“Hosanna!” ang naging maluwalhating bungad ng ating paggunita ng Semana Santa. Bagama’t hindi opisyal na kasama sa Semana Santa, ang Visita Iglesia na isinagawa noong Marso 27, isang araw bago ang Linggo ng Palaspas, ay isang mahalagang paghahanda para sa pagdating nito.  Ika-anim ng umaga ng araw na iyon nang umalis ang grupo mula sa parokya lulan ng isang bus at mga pribadong sasakyan.  Mahigit sa 60 rin ang sumama at karamihan dito ay kasapi ng mga ministry o may katungkulan sa mga area.  Ngunit may may mga parokyano rin na kahit walang katungkulan sa parokya ay nakita ang kagandahan at kabutihang maidudulot ng Visita Iglesia lalo na sa kanilang paghahanda para sa Semana Santa, kung kaya’t pinili rin nilang sumama.

Pitong simbahan sa Rizal at Laguna ang binisita ng grupo.  Sa bawat simbahan, nagbabasa ng dalawang istasyon sa Banal na Daan ng Krus at ito’y pinagninilay-nilayan habang namamangha sa disenyo at arkitektura ng mga lumang simbahan.  Ang unang binisita ay ang simbahan ng Parokya ng San Ildefonso sa Tanay. Dito sinimulan ang Visita Iglesia sa pamamagitan ng isang misa na pinangunahan ni Fr. Raymond Arre.  Sunod na binisita ang magkalapit na simbahan ng Pakil at Paete sa Laguna.  Sapagkat medyo malayo ang kasunod na simbahan ng Magdalena, inaliw ng tour guide na si Alan Navida, na siya ring nag organisa sa paglalakbay, ang grupo sa pamamagitan ng mga kuwento tungkol sa kasaysayan ng mga lugar at simbahang binisita at bibisitahin.  Sa Magdalena nananghalian ang grupo sa mga kubong matatagpuan sa labas ng simbahan.  Mas mahaba naman ang panahong iniukol sa bayan ng Liliw sapagkat bukod sa pagdalaw at pagdarasal sa simbahan, namili rin ang grupo ng mga tsinelas at sapatos kung saan naging kilala ang nasabing bayan.  Namangha naman ang lahat sa ganda ng simbahan ng Nagcarlan.  Kapansin-pansin ang mahaba nitong pasilyo, ang mga mala-gintong retablo at ang lumang arkitektura na siyang nagpatanyag dito.  Marahil ito ang naging dahilan sa pagpili ng naturang simbahan na maging lokasyon para sa teleseryeng “Kampanerang Kuba”.  Dumaan din ang grupo sa underground cemetery ng Nagcarlan at nalaman mula sa tagapagbantay ang kasaysayan nito.  Sa simbahan ng Pila natapos ang Visita Iglesia.  Dito binasa na ang panglabing tatlo at panglabing apat na istasyon ng Banal na Daan ng Krus.

Magtatakipsilim na ng magsimulang umuwi ang mga sumama at gabi na ng dumating sa parokya ng Banal na Sakripisyo.  Bagamat pagod sa mahabang biyahe bakas naman sa mga mukha nila ang sayang nadarama nang samahan nila si Hesus sa Kanyang mga naging karanasan – mula sa Kanyang paghihirap at pagkamatay hanggang sa Kanyang muling pagkabuhay.

Nang sumunod na araw ipinagdiwang naman ang Linggo ng Palaspas na kinapalooban ng prusisyon mula sa UP College of Engineering kung saan nagbasbas ng mga palaspas. Lalong napasigla ng pagkalansing ng tamburin ang prusisyon nang ito’y sinalubong ng mga benepisyaryo ng KaKa Scholarship Fund. Ang pagtatapos ng prusisyon ay siyang simula ng pangunahing misa sa Linggo ng Palaspas na pinamunuan ng ating Kura Paroko.

Tunay nga namang angkop ang panahon ng Semana Santa upang pagyamanin at palalimin ang ating pananampalataya at ang ating pagpapahalaga sa misteryo ng kuwaresma. Napatungkol dito ang Lenten Recollection na pinamunuan ni Fr. Baltazar Obico, ang Minister Provincial ng mga Franciscans. Nagbuhat sa mga pagninilay na tampok sa recollection noong Lunes at Martes Santo ang higit na pagbuti ng pag-unawa sa atedg ng Kuwaresma at sa Pasko ng Pagkabuhay.

Pinakamahalagang bahagi na marahil ng mga paghahanda para sa panahon ng Kapaskuhan ang pagkilala at pagtanggap sa ating pangangailangan ng kapatawaran mula sa Diyos. Ating tinugunan ang tawag ng Panginoon na magbalik-loob kung kaya’t ating isinagawa ang Kumpisalang Bayan noong Miyerkules Santo kasama ang walong pari, ang iba sa kanila’y mula ated mga karatig na simbahan. Upang lalong maging makabuluhan ang Sakramento ng Pakikipagkasundo, pinangunahan ito ng isang simpleng liturhiya ng pagbasa at pagdasal kung saan inilarawan ang pagbabagong-buhay sa pamamagitan ng pagpatay ng mga kandilang nagsasagisag sa iba’t-ibang uri ng kasalanan.

