I am posting here an account of what happened to me in relation to an internet scam so that others may know and learn something about. I emailed this already to those who replied to the scam letter (I saw them when I got full control of my email again, and THANKS anyway to whoever s/he was for not erasing the emails in the inbox). Happy reading! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
Dear Everyone who was written to (by i don't know who - the scammer) last Dec. 18,
Peace be with you!
First I'd like to greet you Merry Christmas! I was at Holy Hills, Wisconsin this morning and concelebrated at the 1130(?) AM Mass. At the communion time, one guy said "Father, tagalugin nyo po kasi ang tagal ko nang wala sa Pilipinas. Namimiss ko na ang Pilipinas." It gave me the inspiration to ask the main celebrant (I forgot his name, he's a Carmelite priest though) to give me the chance to greet everyone in Tagalog, and Chinese before everyone leaves the place. I did, and realized that indeed we may be far away from home and feel so lonesome, but the birth of Christ on Christmas day has made me realize He is family to us and wherever we are, we are home! May you be with those whom you love and love you this Christmas! Christ does love you, and wants you to feel at home!
Secondly, allow me to apologize for the inconvenience of that scam you received. Please read this account so I can have myself cleared: 1. On Dec. 16, 2007, that was a Sunday here in the US, I was at a classmate's house in Carlsbad, California. I remember having checked on my emails in the morning before Mass. In my gmail account, I read one which wrote (am copying here what I actually received for purposes of pedagogy):
Dear Account User
This Email is from Gmail Customer Care and we are sending it to every Gmail Email User Accounts Owner for safety. we are having congestions due to the anonymous registration of Gmail accounts so we are shutting down some Gmail accounts and your account was among those to be deleted.We are sending you this email to so that you can verify and let us know if you still want to use this account.If you are still interested please confirm your account by filling the space below.Your User name,password,date of birth and your country information would be needed to verify your account. Due to the congestion in all Gmail users and removal of all unused Gmail Accounts, Gmail would be shutting down all unused Accounts, You will have to confirm your E-mail by filling out your Login Information below after clicking the reply button, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons.
Username: ..............................
Password: ................................
Date of Birth: ............................
Country Or Territory: ................
After following the instructions in the sheet, your account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. Thanks for your attention to this request. We apologize for any inconveniences.
Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his/her account after two weeks of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently.
I might have been shocked and scared, as I naively replied:
Okey, I am putting in here whatever data you have required. I don't understand why you have chosen mine when it has been very good and I hope I haven't done anything to disturb your system. Please check below the information. I hope I can continue availing your services. I just don't understand what made you choose mine and give me the impression that mine is "unused." I have very essential communications going on through this my gmail account. I expect your respecting my privacy and confidentiality of these informations.Thanks & God bless
Yes, I gave away my password!!!!!!! which I never did before in my life!!!!!
2. By the 18th of Dec., I was on the car my friend drove to Burbank, the place where I had to take my flight back to San Francisco. Azell Banoza, our former Social Worker at Sarnelli in Baclaran (she's on a training at north Carolina) rang me up, and asked a question which I thought I never heard her ask. She told me she had received a letter saying I was in Nigeria, and that I needed money… (you must have read it yourself already). Immediately, I remembered what I did last Dec. 16; so to race with time and whoever did it, I asked her to go into my gmail account, and change my password. In five minutes, when she called me back, I realized the email was no longer under my control. I felt like I gave someone the key to my house and when in, s/he locked me out in the cold. As soon as I reached my niece's place that evening, I checked my emails, and discovered that my yahoo account was untouched, and in there was the letter Azel received from my gmail account! I couldn't enter my gmail account as the password was already changed!! Whew!!! How I wanted to call the police!!! I called up Fr. Noel to cancel my previous schedule with him because I wanted to solve this problem. I knew I was getting into a mess which might have become bigger had I left it unsettled. Fr. Laput gave me the idea to email abuse@gmail.com and report the incident about my gmail account. Here's what I wrote them (this is still in my yahoo inbox):
To the person in charge of G-mail accounts,
Peace!I am Fr. Bernard Collera, SVD. I have received an email yesterday Dec. 18, from my gmail account berngu721@gmail.com and would like to report the abuse that's going on with this account. Friends have told me about this too, that it has been soliciting money, the amount of $3150 which i am purportedly to pay back when I go home. My classmate has told me to email your address so what's going on stops. I have actually written back to that account and pleaded that it be given back to me because the emails of my students are all in there. Please help me on this. I was stupid to reply and give away my password last Sunday, Dec. 16 to an email which purported that gmail was closing and that if i didn't reply my account would be closed. Sorry, but i admit that was clearly stupid (sorry for the word) on my part to have so naively given away my password. What's more disconcerting is the fact that I can't anymore access my two blogspot accounts, namely counpsychphil.blogspot.com and reflectscriptures.blogspot.com. Hence, whatever should be done so I can have those back would be the best. Please please assist. God bless
You may reply to me here since I can no longer access my gmail account. Thanks a lot. Take care
Bernard Collera
In a few minutes, the Google Team responded and gave me options. I sent them two more letters after following their directions, until I got to the site which asked for my Verification Number (which gmail sent to my secondary address upon opening my gmail account way back 2006). I gave as much information as I could, and even the right for them to "storm" into my account if only I could have my email back. 3. To keep this long story short, on Christmas eve, last night, while at our family Christmas party here in the US, when I checked my emails, The Google Team sent me this message:
Hello,
We have completed our investigation and we are re-enabling your access to this account. The account settings have been restored to the first name, last name, and secondary email address that you provided. We sincerely apologize for what you have experienced in this regard and appreciate your cooperation and understanding. To reactivate this account:…
I did as directed, and PRESTO!!! I GOT BACK MY GMAIL ACCOUNT!!!
