The Aftermath of the Profession (Echoing the YES!!!)

How does it feel when you're in the situation when you are saying the sweet 3-letter word YES to the Lord?

COMPLICATED.

How did it happen? Look at the scenario. You are in the midst of terror and fright in your life. You are scourged and crowned with the thorns of iniquity and self-pity. You are fed with sexuality and base passions. Most of all, you are wearing the cap of pride and hatred. Then all of a sudden, you are there, face-to-face with God who is telling you, "come to me, proclaim my Good news! Tell everyonme that Holiness is very possible!" Now. tell me, isn't it complicated?

When you say that yes, it would mean you are ready to leave everything. Certainly a puzzle for me. I am asking myself last night, how? how can I do this, when I know that sin is still in my veins? It's still like you are trying to get loose from the chains of the world. Something that I must do in order to get really involved in the Vineyard. When I am telling the words of profession, it's like telling me, "Bitoy, simula sa araw na ito, titigil ka na sa pagiging ganito, pagiging ganyan, at lahat-lahat na. Kakayanin mo ba?" And me answering, "Lord, alam mo na hindi ko kaya kung sa akin lang. Tinawag mo ako dito four years ago, kasi alam mo na may misyon ako para sa kapatiran na ito. Paano ko sasabihing hindi, kung nandyan ka naman?"

You know what, guys, it's like a fulfilling moment after that, despite the oppositions I received when I returned to Tanza. It's not leaving the Way for CCS, but it's more of an enrichment activity for me, who's walking in the Neo Catechumenate. I realized that the mission I have in CCS will never be deepened if I'm not walking in the Way, and what I'm undertaking in the Way will never be understood without the CCS. Both the Way and the CCS teaches me to live according to the Gospel, in the spirit of Baptism, and the inspiration of the saints. In other words, it's like a tripod, with the MAS in the other foot.

I give thanks to the lord who never retires of giving his people life and love. I am because I know, CCS will never be CCS, Dave will never be Dave, Lloyd will never be Lloyd, Matthew will never be Matthew, and I will never be me without Him who sustains us with every best gift he could give. In realization, The 5th anniversary of CCS will never be a success with the Triune God, our Lord and Master. I pray that we will forver remain faithful to this profession we made. Yes, we cannot do it without Him. DEO GRATIAS!

Thanks also to those people who shared with our joy yesterday. Most of all, to our parents who gave us the reason to be holy: the act of giving us the chance to live. Thanks also to the Cooperators, Scholars, visitors and friends who were there to be with us in that moment of Joy.

Back to the intro...

How does it feel when you're in the situation when you are saying the sweet 3-letter word YES to the Lord?

COMPLICATED.

But yes, it is still sweet, because God is there. He loves us, and will guide us to the fulfilling of the profession we made!!!

AMEN.

061008

Fr. Jun's Words...

Fr. Jun's words on the Feast of St. Therese, words which I pass on to CCS:

"... sana, sa araw na ito, hilingin natin sa Diyos na tulad ni Santa Teresita ng Lisieux, ay maging humble tayo, at hindi hambog. Ito ang nagpabukal nang lalo sa kanyang karisma't bokasyon. Kapag tayo'y humble, sasabihin sa atin ng diyablo, 'wala akong mapapala sa iyo.' "

a commitment... a dedication (special post for the 5th anniversary of CCS)

The 5th Anniversary of the Confraternity of Catholic Saints
October 01, 2008
"Limang Taong puno ng Pagpapala, ibahagi ang biyaya, Kabanalan ipamalita"

IT was last saturday when I received the letter from Fra. Francis stating the program for the 5th anniversary of the CCS on Sunday, Oct. 05. Actually, I was still asking myself if I am ready to dedicate (or shall we say... commit) myself on that day. It would be hard for me in the first place, since It will change my lifestyle a little bit more. In these times that I see myself as a broken sinner, a runaway servant, it would be really hard.

I am not saying this because I'm not really ready. I'm saying this because I know that this activity will help the five pioneer members discover more the importance of invoking the help of God through the Church and her Saints, and with that, we must be ready to face the challenges that lie behind. It will be a failure if the person to commit to this vow is not ready to do so.

Inspired of this, and as a way of celebrating the 5th year of CCS, I have here 5 questions to help everybody, especially the five pioneers, to cope up with the activities for Sunday...

1. Am I really proclaiming that "Holiness is very possible?"
- There are some of us who just entered CCS because they wanted relics, or they are attracted to the CCS Cross and the cope or something else (any oppositions?), when the real reason of entering the CCS is to be roasted in the oven of the Word of God, and be marinated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, with the stuffings of the saints (I'm hungry!).

