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A Few More
Minutes with
Father:
Meditations on
Our Life as
Catholic
Christians
By Father
Allan Fenix |
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MESSAGE
OF THANKS... |
To our late father, + Jose
( Lee Tian Si
); mother,
Zenaida;
siblings, Lee
Cai Fong,
Micaela,
Nieves,
Mercedez, Lea,
Galo, Vilma,
Henry, Conrad;
nephew and
nieces, Ethan,
Selena, Erika,
Alyssa and
Gabrielle.
A grateful thanks to Mr.
and Mrs. Phil
and Jean Ropp
of radionewjerusalem.net,
without whom
this book
would not have
been possible.
To our dear Archbishop, + Most Rev. Msgr. Rolando
Tria Tirona,
O.C.D., D.D. ,
our late
Archbishop +
Most Rev.
Msgr. Leonardo
Z. Legaspi,
O.P., D.D.,
who inspired
me greatly to
keep on
writing and,
of course, to
all of the
brother-clergy
of the
Archdiocese of
Caceres, City
of Naga.
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FORWARD |
We
all believe
that the Word
of God,
written and
preserved in
Sacred
Scriptures, is
alive. In the
past it has
spoken and
today
continues
speak to the
depths our
hearts in our
day to day
human
experience.
This is
amazing,
indeed. After
all these
words have
been spoken
and written
thousands of
years ago, and
yet remain
fresh and
crisp, like
the aroma of
brewing coffee
in the
morning. It
continues to
touch our
lives, not so
much in
dramatic,
earthshaking
ways but even
in the soft
whisper of the
breeze, as the
prophet Elijah
realized.
Father
Allan's
present work,
a continuation
of what he
started
decades ago,
is a valuable
collection of
moments, which
through the
ordinary
events of
life, become
touchstones
for a venture
to the depths
of the wisdom
of God's Word
that never
ceases to work
wonders, even
in this
distorted and
perverted
world today.
May this serve
to open our
hearts to
welcome God
speaking to
us, he the
almighty who
uttered the
Word to become
like us to
make us worthy
children of a
loving and
merciful
Father.
Msgr
Rodel M. Cajot
Vicar
General
Archdiocese
of
Caceres
Naga
City,
Philippines
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PREFACE |
Whenever I go to the city
for our
monthly
general
assembly and
other
important
occasions, it
is my habit to
stay at the
Basilica of
Our Lady of
Penafrancia
where are
found the
retired and
sick priests
of our
Archdiocese
who call
themselves
GOG- Growing
Old
Gracefully.
They are
mostly made up
of our former
seminary
formators and
priests who
were active
when we were
still
seminarians.
Looking at them, I also see
myself in just
a few more
year. I
will also be
joining their
ranks.
With that, I
decided to
dedicate my
next book
towards the
completion of
their dreams
and plans for
a retirement
home.
Every time you buy and
promote this
book is a step
and another
block in the
wall towards
the
realization of
the dreams and
plans of a
group who
happily call
themselves
GOG- Growing
Old
Gracefully.
They were the
people who
dedicated
themselves to
forming the
future priests
of our
Archdiocese,
and also the
priests who
celebrated the
sacraments in
our parishes
for us.
Father Allan S. Fenix
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FINAL
DESTINATION
Destination.
Whenever I
take an
international
flight, I feel
both a mixture
of dread and
joy, as it
always reminds
me of my own
death. This is
due not only
to the risk
involved, but
because the
pilot usually
makes a very
loud
announcement
whenever the
plane makes a
stopover
landing. At
every airport
I hear the
neutral but
loaded words,
“Final
Destination.”
Of course, on
the other
hand, there is
the joy for
getting nearer
to reaching my
own intended
temporal
destination.
It was a
temporal
destination
falsely
perceived as
my ultimate
one, which
is...
Eternity.
Once, having
bought a
cheaper ticket
and with it a
layover of
several hours,
I decided to
explore the
place and
immediately
got enchanted
by what I
heard and
saw...
There
was discipline
all around.
The place was
shouting
cleanliness,
neatness and
orderliness.
The people
looked slim,
fit and
polite. The
immigration
officer
stamped a
90-day stay on
my passport. I
told myself
that I could
really live
here for
awhile and
savor it.
However, I
decided not
to. I knew it
was not for me
when I saw the
amount shown
on the bus
ticket just to
ride around
and look at
the place. It
burned a big
hole in my
pocket. The
place is so
beautiful but
it is just too
exorbitantly
expensive.