Ang napipintong kasukdulan ng Semana Santa ay lalong napahayag sa paggunita ng Huling Hapunan ng Panginoon noong Huwebes Santo. Tinampok sa pagdiriwang ng Misa sa gabing iyon ang paghugas ng mga paa ng mga apostoles na kinatawan ng mga magulang ng mga iskolar ng KaKa. Ani Fr. Anil sa kanyang homiliya, tanda ng ating pakikiisa sa Diyos ang ating pagdamay at pagsilbi sa kapwa. Hayag sa paghuhugas ng paa ang tawag ng Panginoong dumamay at magsilbi. At sa paanyayang samahan rin ang Panginoon sa gabi ng Kanyang pagtangis, ating itinugon ang pagsamba sa Santisimo Sakramento na kahanga-hangang idinambana sa Hardin ng Pamilya.

Sa mismong araw ng paggunita ng pagpapakasakit at pagkamatay ng Panginoon, Biyernes Santo, at sa ganap na ika-tatlo ng hapon, ang oras ng Kanyang pagpanaw, dama sa buong simbahan ang damdamin ng lungkot at lumbay. Tila tanda ng pakikiisa sa madamdaming mga pangyayari ang pagkamaalinsangan ng panahon. Ang altar, nanatiling walang gayak; ang prusisyon, walang kasabay na ni anong awit; ang mga mamumunong pari, dumapa lamang sa altar bilang tanda ng masidhing paggalang sa Panginoong kapapanaw lamang. Tunay ngang simbolo ng ating kaligtasan at pananampalataya ang krus na siyang pinagpakuan ng ating Diyos. Kung kaya’t sentro ng liturhiya ng Biyernes Santo ang pagsamba sa krus. Matapos ang mga pagbasa at ang mga panalangin, itinampok ni Fr. Mike, ang siyang punong pari noon, ang krus at ihinayag ang anyayang, “Ito ang kahoy na krus!” Atin namang itinugon, “Purihin at sambahin!” Sumunod na rito ang paghalik sa krus bilang tanda ng ating ating pagsamba. Matapos ang komunyon ay nagtuloy na tayo sa prusisyon ng Santo Entierro, tanda rin ng ating pagdamay sa Birheng Dolorosa sa gitna ng kanyang pagtatangis.

Kung anong lungkot ng nagdaang araw ay siya namang sigla ng Sabado de Gloria, ang gabi ng paggunita sa muling pagkabuhay ng Diyos. Sa pangunguna ni Fr. Raymond, binasbasan ang isang bagong apoy, simbolo ng tagumpay ng nabuhay na Diyos laban sa kadilimang idinulot ng kasalanan. Napakaganda nga namang ated, na mula sa isang kandilang itinanghal kasabay ng mga katagang, “This is the light of Christ!”  nabasag ang dilim sa simbahan ng mga kandilang nagsindihan kasabay ang tugon na, “Thanks be to God!” Anong ganda nga naman ng pagkasagisag ng pagtagumpay ng ilaw ng Panginoon laban sa kadiliman ng kasalanan! Hayag sa pag-awit ng Exsultet ang pagkagalak ng buong simbahan sa muling pagkabuhay ni Hesus. Sa limang pagbasa, muli nating ginunita ang kuwento ng ating kaligtasan. Matapos ang mga iyon, muling inawit ang Gloria na tila kay tagal nang ‘di natin naulinigan. Sa maluwalhating paggunita, sinindihan ang mga ilaw ng simbahan at doo’y namalas ng lahat ang dambanang lubusang ginanyakan ng atedg tela, mga halaman, at mga bulaklak. Tampok rin sa gabing iyon ang pagbinyag, pagkumpil, at pagtanggap ng unang komunyon ng kapatid nating si Geneva Malinao. Kasunod nito ay muli nating ipinagtibay at ipinahayag ang ating pananampalataya. Ani nga ni Fr. Raymond sa kanyang homiliya, nabuhay nang muli ang Panginoon at marapat lamang ng ikasiya natin ito at tugunan ng ating pagsasabuhay ng bagong buhay  mula sa pagkamakasalanan at kawalan ng pag-asa.