I went through everyone's replies to that scam letter, and for all your concern, thanks a lot. You have to produce me evidence that you sent that guy money because he said he was me…if you want me to pay up. Sa totoo lang, sana wala akong dapat harapin! Chocolate lang ang maibibigay ko for you as pasalubong! Whew!!! Thanks The Google Team for all your efforts. May the Lord bless you! Pasensya na po talaga sa lahat ng idinulot na kaba ng scam na yon. Takot ko lang talagang lumaki ang mga bayarin pag-uwi ko sa Pilipinas sa January 2008! HAhaha. Di ko po ugaling di magsabi patungkol sa aking pagpunta sa isang malayong lugar (formation output kaya ito?!); at mas lalong di ko ugaling manghiram lalo na ng pera (wala kasi akong pambayad!!!: seminary and family training output!).
May this account let everyone who reads about it know
(1) what NOT TO DO and
(2) what TO DO when into what I went through. God is really GOOD! All the time! God bless--
Fr. Bernard, SVD
It's about 19:30 AM here as I publish this blog. I am publishing this document in my blog so that others get to understand what had happened to me (in case they might be interested). It's about 1135 PM Dec. 26 in the Philippines, so tamang tama gets nyo na to. God bless again and take care. See you January 4, 2008.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Life Through The Narrow Door
It's the 28th Sunday already, and I'd like to write down here those insights that have since stayed with me since the 21st Sunday when Jesus responded to the question "Lord will only a few be saved?" - STRIVE TO ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW DOOR! Since then, my Sunday reflections for the homily have been guided by this striving to enter and live inside this Narrow Door - Christ!
21st Sunday - Strive to enter through the Narrow Door. I had this chance way back year 2000 at the Shrine of Mount Carmel. It was a Sunday then, and many people went there: people with blond hair, white hair, black hair; tall, short, man, woman, child, people in pants, people in skirt, people of all colors, races, yes for that was the year Pope John Paul II went to the Holy Land and I was blessed to have been given that once in my lifetime trip (I hope I can go there again, God willing). We were lined up, cueing for our time to see the tower of the Shrine. Everyone was shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow, and moving slowly in. And Lo! The door was shut right before my face. And I remembered the Gospel where Christ was supposed to have told His disciples that it will indeed be shut. Woe is me! I said. I was moved to tears at that experience. What if this really took place when I am about to enter heaven. I just prayed and hoped that moment won't happen. Meantime, I waited with the rest. I stayed put, waited, and thoughts came as time passed by. Soon enough the door was opened again, and I was able to enter that door. We went up and Lo! What a beautiful sight. Up in that tower was a sketch such that if you see North certain places in Israel can be seen; the same with the South, East and West. Waah!! If the door did not open, I would have missed this chance of a lifetime. But that experience made me realize the generosity of God. Yes, my entry through that door was through the mercy of God. That made me realize that for as long as I wait, the door will be opened, and He will let in those who have patiently waited. Hence, Christian life is really a life through the mercy and love of God Who in His Son has invited everyone to come and enter through Him, the Narrow Door.
The 22nd Sunday showed us Jesus dining in the house of one of the leading Pharisees in His time. He said there: "When you're invited to a wedding banquet, recline not in the place of honor at table lest a more distinguished guest come up and you be told to step back to give way..." That Sunday gave me the thought of our self-importance often coming with us. Now that we're inside the Narrow Door, it may be of great help to learn to place ourselves in such a way as to be given importance, and not to aggrandize that importance on ourselves, lest we be embarrassed. The human person can indeed be vulnerable to this because each one craves to be given that importance. And He has indeed given us that importance. He has given us His only Son. Before God, we are important or else, how could He have decided to offer us His live in His Son Jesus? Indeed, none of us in Christ can say we are not important. We have been given such value as to be ransomed at such a price: His Blood! Christian life then is a celebation of being given that importance such that we don't have to take upon ourselves that importance in case we may feel we haven't been given so. The word humility really brings the idea clearer: humus or soil from which we have been created. We have been raised from the dust, so to say and been breathed on His own Spirit that cries inside of us Abba Father, as His Son Jesus cried our Abba Father to the One Who sent Him.
On the 23rd Sunday, a challenge was posed. Jesus told His disciples that "if anyone comes to me without hating his faher, mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Then He spoke of two parables: one about someone who wanted to build a tower and needed to assess one's resources before doing so lest he not finish it and be jeered at; the other was a king who was to wage war with another king who had more forces than his own. That Sunday made me think that indeed, while we're still close to the door, we can still make a choice: are we really in, is this really what we want? Or, if we don't think so, we can still exit. The Door is not far away yet, so to say. Yet, come to think of it: our entry has been out of His generosity. Our survival, growth and happiness inside that Narrow Door will also be due to His ongoing mercy and love! He will supply whatever we lack. It is important that whatever we meet while in, we learn to trust in Him Who has more than we can ever think of. Carrying ones cross and following Him is learning to accept the reality of life without fear, and with realism learn to entrust to Him Whom we follow. We do our best, He does the rest.
