GOD’S WORK AND OUR WORK:

“Christ, indeed, always associates the Church with himself in this great work in which God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified.” (SC, 7)

One Saturday morning, I happened to talk to a friend and discussed with her the nature of prayer and its importance in the life of every Christian. Along with that conversation was reminding her to attend the Sunday Mass that was to be on the following day. Since she is not really a practicing Catholic, hence very seldom goes to mass, she arrogantly tossed me this question: “Why is it that I still need to go to mass since I can pray to God alone at home, in my room? As long as I keep that day holy, I’m fulfilling the Commandment of God.” After some seconds of reflection over her query and view, I finally succumbed myself into silence, with a modified question in my mind: “Why is participation in Sunday Eucharist, indeed, so important for us, Catholics?”

In the first chapter of Vatican II’s “Constitution on Sacred Liturgy” (Sacrosanctum Concilium), the nature of the sacred liturgy and its importance in the life of the Church were discussed with great ardor and clarity. As we all know that the Church then was on her way of reforming the kind of liturgy that she was having – where little participation from the faithful were drawn out; where only the ministers were ones directly involved in almost all liturgical celebrations; where the people of God did not literally understand what was happening in the liturgy; where the things that they only knew were to stand, kneel and sit when necessary and to listen to the “sermon” of the priest with his loud voice uttering terrifying words about hell and condemning sinners. Vatican II’s response to this liturgical condition was the Sacrosanctum Concilium.

Considering the past liturgical ambiance, as I look at it, Christians would prefer more private praying in their daily Christian living rather than indulging themselves to public worship in view of the fact that in this private act they can substantially express that due worship to the Lord, which they believed was best fulfilled I their “own way.” Besides, during the celebration of the Eucharist then, it was that same private praying that they made use of since the language employed in the liturgy was a stranger to them (it was in Latin), if not they only understood some of the words and memorized responses, and what they only do during the course of the celebration was “to do their own” individual way – some prayed the rosary; others prayed with their personal novenas; and worse so, most of the people inside the church enjoyed chitchatting and watching the whole celebration as if they were part of the audience in a theatre show. Thus, for them, private praying is enough to be considered a believing Christian.
I believe that to pray privately is spiritually-enriching; however, it is not enough, because we are also a Church, a community gathered in the name of the Lord. The whole Church must pray as one, because the whole Church lives with the life of Jesus on earth. When the assembly of the people of God prays together with the properly appointed ministers to lead them, and in forms approved by the Church, we call this prayer “liturgy” which is derived from the Greek leitourgia, meaning “the work of the people.” Such liturgical celebration has existed since the time of the apostles and the central act of the Church’s liturgy is the community celebration of the EUCHARIST. The gathering together for the ritual meal was, from the very start, the meeting point for the Christian community, the celebration that most expressed the presence of the Lord among them and gathered them as one, as a Church. If liturgy is “the work of the people” then it is not only the priest’s job. Liturgy means that the community must be actively part of the prayer and the ceremonies that mark this form of public worship. They are not to be merely audience at a liturgical “performance.” The matter is noticeably put by Vatican II in reference to the Eucharist, but applies equally well to all liturgical celebration.

As with private prayer, public worship is also a Tradition in the Church; it is an indispensable feature of the Church’s existence. A believing Christian cannot opt out of community worship and honestly still assert to be a Christian. One’s faith must be articulated in “doing”; to speak one has faith and do nothing about it is a form of self-delusion. In other words, as with private prayer, prayer with the community is not a choice for the believing Christians: it is a necessity and a commitment – an obligation. The Catholic Church has insisted that this obligation be satisfied by active participation in the Eucharistic liturgy on Sundays.

It should go without saying that active participation in the celebration of the liturgy is required, particularly in the Eucharist and the other sacraments. In no sense should we be onlookers, bystanders, part of the audience, while the sacraments are being “done” or “administered” by a priest or deacon. We do not go to the liturgy to be entertained but to meet the Lord. Therefore, some exertion on our part is essential to carry on this meeting with God. The liturgy is our work, too.