Tanto natin na ang Linggo ng Pagkabuhay ay siyang pinakamahal sa mga mahal na araw sapagkat dito’y naipamalas ng Panginoon ang Kanyang tagumpay laban sa kamatayan. Naging bahagi ng ating pagdiriwang ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay ang pagsama kina Hesus at Birheng Maria sa kanilang Salubong. Ating tinunghayan ang pagtanggal ng anghel ng itim na belo ni Maria na tanda ng kalungkutang hindi na dapat niya, maging natin din, danasin. Kay-angkop rin na idinaos sa Sunken Garden ang Misa sapagkat nalahad sa mga panahong iyon ang pagbukang-liwayway na akmang sumabay sa pagpapahayag ni Fr. Serge sa kanyang homiliya na dapat tayo’y gumising na’t mamulat sa pag-asang dala ng muling pagka-buhay ng Diyos. Naging bahagi rin ng ating pagsasaya ang Easter egg hunt at ang Easter picnic noong araw na iyon.

Atin nang ginunita ang Semana Santa at atin na ring ikinasiya ang muling pagkabuhay ng ating Panginoon. Nawa’y manatili tayo sa liwanag at pag-asang ated ng Paskong ating ipinagdiwang.

- By Kiboy Tabada and Michelle Rubio

I was in a bus when I saw in the street a 40 year old man in dirty rubber shoes, stomping his feet upon an empty plastic bottle. Next to him was a sack of what appeared to be 20 or so flattened empty plastic bottles. And on his other side is a pile of empty plastic bottles yet to be squashed by his dirty rubber shoes. And then a thought saddened me.  I thought of how much or rather how little he would earn for his huge effort of stomping on those bottles. Let us do some math here. Suppose he can flatten 7 bottles in one minute. In one hour, he would have 420 flattened plastic bottles! That is a good number of plastic bottles. But would he earn enough from selling them to put food on his table? It sure is a hard life especially if you compare it with the life of a person working in the office, earning P400 for half a day’s work.

Here is another scenario. I bet at least once in your life, you were able to cross paths with a person rolling a wooden cart containing used bottles and old newspapers taken from the garbage dumpsters outside your house or somewhere near your street.  Now let me ask, have you ever wondered why they endure the heat of the sun, the polluted air and the tiring long walks, just so they can earn a living? I’m sure somehow you thought, maybe they can do better with a more convenient job. There are a number of other alternatives. But as any job applicant knows, qualification is a necessary consideration. How can they apply to better paying jobs when they have not even finished high school? How can they finish high school when they have to work since they were little, in order to support their family’s needs?

I am sharing these tidbits of everyday scenarios to make you remember the reality of our nation. In a statement given last April 25, 2010, by Bishop Nereo Odchimar, the President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), he asserts that “The country is in a critical situation.”

All these tidbits of news above are just accurate incidents showing the truth of Bishop Odchimar’s assertions that there are “the need of true moral and social transformation”, “an erosion of moral values” and a “truly widespread corruption and dishonesty all around us.”

However, a change in leadership in the government is a chance for some transformation in this country. And so, for this coming election, he calls for us Filipinos to unite “in self-sacrifice and in hope for our great people, and our beloved land”. Let us be one in pursuing the “realization of [an] integrally free, clean and honest election.”

Now it may be true that political strategies have already been established to promote corruption and dishonesty in the election results. But as our truly Filipino quote says, “Nasa Diyos ang awa, sa tao ang gawa.” Thus, Bishop Odchimar claims, “there must be first a turning to God in prayer.”

“This is why the Catholic Bishops’ conference of the Philippines, endorse the urgent novena addressed to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, interceding our Father in heaven, for the realization of integrally free, clean and honest election.” Bishop Odchimar calls for a novena, as proposed by His Eminence Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales of Manila starting May 01 to May 09.

The novena is for God’s “awa”, deciding wisely on who to vote is our share of “gawa” in bringing about a transformation in our country.

In a pastoral statement of Archbishop Fernando Capalla written in the year 2004 when he was then the President of the CBCP, he enumerated 3 criteria to consider in choosing the candidate to elect to office. These are as follows: a person of competence, of conscience and of commitment. We see a person’s competence by looking at his record while in office. What was he able to accomplish? How did he use his power in order to serve his people? What situations showed his leadership abilities? A person of conscience is one who promotes respect for human rights. What did he do to combat prostitution, drugs or child abuse? Has he been transparent in all his transactions while in office? Has he had any issues regarding abuse of power and how did he address these scandals? A person of commitment is one who is active in pursuing a vision for a better nation.

Media has been very active in providing us with many programs that help us get a glimpse of the running candidates — what their views are, how they think and how they react. It is our duty not just as citizens of this nation but as Christians as well, to ponder on who we will vote in order to provide this country with a respectable and capable leader.

If we add this kind of leader to a community of people with the right attitude and values we would have less saddening scenarios. Hopefully, we would have better laws protecting people from abuses from those who are in power. Hopefully, we would have better educational system to cater to the less fortunate population so that they would have better chances at getting themselves respectable jobs which would not require their risking their health. Hopefully, our nation will be changed, even just by a little bit.

As Bishop Odchimar puts it accurately, “the success of the election is significant to the country’s political and economic stability while its failure could further the suffering of many poor people.”