The 24th Sunday had the whole 15th chapter of St. Luke's account of the One Gospel: Jesus Christ. My thoughts then were these: (a) like the coin the old woman looked for, our being found was to be so essential. Had the woman not found that coin, she would not have been able to buy what she wanted. It's as if, if we were not found, we continued to be lost, God would not have become really God. Money that is not exact can't buy anything. God without mercy and love is not yet the God Who is Mercy. (b) The lost one's value is equal to that of the 99's. The Shepherd went out searching for the lost one while having the fact that he still had 99! No, one less is not his joy. Joy is greater at finding the lost one! For the lost one is equal to the 99 who are left waiting. And each one among the 99 can be given such an importance and value. Well, there is no need to give the Shepherd such difficulties at finding us by allowing ourselves to be lost only to be found?! If only we learn what difficulties the lost one has gone through! (c) The Parable of the Prodigal Son really tells us what the lost one goes through. And God very well understands, He waits on us, runs to us and gives us back our dignity as beloved, celebrating our having been found in conversion! Oh what a life inside the Narrow Door we have been allowed entry into!
The parable of the Sower was proclaimed on the 25th Sunday this year. As we live deeper after we have been allowed entry into the Narrow Door, God continues to sow in us His life-giving Word. He talks to us in our lives, and when we let His Word live in us, we are letting that Word bear fruit in us. The other types of soil on which the Word fell are challenges for us to learn about ourselves. And HE gives us a choice: to be the fertile soil borne out of fidelity. Or to live in doubt and fear, to live in hard-heartedness and unforgiveness. If only we are generous enough to let His Word grow in us through a faithful life!
Indeed, life inside the Narrow Door can be very challenging! Yet, the Gospel of the 26th Sunday showed us a rich man (without a name) and Lazarus, the beggar living outside the rich man's house's gate. The parable was addressed to Pharisees, and these are the thoughts I had then: (1) the disparity between the rich and the poor appear symbolic of the rejection the Pharisees did to those who were classified as "sinners." This disparity between heaven and hell was also demonstrated, hence, already from the perspective of the Pharisees, no one gets to the other side. (2) I thought it was really unfortunate for the rich man to have not even given the poor man even just a look. I think this takes place when there is some internal obstacle. When I look back at my own experience, this difficulty comes when one has resolved to no longer allow oneself to be hurt by the other, or maybe fooled by the other. I just thought of the many times beggars came and asked for some aid, and some of them really came armed with fake prescription papers. They say they want medicines, but actually they need money. When someone gets hurt by the other or gets fooled, the tendency is to keep the other out of one's life such that even a glance becomes too difficult to do. Had the rich man even given just a look at the poor man, he may have had experienced already here on earth the "drop" of water he was asking Abraham for Lazarus to drop on him. (3) The challenge then for us who are "in" the Narrow Door is to learn compassion which can only take place when we shall have known what is deep inside us. Let me end my reflection here for a while. I shall write some more on this in the coming days. God bless
21st Sunday - Strive to enter through the Narrow Door. I had this chance way back year 2000 at the Shrine of Mount Carmel. It was a Sunday then, and many people went there: people with blond hair, white hair, black hair; tall, short, man, woman, child, people in pants, people in skirt, people of all colors, races, yes for that was the year Pope John Paul II went to the Holy Land and I was blessed to have been given that once in my lifetime trip (I hope I can go there again, God willing). We were lined up, cueing for our time to see the tower of the Shrine. Everyone was shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow, and moving slowly in. And Lo! The door was shut right before my face. And I remembered the Gospel where Christ was supposed to have told His disciples that it will indeed be shut. Woe is me! I said. I was moved to tears at that experience. What if this really took place when I am about to enter heaven. I just prayed and hoped that moment won't happen. Meantime, I waited with the rest. I stayed put, waited, and thoughts came as time passed by. Soon enough the door was opened again, and I was able to enter that door. We went up and Lo! What a beautiful sight. Up in that tower was a sketch such that if you see North certain places in Israel can be seen; the same with the South, East and West. Waah!! If the door did not open, I would have missed this chance of a lifetime. But that experience made me realize the generosity of God. Yes, my entry through that door was through the mercy of God. That made me realize that for as long as I wait, the door will be opened, and He will let in those who have patiently waited. Hence, Christian life is really a life through the mercy and love of God Who in His Son has invited everyone to come and enter through Him, the Narrow Door.
The 22nd Sunday showed us Jesus dining in the house of one of the leading Pharisees in His time. He said there: "When you're invited to a wedding banquet, recline not in the place of honor at table lest a more distinguished guest come up and you be told to step back to give way..." That Sunday gave me the thought of our self-importance often coming with us. Now that we're inside the Narrow Door, it may be of great help to learn to place ourselves in such a way as to be given importance, and not to aggrandize that importance on ourselves, lest we be embarrassed. The human person can indeed be vulnerable to this because each one craves to be given that importance. And He has indeed given us that importance. He has given us His only Son. Before God, we are important or else, how could He have decided to offer us His live in His Son Jesus? Indeed, none of us in Christ can say we are not important. We have been given such value as to be ransomed at such a price: His Blood! Christian life then is a celebation of being given that importance such that we don't have to take upon ourselves that importance in case we may feel we haven't been given so. The word humility really brings the idea clearer: humus or soil from which we have been created. We have been raised from the dust, so to say and been breathed on His own Spirit that cries inside of us Abba Father, as His Son Jesus cried our Abba Father to the One Who sent Him.