Given, that liturgy is our work, we must take into consideration some points so that we would appreciate more our being part of the liturgical celebration. First, we must know and, as far as possible, understand what is going on in the liturgy; we may need to undertake some study and reflection on this. Sacrosanctum Concilium emphasized that the bishops and priests have the central responsibility to educate the faithful concerning liturgy simply because of competence. Through continuous education or catechesis, the whole people of God would consequently become authentic worshippers both in mind and in body. Secondly, we should know something about the symbols used in the celebration and their significance; some examples of these are the baptismal candle and white garment, the flowing water, the oil of Confirmation and the laying of the hands. The same applies to the actual ritual celebration; it is not haphazard, it has meaning and purpose. A conscious effort to participate will mean joining in the common prayers and singing, listening to the readings and their explanation and trying to focus our minds and hearts on the celebration.

Moreover, the liturgy, then, is rightly seen as “an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ. It involves the presentation of man’s sanctification under the guise of signs perceptible by the senses and its accomplishment in ways appropriate to each of these signs. In it full public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Head and his members.” (SC, 7)

I can still remember what my liturgy professor taught us then during my college formation years, that liturgy has two fundamental and essential dimensions – the “upward” dimension and the “downward” dimension. The “upward” dimension refers to the act of worship we give to the Lord, the glorification of our almighty God. This is expressed by our full, active and conscious participation in each liturgical celebration. On the other hand, the “downward” dimension refers to the act proper to God as His response to our sublime act of worship. This “downward” dimension is none other than our own sanctification, the outpouring of God’s grace on us, His beloved children. It is through our full, active and conscious participation that we are drawn towards a closer union and greater intimacy with our Lord, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist where our Lord and Savior is truly and substantially present under the appearance of the bread and wine. I can, therefore, say that in the liturgy, the “work of the people” is brought into perfection through “God’s work.” Liturgy, for that reason, is our response to God’s invitation to holiness and God’s response to our cooperation in his salvific plan.

Vatican II’s Sacrosanctum Concilium is indeed an opportunity of encounter with the living God. Through its theological, spiritual and pastoral implications, the people of God becomes a part of God’s story, not apart of it, or a part of the audience, but each Christian becomes a protagonist in God’s great story of salvation. All we need to do is to respond positively to this sublime invitation.

The challenge for us, then, in every liturgical celebration that we take part of is to share the fruits of what we have experienced. This is our mission as a Church; this is really the fulfillment of “our work” and the “work of God” for the building of His Kingdom here on earth.

The rule is quite simple: we shall get out of the liturgy what we put into it.

THE HUMAN PERSON

"Man is precisely a person because he is master of himself and has self-control. Indeed, insofar as he is master of himself he can ‘give himself to the other’."
- Pope John Paul II


I. INTRODUCTION


In Crossing the Threshold of Hope, Vittorio Messori asks the Holy Father what exactly he meant by his oft repeated emphasis on "human dignity". In his answer, John Paul II recalled his "involvement with young people who asked me questions." And what did they ask this remarkable Polish priest? He was surprised that they did not ask him "about the existence of God." Rather they wanted to know "about how to live, how to face and resolve problems of love and marriage, not to mention problems related to work." As he recalled these conversations with young men and women in his homeland, just after the German occupation, Karol Wojtyla realized that their doubts and questions indicated to him "the way," the inspiration for the major themes of his own intellectual life. Out of these encounters his book Love and Responsibility was born and later, the more theoretical work of Karol Wojtyla, The Acting Person. His living background is something that shines through in almost everything he writes, in his addresses, lectures, encyclicals, and letters.

This humble work is a fruit of a series of reflection on the dignity of human person. What is a human person? Who is he?


II. REFLECTION


As we all know in our studies, the notion of "person" had a long and complicated history going back through Augustine and Aquinas and to early controversies over Trinitarian theology in which the inner life of God was explained in terms of differing Persons in one God. We knew that the Incarnation was likewise explained in terms of person, that Christ was the Second Person of the Trinity made Man. We had learned the philosophical definition of person from the late Roman philosopher Boethius, that a person is an "individual substance of a rational nature." With these explanations precisely of the dignity of the human person, we could say that his dignity is something irreducible, unique, unrepeatable, the source of action and volition.

