Isang napakalaking tagumpay ang naganap na Parish Christmas Party kagabi December 29, 2008 sa parking area ng parokya. Sa nasabing pagtitipon ay muling ipinakita ng halos lahat ng mga samahang pansimbahan ang kani-kanilang mga talento sa larangan ng musika, sayaw at maging sa pag-arte para bigyan kasiyahan ang lahat. Kabilang sa mga naging tampok na palabas ng gabing iyon ay ang pagsasayaw ng mga miyembro ng Lectors & Commentators Ministry (LCM), Mother Butler at LCM mula sa Resurrecion Chapel-Tulay Bato at ang “comedy skit” ng mga kabataang miyembro ng Lingkod ng Dambana. Katulad ng mga nakagawiang pagsasama-sama ay nagkaroon din ng pagsasalo na tinampukan ng mga pagkaing inihanda ng bawat grupo.
Sa espesyal na mensahe mula sa ating Kura Paroko, Rev. Fr. Toochy Ubarco, ay kanyang binigyang diin ang kahalagahan ng pagsasama-sama ng pamilya ng parokya upang higit pang magkaroon ng matibay at matiwasay na pagsasamahan tungo sa isang mas epektibong paglilingkod. Ang lahat ay umuwi ng may kanya-kanyang alaala ng ngiti at galak dulot ng kasiyahang naihatid ng nasabing pagtitipon na higit pa sa mga material na premyong ipinamahagi ng gabing iyon.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
“Jesus is still looking for shelter”
Jesus was born in a cave in Bethlehem because, Sacred Scripture tells us, ``there was no room for them in the inn.'' I am not departing from theological truth when I say that Jesus is still looking for shelter in your heart. (The Forge, 274)
I am not at all stretching the truth when I tell you that Jesus is still looking for a resting‑place in our heart. We have to ask him to forgive our personal blindness and ingratitude. We must ask him to give us the grace never to close the door of our soul on him again.
Our Lord does not disguise the fact that his wholehearted obedience to God’s will calls for renunciation and self‑sacrifice. Love does not claim rights, it seeks to serve. Jesus has led the way. How did he obey? “Unto death, death on a cross” [1]. You have to get out of yourself; you have to complicate your life, losing it for love of God and souls. “So you wanted to live a quiet life. But God wanted otherwise. Two wills exist: your will should be corrected to become identified with God’s will: you must not bend God’s will to suit yours” [2].
It has made me very happy to see so many souls spend their lives — like you, Lord, “even unto death” — fulfilling what God was asking of them. They have dedicated all their yearnings and their professional work to the service of the Church, for the good of all men.
Let us learn to obey, let us learn to serve. There is no better leadership than wanting to give yourself freely, to be useful to others. When we feel pride swell up within us, making us think we are supermen, the time has come to say “no”. Our only triumph will be the triumph of humility. In this way we will identify ourselves with Christ on the cross — not unwillingly or restlessly or sullenly, but joyfully. For the joy which comes from forgetting ourselves is the best proof of love. (Christ is passing by, 19)
[1] Phil 2:8 usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis
[2] St Augustine, Enarrationes in psalmos, Ps 31:2, 26 (PL 36,274) [Top]
http://www.opusdei.ph/art.php?p=19281
I am not at all stretching the truth when I tell you that Jesus is still looking for a resting‑place in our heart. We have to ask him to forgive our personal blindness and ingratitude. We must ask him to give us the grace never to close the door of our soul on him again.
Our Lord does not disguise the fact that his wholehearted obedience to God’s will calls for renunciation and self‑sacrifice. Love does not claim rights, it seeks to serve. Jesus has led the way. How did he obey? “Unto death, death on a cross” [1]. You have to get out of yourself; you have to complicate your life, losing it for love of God and souls. “So you wanted to live a quiet life. But God wanted otherwise. Two wills exist: your will should be corrected to become identified with God’s will: you must not bend God’s will to suit yours” [2].
It has made me very happy to see so many souls spend their lives — like you, Lord, “even unto death” — fulfilling what God was asking of them. They have dedicated all their yearnings and their professional work to the service of the Church, for the good of all men.
