomorrow, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings to all the Fraters, Scholars, Cooperators and friends.

The onslaught of Ondoy during the past weekend is truly a tragedy for each and everyone in the community. Everywhere we could see houses and properties submerged in flood and mud. we could see different individuals, living or dead, that had their lives changed within hours of rain and flashflood. Lives were lost, and claimed within a blink of an eye. Lives that were in comfortable stature were forced to go up their roofs due to sudden rise of floodwaters. These, among others, were what we witnessed during the visit of Ondoy in the Philippines during the weekend.

we may ask, Did God really let this happen? We answer, YES. It's God's reminder that in whatever situation, God is trying to tap us, and to open our eyes to the reality that we are not alone in this world, and that there is a deep consequence for our wrongdoings. Take the fact, we owe Mother Nature a lot.

In times like these, everybody is called to be holy, in one way or another. More than prayers, the community is in dire need of our physical resources, and out time and effort. I think this would be the better way to celebrate the Six Years we had in walking in the spirit of the Saints.

With the bayanihan spirit in our veins, I admonish each and everyone within the Confraternity, as a way of thankgiving for the Six Years of Holiness, to get involved, physically and spiritually, in the relief operations for Ondoy Victims.Through this and other programs that the Holy Spirit would inspire us to do, we could really say that Holiness is very possible, in good and bad times. God is with us and never let us down during the good and blessed times; I think it is better for us to extend our hands for the needy in the bad times.

With all my prayers for the Confraternity, I invoke St. Therese and all the Saints for another blessed year ahead of us! Happy Anniversary to one and all!

In Christum,

Fra. John Ezekiel Maria, ccs

CCS @ 6

In celebration of the 6th Anniversary of CCS tomorrow, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings to all the Fraters, Scholars, Cooperators and friends.

The onslaught of Ondoy during the past weekend is truly a tragedy for each and everyone in the community. Everywhere we could see houses and properties submerged in flood and mud. we could see different individuals, living or dead, that had their lives changed within hours of rain and flashflood. Lives were lost, and claimed within a blink of an eye. Lives that were in comfortable stature were forced to go up their roofs due to sudden rise of floodwaters. These, among others, were what we witnessed during the visit of Ondoy in the Philippines during the weekend.

we may ask, Did God really let this happen? We answer, YES. It's God's reminder that in whatever situation, God is trying to tap us, and to open our eyes to the reality that we are not alone in this world, and that there is a deep consequence for our wrongdoings. Take the fact, we owe Mother Nature a lot.

In times like these, everybody is called to be holy, in one way or another. More than prayers, the community is in dire need of our physical resources, and out time and effort. I think this would be the better way to celebrate the Six Years we had in walking in the spirit of the Saints.

With the bayanihan spirit in our veins, I admonish each and everyone within the Confraternity, as a way of thankgiving for the Six Years of Holiness, to get involved, physically and spiritually, in the relief operations for Ondoy Victims.Through this and other programs that the Holy Spirit would inspire us to do, we could really say that Holiness is very possible, in good and bad times. God is with us and never let us down during the good and blessed times; I think it is better for us to extend our hands for the needy in the bad times.

With all my prayers for the Confraternity, I invoke St. Therese and all the Saints for another blessed year ahead of us! Happy Anniversary to one and all!

In Christum,

Fra. John Ezekiel Maria, ccs

A Note from a Navote�o...

Three days of fever, well... influenza to be precise. Napakahirap ang magkasakit, but for me, it's my own way of being one with those who suffered more than mine.

in the first place, talagang napakaPAMBIHIRA ang mga naganap mula noong Sabado. Sinong mag-iisip na kaming nasa Malabon-Navotas Area, kaming mas prone sa baha, kami pa ang "masasalba" mula sa matinding peligro?

GOD IS GREAT!!! REALLY!!!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Tahimik... napakatahimik (reflection on silence)

(GNote: I created this reflection when I was alone in my room. I think it was already Two o'clock in the morning when I created this. It was just a result of the silent environment brought about by the time.
I
t was so, because I am suffering insomnia as of the moment. I cannot sleep during the nighttime, I could lie to sleep already in the early hours of the next day... madaling-araw kung baga. It was a little bit irritating, and I miss sleeping early. Perhaps, I would have it again after the leave.
I hope you would have something out of this.
)

Tahimik na tahanan, tahimik na paligid, tahimik na bayan, tahimik na mundo.

ahh, tahimik. sinong hindi nagnanais na magkaroon ng katahimikan ang buhay? sino ang nagnanais ng gulo? ng ingay? ng distorbo?