The world is composed of incarnate persons. Each has an inner life in which he fashions his own awareness of what he knows and what he is. He is also to relate himself to other persons, ultimately including the divine Persons, in all their human and spiritual dimensions. Person, with its Trinitarian origins, already implies otherness. We are not solitary beings. It is not without accident that the Holy Spirit is spoken of as "Gift." The Holy Spirit is likewise the point at which a God, Who is complete in Himself, can look outward, but with no inner necessity, to create freely what is not Himself, yet something that is intended to return to Himself.

The man of today often lacks the sense of the transcendental, of supernatural realities, of something that is beyond him. Man cannot live without something that goes further, that is beyond him. Man lives his life if he is aware of this; if he must always go beyond himself, transcend himself. This transcendence is deeply inscribed in the human constitution of the person.

This sense of what transcends the person also indicates the person's own dignity. An accurate understanding of the human person is the central point of every relationship that he will encounter, be it in family or society. Consequently, he has seen the need to explain the person, as someone who is capable of loving and for whom love constitutes the purpose of his existence.

But the reason why this purpose constitutes the core of human existence, the full revelation of man to himself, is because he is initially created in the image and likeness of God. Man is not God, but as the being he is, is called to live in God's very love. The early historical reflections about person did not usually attribute personality to man, only to God. What seems to be the fruit and core of the Christian belief is that the word person is the best one also to describe what man is. Once a man knows himself, knows that he has a transcendent destiny, what remains is for him to become what he is. Our understanding of the human person leads naturally to that same unique person's deciding in his freedom whether he will accept the gift of his own reality and its destiny.



III. CONCLUSION


Human beings not only determine their own activities but also determine themselves in terms of a most essential quality. Through self-determination, the human being becomes increasingly more of a "someone" in the ethical sense, although in the ontological sense the human being is a "someone" from the very beginning. Therefore, we need to preserve and protect the dignity and the rights of every person beginning from the time of his conception until the time when he breathes his last.

HOLY ROMANCE

Embrace my soul with your tender and gentle arms,
and put close to my minute ears
your mouth, sweeter than a sampaguita.

Oh! I can feel the warmth of every breath you let go
drawn from the deepest recesses of your lungs,
enveloped with the comforting words
which give life and confer death.

Slowly lay your blazing lips on my brow
And moist my trembling lips with a few drops of your dribble.

Allow my sweat of affection to emerge from my flesh,
with the mutual flow of my murky tears,
until I drown...
and my gulp of air is brought to an end.

Please, do not loose your clasp on my frail hands...
Please, do not take away your body from my rock-strewn heart...
Please, do not remove your lips from their resting place...

Since...

I no longer want to let this night with you come to an end...
I no longer want to let this hours of encounter leave me...

romancing with you...

in the tabernacle...

THE FILIPINO PILOSOPO

I. INTRODUCTION


Any child in a society learns from his earliest moments to conform to cultural expectations as to how he should behave. He is rewarded for following the rules by a measure of approval, and punished for ignoring the rules by the measure of social disapproval. Signs of approval may range from his mother’s smile to a medal pinned on his shirt by the school principal; social disapproval may run the gamut of a frown to physical punishment in the form of a severe beating administered by an angry parent. Conformity is thus imposed on the individual in all societies. The range of deviation permitted, however, differs from one society to the next.

This research is an attempt to have a closer look on one of the Filipino attitudes of not being in conformity to these existing norms, whether be it in the family, in a certain rural community or in the whole society. This undesirable status given to a nonconformist is PILOSOPO.

II. EXPOSITION

The Filipino sees himself as a member of a group and channels his behavior in terms of that group. If he is to remain part of it, he cannot exhibit independence of it. One of the attitudes which support this system in our society is the commitment to pakikisama. The friendly person who constantly goes along with the wishes of the group even when he may have a conflicting duty to some importance to take care of is termed magaling makisama or one who gets along well with people. However, if one deviates from the ideas of the group and his principles would not conform to the norms practiced or followed by the members of the society is branded as a pilosopo.