2. Are my prayers really for those intended?
- We know that the intentions (not putting the personal intentions behind) must be intended for the Pope, the Bishop, and for the unity in the Church. Well, still, there are some of us who do not pray for these people - worse, they do not pray at all.

3. Do I invoke the saints for the inspiration and strength I need?
- We are looped up in the worldly things - computers, cellphones, studies, fame, jobs, money. And believe me, we usually forget to pray to the white-robed army to get through, and get out of it.

4. Do we live a HOLY life?
- Same as number 1, but it has a different sense. Proclaiming is more powerful if it has living, since proclaiming is just telling, yet living is proclaiming with the deeds. Don't forget St. James' words... "Show me your faith, I'll show you my faith through good deeds."

5. After the Consecration, what's NEXT?
- I will tell you. After the activity on Sunday, I don't know what will happen to my life. But something's more important. After the consecration, we must live according to God's Will. It's that simple, and complex. Like, Man! how will it happen? Well... just let the wind blow.

===+===

As of the post time, the anniversary is just 6 days away. I invite you all to pray for everybody in the CCS, because I know that everybody is not ready to face the consecration (even the pioneers). It will happen if we rely on our strength.
And so, I invite you all to pray for us that we may rely on the grace of the Triune God who continues to sustain us in those times when we are down, and on those times when joy overflows from our hearts.

For the Cooperators and Scholars, please pray for your fraters. We are just... frail humans. we can't do it if we are alone. Pray for us that we may face the battles with the help of God and His Saints.

For the other fraters, pray for your pioneers. it's not because we so matander (older) than you, but because we are a part of a family, a ministry.

For my fellow Pioneers, we will never go this far without the Divine Will. Continue to strive for Holiness. I know, we can still make it through! God continues to love each and every one of us, and He will never let us down. Ngayon pa ba?

And to everybody, from the fraters, to the Cooperators, to the Scholars, and to our friends, A Very Fruitful Anniversary to each and everyone of us! Live accoring to Christ's word... DUC IN ALTUM!!!

09-29-08

Happy Birthday Fads!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FADS!!!

Rev. Fr. Elpidio A. Erlano, Jr.

Fr. Jun

September 19, 2008

We Love You!!!

From your SCP Family

Eeky Week... Let's do the Top 6!

a cry of somebody...

this is the cry of my soul right now. sorry for the lapses... oh, the pic, it's me and my classmate... I don't want to tell his identity.

bakit ganun???

I always try to give my best for the ones I love, whoever they may be. Pero it is as if everything is in vain! I always try to be according to their style, to their flow (with God's will on my hand so that I won't be walking astray), but to no avail! It hurts for me!!!

I try to live with them,... but it's as if I'm rejected!

bakit ba ganun? kahit ba ganito ako, eh kaya na nila ako ganun-ganunin? It's unfair!!! to the point of asking me kung bakit ko "minamanyak" ang isang partikular na tao, kahit na wala akong ginagawa? Masama bang lumapit at kulitin ang isang tao?

I always ask myself, sa akin ba ang mali kung bakit hindi niya ako pinapansin, kung bakit lagi nila akong iniitsipwera?

PERO HINDI!

Hindi na mauulit ito! I will never fall again in this catastrophe!

hindi na...

kaya?

A Special Poem to somebody I love the most...

=== TO THE BIRTHDAY GIRL...===

She's just a simple girl
Born of the Israelite tribe
The fairest in all of Nazareth
And -so to say - in all humankind.

You can never say that she had the stain
Or even a drop of the eternal sin
For she was chosen among them all
To be the great mother of the God so supreme.

From the stable, we can see her
Holding the Word-flesh in her arms
Upon the Cross, she also stood
Seeing her son, entrusting her to us.

She lived a very holy life
upon death, she lived better:
Assumted up above,crowned as a queen
Lady and Mistress of the heavenly Court.

And so, on this day, We offer to her
All the honor and intercession
Because on this day, we remember
This was the day She was born.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAMA MARY!!!

September 08, 2008

Quote of the Day...

Too many people get credit for being good, when they are only being passive. They are too often praised for being broadminded when they are so broadminded they can never make up their minds about anything...

(Servant of God Bishop Fulton Sheen)

===+===

Well, this goes to those people - including me - who are always praised because we are good... in an awkward way. It is not because I am a good person per se, but I simply do not want to be praised for that. That would simply be the reason why I feel like this.