Your vote would mean less saddening everyday scenarios and more amazing stories happening here in our country. Don’t you want a better society for yourself and for your fellow Filipinos?

- By Kristine Turado

From January 25 to 29 of this year, about 5,000 diocesan and religious priests from all over the country gathered for the Second National Congress of the Clergy (NCC 2) which was held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. The Congress was conducted in observance of the proclamation by Pope Benedict XVI  in a letter dated 16 June 2009, which read:

“This year (is) meant to deepen the commitment of all priests to interior renewal for the sake of a stronger and more incisive witness to the Gospel in today’s world.” (NCC 2 General Information issued by the CBC Episcopal Commission on the Clergy)

The five-day Congress was focused on “providing the priests a deep and religious experience, a spiritual conversion, and a greater commitment to live a good, holy and apostolic life as shepherds of God’s flock.” (NCC 2 General Information)

The delegates were housed through the Family-Adopts-Priests “Home Stay Program” were some 3,000 host-families in the dioceses of Manila, Parañaque, Cubao, Pasig and Caloocan were adopted by host families who were expected to perform the following roles:

1.  to have an encounter with the clergy in order to gain a better understanding of their life, prayer,  ministry, and struggles;

2.   to host one or two priests from January 25-29 providing a room, meals, and transport to and from the pick-up and drop-off points.

About 75 bishops and priests from the dioceses of Maasin, Calapan, Kidapawan and Boac were distributed among the parishes of the Vicariate of St. Joseph, of which the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice is a member.  All but the Holy Cross Parish and the Quasi-Parish of San Isidro Labrador, who were both exempted from hosting delegates, accommodated at least two priest-delegates.  Five priests, all from Maasin, were assigned to our parish.  The following families acted as hosts to these priests:

Mrs. Gregoria Cervantes – Fr. Amiel Borneo

Ms. Elsie Opinaldo – Msgr. Santos Sabondo and Fr. Melbher Alfante

Mrs. Florinda Angela Lesaca – Fr. Vicente Alpeche Jr.

Mr. Rene & Mrs. Vilma Resuma – Fr. Angelo Arbiol

The delegations hosted by the Vicariate were transported from the World Trade Center to the drop-off and pick-up points in two tourist buses provided by the Diocese of Manila.  One bus conducted the Kidapawan and Boac delegations to the drop-off and pick-up point (Sta Maria della Strada) while the Calapan and Maasin delegations were ferried in the second bus, which had the Parish of Holy Sacrifice as drop-off/pick-up point.

Each parish was encouraged by Rev Fr Raymond L Arre, Vicar Forane, to plan their own reception for the delegates.  The Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, for instance, welcomed the delegation upon arrival with a modest dinner and a short program introducing the priests to their respective host families.

The Congress was culminated by a 1.2-kilometer procession as the delegates walked the entire distance from the World Trade Center to the Cuneta Astrodome.  Marching through Roxas Boulevard, the clergy, with their respective bishops carried flags that bore the name of their respective diocese.  A Mass was celebrated by Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales when the group arrived at the Cuneta Astrodome.

* Some information were taken from the NCC2 website: http://clergycongress2.org/

By Nestor Pilar

Triduum, in Latin, refers to a period of three days. It is the holiest of days for us Catholics. If Semana Santa is holy, the three days within that period is deeply sacred.  They are Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Three days filled with mystery, sacrifice and love.

We call the first of the three days Maundy Thursday. It is Maundy, from the word ‘mandatum’ which means an order or a commission. It centers on the final command of Jesus to his disciples at the Last Supper to “do this in memory of me.” On Maundy Thursday, Jesus celebrates the first Eucharist and He institutes the priesthood. At the last meal of Jesus, he uses the bread and wine as the signs of his very self, His body and blood. It is His gift and memory, His presence and love to all of us. When we attend the liturgy in our parish on Holy Thursday, we will witness the washing of the feet during the celebration of Eucharist to remember the Lord’s Last Supper.  After communion at the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, there is no final blessing because the three days continue into each other. So the priest brings the Blessed Sacrament to the altar of Repose for adoration until midnight. Those taking part in the liturgy accompany Jesus into the night, and into the garden of olives, as they think of His arrest.  It is the reversal of every religious expectation.  People usually expect God to help them when they are in trouble.  On this night, we are asked to help Jesus when He is in trouble.  ‘Could you not watch one hour with me?’  In our world, God is weak, powerless.  Only by being like that can God be with us and help us – when we are weak and powerless.