The pilosopo is one of the undesirable statuses given to a nonconformist. The pilosopo in a rural community is the person who questions prevailing ideas or opinions and is not readily willing to concede the wisdom or accuracy of another person’s statements. He tends to have all the answers regardless of the extent of his knowledge of the subject under discussion, and takes on the role of local critic on events in the barrio and news filtering into it from the outside world. He not only frequently refuses to participate in group events, but also finds innumerable objections as to why anyone else should participate in them. He is not revered as a person of knowledge, but rather laughed at as an obstructionist par excellence, a person who argues merely for the sake of argument. He is referred to as pilosopo behind his back, for to call him that to his face is tantamount to insult.

By derivative then, would be any one who persistently pushes his ideas or beliefs, who remains a holdout refusing to bend to the group’s opinions might be termed pilosopo. If a person tries to make a point which differs from the prevailing group idea, his listeners may accuse or tease him with “namimilosopo lang” (“just being pilosopo”). This implies that his argument stems from any intrinsic merit he sees in an idea, but from the desire to be different, to be an obstructionist, and perhaps to hear himself talk. In this type of cultural milieu, it is easy to see how creativity and a new idea can so easily be stifled in favor of compliance with the group’s opinions and will.

A a pilosopo, for many, has a negative connotation especially to the oldies. A pilosopo is considered to be someone who is out of his mind. However, there are also pilosopo’s who deviates from the group’s beliefs and ideas due to reasonable causes. One instance is not practicing the so many superstitious beliefs of our parents or grandparents. Giving them our explanations of not doing such is risking ourselves being called a pilosopo.

III. CONCLUSION

The pressure for conformity described above is difficult for the lone individual to resist. Yet, if Philippine society is to keep in step with new needs, it must provide channels for legitimate deviation. Although some channels already exist, more people must be freed, not from all the old familiar norms, but from those traditional patterns which have become dysfunctional in a developing society. How can this be achieved?

A sociologist once has stated; “ The more a member values an activity incompatible with conformity, and the more valuable are his sources of social approval other than the conformers in his group, the less likely he is to conform: a companion in misery is still a companion”. The implications of his statement for the Philippine society are clear. If we are to develop Filipinos who dare to deviate from norms, which do not seem to fit in the twenty-first century context, we must make sure these deviants get their reward of social approval by helping them find others of their own kind.

The agricultural graduate returning to the barrio must have the company of people like himself. If he is the first of his kind there, he will often find disheartening the process of trying to influence some of his barriomates to adopt his new agricultural techniques and attitudes. He should therefore be encouraged to seek out his counterparts in the neighboring area in an effort to develop closer personal ties with them. So, too, must the scholar returning from studies in Metro Manila or abroad and the like.

Banded together into a new barkada, or in-group, by a set of common, non-traditional but necessary values, these badly-needed deviants will reward one another for their new type of behavior by giving their companions the social approval they seek. Each can now afford to ignore the pressures for conformity to certain old ways and to risk the disapproval of his former in-group by finding security in this new breed of Filipinos. He will not have to forego the invigorating reward of social approval so necessary to every man. Rather, he will receive it from the few people like himself with a personal commitment to the need for change stemming from conviction that their country will be the better for it.

Being a pilosopo is not always a bad Filipino status. As long as one gives his ideas and principles with the end view of helping others, the members of his in-group, and not to intentionally contradict the reasonable norms of the group by being an obstructionist.

“Tell the World of His Love”

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)


The sending of the Son, Jesus Christ, by the Father is the foundation of our Christian concept of Mission. Jesus reveals God as a loving Father, whose desire is to save and not to condemn. However, there is another view that we should consider in order to understand more what Mission is. Mission also reveals humanity as Jesus’ own home, as children loved by the Father in the Son. In other words, Jesus’ incarnation, God’s sending of His only-begotten Son, is a two-fold revelation – a revelation of who God is and who we are.

Jesus’ becoming man, reveals a God who is not distant from humanity but one who is with us, among us, in solidarity with humanity, especially the poor and little ones. This is easily understood in how Jesus worked out his mission in identification with men and women in their specific life conditions, their longings, sufferings, failures and hopes.

In line with this sublime view, we, being part of Jesus’ Church whose primordial character and identity is missionary, need to be serious in our response to the task which we have promised to God during our baptism. This task is none other than Evangelization, the proclamation of God’s Kingdom.

But, the question is: how are we going to carry out this magnificent task?