This
place is not
really for me
as I have to
go to the....
Almighty.
All throughout
the day, I
oftentimes
hear his name
being called
as a surprise
exclamation or
response from
the mouths of
many people:
OMG. “Oh my
God!!!”
Do we really
know him to be
our God? It
baffles our
very limited
human minds to
try to expound
more on
someone whom
we merely call
using a single
syllabic,
three-letter
word: GOD. As
much as we can
grasp it, he
created
everything we
see all around
us, vertically
and
horizontally,
including
everything we
learn in our
natural
sciences, and
everything in
the abyss of
desolation,
which is the
boundless
universe.
What
more do we
know about
him?
Let
us go...
Life is
going...
Towards...
On
the first day
of the week,
Mary of
Magdala CAME
to the tomb
early in the
morning... So
she RAN and
WENT to Simon
Peter... So
Peter and the
other disciple
WENT OUT and
CAME to the
tomb. They
both RAN, but
the other
disciple RAN
FASTER than
Peter and
ARRIVED at the
tomb first...
When Simon
Peter ARRIVED,
he WENT into
the tomb,...
The other
disciple also
WENT IN, and
he SAW and
BELIEVED... John
20:
1 and forward.
Life
is looking
forward not
backwards. It
is a constant
conversion.
Turning from
darkness to
light. From
worst to the
better to the
best. Like a
fine wine, it
just gets
sweeter and
tastier by the
day. In life,
there is no
turning back,
my friend.
Jesus
replied, “No
one who puts a
hand to the
plow and looks
back is fit
for service in
the kingdom of
God.” (Luke
9: 62).
Life
looks toward
and forward
to...
Holiness.
This is our
universal
mission.
Everyday, we
are invited to
shoot for the
moon and the
stars. To sail
much much
farther away
from the
relative
safety of the
shore. We are
called to be
SAINTS in the
midst of our
flaws and
imperfections.
This
is the DEATH
that awaits us
all. By the
corners, by
the roadsides,
at the end of
our roads.
Death is our
FINAL
DESTINATION.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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HOMAGE
Whenever
we
look up at the
sky on a very
clear, crisp
night; when
twinkling
stars can be
visibly
witnessed with
our own naked
eyes; has it
ever occurred
to you to ask
the question,
“Do each one
of those
billions or,
perhaps even,
an infinite
numbers of
stars,
somewhere far,
far out there
in the
universe,
represent each
one of us
individually,
distinctly and
uniquely?”
When
Jesus
was born in
Bethlehem of
Judea, in the
days of King
Herod, behold,
Magi from the
east arrived
in Jerusalem,
saying, "
Where is the
newborn King
of the Jews?
We saw his
star at its
rising and
have come to
do him homage.
When King
Herod heard
this, he was
greatly
troubled...
Assembling all
the chief
priests and
the scribes of
the people, he
inquired of
them where the
Messiah was to
be born. They
said to him,
“In Bethlehem
of Judea... “
Matthew
2:
1-5
Like
King Herod, we
are also often
troubled, and
it takes other
people coming
from the
outside like
the Magi, to
inform us
that, indeed,
the Messiah is
already
present inside
of us. He is
within our
own, personal
area. This
happens
because we are
not at home.
We are always
somewhere but
not at home
inside
ourselves.
In
our lives, we
lack the
necessary
initiative to
look for the
Messiah in our
lives. Like
King Herod who
subcontracted
his own search
for the
Messiah: He
sent them to
Bethlehem and
said, “Go and
search
diligently for
the child.
When you have
found him,
bring me word,
that I too may
go and do him
homage.” Matthew
2:8
Like
King Herod who
subcontracted
his own search
for the
Messiah, we,
too, in our
lives lack the
necessary
initiative to
look for him.
Like the
billions of
twinkling
stars out
there in the
far universe,
we possess the
necessary raw
materials, but
for us it is
to find the
Messiah in our
lives – to
make things
happen.
We
have to be at
home with our
own nature as
the gold,
frankincense
and myrrh of
our lives. We
are the 100
carat gold
worth more
than anything:
the gold that
represents the
pure capacity
and strength
in us to
respond to
God's
initiative
everyday of
our
lives.
King Herod
pawned his
gold for a
very low
amount when he
let the Magi
search for the
Messiah and
just inform
him if they
found him. No
wonder in the
end, the Magi
departed for
their country
by another
way.
In
the Sacrament
of Baptism, we
share in the
priesthood of
Our Lord,
Jesus Christ.
