Virtual Community is real community

       As we all know the advancement of technology has become a means  communication of some people especially to the youth in the present time. It is there means communicating to somebody who is close them. It is a way of giving oneself to the other through virtual reality as an expression of friendship or love. I myself have this kind of attitude of communicating through virtual communication because I can express about thoughts towards to the person rather than facing the person. Like what I have written here, giving my thoughts about the “Virtual Community is Real Community”. Moreover, this could be an helpful tool to communicate someone in order to be in touch with them. Sometimes it can be a tendency of dwelling to much in the virtual world because it may harm the actual relationship of knowing each other. But if the person expresses his feelings through virtual communication, well, I cannot judge him because he has his own way of communicating others.

   Thus, virtual community has its way of giving people to communicate others. this a way of presenting him/herself of who he/she is. For me as a seminarian I also make use of the virtual communication in my future ministry but I must do my duties also not only for one thing but has a whole. It must be holistic because in actual communication also everything that you experience helps you to know yourself, and your purpose in life. In addition, In relating to other people you must be with them.      

A THING CALLED LOVE

“As the Father loves me, I also love you. Remain in my love”, this is some of the lines in John 15: 9-17. He reminds me that I must remain in his love to inherent Gods love through Jesus Christ. As I love him, I also love others in order to keep the will of God to me that the will that I may love with his commandments. 

In the reading of John 15: 9-17, it expresses the love of God to me and to others. As I love God, He Commanded me to share or spread the love to my brothers and sisters especially to those who need help physically and spiritually. When I was still in the seminary I share my love to the seminarians of being available to them. There was also a time in the seminary when I donated my blood to the sick person without any return. I saw the guardian of that sick person cried because of the great joy that I helped his sick patient. I felt inspired of the love of the guardian to his patient because he sacrificed for the sake of his patient. God’s love can be given to me in a different way. I will just do my best to cherish this love for the betterment of my life.

As a faithful, I am obliged to respond His commandments because it is a journey to become a holistic being. I am committed also to follow his commands especially to attain my goal to become a priest someday.   

FAVOR? HMNNNN.....

Q: A person asks you a favor to do something and then you do it. You asked the same person a favor for your sake but, he did not do it. Is the person right in not complementing to the help given by you or not?

           I will not say it is right or wrong; it can either be right or wrong depending on the many reasons which give rise to such an act. First, it is right because maybe he doesn’t want to do the favor that you have asked from him. Maybe he cannot do such a thing because he has other schedule to attend or maybe he doesn’t like you. Moreover, maybe he is just jealous of something that you have, and then it triggers him not to do your favor.

         

      Second, it is wrong because you have to repay him in order to show thankfulness to him. It is an act of gratitude that you helped him, and you repay him by helping him in his needs. To paying back something is also an initiative to give him back a favor. It displeases me when somebody did not help him back when he needs help.

Well, my realization is a person cannot tell him that he will repay him back because he doesn’t own him. A person has its own way of repaying it and we cannot judge people if it is their decision not to return the favor. Maybe his personal background may affect the way he does. Such as when he was a child he/she always help by somebody, and he does not used to return the favor. When he/she reach adulthood he still doing it the way he does. But remember not all people don’t want a return for the favor given. There are also people who want to pay them back as they help you.

You, as a reader of this article, may have something to say about it, maybe you have experiences of some sort that you could share in this article; just write it in the comment box.

 I did not write this article because I am right but because I experienced this and it bothers me sometimes.  

Pope Francis meets the Filipinos

It is a great privilege for Filipinos to be visited by Pope Francis, especially for those who were affected by the typhoon Yolanda. It is also a privilege that gives Filipinos opportunity to meet the Holy Father; an opportunity which cannot be replaced because it is a-once-in-a-lifetime. Being a Filipino I am very happy that the Pope will be in the Philippines. Even though I cannot personally touch him but I am satisfied that I could see him on TV where he is together with my fellow countrymen. The visit of Pope Francis in the Philippines reminds me that Jesus Christ is always with us. Jesus is not only with the elite people but he is in each one of us, protecting and guiding us as we continue our living here on earth. For Pope Francis, it doesn't matter if we are poor or rich, for him the important thing is one’s faith in God. Pope Francis is an instrument of God. Moreover, Pope Francis is doing his responsibilities fruitfully in spreading the good news by being visible to the people. Thus, as children of God we must able to be open ourselves to others; openness to one’s heart in order to share what we have. If we can do it, we are also imitating Jesus as he shares his love to the people. As we prepare ourselves to meet the Pope, we pray for his safe travel. I believe that he will share to us Filipinos some reminders for us to live an authentic Christian life and to live sympathetic to the plight of our fellow Filipinos.