The mission of the Church rests on proclaiming by witness of life, word, relationships and structures, God and God’s reign. This proclamation does not solely focus on God but must include, as an indispensable component, the message about what humanity is all about. Mission work must not be placed side by side with our idea of going to different far-flung territories proselytizing, but must be put in the context of entering into the so-called human space. This is the true concern of mission, entering into human lives, walking with the people as Christ did, owning the people’s thirsts, hunger and longings in life.

Being an authentic Christian is validating our baptismal promises. We should never be afraid of the challenge of our baptism. To be a missionary is to be like Jesus, emptying oneself in order to tell the world of God’s Love.

OROG LUGOD...

Orog lugod na nalugadan
an sakong abaga kan an kahoy na ini saimong ipinapasan...

Orog lugod na natusok
an sakong pandok kan hadukan ko an saimong pisngi...

Orog lugod na nadigtaan
an sakong gubing kan kugoson ko an saimong hawak...

Alagad,

orog sa gabos...

natawan lugod ako nin buhay kan iiba mo ako sa kagadanan.

AN BIKOLANONG NAGUEÑO

Kun an pag-oorolayan nyato iyo an pagigin-Pilipino, malaog sa satuyang mga isip an manlaen-laen na grupo nin mga tawo na nagkakasararo maski na ngani igwa nin manlaen-laen na kultura. An nagsasaro kan mga suanoy na mga kulturang ini iyo an dugo, lenggwahe, sarong panghistorikong eksperiencia, patriyotismo asin an tunay na espiritu nin pagkamoot sa buhay.

An mga Bikolano saro sa mga suanoy na grupong ini na minimidbid na igwa kan mayamanon asin magayonon na kultura magpoon sa relihiyosidad, lenggwahe, panghistorikong eksperiencia, sistema nin pag-uugali, pagtubod asin iba pa.

Sa halawig na panahon, midbid na an mga Bikolano sa saindang debosyon sa Mahal na Ina nin Peñafrancia. An debosyon ki “Ina” yaon sa puso kan kadaklan na Bikolano. Alagad an pagiging Bikolano bako lang an pagkakaigwa nin debosyon ki “Ina”. Igwa pa kitang dapat na maaraman manonongod sa pagkatawo kan Bikolano. Siisay man nanggad siya? Siisay an Bikolano?

Sa satuyang padagos na paghanap kan kasimbagan sa kahapotan na ini, orog nyatong masasabotan kun siisay man nanggad an Bikolano kun satuyang mimidbidon an Bikolano sa lugar na kun saen tinatawan nin dakulang importancia an “puso”, an burabod nin pagkamoot. Siisay an Bikolano sa lugar na inaapod na “Puso kan Bikolandia”? Kun an puso simbolo nin pagkamoot, siisay an Bikolano sa lugar nin pagkamoot? An Naga inaapod na “Puso kan Bikol”. Siisay an Bikolanong Nagueño?

Sa laog nin mga 430 na taon poon na an lugar na ini dayuhon kan mga misyonero, nahiling kan panahon an padagos na pagbabago sa lawog nin mga Bikolanong Nagueño. Sa laog nin haloy na panahon sagkod ngonyan, an lugar na ini na yaon sa may Salog nin Bikol danay an pagtalubo sa karahayan asin kauswagan sa buhay. Kan napadigdi an mga Kastila kan mga taon 1576, an lugar na ini nagpahiling na kan kauswagan, padagos na naghiro pasiring sa karahayan sa manlaen-laen na aspekto kan pagkabuhay – sa simbahan, sa gobyerno, sa komersyo, asin iba pa. Kan nagkaigwa nin Rebolusyon tumang sa mga mapang-abusong Kastila, an mga tawo sa lugar na ini iyo an mga nagkapira sa mga nangenotan sa paghagad nin reporma. Kan napadigdi an mga Amerikano, an mga tawo sa lugar na ini naghingowa na mapakarhay an pagkabuhay na may pagsarig sa sistema kan demokrasya. Para sakuya, inapod an lugar na “Puso kan Bikolandia” bako lang nin huli sa geograpiya o kinamumugtakan kan lugar. Para sakuya, inapod an lugar na “Puso kan Bikolandia” nin huli ta may buhay na padagos na naghihiro, nagtatalubo sa kauswagan, sa pagpadanay kan karahayan, asin pakikipaglaban sa karatan. Kauswagan asin karahayan – masasabing mga importanteng elemento ini kan presencia nin pagkamoot sa buhay.