On the 23rd Sunday, a challenge was posed. Jesus told His disciples that "if anyone comes to me without hating his faher, mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Then He spoke of two parables: one about someone who wanted to build a tower and needed to assess one's resources before doing so lest he not finish it and be jeered at; the other was a king who was to wage war with another king who had more forces than his own. That Sunday made me think that indeed, while we're still close to the door, we can still make a choice: are we really in, is this really what we want? Or, if we don't think so, we can still exit. The Door is not far away yet, so to say. Yet, come to think of it: our entry has been out of His generosity. Our survival, growth and happiness inside that Narrow Door will also be due to His ongoing mercy and love! He will supply whatever we lack. It is important that whatever we meet while in, we learn to trust in Him Who has more than we can ever think of. Carrying ones cross and following Him is learning to accept the reality of life without fear, and with realism learn to entrust to Him Whom we follow. We do our best, He does the rest.
The 24th Sunday had the whole 15th chapter of St. Luke's account of the One Gospel: Jesus Christ. My thoughts then were these: (a) like the coin the old woman looked for, our being found was to be so essential. Had the woman not found that coin, she would not have been able to buy what she wanted. It's as if, if we were not found, we continued to be lost, God would not have become really God. Money that is not exact can't buy anything. God without mercy and love is not yet the God Who is Mercy. (b) The lost one's value is equal to that of the 99's. The Shepherd went out searching for the lost one while having the fact that he still had 99! No, one less is not his joy. Joy is greater at finding the lost one! For the lost one is equal to the 99 who are left waiting. And each one among the 99 can be given such an importance and value. Well, there is no need to give the Shepherd such difficulties at finding us by allowing ourselves to be lost only to be found?! If only we learn what difficulties the lost one has gone through! (c) The Parable of the Prodigal Son really tells us what the lost one goes through. And God very well understands, He waits on us, runs to us and gives us back our dignity as beloved, celebrating our having been found in conversion! Oh what a life inside the Narrow Door we have been allowed entry into!
The parable of the Sower was proclaimed on the 25th Sunday this year. As we live deeper after we have been allowed entry into the Narrow Door, God continues to sow in us His life-giving Word. He talks to us in our lives, and when we let His Word live in us, we are letting that Word bear fruit in us. The other types of soil on which the Word fell are challenges for us to learn about ourselves. And HE gives us a choice: to be the fertile soil borne out of fidelity. Or to live in doubt and fear, to live in hard-heartedness and unforgiveness. If only we are generous enough to let His Word grow in us through a faithful life!
Indeed, life inside the Narrow Door can be very challenging! Yet, the Gospel of the 26th Sunday showed us a rich man (without a name) and Lazarus, the beggar living outside the rich man's house's gate. The parable was addressed to Pharisees, and these are the thoughts I had then: (1) the disparity between the rich and the poor appear symbolic of the rejection the Pharisees did to those who were classified as "sinners." This disparity between heaven and hell was also demonstrated, hence, already from the perspective of the Pharisees, no one gets to the other side. (2) I thought it was really unfortunate for the rich man to have not even given the poor man even just a look. I think this takes place when there is some internal obstacle. When I look back at my own experience, this difficulty comes when one has resolved to no longer allow oneself to be hurt by the other, or maybe fooled by the other. I just thought of the many times beggars came and asked for some aid, and some of them really came armed with fake prescription papers. They say they want medicines, but actually they need money. When someone gets hurt by the other or gets fooled, the tendency is to keep the other out of one's life such that even a glance becomes too difficult to do. Had the rich man even given just a look at the poor man, he may have had experienced already here on earth the "drop" of water he was asking Abraham for Lazarus to drop on him. (3) The challenge then for us who are "in" the Narrow Door is to learn compassion which can only take place when we shall have known what is deep inside us. Let me end my reflection here for a while. I shall write some more on this in the coming days. God bless
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
A little while you will see me...not see me
Today's Gospel is taken from Jn 16:16-20:
Jesus said to his disciples: "A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me." So some of his disciples said to one another, "What does this mean that he is saying to us, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while later and you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" So they said, "What is this 'little while' of which he speaks? We do not know what he means." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Are you discussing with one another what I said, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve. but your grief will become joy."
Upon reading this text, in fact every time I do so, I always think of children when our parents were testing our hearing and doing skills (auditory-manual or action coordination) and actually showing us the CLOSE-OPEN-CLOSE-OPEN while actually doing the actions with their palms. I don't know if Jesus is trying to insert humor here at his impending death, and the loss that the disciples will experience. Is this his way of balancing our way of living, i.e., in anxiety, broaden the perspective; do not get stuck with what is there for there will be something more. Be open, in other words. For indeed, suffering will have to be taken the way it is if we are ever to really overcome it. Denial of suffering was not what Jesus wanted us to have. Suffering has a purpose, and trust in God the Father is better than being trapped in the moment.