Let us learn to obey, let us learn to serve. There is no better leadership than wanting to give yourself freely, to be useful to others. When we feel pride swell up within us, making us think we are supermen, the time has come to say “no”. Our only triumph will be the triumph of humility. In this way we will identify ourselves with Christ on the cross — not unwillingly or restlessly or sullenly, but joyfully. For the joy which comes from forgetting ourselves is the best proof of love. (Christ is passing by, 19)
[1] Phil 2:8 usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis
[2] St Augustine, Enarrationes in psalmos, Ps 31:2, 26 (PL 36,274) [Top]
http://www.opusdei.ph/art.php?p=19281
Feature Group of the Week: EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE HOLY COMMUNION
Service to God, our life commitment
Ministering the Holy Eucharist, our very existence
Humility and obedience, our working virtues
Christ-centered, our source of strength…
The Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion (EMHC) was founded on 1986 through the initiatives then of former Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Jack Diaz and their basic responsibility is to assist the Clergy in administering Holy Communion to the faithful during masses and in special cases, to the sick, disabled and elderly in their homes.
The first appointed Lay Eucharistic Ministers were Bro. Mario Calatin and the late Bro. Dadoy Dela Rosa and Jojo Mangalile.
Vision:
A community of men where spirituality is a way of life, dedicated to the service of the Holy Eucharist…
Whose every member is mindful and respectful of one’s dignity, build on each other’s strength to achieve shared goals in unity of efforts that satisfies the parishioners with dedicated quality service of helping the clergy to distribute the Holy Communion; and
Whose members are persons of piety, dignity, good moral character, humble, obedient, and humane in his chosen ministry.
Mission:
To create a community of pious members, who are committed to serve as Ministers of the Holy Communion.
Objectives:
To be able to provide a truly responsible, committed and spiritually dedicated service to the Holy Eucharist.
Activities:
• Regular meetings every 2nd Friday of the month
• Regular formation program
• Annual Retreat
• Annual Participation to Diocesan formation programs
• Participation in various parish pastoral activities
Ministering the Holy Eucharist, our very existence
Humility and obedience, our working virtues
Christ-centered, our source of strength…
The Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion (EMHC) was founded on 1986 through the initiatives then of former Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Jack Diaz and their basic responsibility is to assist the Clergy in administering Holy Communion to the faithful during masses and in special cases, to the sick, disabled and elderly in their homes.
The first appointed Lay Eucharistic Ministers were Bro. Mario Calatin and the late Bro. Dadoy Dela Rosa and Jojo Mangalile.
Vision:
A community of men where spirituality is a way of life, dedicated to the service of the Holy Eucharist…
Whose every member is mindful and respectful of one’s dignity, build on each other’s strength to achieve shared goals in unity of efforts that satisfies the parishioners with dedicated quality service of helping the clergy to distribute the Holy Communion; and
Whose members are persons of piety, dignity, good moral character, humble, obedient, and humane in his chosen ministry.
Mission:
To create a community of pious members, who are committed to serve as Ministers of the Holy Communion.
Objectives:
To be able to provide a truly responsible, committed and spiritually dedicated service to the Holy Eucharist.
Activities:
• Regular meetings every 2nd Friday of the month
• Regular formation program
• Annual Retreat
• Annual Participation to Diocesan formation programs
• Participation in various parish pastoral activities
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Fourth Week of Advent
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Today we light again the candles of hope, love, and joy, and the fourth PURPLE candle, the candle of peace. Christ is the Prince of peace, come to reconcile us with God and others. Christ helps us to see that peace is possible.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Today we light again the candles of hope, love, and joy, and the fourth PURPLE candle, the candle of peace. Christ is the Prince of peace, come to reconcile us with God and others. Christ helps us to see that peace is possible.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Feature Group of the Week: Parish Youth Commission
PARISH YOUTH COMMISSION
The commission aims to provide the formation and organization of the youth to realize their potential, elicit their participation in Church activities, and to prepare them as future parish leaders. It also aspires to mobilize the youth as instruments of evangelization among their fellow youth and other people. The Ministry also implements programs that foster enthusiasm and goodwill among the youth that will address their special needs.
National Youth Day-December 16, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Feature Group of the Week: Lingkod Ng Dambana
The Celebration Ministry’s main apostolate is to provide for orderly, animated and meaningful liturgical celebrations, especially, of the Eucharist and the sacraments, and other para-liturgical activities in the parish center and in the different Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) zone and pastoral areas: to promote the growth and deepen the commitment of the different liturgical ministries and organizations meant to enhance worship life; to promote devotion to the Eucharist and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or particularly to the person of the parish.
LINGKOD NG DAMBANA
“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
– John 12: 26
The Lingkod ng Dambana is a group of young male servers assisting in the parish liturgical celebrations. Its main goal is to encourage young boys and men to become worthy guards of honor to the Eucharistic King and enkindle greater piety and devotion to Christ through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
LINGKOD NG DAMBANA
“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
– John 12: 26
The Lingkod ng Dambana is a group of young male servers assisting in the parish liturgical celebrations. Its main goal is to encourage young boys and men to become worthy guards of honor to the Eucharistic King and enkindle greater piety and devotion to Christ through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Feast of the Immaculate Concepcion
Mary Immaculate
“You are all-beautiful, my beloved,
and there is no blemish in you.”