Siisay an Bikolanong Nagueño?

Siya an Bikolano sa lugar na tinatawan nin duon an kauswagan, karahayan, an pagkamoot.

An Nagueño sarong Bikolano na igwang dakulang pagkamoot sa katoninongan. Kan magkaigwa nin Rebolusyon, kadaklan kan mga tawo sa lugar na ini an nagmawot nin katoninongan bako an kariribokan. An Nagueño – yaon an pagkamabuot, an pagkamatoninong. Sagkod ngonian, an lugar na ini, an Naga, masasabing toninong na lugar, hababa an kriminalidad, kadakul an nagtitinarabang-tabangan tanganing papagdanayon an katoninongan.

Nasasabi sa kasaysayan kan Bikol, kan an mga Kastila yaon pa sa Naga, sa laog nin 300 na taon, an matoninong na lugar na ini saro sa igwa nin pinakahababang numero nin insidente nin ano man na klase nin kriminalidad. Totoo man naggad na an mga Bikolanong Nagueño mapagpatoninong, bunga kan sarong disiplinadong komunidad asin maboboot na namamanwaan.

An Nagueño man sarong Bikolano na magalang sa mga nakakagurang asin may pagkuyog sa gobyerno. An Bikolanong Nagueño naghihingowa na mapakusog an pag-iribahan. Igwa siya nin “utang na boot”. Tinatawan niya nin importancia an pagpasalamat. An pagsarig sa karahayan, sa kauswagan, an pagkamoot, an paggalang, an pagpasalamat – an mga ini nagtatao man nanggad nin kaogmahan. Tama man nanggad na apodon an Naga bilang “Maogmang Lugar” nin huli kan mga tawong nag-oogma sa karahayan kan saindang pag-uugali.

Tamang kakusugan nin boot. Ini saro pa sa mga katangian kan Bikolanong Nagueño na orog na naipahiling kan panahon nin Rebolusyon. An Quince Martirez nin Naga asin Camarines Sur asin iba pang mga rebolusyonaryo asin propagandista, arog baga ni Tomas Arejola, na mayong takot na inatubang an kagadanan o ano man na pagsakit tanganing panindugan sana an saindang mga prinsipyo bilang mga Pilipino, bilang mga Bikolano, bilang mga namamanwaan sa Naga na dai natatakot na maghiro tanganing haleon an karatan.

An Nagueño sarong Bikolano na kugos si “Ina”, Birhen nin Peñafrancia. An debosyon na ini nakaabot digdi sa Bikol nin huli ki Padre Miguel Robles de Cuvarrubias. An Bikolanong Nagueño may puso, may pagkamoot, nag-oogma nin huli sa sarong “Ina” na nag-aataman saiya. Yaon si Virgen de Peñafrancia sa maogmang lugar na inaapod man na “Puso kan Bikolandia”. An kadaklan kan mga Bikolanong Nagueño nagmimidbid ki “Ina”, namomoot saiya, asin sa paaging ini matabangan siya sa paghingowang magpaka-banal.




Siisay an Bikolanong Nagueño?

An Bikolanong Nagueño may pagkamoot, maboot, mapagpatoninong, magalang, may pakikiiba sa kapwa, may kusog-buot asin orog sa gabos igwang dakulang pagkamoot ki “Ina”. An gabos na ini nagtatao nin kaogmahan saiya.

An Bikolanong Nagueño may pusong orog na pinapayaman, may kaogmahan na orog na tinatawan nin kahulugan, may pagtubod, may “Ina” na orog na namomotan.

Sa Bikolanong Nagueño, saludo ako!

PULANG SUTANA

Mula sa bintana ng antigong kapilya
tumagos sa puting kurtina
ang mapulang hamog ng takipsilim
na dahan-dahang pumukaw
sa nahihimlay na pusong matagal nang uhaw.

