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WYD Preparatory Session
Posted by mobile phone:
I am in dbti-makati for the prep sessions for WYD. 1wk to go before flying to australia for the XXIII world Youth Day Celebration!
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WYD Preparatory Session
Mary and the Baptist
In the Gospels, (as far as I know) there was no mention of the Virgin Mary (the Mother of God) meeting his nephew, John the Baptist (save perhaps when Mary met her cousin Elizabeth. John leapt in Elizabeth womb at the greeting of Mary).
But today, the Aunt and the nephew me - in celebration I mean. 
Every 24th of the month, we commemorate the solemnity of Mary Help of Christians. Today, we are also celebrating the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
What so important with this? Hmm… They’re just important! (FYI: in the church, we celebrate only three birthdays - the birth of John the Baptist, Blessed Virgin Mary and Christmas - birth of Jesus).
Happy Feastday (Especially for those in Manila and Calamba)!!!
Reminiscing AYD4
Ron and I went to the SCYM Office in Makati for the second to the last meeting of the SYM-PHILIPPINES delegation before the World Youth Day 2008 in Australia. When I arrived at the office, I remembered that there exists a DVD documentary of the Asian Youth Day IV - Hong Kong. Not letting the moment slip, I asked Dinvah if they have a copy of the DVD (and subliminally “Do you have an extra copy for me?”) - I’m so eager to see it because, according my AYD friends, there’s a clip of me there. I think she got the message, within a minute she handed me the DVD.
A glimpse of the cover, rocketed my consciousness back to a few years ago. My mind began flashing the images it saw during the AYD. Hope, again, rushed through my veins - and in my head rung the anthem “Youth, Hope of Asian Families!” - I am HOPE. HOPE!
An Oasis in Amadeo
It’s Rizal’s birthday today. The city government gave everyone in Calamba a holiday to commemorate Rizal’s natal day. We took this opportunity to relax and to deviate from the slowly-becoming-toxic college schedule. We went to Amadeo, Cavite. Known for its coffee beans (which, according to gossips, are being used by Figaro and Great Taste), no one would think that an oasis lies in the midst of this sleepy town.
It took us an hour to reach the government-manages (can be detected easily for most of the markers pointing to the park includes a portrait of the mayor) eco-tourism park. At first glance, there isn’t much to be delighted with. The place is still under-development; thus, rubbles and unfurnished structures would welcome you. But don’t be deceived. A minute walk (a descent) from the parking lot would take you to a natural water park unknown to city dwellers.
The park is actually a “developed” natural spring. Water coming from somewhere in the mountainous terrain flows to a series of natural and man made pools that has been formed using boulders. One can indulge himself by bathing in the pools, walking around the park and enjoy the natural symphony of the birds, the trees, the wind and, of course, the water - not to mention the verdant green vista that surrounds the life giving water.
Coffee. A cafe over-seeing the spring serves snacks, set meals and of course the famed Amadeo coffee, freshly brewed, and bottomless - overflowing (for 15 pesos only).
The place is a great escape for someone who wants to spend a day-off his usual grind, recollect and be in tune with himself - to rest for a while in his subtle oasis (apt for me…*smile*).
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By the way, you might have an event in mind, and wanna spread the word for folks to join. Add your Filipino event so that others may know, and perhaps, they might join your celebration too.
World Youth Day 2008 :)
I’m getting excited! Yep, you’re right I’m going to WYD08 in Sydney… 30 days to go!
Busy as a bee… again.
Again, no time to blog. It’s been almost two weeks since I came back to the seminary after our summer break. From that moment ’til I’ve decided to pen this post, I haven’t seen the dashboard of my blog. Really busy… not acting like busy bodies!
Reminds me of my first year in the seminary when I’m too preoccupied with the seminary schedule, with my chores and work, not to mention my demanding scholastic requirements. That was three years ago.