We call the second day of the Triduum Good Friday. There is great irony here calling the day Jesus dies ‘good.’  It should be a day of mourning, a bad day. Instead we call it good. It is because we Christian remember and celebrate how far God’s love was willing to go for us. That love was willing to go to the far and dark country we call sin and conquer it with His love. When we attend the liturgy in our parish on Good Friday, we shall witness the proclamation of the passion story of Jesus, how He suffered and died. It will be followed by the veneration of the cross of Jesus. The priest will raise it three times and people will honor the cross of Jesus by touching or kissing it. Afterwards, communion shall follow with the consecrated bread of the Mass of the Last Supper of Maundy Thursday. Again, quietly the Good Friday liturgy will flow to the third day of the Triduum. Meanwhile, the Filipino tradition of procession of the Santo Entierro follows. It is a small way of expressing our sorrow at the suffering and death of Jesus.

The last day of the Triduum include two adjoining days: Black Saturday and the Easter Vigil Mass which begins in the Evening of Saturday leading to Easter Sunday. On Black or Holy Saturday, nothing happens in the church. People come and pray in silence, many come to pray the way of the cross. We wait for the night of our glorious redemption to come.  At 10PM, we gather to celebrate the Easter Vigil Mass. It will begin with a darken church with one light aglow: the Easter candle. Just as the priest raised the cross three times on Good Friday, he will raise the Easter candle three times to proclaim that Christ is risen and has defeated the darkness of sin. Many readings will be proclaimed especially from the Old Testament to remind us of the history of our redemption. The waters to be used for baptism shall also be blessed this holy night. We shall also welcome to our faith an adult person who has decided to receive baptism.  From the night liturgy of Saturday to the full light of Easter Day, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, his ‘passover’ from death to life.  God has not left his son crucified and in the bonds of death.  God has raised him up.  God has lifted him out of death.  God has given God’s life to the one who gave his life for God and for us all. Christus vincit. Christus regnat. Christus imperat.

The University of the Philippines has somehow gained the reputation of being a godless university because of the very liberal atmosphere it fosters. University life usually goes on without much mention of God or religion and it is saddening to hear stories about people who cease to pray and come to mass simply because, here in UP, God and religion “are not part of the routine.” But for some of us, still, we acknowledge that life here in the University finds so much more meaning when we remain rooted in our Catholic faith, when we keep Jesus at the center of our lives. It is our Christian duty to share the joy of knowing Christ to others by preaching and by doing what we preach.

Our parish fulfills this mission through the Campus Ministry Office (CMO). The CMO sees to the spiritual needs of the University, coordinates liturgical activities in academic units, and advises the religious student organizations of UP. Through various activities spearheaded by the Campus Ministry Director, Fr. Mike Ty, the Ministry aims to promote and deepen the Christian faith among UP students, faculty, and staff. The Ministry also seeks to build active communities within UP that are founded on and guided by the teachings of the Church.

Recognizing the Ministry’s oneness with the Parish and the Diocese and while heeding the challenges of the current times, the CMO gathered members of the Catholic Students Community last December 9 and 10, 2009 to formulate a new plan that is consistent with the Pastoral Goals of the Parish and the Five-Point Priority Agenda of the Diocese of Cubao. The planning sessions outlined four new goals which are expected to guide all the endeavors of the Campus Ministry beginning June of this year. These goals are:

1.       Provide the UP community opportunities to enrich and to deepen their Christian faith through a grounded understanding of the sacraments, sacred scriptures and teachings of the Church, and through active participation in liturgical celebrations.

2.       Employ creative and resourceful means to strengthen and to sustain the zeal of the UP Catholic Students Community for evangelization.

3.       Promote stewardship and social awareness among the youth to enhance their capacity to become catalysts of social transformation.

4.      Exercise servant-leadership to establish a systematic network with other youth groups in the pursuit of fruitful collaboration.

The Ministry strives to keep the Catholic faith alive among the youth and to make it more useful, more practical, and more relevant to life here in UP. Be it through masses in the dorms or in the colleges, or through special retreats for students and teachers, or through forums on social issues and church teachings, or through simple get-togethers, the Campus Ministry Office will find ways to turn hearts back to God and to promote what it truly means to be a Filipino Catholic.

– By Kiboy Tabada

Diet. This word for most of us has a negative connotation as it reminds us of suffering or self-denial. In the Philippines, if one says “I’m on a diet”, one is actually saying “I am denying myself the same amount of food I had been taking which caused me to appear this round”. I’m sure my friends would give me a lengthy sermon if I, known for my slender frame, declare that I’m on a diet. But I am a Catholic, so I am supposed to be on a diet.

My diet is due to the arrival of the season of Lent. Lent originally means ‘springtime’ but by some evolution of history, it has become a name for the season of the liturgical year where we are to observe fasting, abstinence and almsgiving. Fasting is a tradition we Catholics have in commemoration of Jesus’ 40-day of fasting in the desert.