The other picture I see whenever I read the above text is related to Piaget's Object Permanence theory. Here is a picture which I got from this site: http://wondertime.go.com/learning/article/putting-the-fun-in-peekabo.html
By Object Permanence is meant an understanding or belief that objects and events continue to exist even when they cannot directly be seen, heard & touched. The peek-a-boo play with kids shows this reality, i.e., try to hide something from a baby, and when the baby tries to look for what was hidden, the said baby has object permanence. While this is part of the child's cognitive development, it has implications for our faith experience. Object permanence seems to create in us a sense of security that even if we don't see something, especially when it is hidden from our sight, what we only need to do is search and we will find it. There really is no need to be too anxious that what was hidden is lost. The belief that something we saw continues to be even beyond our sight is an indication that it has been installed in us, and we can learn patience, trust, and most especially happiness when it is shown again.
Whenever I play peek-a-boo with my little nephews and nieces, and even any child for that matter, and I see the glow in their eyes, as if at first wondering where I went, and then when I show myself again I see the smile and laughter in the child, I always feel the joy of security and peace. This can become our peace as we live even without seeing Jesus the way we see others as we live in this world.
God bless us all
Jesus said to his disciples: "A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me." So some of his disciples said to one another, "What does this mean that he is saying to us, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while later and you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" So they said, "What is this 'little while' of which he speaks? We do not know what he means." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Are you discussing with one another what I said, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve. but your grief will become joy."
Upon reading this text, in fact every time I do so, I always think of children when our parents were testing our hearing and doing skills (auditory-manual or action coordination) and actually showing us the CLOSE-OPEN-CLOSE-OPEN while actually doing the actions with their palms. I don't know if Jesus is trying to insert humor here at his impending death, and the loss that the disciples will experience. Is this his way of balancing our way of living, i.e., in anxiety, broaden the perspective; do not get stuck with what is there for there will be something more. Be open, in other words. For indeed, suffering will have to be taken the way it is if we are ever to really overcome it. Denial of suffering was not what Jesus wanted us to have. Suffering has a purpose, and trust in God the Father is better than being trapped in the moment.
The other picture I see whenever I read the above text is related to Piaget's Object Permanence theory. Here is a picture which I got from this site: http://wondertime.go.com/learning/article/putting-the-fun-in-peekabo.html
By Object Permanence is meant an understanding or belief that objects and events continue to exist even when they cannot directly be seen, heard & touched. The peek-a-boo play with kids shows this reality, i.e., try to hide something from a baby, and when the baby tries to look for what was hidden, the said baby has object permanence. While this is part of the child's cognitive development, it has implications for our faith experience. Object permanence seems to create in us a sense of security that even if we don't see something, especially when it is hidden from our sight, what we only need to do is search and we will find it. There really is no need to be too anxious that what was hidden is lost. The belief that something we saw continues to be even beyond our sight is an indication that it has been installed in us, and we can learn patience, trust, and most especially happiness when it is shown again.Whenever I play peek-a-boo with my little nephews and nieces, and even any child for that matter, and I see the glow in their eyes, as if at first wondering where I went, and then when I show myself again I see the smile and laughter in the child, I always feel the joy of security and peace. This can become our peace as we live even without seeing Jesus the way we see others as we live in this world.
God bless us all
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Why Christ had to Rise from the Dead
It was JUNE 19, 2006 when I wrote this entry here:
The Easter Season of this year 2006 has been quite impactful for me as a Catholic priest. While I admit having studied and learned my theology in the Chinese language, this year was my first time to encounter the difficulty understanding the Resurrection. Hence, in one of my reflections, I remember having asked the Lord "Why did you rise again from the dead?"
It was the Sunday before Ascencion Sunday, and the text from the Gospel of St. John rang so loud in me: "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. You will remain in my love if you do what I command you...My command for you is this: that you love one another...as I have loved you...and your joy will be complete."Human loving seems to be quite romantic, but selfish. My experience in the clinic assessing marital cases for declaration of nullity by the civil and Church courts has shown to me what human loving is all about: it can be filled with passion and desire, but as the years go by, love dries up. Our human friendship also shows the fickle nature of love. Once one of the parties starts to show some negative traits, a gap starts to creep in between the bond. Human loving seems to last for only as long as the other remains to be good. But when the other starts to hurt the other, the love is challenged. If we love the way we love, we most likely would fall out of love.
I was once assigned for chaplaincy at Lourdes Hospital. At 6AM, the phone rang from the emergency. A man was being revived by the nurses and doctors at the emergency room. The wife was busy picking the pockets of her husband's shorts as the doctors were pumping the chest of the man. I busied myself anointing the man. As soon as the doctors stopped and told the woman that her husband is gone, the wife started crying out with these words: "You said you'd love me and wouldn't leave me. Now where is your love. I cannot believe in your love anymore." This incident showed to me what death can do: death can falsify love!!!
AHA! Now I know why Christ had to rise from the dead! The Father has risen His only Son back to life because that was the only way to show the world what LOVE REALLY IS: It calls the dead back to life. The love of God is such that it can wait for the dead to rise back to life. And only the one who loves also rises in obedience to the One Who loves and calls him back to life.