Tumayo sa pagkasubsob sa kumikinang na retablo
upang matunton kung saan bumubukal ito;
sinuyod ang bawat sulok ng mabangis na kagubatan
na walang bitbit kahit ano man
maski anino ng iniwang simbahan.

Pagdating sa dalampasigan, agad na tinapakan
ang pisngi ng nahihimbing na karagatan;
naramdaman na lamang ang kakaibang lamig
at sabay pinawi ang nag-aapoy na kabanalan
na para sa mga anghel lamang nakalaan.

Habang nasa tuktok ng tinatamasang katiwasayan
unti-unting ring natatakluban
at tuluyan na ring binalot
ang matagal nang suot na sutana
na ngayo'y niyakap na ng hamog na pula.

KADUROG

Kugoson mo an sakong kalag
kan saimong malumoy na mga takyag,
asin irani mo sa sakong mga sadit na talinga
an saimong ngosong an hamot orog pa sa sampaguita.

Oh! Mate ko an init kan saimong hinangos
hale sa kairaroman kan saimong daghan,
patos kan mga mahamis na tataramon
na minahaman nin buhay asin minabunga nin kagadanan.

Luhay-luhay mong iduta an saimong naglalaad
na mga ngimot sa sakong angog,
asin lahidan mo nin dikit na laway an
sakuyang mga ngabil na tinatakigan nin orog.

Togotan mong paboloson sa sakong hawak an ganot nin pagranga,
kasabay an pagturo kan sakong mga maiitom na luha,
sagkod na ako malamos...
asin mapatod an sakong sadiring hinangos.

Dai mo man tabi pagbutasan an sakong mga lapisay na mga kamot...
Dai mo man tabi pagtugotan na irayo an
saimong hawak sa matagas kong puso...
Dai mo man tabi paghaleon an
saimong mga ngabil sa saindang pinapahengaloan...

Nin huli ta...

habo ko nang matapos an bangging ini na ika kaibahan ko...
habo ko nang matapos an bangging ini na kadurog taka...

sa...

tabernakulo...