Mi Familia... (Friendster Blogs - June 26, 2006; Xanga - July 05, 2006)

(Gogo Note: this post is one of my very first-and most controversial-blogposts in the web. This is about my reproaches regarding the most basic unit of society where I belong... my Family. Perhaps this would supply my special wish for this 18th year of life for me.
A little History: I wrote this in fs blogs, June 26, 2006. It was entitled "Are They my Family?" I was already walking in the Way some time, so I may say that I am not scandalized of posting this over the net. That proved to be wrong, because many people were scandalized upon viewing this; among them is my dete, or sister. It became a cause of a little reprimanding, and a lot more controversy, that made me decide that this post should be transferred to my account in Xanga, on July 05, 2006, as a private post so that I can retrieve it sometime later... that would certainly be NOW.
What's inside the "controversial" blog? Read on... Please understand the contents, and if you feel scandalized, don't worry, it's only for the contacts. A related post will follow later.)

meron akong problemang pinapasan... isang problemang mahirap harapin, at sana, ay maharap ko na talaga.

isang araw ay kinausap ako ng pamilya ko. napapansin nila na nagbago na ang pakikitungo ko sa kanila, habang mas gumaganda naman ang pangalan ko sa mga kaibigan ko, at mga kakilala ko sa labas. alam ko na nawawalan na ako ng panahon sa kanila, at dinedevote ko na ang panahon ko para sa mga kakilala ko sa labas.

ang sabi ng isa, "ayusin mo ang tym sked mo." ang sabi ng isa, "gumawa ka naman sa bahay."

pero ang sabi ng isa...

"kami ang pamilya mo, hindi sila. wala silang magagawa sa iyo , kami lang. nagpapayabangan lang kayo sa Simbahan, nagpapataasan ng yabang. sila na lang ang laging tinutulungan mo. paano na kami? wala na ba kaming puwang sa puso mo? pinanganak ka para tumulong sa amin, hindi sa kanila. tatandaan mo yan!!!"

dahil dun, nasaktan ako, mas lalong naginit ang inis ko sa kanila. hindi nila makuha ang impresyon ko. hindi sa nagrerebelde ako sa kanila, pero kilangan ko lang naman ng pagkakaintindihan. hindi ko kasi maintindihan. mahal na mahal ko sila, at alam ko na ginagawa rin nila ang lahat upang iparamdam na mahal nila ako. pero dapat bang sabihin ng isang tao yun?

alam ko sa sarili ko, hindi lang sila ang pamilya ko. ang lahat ng mga nakakasalamuha ko, pati sila ay pamilya ko rin!!! mula sa mga kasama ko sa Altar Servers, hanggang sa mga kasama ko sa paglalakad sa daan, hanggang sa mga ka-batchmeyt ko sa ICPS, hanggang dun sa mga naging guro ko, hanggang dun sa mga taong nakilala ko nang di-sinasadya, hanggang sa inyo na mga friends ko sa friendster, at hanggang sa mga taong naiinis at nagagalit sa akin, to the point na sumpain nila ako... lahat sila ay pamilya ko, at walang makakagalaw sa kanila.

pero ang mali ko lang dun, ay ang pagkawala ko ng panahon sa tunay na pamilya ko. dahil dun, ay humihingi na ako ng kapatawaran sa kanila, kasabay ng pangakong mas lalo akong magdaragdag ng panahon para sa kanila. sana, ay matanggap nila ito. sori sa lahat ng mga panahon na nawalan ako ng panahon para sa kanila. hindi ko sinasadya. mahal na mahal ko sila!!!

bilang pagtatapos, ay hayaan ninyo akong kumuha ng ilang bahagi ng akda ni Kahlil Gibran, ang sumulat ng "The Prophet":

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

mula sa harap ng Kompyuter at sa kaibuturan ng aking puso, Hunyo 26, 2006

wewe_pasaway02@yahoo.com

Song of the Day...

Song of the day: Sa Mata Makikita (Roel Cortez)

kaylangan pa bang ako ay tanungin
kaylangan pa bang sayo ay bigkasin
na mahal kita at wala ng iba
masdan mo't makikita
sa aking mga mata

kaylangan pa bang ako ay lumapit
at sabihin sayo ang laman ng dibdib
na mahal kitaa at wala ng iba
masdan mo't makikita sa aking mga mata

chorus
hindi na kailangan ako ay tanungin
hindi na kailangan sayo ay bigkasin
sa tuwing magtatama ang ating paningin
sa mata makikita anga aking damdamin

masdan mo't makikita sa aking mga mata
masdan mo't makikita sa aking mga mata