(Song of Songs 4:7)
Mary was conceived without original sin. This is the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
But did not Paul say that “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23)? Yes, but this is precisely what shows how special Mary is. She is the only human being after the fall who was the one exception.
Mary would bear the Son of God, and God is perfectly holy. It could not be that an imperfect vessel would bear a perfect God. So according to God’s eternal plan, God did not allow Mary to be conceived with any stain of sin.
God wants those that He intends to use to be clean and pure instruments. Such purity was to be from the time of their conception.
Manoah’s wife, who would give birth to Samson, was told “to be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean.” (Jgs 13:4). This was because Samson was “to be consecrated to God from the womb” and would “begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines” (Jgs 13:5).
Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of Israel, was told by God: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jer 1:5).
Zechariah was told by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son. John the Baptist became the precursor of Christ. Zechariah was told that John would “be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” (Lk 1:15-16).
Being a deliverer of Israel, a prophet to the nations, a restorer of Israel’s children to the Lordall these were mighty works of God, for which He raised pure instruments.
But Mary was the greatest instrument of all according to God’s plan. She would be the mother of the Savior, the mother of God Himself. As such, she needed to be a perfectly pure instrument.
But others would still insist that what the Bible says is perfectly true, that “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23a). The only exception is Jesus, “who did not know sin” (2 Cor 5:21). As such, then Mary was subject to original sin as well. Let us follow this trend of thought.
All of us indeed have sinned. We are born with original sin, the sin of our first parents. But through the blood shed for us by Jesus on the cross, our sin has been expiated. We “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed” (Rom 3:24-25). We have sinned, but in and through Jesus we are cleansed, if we accept his saving death on the cross by faith.
Now God is not governed by time and space. God transcends time and space. So what God did was to extend to Mary his grace of expiation from sin, won on the cross, but applied backward to the time of Mary’s conception. Thus Mary, like everyone else, was redeemed by the blood of Jesus, but rather than being freed from sin already incurred, she was preserved from original sin.
Can God do that? Of course He can! There is nothing impossible for God! (Lk 1:37).
Indeed notice that with her Magnificat, Mary says her spirit rejoices in God her savior (Lk 1:47). She did not say she will rejoice, but that she already rejoices. But Jesus the Savior was still to be born, and still had to go to the cross to win salvation for all. Thus for Mary, Jesus had already saved her, even before he physically went to the cross. The prophecy of Isaiah rightfully applies to her: “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, ….. like a bride bedecked with her jewels.” (Is 61:10).
So Mary was conceived without sin.
We also need to see the Immaculate Conception in view of salvation history. When our first parents sinned, there was the first promise of a Redeemer. The Lord God told the devil that there would be enmity between him and the woman and between their offsprings, and that the offspring of the woman would strike him a mortal blow (Gen 3:15). It is a fight between the woman and the serpent. Now the woman is Mary, and so it is a fight between Mary and the devil. If the woman had original sin, then she would be subject to the power of the devil and would not be able to defeat him. So she needed to be free from sin.
And so in the fullness of time, God brought Mary into the world, and then revealed to her His plan. The angel Gabriel addressed her with the words “Hail, favored one!” (Lk 1:28). Another way to put the greeting is “Hail, fully graced.” Mary was full of grace! One who is fully graced cannot have the stain of sin.
And of course, God intended for Mary to bear His own Son. She was to become the mother of God. As the mother of the Holy One, she had to be unstained.
Consider also that there were other humans not covered by Paul’s assertion that all had sinned. These were Adam and Eve. They were born unstained, created in the image and likeness of God Himself (Gen 1:27). When God looked at what He had created, He “found it very good” (Gen 1:31). God being Who He is, what He creates is perfect. God cannot create something in His image and likeness that is stained in some way.
So Adam and Eve started out with no sin, because there was no sin as yet in the world. Now Mary is the new Eve. If Eve was created sinless, then how much more Mary who would become the mother of God?
And so Mary was conceived without sin. It was not that she had original sin and was freed from it, but rather that God preserved her from original sin, from the very beginning. She was still redeemed by Jesus, but in God’s mysterious ways, experienced this redemption from sin even before the actual physical event of Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross.
For reflection
1. We are all proud of our mothers and think they are the best moms in the world. Think about how your mom has been a blessing to you. Thank God for her.