walang makakapantay sa isang buhay na tahimik: payapa, matiwasay, mainam at maayos. lahat ay nasa wasto. walang gulo, walang giyera, walang away. lahat masaya, lahat enjoy.

pero sandali... kung nais natin ang buhay na tahimik, dapat lamang na ating tanggapin ang kanyang mga kasama't kaagapay. oo, nakakaramdam tayo ng tiwasay na pakiramdam pag tahimik ang lahat, ngunit hindi hindi siya ganap kung wala ang kanyang mga kasama.

ito ay ang pagkabingi, pag-iisa at pangungulila. kasama rin ang kawalan, kakulangan at kadiliman. lahat sila, pantay-pantay. lahat sila, balanse. hindi sasama ang lahat kung wala ang isa.

sabi nga nila, nakakabingi ang katahimikan. ang sabi ko naman, hindi lang siya nakakabingi.

nagdudulot rin siya ng pag-iisa at pangungulila, sapagkat sa katahimikan, parang pakiramdam mo ay wala kang masasandalan. Ikaw lang at ang mundong iyong ginagalawan. Napakahina mong maituturing.

Nararamdaman mo rin sa kanya ang kawalan, kakulangan at kadiliman. sa isang tahimik na paligid, feeling loner ka, parang namatayan ng nanay, tatay, o matalik na kaibigan. Hindi mo alam kung saan ka pupunta. Lahat ay madilim, lahat ay magulo.

ganito ang aking pasya ukol rito sapagkat kailangan nating tanggapin na ang kakulangan ay hindi lamang nakakapagdulot ng ayos, kundi ng kakulangan sa pagkatao. Walang balanse, hindi ganap.

Pero hindi ko sinasabing walang maidudulot na maganda ang katahimikan. Tulad ng isinaad ko sa itaas, makakaramdam ka rito ng kapayapaan, katiwasayan, kaayusan, at kaganapan.

Ang gulo, hindi ba?

May mga kaibigan akong nakikita sa katahimikan ang tiwasay na pag-iisip. nas nakakapag-aral sila, mas nagagawa nila ang dapat nilang gawin pag tahimik ang paligid. Mas nakakapagdasal sila ng maayos sa katahimikan.Para sa kanila, Silence is a time for thinking on things. Oo nga naman. Kasi payapa ang paligid, walang distraction, walang gugulo sa kanila. Totoo nga naman. Silence means concentration for them. at parang hindi sila makakapaggawa ng maayos sa ingay ng mundo.

Pero may mga taong nais ang katahimikan dahil nais nilang sila ang maging hari't reyna ng sandaling iyon. Doon sa mga puntong tahimik ang paligid, iniisip nila ang mga pagmamayabang na nagawa nila sa kapwa, mga pagmamaltrato sa iba, at lahat ng kasaamaan. mali ito. Dito pumapasok ang masamang epekto ng katahimikan. For these guys, Silence means emptiness. At mas nanaisin nila ang ingay ng mundo kaysa sa tahimik na paligid.

Mga kapatid, mali ang parehong punto. Paano ko nasabi?

Hindi naman talaga natin masasabi ang kaganapan ng lahat ng bagay sa katahimikan. Oo, sa katahimikan mo nagagawa ang mga bagay na nais mong gawin, at sa katahimikan mo naiisip ang kawalan dahil sa kasamaang kanilang nagawa. Subalit sa mga taong ito, na naghahangad ng katahimikan, nakakalimutan na nila ang katotohanang nilikha ng Diyos ang Ingay at Katahimikan sa balanseng paraan, tulad ng liwanag at dilim, lupa at dagat, langit at ang lupa, at ang tao at ang kanyang katauhan.

They often look for silence when they are in the middle of the big noise, without realizing that there is silence before and after the big noise.

Bakit ganito ang karamihan sa atin?

Mas nararapat siguro sa atin ang pagkakaroon ng balanse. Maraming nagagawa ang ingay, at maraming nagagawa ang katahimikan, mabuti man o masama. kahit na anong iwas natin sa ingay, at naisin ang katahimikan, hindi pa rin mawawala sa balanse ng mga bagay ang ingay. Marami man ang pagkakataon nating mag-reflect sa katahimikan, still, we must reflect in the midst of the mob.

Masaya ang tahimik, ngunit kailangan ang sapat na katahimikan para iangkop sa sapat na ingay na ating matatanggap.

Panghuli...