No wonder the Church always goes back to the table of the Eucharist because it is here where each member receives the One Who can love with us as He loved us. It thus becomes possible to say in the words of St. Paul: "The life I live is no longer mine. It is Christ Who lives in me." Each one is gifted with the call to rise from our deaths and daily dying.
May we love as Jesus has loved us.
I find this original more dynamic than the one I shared in my Easter homilies this year 2007. But what I did add was this thought: that Christ rose from the dead because that was the only way to show the truth of love. Death erases love. With the victory of death (read: Christ not rising from the dead) love would have easily been nullified. Love without Christ rising from the dead would simply be fooling the other. Yet we all know how we strive to make our love real and long-lasting, but with the reality of death, and if God is not there, our efforts prove to be rather futile. The purely human situation apart from Christ can be quite doomed. Each person only wins the first prize of death, and remains there 6-feet below the ground!
It is thus hopeful to be shown the Resurrection: for with Him rising from the dead, love can really be love. The divine nature of being love, loving becomes self-evident. This reminds me of the Scriptures which says "Not for your sakes do I act, house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name...I will prove the holiness of my great name...thus the nations shall know that I am the Lord, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you... (Ez. 36: 16-28 - I don't exactly know which numbers are these quoted verses since I am only copying from The Vatican II Sunday Missal).
It really is very consoling to have at least an insight into the Resurrection. May we live life as we have been given this: "life is called to live"
The Easter Season of this year 2006 has been quite impactful for me as a Catholic priest. While I admit having studied and learned my theology in the Chinese language, this year was my first time to encounter the difficulty understanding the Resurrection. Hence, in one of my reflections, I remember having asked the Lord "Why did you rise again from the dead?"
It was the Sunday before Ascencion Sunday, and the text from the Gospel of St. John rang so loud in me: "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. You will remain in my love if you do what I command you...My command for you is this: that you love one another...as I have loved you...and your joy will be complete."Human loving seems to be quite romantic, but selfish. My experience in the clinic assessing marital cases for declaration of nullity by the civil and Church courts has shown to me what human loving is all about: it can be filled with passion and desire, but as the years go by, love dries up. Our human friendship also shows the fickle nature of love. Once one of the parties starts to show some negative traits, a gap starts to creep in between the bond. Human loving seems to last for only as long as the other remains to be good. But when the other starts to hurt the other, the love is challenged. If we love the way we love, we most likely would fall out of love.
I was once assigned for chaplaincy at Lourdes Hospital. At 6AM, the phone rang from the emergency. A man was being revived by the nurses and doctors at the emergency room. The wife was busy picking the pockets of her husband's shorts as the doctors were pumping the chest of the man. I busied myself anointing the man. As soon as the doctors stopped and told the woman that her husband is gone, the wife started crying out with these words: "You said you'd love me and wouldn't leave me. Now where is your love. I cannot believe in your love anymore." This incident showed to me what death can do: death can falsify love!!!
AHA! Now I know why Christ had to rise from the dead! The Father has risen His only Son back to life because that was the only way to show the world what LOVE REALLY IS: It calls the dead back to life. The love of God is such that it can wait for the dead to rise back to life. And only the one who loves also rises in obedience to the One Who loves and calls him back to life.
No wonder the Church always goes back to the table of the Eucharist because it is here where each member receives the One Who can love with us as He loved us. It thus becomes possible to say in the words of St. Paul: "The life I live is no longer mine. It is Christ Who lives in me." Each one is gifted with the call to rise from our deaths and daily dying.
May we love as Jesus has loved us.
I find this original more dynamic than the one I shared in my Easter homilies this year 2007. But what I did add was this thought: that Christ rose from the dead because that was the only way to show the truth of love. Death erases love. With the victory of death (read: Christ not rising from the dead) love would have easily been nullified. Love without Christ rising from the dead would simply be fooling the other. Yet we all know how we strive to make our love real and long-lasting, but with the reality of death, and if God is not there, our efforts prove to be rather futile. The purely human situation apart from Christ can be quite doomed. Each person only wins the first prize of death, and remains there 6-feet below the ground!
It is thus hopeful to be shown the Resurrection: for with Him rising from the dead, love can really be love. The divine nature of being love, loving becomes self-evident. This reminds me of the Scriptures which says "Not for your sakes do I act, house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name...I will prove the holiness of my great name...thus the nations shall know that I am the Lord, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you... (Ez. 36: 16-28 - I don't exactly know which numbers are these quoted verses since I am only copying from The Vatican II Sunday Missal).
It really is very consoling to have at least an insight into the Resurrection. May we live life as we have been given this: "life is called to live"
Friday, April 06, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Fr. Madhu & The Agony in the Garden
It's been quite some time since my last entry here. Actually, what stirs me to write here is my confrere who's right down there lying in state. Fr. Frans Madhu was killed last Palm Sunday Barrio Mabongtot, about 4 hours walk from his parish in Lubuagan, Kalinga. He arrived here in the Philippines last Palm Sunday 2005. What a coincidence? He did come full circle in only two years!!! On that fateful afternoon of Palm Sunday 2007, April 1 to be exact, his life was taken away from him sans any motive!!! I heard that comment quite a few times from the confreres who brought his body last Holy Wednesady from his place in Kalinga down here in CKMS for burial come Easter Monday.