And so we have
the
frankincense
to remind us
of our shared
responsibility
of blessing
and divining
everything
that is around
us. To see in
us the image
and likeness
of God – in us
and also in
the lives of
other people.
We have to
respect our
own dignity as
well as that
of others.
We
have the myrrh
to remind us
that
eventually we
have a divine
destiny. We
learned in
science that
whenever a
star collapses
it becomes a
black hole
sucking
everything in
its path to
oblivion – to
death. In our
case, when we
die we have a
home somewhere
to go. To
heaven. Jesus
Christ himself
said, “My
Father's house
has many
rooms; if that
were not so,
would I have
told you that
I am going
there to
prepare a
place for
you?” John
14:2
We
have the 100
carat gold:
the pure
capacity and
strength to
respond to
God's
invitation
everyday of
our lives.
We
have the
Frankincense
to bless and
divine
everything
that we
encounter and
touch.
We
have the Myrrh
to take us
home to the
Father in
heaven.
We
are home now.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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MIRROR,
MIRROR
ON THE WALL
One
day, I
overheard two
very pregnant
women arguing.
While
listening, I
came to know
that both of
them were
impregnated
out of
wedlock. The
spectacle
became an
entertainment,
and I started
laughing when
I heard one of
them say that
she was better
off, as the
father of the
baby in her
womb was, at
least,
employed while
the other
one's father
was
unemployed.
With
the spate of
deaths, both
coming from
the young and
old, that has
passed through
our parish in
the run up to
the feasts of
the All
Saints' and
Souls' Days on
November 1 and
2, we in the
parish were
once again
reminded that
our lives are
under the
constant
shadow of....
DEATH.
These
events come
into our lives
is a call and
an invitation
to go up to
the temple
area to pray,
as
in Luke 18:10,
while
still able and
alive.
Being
in church is a
happy
occasion. What
a very bitter
experience to
be in it only
to send off
someone, or to
be inside the
confines of a
box.
In
philosophy, I
learned that
life is a
project and
death is the
completion-
the final
submission.
If it
is our
attitude that
it is a
project, a
life in the
process of
completion,
our stance
will be
similar to the
tax collector
“...who
stood off at a
distance and
would not even
raise his eyes
to heaven but
beat his
breast and
prayed, 'God,
be merciful to
me a sinner'”
Luke 18: 14,
11. “I am like
the rest of
humanity -
greedy,
dishonest,
adulterous.” Our
lives will
surely be full
of Faith, Hope
and Charity.
On
the other
hand, if we
are convinced
of our own
righteousness
and despised
by everyone
else, then we
are not like
the rest of
humanity, as
we faithfully
fulfill all of
our
obligations -
we fast twice
a week and pay
tithes on our
whole income.
We are
like the
Pharisee who
had already
earned the
grade we so
wish for. We
have reached
the wall. The
dead end. We
have earned
our death.
What more is
there for us
to do?
For
everyone
who exalts
himself will
be humbled
(death), and
the one who
humbles
himself will
be exalted
(life). Luke
18:14
What
are you, a tax
collector or a
Pharisee?
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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HEIRLOOMS
When
I came back
from the
United States,
and while I
was awaiting
my next
assignment, I
stayed at the
Our Lady of
Penafrancia
Basilica
Minore with
our vicar
general and a
number of the
retired
priests of our
archdiocese.
While
I was with
them, some of
the priests
offered to let
me do their
scheduled
masses and I
excitedly
accepted.
At least, I
thought, I am
doing
something
constructive
while waiting
here.
Once,
after
celebrating
the mass, and
while I was
changing in
the sacristy,
the sacristan
mayor
(sacristan in
charge of the
main church)
told me that a
mass-goer
would like to
talk with me.
The
mass-goer was
a passing
pilgrim who,
by chance,
attended the
mass in which
I was the
celebrant. The
pilgrim had
decided to
give me a box
containing
heirlooms of
their family.
The pilgrim
also told me
to take good
care of these
things, as
they were very
valuable and
handed on for
many
generations
within their
family circle.
In
appreciation,
I happily
accepted the
small box from
the pilgrim
and promised
to wear what
it contained
in
gratitude.
By wearing
these things I
am also
including all
of their dead
loved ones in
my intentions
every time I
celebrate the
mass.
When
I tried to ask
for contact
information
for the
pilgrim, I
learned he did
not leave any
and did not
wish to be
contacted in
the future.
So, I did not
persist and
the pilgrim
was gone.
