He knows who the Good Shepherd is

A good old story for this GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY.

Sometime ago a great actor in the city of New York gave a wonderful performance in a large theatre, at the close of which there were rounds of applause. He was called back again and again. Finally someone called to him, “Would you do for us the Twenty-third Psalm?”

“Why, yes. I know the Twenty-third Psalm.”

He recited it as an actor would, perfectly, with nothing left to be desired as far as a performance was concerned. When he was finished, again there was thunderous applause. Then the actor came to the front of the stage and said: “Ladies and gentlemen, there is an old man sitting here on the front row whom I happen to know. I am going to ask him without any notice if he will come and repeat the Twenty-third Psalm.”

The elderly gentleman, of course, was frightened. Trembling, he came to the stage. Fearfully he looked out over the vast audience. Then, as though he were at home only with one, he closed his eyes against the audience, bowed his head, and talked to God, and said:

“The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Then changing to address the Savior directly and intimately:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” [Ps. 23:1–6]

When the old man finished, there was no applause, but there was not a dry eye in that house. The actor came to the front of the stage. He, too, was wiping his eyes. And he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I know the words of the Twenty-third Psalm, but this man knows the Shepherd.” 

Do I?

On Blessed Pope Paul VI

The beatification of Pope Paul VI is a grace as we celebrate World Missions Sunday and the closing of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family. Being a pope in a troublesome time for the Church where morals have been degrading, values distorted, doctrine in a wave of confusion, and secularism on the loose, he held firmly on his mottos: "Cum Ipso in Monte" (with Him on the Mount) and "In Nomine Domini" (In the Name of the Lord). He traversed the road even if it is steep and rocky knowing that Christ does not abandon his side as he concluded the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council all for the glory of the One God.

With him we are reminded of the very challenge and mission of the Church. Evangelization is not for a chosen few who are gifted in speech and rhetorics; it is for everyone. The Church has a mission and precisely by this that it makes Her a missionary. She is a missionary Church that seeks to touch the lives of all the baptized as well as those in the outskirts of the faith. "Cum ipso in monte" he reminds us. Let us go through this mountain; let us go through this mission; let us go with Christ who leads us all. "In Nomine Domini" he tells us. Let us journey together in Christ; let us journey for His glory; let us journey as a people baptized in His Name.

The photo is a commemorative medal during the Pontificate of Pope Paul VI in 1975 where the Ordinary Jubilee of Rome was celebrated. The general theme was "Reconciliation" as depicted on the engravings of two brothers reconciled with one another. How lovely it is that the words "Ut unum sint" arcs above them- that they may be one. It was also the last words of his predecessor, Pope John XXIII (who was canonized earlier) on his death bed.

Beati Pauli VI, ora pro nobis!

Remembering the Canonization of Sts. Arnold and Joseph, SVD

The statues of Sts. Arnold and Joseph in front of the Holy Spirit Chapel of the Divine Word Seminary
in Tagaytay City. A pose with SVD classmates, Bros. Harley and Raymond.

In October 5, 2003, the late Pope John Paul II canonized two important figures in the life of a missionary church, Sts. Arnold Janssen and Joseph Freinademetz, who planted the seed to found the Society of Divine Word (SVD).

We recall a part of the Pope's homily on the august celebration on this their anniversary:
"Their lives show clearly that the proclamation of the Gospel 'is the primary service which the Church can render to every individual and to all humanity' (Redemptoris Missio, n. 2). These new Saints teach us that evangelization always involves an explicit proclamation of Christ in addition to contributing to human advancement that has sometimes even proven dangerous, as the experience of so many missionaries shows... The priority of missionary institutes is the mission "ad gentes", which must come before any other social or humanitarian commitment, however necessary."

Ina

A replica image of Ina visiting the different diocesan seminaries in Tagaytay City.

Resuene vibrante el himno de amor
Que entona tu pueblo con grata y emoción
Patrona del Bicol, Gran Madre de Dios
Se siempre la Reina de Nuestra Región

Viva la Virgen Maria!

It was an unexpected visit; a blessing indeed. During the Mass said in Bicol language I couldn't help but recall the time we had Bicolano Mass in the parish a UPLB. I'm not Bicolano but have so many friends who are whom I remembered as I kissed Ina's mantilla.

Double Celebration

An image of the Child Mary in time for her birthday!

16" image of the Virgencita personally designed and made from Paete, Laguna.

La Virgencita Nina Maria.

I placed her in the sacristy in preparation for the Sunday blessing. People who walked inside noticed how the image was lovely and beautiful but most of them asked, "How is this?" Most thought it was a Sto. Nino but looked like a young girl. I told them, "This is the child Mary, la Nina Maria."

A year ago my godfather sent me a pendant of the Bambina from Italy. I kept it without knowing when to use it. Upon the arrival of this image, I remembered about the pendant and now it accents her.

It was also a very nice gift that I was allowed to go home and with my batchmates, serve in my home parish on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, our birthdays.

Devotion teaching mercy

Are you familiar with this scapular?

Yes I know what you are thinking. My grandmother and a bunch of old ladies in church wear these.

I remember when I was young I used to play around my aunt's house and there I saw these red ribbons with unusual markings at the end. Back then I didn't know that they were scapulars and so I played with it trying to figure out what were those. After some time they got entangled. When my aunt and grandmother saw their scapulars were entangled, they reprimanded me for my actions. Of course I felt bad and that marked my heart so bad that I said when I have money I will buy them replacements. They said the scapulars they wear during Mass were expensive. But growing up I learned they just cost P40.00.

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us of that infinite love of our Lord for all humanity. His heart is surrounded by the crown of thorns that continues to pierce it so badly that it bleeds. Even at the climax of salvation at the top of Calvary as Jesus laid breathless on the cross, as He shed His precious blood for the remission of sin, still today people continue to persecute His heart because of sin.