Honestly, I’m liking the new set-up. I’m lovin’ my schedule, my new tasks, thesis writing and the activities that we are to do on the coming months [- and of course, that special event on July... :)]
Busy days… expect less post… but I’ll surely won’t miss pausing - scribbling my thoughts!
God bless!
True Love Waits Waits Waits…
Lunch time, I was browsing through the slides presented by Fr. Stephen Cuyos, MSC during the FaithCasting seminar he gave in the JP2 Catechetics and Youth Ministry Conference in DBTI Makati two weeks ago. Got stuck with one of the slides presenting the True Love Waits portal. I didn’t hesitate to pay a visit and realized how worthwhile it is. With a few minutes of stay I gained much insight and inspiration which moved me to write this post. Hay…
Love, I believe, is one of the most used and abused word. Much definitions are attributed to it. Thus, we are left with a crowded vista of love. We are as if looking through the woods, uncertain of what is before our eyes. Instead of seeing the big picture, stunning dazzle of light, we see glimpses, blinding flashes and streaks of that which is bright. What is love? How do we define love? Where do we find real love?
All I know is Deus caritas est - God is LOVE. Looking for love? See God. But one doesn’t need to look far for EMMANUEL - He is with US. He is in the midst of our relationships, He lives within our hearts. He is just there, waiting, patiently, faithfully, unconditionally - waiting… Waiting to be heard, to be seen, to be recognized.
I am a witness to HIS unfailing love. I appreciate much the Eucharist, I love being in the confessional. My God offers his life for me, shuns away all my short comings no matter how grave they may be. I often deviate from Him, deny Him, forget Him, leave Him, doubt His WORD, His call, His presence. Yet He is still there, waiting… just there, smiling, waiting for me to come and embrace Him and be enveloped once more by His exceeding grace.
God who created all of us is LOVE. We sprung out of love. We search for love in places away from ourselves; thus, we find the love that this world know rather than the love that is within us - the true love that would never stop waiting waiting waiting…
Looking for true love? Look within, see the light, clarify your path, listen to your heart whenever you are ready to do so… LOVE’s just there… waiting.
FINALLY! My mama is emailing…
Posted by mobile phone:
I have been wanting to teach my mama how to use the computer and the internet. Finally after a 30-minute crash-course she’s sending her first email to her best friend in Maryland. Later we’ll use YM.
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FINALLY! My mama is emailing…
HUMAN RIGHTS.
It’s not left nor wrong but rights! I have not been made aware of the etymology of this word but I am sure that this post is a right move. I didn’t mean to confuse but I just want to share a speck of insight re: HUMAN RIGHTS.
EVERY HUMAN RIGHT SHOULD NEVER BE DENIED BY ANYONE AT ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. I know for a fact that there exists a universal declaration of human rights but not all of this rights are accessible to peoples under certain countries and destitute situations.
But what is the basic and unalienable right? DIGNITY. I learned this not through my own effort but through the awareness and a bit of lecture that I gained through joining the World Youth Alliance. We do not live anymore in the time of Viktor Frankl that has been characterized by much hatred and violence. Were people were forced to live a life worst than that of the animals. Freedom neglected, dignity smugged, tattered and soiled! But there still exist violence. Dignity is still undermined in some places.
In the Philippines, dignity is less in the slums - squatters we call them. Houses that are shanties on vacant lots or tents under the bridge. Vagrants - taong grasa (human grease) - that walk aimlessly at the main thoroughfares of the country begging for many isn’t a once-in-a-blue-moon scene. Street kids who are forced to labor for them and their families to live. It would take a mile to enumerate all things related to the modern-day Hitler of our time - poverty.
Poverty deprives man of his dignity. We may not be aware of it or simply got used to it. But allow me to lead you to the first step, come and see; then, be compelled to act. Look at them, then look at yourself. Poverty is no fairy tale nor a construct of reality - it’s reality itself, it’s the Philippines itself. Come and see - be aware! Preserve DIGNITY!
(You might be interested to join WYA. It’s easy, sign the charter and uphold it! God bless!)