One Claretian sister was supposed to have commented yesterday afternoon that her uncle and nephew were murdered last November 2006 by Fr. Madhu's assassin. What has kept that man scot free during these five months? I heard that the police assigned there could not simply do that - for fear that there would be a tribal war? Where's the connect?
What really interests me most is this: Fr. Madhu mentioned about his fears to some confreres - at least 2 of them - and I talked with them about his fears. These fears appeared to be kind of unfounded. Last December, in a conversation with Fr. Alphonse, he mentioned he was afraid for his life. He texted Fr. Alphonse three times after that short talk - once when he was on the bus on his way to Kalinga, another time some two hours later, and a third time upon arriving Kalinga. His text message always carried that line: "Please pray for me..." Wasn't that ominous enough?
Fr. Siervas mentioned that once last January this year Fr. Madhu himself went straight to his room in Urdaneta to tell him about his fear. What that fear was all about he never really got to say apparently. But there was this lingering fear. This sounded to me like Jesus on His Last Thursday experience at the Garden: He agonized at the thought of a violent death. Was it this type of fear that Fr. Madhu experienced? It made me ask this question: What is death then for? What makes us scamper in fear at the thought of death?
Maybe I'll keep these thoughts here for a while. The truth is: there is a need to resolve this killing, or else it may provide fuel for some more serious crisis up there in Kalinga between the tribes in Mabongtot and Lubuagan. That CICM priests and even diocesan priests have been killed there and that their bodies have not been found since then - aren't these sufficient enough to keep the police more courageous to do their jobs! Or else how else are we to be freed from fear? Well, for one, guns aflourish in that place as if there were no gun ban these days! HAAH! Really scary!
One Claretian sister was supposed to have commented yesterday afternoon that her uncle and nephew were murdered last November 2006 by Fr. Madhu's assassin. What has kept that man scot free during these five months? I heard that the police assigned there could not simply do that - for fear that there would be a tribal war? Where's the connect?
What really interests me most is this: Fr. Madhu mentioned about his fears to some confreres - at least 2 of them - and I talked with them about his fears. These fears appeared to be kind of unfounded. Last December, in a conversation with Fr. Alphonse, he mentioned he was afraid for his life. He texted Fr. Alphonse three times after that short talk - once when he was on the bus on his way to Kalinga, another time some two hours later, and a third time upon arriving Kalinga. His text message always carried that line: "Please pray for me..." Wasn't that ominous enough?
Fr. Siervas mentioned that once last January this year Fr. Madhu himself went straight to his room in Urdaneta to tell him about his fear. What that fear was all about he never really got to say apparently. But there was this lingering fear. This sounded to me like Jesus on His Last Thursday experience at the Garden: He agonized at the thought of a violent death. Was it this type of fear that Fr. Madhu experienced? It made me ask this question: What is death then for? What makes us scamper in fear at the thought of death?
Maybe I'll keep these thoughts here for a while. The truth is: there is a need to resolve this killing, or else it may provide fuel for some more serious crisis up there in Kalinga between the tribes in Mabongtot and Lubuagan. That CICM priests and even diocesan priests have been killed there and that their bodies have not been found since then - aren't these sufficient enough to keep the police more courageous to do their jobs! Or else how else are we to be freed from fear? Well, for one, guns aflourish in that place as if there were no gun ban these days! HAAH! Really scary!
Sunday, February 04, 2007
PIP: Peter, Isaiah & Paul
Wow, the last entry I saw made here was last Dec. 18, 2006? That was more than a month ago! Whew! Mea culpa. I allowed myself to be busy with a lot other tasks instead of sharing here what were in my mind.
But today was particularly beautiful. Just look at the readings, and realize how beautiful the implication for us is as individuals.
The First Reading speaks about Isaiah's experience of seeing the Lord, and yet realizing one's being of unclean lips and also "living among a people of unclean lips" (Vat. II Sunday Missal, 1973, pp. 200), he experienced the purifying mercy of the Lord. "One of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it." (The scene is supposed to elicit pain since fire does burn!) But what do we get instead? "See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin is purged." WOW! Wasn't that great?!
Paul's experience is even more fantastic. Imagine a killer of Christians given a parole by the Lord. Paul was on his way to Damascus for more Christian killing, but instead he got a mild lash from the Lord. All this now is past, and Paul has since become the foremost proclaimer of the mercy and love of God in Jesus Christ!
Peter's is really very personal. We might think that Isaiah's and Paul's experiences might have been fantasy at the least, or maybe guilt-ridden the most, but Peter's was up-close and personal. Jesus Himself was right there and then, in flesh and blood, asking him to throw the net again. "Duc in altum," as has been quoted in the millenium letter/document of Pope JP II.
What do we get from these experiences of PIP?
Despite their being sinners, killers and wicked, they have been given the chance through the mercy of God! They have seen for themselves God's salvation, never really intending to kill out of wrath, but giving the chance to make up for lost chances to give life and share life.