You see, just as some Michael Jackson fans try to dance to Thriller to remember MJ when he passed away, we Christ believers also try to copy Jesus and His doings. We have this goal of being more Christ-like. This means we are to imitate Jesus’ examples and follow His philosophy. At plain sight, this seems a very good thing. Who would not want to be god-like? Don’t we admire a Percy Jackson who is a demi-god? Don’t we just love the idea of being a Dyosa? But when understanding of what being god-like requires dawns on us, we begin to reconsider whether we really want to be one. To follow Jesus is not at all about having magical powers, but about being holy which is the difficult part.  It seems easier to be non-god-like anyway and remain true to our vulnerable humanity. Isn’t it easier to be true (magpakatotoo ka!) and admit to our weak vulnerable nature?

Jesus fasted for 40 days. We Catholics fast only on Ash Wednesday and Fridays over a 40-day period. What does this tell us about our attempt to be Christ-like? For some of us, it could mean proclaiming that Jesus is God because He can fast for 40 days and we mere mortals can’t. That however is such a lame way of looking at it. When Jesus went to the desert, He was most human like the rest of us. He was hungry. He was alone. He was vulnerable. But He made it. He did not turn stones into bread just so He can eat. He did not bow before the devil just so He can own great rich kingdoms. He was victorious before any temptation.

And the reason for this is because He was very much conscious that the Father was with Him. He had a strong relationship with God so He did not succumb to worldly temptations. He did not need worldly pleasures. Let me ask you this: Is your iPod greater than your God? When you are always with your iPod, isn’t it difficult to even consider a life without this beautiful gadget? Doesn’t it sometimes, or probably most of the time, hinder us from spending time in prayer which is one of the key in strengthening our relationship with God?  Truly it is difficult to think of how brilliant God is in making your life a happy one if you do not deny yourself of worldly substitutes for your lack of happiness. Those who constantly have their earphone plugged to their ears may not exactly be lonely people. But I can claim that at that moment when they are busy with their music, save for those who are listening to music about God, they are not thinking of God – how good God is and how they need to be in a close relationship with Him. No matter how brilliant your brain is, it can only think of one thing at a time.

This is exactly why we need to be “on a diet” – to give ourselves time to reflect, to think of our life, our growth, our relationships, our God.  In denying ourselves of the pleasures of this world, we are able to desire more of God and acknowledge that He is the only one we need. We then become more aware of His leading and we become transformed.

Even for Catholics, there may be confusions when it comes to Lent and Lenten practices. For instance, does Lent end with Black Saturday or before Holy Thursday? Does abstinence allow for eating products like milk and egg? Is eating chicken not allowed too? If you are a sea food lover, should you have a different Lenten practice? No matter the technicalities, what we have to remember is the purpose for the observance of this season. Lent is a preparation time for Easter. It is a time to transform ourselves for the good. It is a time to be more conscious of our goal of becoming more Christ-like. This faithful observance of Lent come Easter will only make our celebration of our salvation a more meaningful event. So, will you be on a diet too?

- Kristine Turado

In Egypt, huge pyramids are built in order to store the body of the dead along with their most important possessions. This is due to the belief that they will be in need of it in their next life. Here in the Philippines and certainly in other parts of the globe, a different perspective is used when it comes to material possessions. In a number of cases, a dying person writes his last will. The last will states the distribution of his possessions to other people, usually to intimate family and friends, once he dies. The dying person understands that his possessions are his only until his last breath. And with this realization, he begins to think of people he knows would need the possessions he has and so gives it to them.

Now let me ask you a question. Will you wait for your deathbed before you begin to give? We all know that death is not the only opportunity to think of the many other people sharing this world with us. We do not need to be on our deathbed in order to realize that not one of the things we have will always be with us. Our possessions temporarily belong to us. In fact, our possessions are ours simply because someone greater blessed us with those gifts. It is He, who created all, that provides us with all that we need and with all that we have. The irony of it is this: just because He created everything does not mean that He is the only one who can give. We mere mortals share in God’s ability to be generous. When we spare a change to a malnourished kid on the street, we give. When we offer during mass collections, we give. When we teach a lost person his way, we give. When we eat with family during dinner, we give. When we volunteer to tutor a classmate on a difficult lesson, we give. Giving is not just for those who have plenty. Giving takes shape in many forms. We can give by spending our time for another’s benefit, by sharing our knowledge and skills to others or by spending our money and other possessions for another’s sake. There are so many opportunities to be generous and it is our responsibility to be exactly that. Think of it as a way of paying God back. Remember that we, the Church, are God’s body. When we make ourselves a blessing for other people by sharing ourselves or our possessions, we allow ourselves to function as God’s body. We are called to be stewards of God’s gifts. We are called to help God make real his desires for his people by allowing God to use us. Don’t you want to be a blessing? Don’t you want God to use you?

On November last year, the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice held a retreat on stewardship. Nearing Christmas time, the parish prepared Simbang Gabi masses with the theme on stewardship. And so, early this year, the parish will launch its stewardship campaign to give concrete opportunities for its parishioners to be stewards. The parish wishes to make real the task of stewardship inside the parish by providing the parishioners venues to share their time, talent or treasure. This will be done by a Stewardship Campaign Program which is set to be launched by February.  Information dissemination on the different ministries of the parish and their corresponding activities will be done in order to allow prospective volunteers to understand which ministry their blessings are best fit.  Details of this program will be made available during the launching.