“ANG PARI: TAGAPAGTANGGOL NG KATOTOHANAN,

“SUNDIN NATIN ANG ATING MGA OBISPO!”
Ito ang sigaw ng isang streamer sa tabi ng kahabaan ng España, Maynila, makaraan lamang na ipalabas ng Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) ang kanilang pahayag patungkol sa isang kontobersyal na isyu na kinasasangkutan mismo ng Pangulo ng ating bansa.
Bakit kaya ganito na lamang katindi ang sigaw ng sambayanang Pilipino?
Sino ba ang ating mga Obispo at mga kaparian na nararapat nating sundin at pakinggan? Sa gitna ng mga kaguluhang dulot ng iba’t-ibang mga karahasang kinakitaan ng pagsisinungaling at pandaraya, sino pa kaya ang mahihilingan ng ating mga kababayan ng tunay na “liwanag” sa kadilimang bumabalot sa mukha ng ating bansa? Ang ating mga kaparian ba? Sino nga ba sila sa ating lipunan?
Ang PARI…gawa sa babasaging sisidlan na pinuno ng biyaya ng Maykapal; linilok ng mga mahabaging kamay ni Bathala upang maging kaanyo ng Kanyang maawaing puso; daluyan ng mapagkalingang hininga ng buhay upang magbigay lakas sa mga kaluluwang uhaw at nagugutom; tinawag ng Panginoon sa kabanalan upang magsilbing mga kamay Niya sa pagpapamalas ng Kanyang pagmamahal; at tagapagtanggol ng katotohanan sapagkat dala niya ang KATOTOHANAN. Ito ay ilan lamang sa mga pagpapakahulugan sa isang pari bilang alagad ng Diyos sa mundo.
Noong nakaraang buwan, lahat tayo ay nasabik sa ipinalabas na pahayag ng CBCP sapagkat bilang sambayanang Kristiyano, naniniwala tayo na ang kanilang pahayag ay pahayag na rin ng Diyos para sa atin, dahil dala nila ang katotohanang bunga, hindi lamang ng mahabang panahon ng kanilang pagninilay at pag-aaral ng pilosopiya at teyolohiya, kundi ng karunungan ng Diyos na tanging Siya lamang ang pinagmumulan. Marami man ang tumutol sa pahayag ng mga Obispo at mga kaparian, hindi natin maipagkakaila na sila pa rin ang tagapagdala ng katotohanan, sila ang tagapagtanggol nito na kanilang sinumpaan mula pa nang sila ay dumapa sa harapan ng altar at sumagot sa panawagan ng Panginoon, ang natatanging bukal ng Katotohanan.
Oo nga, sila ang tagapagdala at tagapagtanggol ng katotohanan subalit sila ay hindi mga Superman o mga diyos na dapat sambahin. Ang mga pari ay tulad din natin. Pinili nga sila ng Diyos, espesyal ika nga, subalit sila’y may buto’t balat din tulad natin, lapat din ang kanilang mga talampakan sa lupa at mayroon din silang pansariling kahinaan. Tao din sila. At dahil dito, sila’y karamay natin sa lahat ng bagay sapagkat sila’y galing sa atin, sa sambayanang hinabi ng kultura at paniniwala. Sa atin sila galing, sa atin din sila ibinibigay ng Diyos bilang mga regalo na maghahasik ng Kanyang pagmamahal.
Dahil dito, ang paghihirap natin ay paghihirap din nila at ang kaligayahan natin ay kaligayahan din nila. Ang mga pari ay tunay na kadugo, kapuso at kapamilya nating lahat.
Sa pamilya ng sambayanang Pilipino, ang mga kaparian ang kinikilala nating mga AMA sapagkat sila ang nagsisilbi sa ating mga tagagabay, mga pastol, upang malaman natin kung alin ang tama at mali, kung alin ang nararapat at di-nararapat, nang sa gayo’y marating natin ang isang magandang kinabukasan. Bilang mga ama, sila ang nagsisilbing tagapag-aruga ng moral at espirituwal na aspekto ng ating buhay. Kung ang mga magulang sa isang pamilya ang namamagitan sa alitan ng kanilang mga anak, ang mga pari rin ang nagsisilbing tagapamagitan sa alitan ng kanilang mga inaalagaang tupa. Sila ang tagapayo, tagagabay at tagapamagitan sa pamilya upang panatilihin ang pagkakaisa at papag-ibayuhin ang pagkakaunawaan sa bawat isa sa atin.
Ang bansa natin ngayon, malungkot mang isipin, ay ‘di lamang lugmok sa kahirapan kundi sugatan na rin dahil sa mga kasinungalingan at pandaraya. Watak-watak na tayo bilang isang pamilya ng Diyos. Tayo’y nabubulag na rin dahil sa mga makasariling pagnanasa at kasakiman sa pera, kapangyarihan at katanyagan. Tayo’y bulag at pipi na rin na ‘di na tuloy malaman kung saan patutungo. Tayo ay sugatan hindi lamang sa isip at sa katawan kundi pati na rin sa kaluluwa. Ang paggawa ng kasalanan ay nagiging ordinaryo na lamang sa atin sapagkat ginagawa ito ng nakararami lalo na ng mga taong kinikilala nating mga “huwaran” at ang paggawa ng kabutihan ay hindi na uso sa panahon na nararapat na lamang ibasura at burahin sa ating mga isipan.
Subalit, sa gitna ng lahat ng ito, mahirap mang tanggapin, ang mga sugat ng ating naghihingalong bansa ay tiyak na may pag-asa pa ring maghilom. Kung ang katotohanan lamang sana na tanging ipinaglalaban ng ating mga kaparian ang mananaig, ‘di tayo magkakaganito.
“SUNDIN NATIN ANG ATING MGA OBISPO!”
Ito ang isinisigaw pa rin ng sambayanang Pilipino. Kung naniniwala tayo na ang ating mga kaparian ang inatasan ng Diyos na maghatid at magpahayag ng Kanyang Salita, sundin natin sila. Sila “ang tinig sa kalawakan”, ang tagapagtanggol ng katotohanan. Sila ay kapamilya natin at handa silang tumulong sa paghilom ng ating sugatang bansa sapagkat sila rin ay sugatan tulad natin. Sila ay mga Pilipino rin. Kasama, kaisa at kasangga natin sila sa paglalakbay patungo sa pambansang paghilom at pagkakaisa.
HALINA’T MAKIISA!