God works in silence, God speaks in silence. True. pero we must not deny the fact that God also works in the midst of the noise of today's world. He speaks through the shouting and jeering.

God works in silence and in noise. He is everywhere, everytime.

Sleep tight!

09-21-09

JoEzeMa,ccs :)

Still on my leave...

Day 11 of the 31-day leave...

After the past days, the Lord is still calling me to service. Kahit na ayaw kong gumalaw sa parish community as secretary, still, the circumstances speak for itself. I'm still needed.

Actually, my resolution is to try not to appear from the parish community, so as to have time to reflect.

Pero after eleven days, the resolution... changed. I resolved to be the cameraman, behind the artists. At least, gumalaw man ako, hindi pa rin ako yung nasa forefront. And it would go on for one month.

I'm still moving, but not that quite. Maraming naghahanap sa akin, pero I offer this petty sacrifice of leaving for some recollection.

In the first place naman, my responsibility is to foster goodwill in the community, and not to run behind the problems.

I pray that I would go on, despite the leave.

Yun lang.

JoEzeMa,ccs :)

Saturday, September 19, 2009

On my leave...

it was nearly a week now since I began my leave from all the parish work. For one note, parang nakakapanibago yung not waking up early during weekdays, and staying up for 15 hours during Sundays. For most, parang gusto ninyong sabihin na pinapatay ko na ang sarili ko, but for me, it's my way of giving service to the Lord and to the community.

Pero amidst all of that, parang I'm feeling an emotional overfatigue. Maybe because of all those issues I've undergone from the past, that makes me call for a month of leave. Parang you are there in the battlefield, na biglang pumasok sa utak mo... Lagi na lang bang ganito? Can't I take a break?

Well, yun nga ang pumasok sa utak ko,... thus, the leave.

But despite all that, there's still that urge inside me. An urge to go there and render service. I try to reprimand myself. After all, it's more of a privilege. It's for my benefit rin naman. After this month, I can go on with my usual way... with a cleared mind. I know, I know.

JoEzeMa,ccs :)

Monday, September 07, 2009

Happy Birthday Mama Mary.... and other posts.

It's Mama Mary's Birthday Tomorrow!
And with that in mind, the Parish Pastoral Council, through the Worship Ministry, prepared a very happy program this coming Tuesday. The thing is... it will happen first thing in the morning. Madugo na naman ito. And yes, it is. As the over-all in-charge of the program proper, I felt that there were many lapses in tomorrow's Ma�anita Alay kay Inang Maria. Parang may napakalaking kulang. If you would ask me, talagang kinakabahan ako with what would happen tomorrow. There are groups having their presentations left unprepared, well, because of the time constraint. But still, it's just a little matter, a little problem, compared with the giants of life.
Well, life, in its greatest sense, is full of problems. Hindi naman mawawala iyun. It's how you bear to it, and how you handle every single problem you have. Kahit na mahirap, still, you live, eh. OO, there are times when you go alone, sitting in a corner, feeling desolate. It's natural. But look at the other side of life... There are many opportunities waiting. It would knock. You'd better open it.

In the end of all this, It's still a matter between you and your God... How you lived your life in the right way is all that matters. No ban whatsoever would define your personality. It would never describe you. Eventhough there are bans regarding your wrongdoings, still, after the ban is lifted, you're still on your own. YOU'RE STILL ON YOUR OWN.

Happy Birthday, Mama Mary!!!

JoEzeMa,ccs :)


Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Picxs......

Eversince I took hold of my sissie's digicam sometime this year, I have undergone a massive change, from somebody who loves to be a part of pictures, to somebody who loves to be a part of pictures, and taking a picture myself!

For example... This pic is taken last August 22, during our Pabingo sa tag-ulan. I am here with Fr. Junjun and some members of the Pastoral Council. Everytime I have a pic, I always smile... to the greater and the greatest!!! This shows my enthusiasm with regards to sharing memoirs with others.

On the other hand, I took this pic of Fr. Junjun the other Sunday. Yah, a Priest riding a motocycle in his alb. Grabe, noh? But the main idea behind this is, I also would like to capture first-hand the feelings and emotions of others. Especially when it comes to good and happy feelings, I would like to share with the world how a person feels it when he does it sometime around.

For one, Having a picture is like holding the moment, seizing it, and keeping it for the rest of his life. It's not narcissism per se, but it's more of keeping the moment alive.

Wala lang! I just shared with you how I become addicted to capturing pictures, be it formal or a simple part of my every day.

In the end, I could say that I love pictures! They form a part of my life.

JoEzeMa,ccs :)