2. Think about your Mother Mary, who was pure and immaculate and full of grace. How proud of her are you?
(Taken from the forthcoming new book of Frank Padilla entitled “40 More Days with Mary”)
“You are all-beautiful, my beloved,
and there is no blemish in you.”
(Song of Songs 4:7)
Mary was conceived without original sin. This is the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
But did not Paul say that “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23)? Yes, but this is precisely what shows how special Mary is. She is the only human being after the fall who was the one exception.
Mary would bear the Son of God, and God is perfectly holy. It could not be that an imperfect vessel would bear a perfect God. So according to God’s eternal plan, God did not allow Mary to be conceived with any stain of sin.
God wants those that He intends to use to be clean and pure instruments. Such purity was to be from the time of their conception.
Manoah’s wife, who would give birth to Samson, was told “to be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean.” (Jgs 13:4). This was because Samson was “to be consecrated to God from the womb” and would “begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines” (Jgs 13:5).
Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of Israel, was told by God: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jer 1:5).
Zechariah was told by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son. John the Baptist became the precursor of Christ. Zechariah was told that John would “be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” (Lk 1:15-16).
Being a deliverer of Israel, a prophet to the nations, a restorer of Israel’s children to the Lordall these were mighty works of God, for which He raised pure instruments.
But Mary was the greatest instrument of all according to God’s plan. She would be the mother of the Savior, the mother of God Himself. As such, she needed to be a perfectly pure instrument.
But others would still insist that what the Bible says is perfectly true, that “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23a). The only exception is Jesus, “who did not know sin” (2 Cor 5:21). As such, then Mary was subject to original sin as well. Let us follow this trend of thought.
All of us indeed have sinned. We are born with original sin, the sin of our first parents. But through the blood shed for us by Jesus on the cross, our sin has been expiated. We “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed” (Rom 3:24-25). We have sinned, but in and through Jesus we are cleansed, if we accept his saving death on the cross by faith.
Now God is not governed by time and space. God transcends time and space. So what God did was to extend to Mary his grace of expiation from sin, won on the cross, but applied backward to the time of Mary’s conception. Thus Mary, like everyone else, was redeemed by the blood of Jesus, but rather than being freed from sin already incurred, she was preserved from original sin.
Can God do that? Of course He can! There is nothing impossible for God! (Lk 1:37).
Indeed notice that with her Magnificat, Mary says her spirit rejoices in God her savior (Lk 1:47). She did not say she will rejoice, but that she already rejoices. But Jesus the Savior was still to be born, and still had to go to the cross to win salvation for all. Thus for Mary, Jesus had already saved her, even before he physically went to the cross. The prophecy of Isaiah rightfully applies to her: “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, ….. like a bride bedecked with her jewels.” (Is 61:10).
So Mary was conceived without sin.
We also need to see the Immaculate Conception in view of salvation history. When our first parents sinned, there was the first promise of a Redeemer. The Lord God told the devil that there would be enmity between him and the woman and between their offsprings, and that the offspring of the woman would strike him a mortal blow (Gen 3:15). It is a fight between the woman and the serpent. Now the woman is Mary, and so it is a fight between Mary and the devil. If the woman had original sin, then she would be subject to the power of the devil and would not be able to defeat him. So she needed to be free from sin.
And so in the fullness of time, God brought Mary into the world, and then revealed to her His plan. The angel Gabriel addressed her with the words “Hail, favored one!” (Lk 1:28). Another way to put the greeting is “Hail, fully graced.” Mary was full of grace! One who is fully graced cannot have the stain of sin.
And of course, God intended for Mary to bear His own Son. She was to become the mother of God. As the mother of the Holy One, she had to be unstained.
Consider also that there were other humans not covered by Paul’s assertion that all had sinned. These were Adam and Eve. They were born unstained, created in the image and likeness of God Himself (Gen 1:27). When God looked at what He had created, He “found it very good” (Gen 1:31). God being Who He is, what He creates is perfect. God cannot create something in His image and likeness that is stained in some way.
So Adam and Eve started out with no sin, because there was no sin as yet in the world. Now Mary is the new Eve. If Eve was created sinless, then how much more Mary who would become the mother of God?
And so Mary was conceived without sin. It was not that she had original sin and was freed from it, but rather that God preserved her from original sin, from the very beginning. She was still redeemed by Jesus, but in God’s mysterious ways, experienced this redemption from sin even before the actual physical event of Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross.
For reflection
1. We are all proud of our mothers and think they are the best moms in the world. Think about how your mom has been a blessing to you. Thank God for her.
2. Think about your Mother Mary, who was pure and immaculate and full of grace. How proud of her are you?
(Taken from the forthcoming new book of Frank Padilla entitled “40 More Days with Mary”)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)