November 26, 2014

The Gospel of Lk 21:12-19

         

      Reflection: 

      In today’s gospel Jesus teaches us how we face our challenges in life. as we live in the world, it is our responsibility to do something for betterment of one’s life. Jesus teaches us to trust in him that we can do something according to our talents and abilities. It is also a call for us that we should persevere in order to achieve our goal.  Sometimes our weaknesses hinder us but we should remember God entrusted each one of us a particular gift in order to nourish and development it. 

        Thus, If we work it out this gift as we live in the world, we are guaranteed that God will be satisfied in doing the best of what we can do for the life that is given to us

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"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

                                                                       -Martin Luther King, Jr.

November 25, 2014, tuesday

The Gospel of Luke 21:5-11

Reflection:

In today’s gospel Jesus teaches us how we live our lives at the present not what will happen tomorrow. The important thing here is how we can do the now because it will show us what will be our future. If we will not do our best in the present time, our goal in life will not be achieved. Sometimes our fear hinders us to continue our goal but we should remember that God is with us in everything that we do.

I would like to site a quote from the movie Kung Fu Panda.

It goes this way:

Po: Maybe I should just quit and go back to making noodles.

Oogway: Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present."

THE CARING WORD OF GOD

THE CARING WORD OF GOD

The apostolic exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI talks about how important is the Word of God to our everyday life. The Holy Father asserts that the Word of God must be treated full respect because it gave us the thoughts of God’s works throughout the history until the present time. It also shows how can we be closer to Him, and may enlighten us to encounter our different trials and difficulties.

Pope Benedict XVI wrote also this kind of exhortation because of the time that we are facing in the present time. Some of us are not conscious of the Word of God; they are just taken it for granted. They never think of how important the message of God is. Some of us ignore such Word of God because they have the lack of appreciation, and reverence to the Father. They ignore it because of different events that emerge in our society today such as the rise of technologies. The new age also affects the miss interpretation of the Word of God that’s why there are a lot of different religious sects in the present. Pope Benedict XVI wrote the possible solution in today’s problem that the church faces. One of this is through preaching the Word of God fervently and precise so that the people may fully understand it. The mission of the church is to elaborate each of the Word of God Carefully to value the good works of God. We all know that it takes time to understand the message but the important is that we gradually grasp the good deeds that are given, and to live it. The responsibility given by us from the Heavenly Father is in our hands to share the good works of Jesus Christ. Each one of us is entrusted to take it seriously so that we may not fear the threats that are ahead of us.

It is also written in the exhortation there must be an inter-religious dialogue to ensure that we are one even though we have different religion. For example here in the Philippines we have different religious sects but we must be able to connect to each other as one nation. It is also our duty as a Christian to share on what we have learned on what we believe to those people who doesn’t have faith in God.

The letter that I have read leads me to the reflection that I need to deepen my understanding about my faith because of the fears. The fear of what will happen to me in the future; the fear of what will I do for that situations; and the fear of what will they say about me. I felt this kind of feeling because I have the lack of trust to God. That’s why there is still continuous understanding about my faith to God, and I consider myself to listen more carefully the Word of God. The Word of God is really a tool which I can use for the betterment of my life. For example in the book of Job, Job didn’t let go his faith to God even though he suffers from different trials and difficulties that is given to him. Job has still the faith that he will be protected from all of the troubles that he encountered. The faith of God still remains in Job because he knows that God loves him.

The story of Job inspires me to continue my vocation to the Priesthood no matter what it takes. Though I have this anxiety, but I still have the courage that I can do my responsibilities. I will face the challenges that are given to me because God knows that I can do it. I may have downfalls in my experiences but I keep on standing up, and work it out again for the sake of my goal in life. I will just remember that God loves me as I am. The book of job is only one of the many teachings of the word of God that I have experienced. I have a lot more of the experiences that I have towards the Word of God. That’s why it is important that I need to listen the word of God because it teaches me how I may able to do my good deeds in life. It enables me also to remind that He is always besides me whenever I go. I just need to acknowledge Him that he is there helping me as I face our challenges. I just need to be silent for a while, and listen to God as he talks to me of what I can do for my life, and how can I handle it.

Therefore, God is alive, and He is always with me, and He never forgets me wherever I go.  Through the word of God that makes me remember that He is there present in me. I cannot see Him physically but I felt His never ending love to me. I need to give importance to the word of God, and to be conscious enough that I will not just listen to it but to do what is right to value it. I just need to contemplate of what I have heard or read so that I may deepen my faith, and know more about the God that I believed.