It is our responsibility to be stewards of what we have been provided by sharing these blessings. Why not decide as early as now to make yourself a blessing to others while you still got time?

- By Kristine Turado

When I try to reflect on how Christmas is in the point of view of a student, I can’t help but recall Pinocchio. For those who missed the story of Pinocchio, let me introduce him to you. He is a toy shaped like a human boy created by a toy maker named Geppeto. As in all fairytales, a little bit of magic is necessary. In this fairytale, we read that the toys made by Geppeto come alive in the night when the real human beings are asleep and a fairy named Blue Fairy visits them. In one of Blue Fairy’s visits to Geppeto’s shop, she meets the really hyper Pinocchio who wishes to become a real boy. Let’s leave the story at that for now or else this article won’t be about Christmas anymore.

I imagine Pinocchio at the thought of Christmas from a student’s perspective because of the similarity Pinocchio and the students share. Both Pinocchio and the students have this happy feeling, simply because of the thought that something good is about to happen. Christmas, a highly anticipated event in a student’s calendar, can be co

For many of us, the story of Christmas can become over familiar that we think we know how it will end. We then either become over sentimental about it or we become indifferent to it because we have heard it many times over. Allow me then to explain why, as suggested by the title above, Christmas is subversive.

C.S. Lewis was the one who described the first Christmas as subversive. To subvert is to overthrow something established or existing. The first Christmas was subversive. It overthrew what already existed in the world. The world has been turned upside down by sin that is not only in our time but even in the time before Jesus came.  We hold as important those things that are not. We hold as unimportant those things that are. It’s a world gone wrong. It’s a world turned upside down. When Jesus came, he is turning right side up the upside down world we are in.

Think about this. Parents do not usually tell their children that their purpose in life is to be rejected and crucified. But that is the truth of Jesus and his birth. That’s how subversive the Christmas story is. And that’s only the beginning!

The first subversion we find in the gospel of St. Luke on Christmas day. Augustus Caesar, the ruler of Rome and the known world, calls for a census. Yet St. Luke says the story is not about the powerful ruler. It’s about some peasants, a poor couple, Mary and Joseph. It seems to be telling us that when we are looking for the power of God, don’t look at where the world tells you to look. To see what is truly important, don’t listen to the world.

The second subversion of the Christmas story we find in the gospel report that says “there was no room for them in the inn.” There was no place for Mary and Joseph, no room available. When we keep looking at exclusion, in being unwanted, in the humiliation of rejection, there is where the power of God is found. If you are a mother or a father, look back at the first time you held your new born child in your hands. Can you imagine anything more fragile, weaker, vulnerable and helpless? But the little child in Mary’s hand, that is God! That is the power of God, his self-emptying love by becoming man, taking upon himself our humanity. The power that created the universe cannot be identified with the big shots and despots of the world. It is the power of a love that is willing to be small for the sake of the beloved.

The third subversion of the Christmas story comes to us in the little detail describing that the child “was wrapped in swaddling clothes.” That is an astonishing and overwhelming truth that as he is wrapped in swaddling clothes, the Divine has wrapped himself in our frail humanity. God has wrapped himself in the things we are afraid of: failure, sickness, broken relationships, fear of death, human weaknesses. He does so for one reason: to be with us completely in love. Our culture worships the idea of total freedom.  It says real power is the freedom to do what we want and when we want it.  Then we see God’s idea of freedom: the willingness to be tied to another in love. Real power is when you can commit yourself in love to another.

Finally, we come to the last subversion of the Christmas story. At the first Christmas we are told that “Mary lays him in the manger.” Powerful people, like kings, always have other people serve them.  Servants bring food and everything else these powerful people need. The one born in the manger, who is the King of kings, instead, lays himself out as food for the world. Being laid in a manger means he is the source of food for the world, the bread come down from heaven. His first audience as he lays in the manger is the shepherds. We have romanticized the image of the shepherds. In truth, they are cave dwellers, outsiders, scums and untrustworthy. But Jesus came for them as well. In short, he came for saints and more so for sinners. Fast forward to his death on the cross, he was crucified between two thieves. Yet he stays with them in love.  The angels tell the shepherds “Be not afraid!” Like them, we are afraid of so many things. We’re afraid of our future and our past, our failures and frailties, our sickness and death.

The good news of Christmas shouts to us the message that a warrior is born to be with us, to do battle with all we are afraid of. We are not created to be alone. We are created to be with God. Now isn’t that a subversive Christmas story different from what we usually imagine it to be? Isn’t that totally a different picture from the ones we usually find in the touching Belen scene?  So, have yourself a subversive little Christmas!