Fr. Cantalamessa, the papal household preacher wrote in his commentary for today's Gospel something worth quoting here. He spoke of two perspectives in looking at "fishing and shepherding" which Jesus gave Peter, and I guess Isaiah and Paul too, albeit using different terms perhaps. Fr. Cantalamessa said that from the perspective of human experience, the world shows us that fishers and shepherds do their tasks primarily from a selfish point of view. Fishers fish for food and income; the same seems true with those who pasteur sheep, primarily for wool they can use later and the meat and milk as well. This seems to be really obvious.
But from the Scriptural perspective, fishing and shepherding are tasks not for one's own benefit, but for the benefit of the fish and the sheep. Wasn't Peter "fished out" of water when he was drowning as he was walking towards Jesus on the water? And we all know the famous Good Shepherd Who lays down his life for his sheep, even looking for the lost ones!
When we realize what we are called to by virtue of our being chosen at baptism (yes many among us did not ask for it: baptism was given to us by our loved ones, hence baptism is really a gift!, gratis!), we realize that God has our best interest considered. He made us His own so that we may realize how important we are, how beloved we are, even before we asked for it. In the life of the Church, we are fished out from sin through the sacrament of reconciliation; we are fed at the table of the Lord by His Word and His Body and Blood. When we get sick, we get healed by the sacrament of anointing. And our acts of service are given importance at marriage and ordination. This Fisherman, this Shepherd has given us the best consideration so we can really live, coming to our midst, riding in the boat of our lives in order that He may give us His life that can make us live our lives to the full.
Hence, when Peter was sent to be "fishers of men" Jesus showed him a very good model of how to fish,of how to shepherd. "Feed my sheep...tend my lambs...feed my sheep."
Indeed, we have seen in the lives of Peter, Isaiah and Paul (PIP) the mercy of God that calls, challenges us to give as we have received, not to think more about ourselves first, but the interest of others. God's mercy must really be good! While it saves, it also strengthens the saved so others can be saved through the saved.
This is our mission. This is our challenge. With His help, it should be possible! Be a fisher of men (and yes, women are included in there!).
But today was particularly beautiful. Just look at the readings, and realize how beautiful the implication for us is as individuals.
The First Reading speaks about Isaiah's experience of seeing the Lord, and yet realizing one's being of unclean lips and also "living among a people of unclean lips" (Vat. II Sunday Missal, 1973, pp. 200), he experienced the purifying mercy of the Lord. "One of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it." (The scene is supposed to elicit pain since fire does burn!) But what do we get instead? "See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin is purged." WOW! Wasn't that great?!
Paul's experience is even more fantastic. Imagine a killer of Christians given a parole by the Lord. Paul was on his way to Damascus for more Christian killing, but instead he got a mild lash from the Lord. All this now is past, and Paul has since become the foremost proclaimer of the mercy and love of God in Jesus Christ!
Peter's is really very personal. We might think that Isaiah's and Paul's experiences might have been fantasy at the least, or maybe guilt-ridden the most, but Peter's was up-close and personal. Jesus Himself was right there and then, in flesh and blood, asking him to throw the net again. "Duc in altum," as has been quoted in the millenium letter/document of Pope JP II.
What do we get from these experiences of PIP?
Despite their being sinners, killers and wicked, they have been given the chance through the mercy of God! They have seen for themselves God's salvation, never really intending to kill out of wrath, but giving the chance to make up for lost chances to give life and share life.
Fr. Cantalamessa, the papal household preacher wrote in his commentary for today's Gospel something worth quoting here. He spoke of two perspectives in looking at "fishing and shepherding" which Jesus gave Peter, and I guess Isaiah and Paul too, albeit using different terms perhaps. Fr. Cantalamessa said that from the perspective of human experience, the world shows us that fishers and shepherds do their tasks primarily from a selfish point of view. Fishers fish for food and income; the same seems true with those who pasteur sheep, primarily for wool they can use later and the meat and milk as well. This seems to be really obvious.
But from the Scriptural perspective, fishing and shepherding are tasks not for one's own benefit, but for the benefit of the fish and the sheep. Wasn't Peter "fished out" of water when he was drowning as he was walking towards Jesus on the water? And we all know the famous Good Shepherd Who lays down his life for his sheep, even looking for the lost ones!
When we realize what we are called to by virtue of our being chosen at baptism (yes many among us did not ask for it: baptism was given to us by our loved ones, hence baptism is really a gift!, gratis!), we realize that God has our best interest considered. He made us His own so that we may realize how important we are, how beloved we are, even before we asked for it. In the life of the Church, we are fished out from sin through the sacrament of reconciliation; we are fed at the table of the Lord by His Word and His Body and Blood. When we get sick, we get healed by the sacrament of anointing. And our acts of service are given importance at marriage and ordination. This Fisherman, this Shepherd has given us the best consideration so we can really live, coming to our midst, riding in the boat of our lives in order that He may give us His life that can make us live our lives to the full.
Hence, when Peter was sent to be "fishers of men" Jesus showed him a very good model of how to fish,of how to shepherd. "Feed my sheep...tend my lambs...feed my sheep."
Indeed, we have seen in the lives of Peter, Isaiah and Paul (PIP) the mercy of God that calls, challenges us to give as we have received, not to think more about ourselves first, but the interest of others. God's mercy must really be good! While it saves, it also strengthens the saved so others can be saved through the saved.
This is our mission. This is our challenge. With His help, it should be possible! Be a fisher of men (and yes, women are included in there!).
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