I remember a conversation a group of priest had about arriving late for presiding at the celebration of the Mass. While most of us said it was so embarrassing to start the mass 10 or 15 minutes late, one of us said he was never late for mass. And we inquired how come he was able to do that when almost all of us have been late at least once? With a big smile on his face this priests said: “Well, the mass will not begin without me!” And we all laughed.

Trite as it may sound, there is an important truth that story teaches: The Eucharist and the priesthood are inseparable. They were born together. At the Last Supper Jesus instituted the two sacraments we now call Eucharist and priesthood. The link between the two is so deep and essential. Without the priesthood, there would be no Eucharist. And without the Eucharist, there is no priesthood.

This year, the theme we have chosen for our parish fiesta celebration of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is “The Eucharist and Priesthood: Gifts of God for the Life of the World.” We have chosen to include the priesthood with the Eucharist because Pope Benedict XI has declared 2009-10 as the Year of the Priest. As a parish community, it’s important that we think about and reflect upon something very familiar to us yet at the same very mystifying and perplexing.

Priests have been involved in many activities and varied concerns. Aside from baptizing babies or officiating at weddings, there are priests who also do other things. In Haiti, there is a priest who became the president of that country. Here in the Philippines, there is Fr. Joaquin Bernas considered the foremost expert on our constitution. Another priest on-leave, Ed Panlilio, is the governor of the province of Pampanga. Many other priests are doing many different things. Some are teachers or administrators of schools and universities. Others are artists and musicians. There are those who are scientists and doctors. A good number are writers as well. Whatever they are doing, there is one thing that they will always keep doing because that’s what they are about: to preside at Eucharist. Priests were ordained to offer the holy sacrifice of the mass. Pope John Paul II writes about the priesthood originating during the Last Supper, “At the Last Supper we were born as priests….We were born from the Eucharist. If we can truly say that the whole Church lives from the Eucharist…we can say the same thing about the ministerial priesthood: it is born, lives, works and bears fruit “de Eucharistia.” There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood, just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist.” (Letter to Priests for Holy Thursday 2004).

When we speak of priests, the one that comes to mind right away is the ordained priest. He presides at the celebration of the Eucharist every Sunday we go to church. He is the one who baptized us, gave us first communion, absolved our sins at confession, married our children and blessed our godparents during their funeral. Indeed, the ordained priest makes Christ present in a sacramental way whenever the Eucharist is celebrated. But there is also a priesthood which the church calls the priesthood of the faithful, that is, all the baptized believers.

In his homily during the first day of our parish fiesta Triduum masses, Bishop Pablo David spoke of the relationship of the Eucharist and the priesthood. He pointed out that what makes the Eucharist different from any other food is that as food is eaten we chew it, digest it and change it as a substance and nutrient that becomes part of us. With the Eucharist, we do not change it into anything but it changes us into something new and better. We become holy as we take seriously what the Eucharist challenges us to become. We become the body of Christ. And if we become another Christ that means we become the priest that Jesus is who now offers a different sacrifice. Unlike before where the offered lamb or any other animal dies and is burned, this time around the high Priest who is Christ becomes the lamb and offering who sacrifices his own self. A priest is called sacerdos in Latin and it means “a holy giving or sacrifice.” We are made holy by the Eucharist because it is the sacrifice or self-giving of Jesus who made himself both the priest and the offering at the same time.

In a unique and special way, we share in the priesthood of Christ whenever we moved away from our own little world, start seeing the world of others and how we can enter it and bring Jesus there. Whenever we allow sacrifice to be part not only of our vocabulary but the way we live and do things, we become part of Jesus our high priest. It is in this way that we share in the priesthood of Jesus because we as a people offer ourselves as spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.

Let me end with the story of Bishop David at the end of his homily at the first day of our fiesta Triduum mass. A priest placed at the Adoration Chapel a quotation from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. It was a long quotation but he decided to just place the first part which says: “We hold a treasure….” A thief so it and took a peek inside the adoration chapel and saw the monstrance made of gold where the sacred host is placed. In the middle of the night, he had his chance. He broke in, took the golden monstrance but left behind the sacred host. The following morning the sacristan saw what happened and called the priest.  People who came to pray saw the monstrance was gone and they panicked. When the priest got there and checked the adoration chapel he discovered the sacred host was left behind by the thief thinking probably it was worth nothing! So to calm the parishioners the priest told them: “Don’t worry. The thief did not get the treasure. He only got the container.” The Eucharist and the priesthood are our treasures.

At every celebration of the mass, the priest makes Jesus present in a very real and unparalleled way. Those of us who come to celebrate the Eucharist and share in the priesthood of Christ, whether as an ordained or as a lay faithful, bring that presence to those we encounter.  In doing that, we make the Eucharist and the priesthood gifts of God for the life of the world. Happy Parish Fiesta to all of you!