When
I opened the
box in my
room, I found
that it
contained a
thick
gold-chained
bracelet, a
gold necklace
with a
crucifix, and
an
intricately-designed
pocket watch.
I am
a very simple
priest and
whenever
parishioners
would take
notice of the
thick,
gold-chained
bracelet on my
wrist, as well
as the gold
necklace, I
would always
respond that
it was a gift
from God
through our
INA (Mother),
Our Lady of
Penafrancia,
for being
continually
his priest.
Thanks
be
to God for the
family
heirlooms that
a pilgrim
entrusted to
me! More
than that, we
Catholics are
also the
recipients of
generations
upon
generations
worth of
heirlooms,
which is the
substance of
our
faith.
Faith is a
gift from God
to us and, in
appreciation
and gratitude,
we should
always respond
to it in
whatever state
of life we are
in, as a
layperson or
as
ordained.
Faith is also
worth more
than all the
gold in the
world, as it
was bought by
the blood of
our martyrs
and saints.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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IMPROVISATION
One
Sunday, after
celebrating
the mass in
our parish
church, I
traveled by
motorboat for
more than an
hour to one of
our coastal
villages to
celebrate
another mass.
While
there, I
learned that
there was a
wake, and that
the family was
requesting to
have their
departed loved
one blessed
before being
interred in
the cemetery.
I went through
my mass kit
and discovered
that I did not
have with me
the Book of
Blessings and
the Holy
Water.
However, I did
have the Mass
Book.
What
I did, after
the mass, was
to invite the
mass goers to
make a
procession
from the
chapel to the
place of the
wake. The
parishioners
present were
so cooperative
that almost
everyone
joined in.
With the
thurible in
front, we
walked through
the small
streets of the
village, where
even some
curious
villagers
along the way
joined in. We
walked until
we came to a
shack
surrounded by
drunk
all-night
revelers – a
common sight
at countryside
wakes.
When
we arrived
inside, I read
a passage from
the Preface of
the Dead
followed by
the recitation
of the rosary.
Then I ended
it with
another
reading of a
passage from
the Preface of
the
Resurrection,
a message of
condolence to
the family and
a final
blessing for
the dead.
I
approached and
placed my own
rosary and a
copy of the
Chaplet of the
Divine Mercy
on top of the
coffin. Our
communal
prayers and
presence will
be enough for
him to zoom
out of this
life and zoom
into the
everlasting
life.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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LOVE
APPS
When
Jesus was
still with his
disciples,
they went
through a
period of
formation
where in an
analog manner,
he taught them
about the
“Love
Application”
made up of
five programs:
the love of
enemies, doing
good, and
being a source
of blessing,
prayer and
mercy.
In
turn, each
program is
explained in
detail.
To
love our
enemies and do
good consists
in offering
the other
cheek when
someone
strikes you,
and not
withholding
one's tunic
when someone
needs it.
To be
a source of
blessing and
prayer
involves
giving to
everyone who
asks, and not
demanding back
what was taken
from you.
To be
merciful is to
be kind to the
ungrateful and
the wicked.
In a
nutshell, the
Love
Application is
the Golden
Rule – Doing
to others what
you would have
them do to
you. “For
the measure
with which you
measure will
in return be
measured out
to you. So,
stop judging
and you will
not be judged.
Stop
condemning and
you will not
be condemned.
Forgive and
you will be
forgiven. Give
and gifts will
be given to
you; a good
measure,
packed
together,
shaken down,
and
overflowing,
will be poured
into your
lap.” Luke
6:
37-38
Thousands
of
centuries have
passed by, and
our cemeteries
are already
filled up.
However, the
Love
Application,
taught by
Jesus to his
disciples, is
still very
relevant to us
nowadays.
Maybe,
our
initial
reaction will
be like that
in John
6:60-61: On
hearing
it, many of
His disciples
said, “This is
a difficult
teaching. Who
can accept
it?” Aware
that His
disciples were
grumbling
about this
teaching,
Jesus asked
them, “Does
this teaching
offend you?”
Usually,
we
hate the hard
way. No one
wants to
undergo it. We
are a
brainwashed
generation.
Human nature
often chooses
the easy way,
where there is
the least
resistance.
Like
the ancient
disciples and
us ultra
modern humans,
it is natural
for us to
resist any
change from
the things we
were brought
up with and
are well
accustomed to:
like loving
those who love
us, doing good
to those who
do good to us,
lending money
to those who
can't repay us
with high
interest.
At
home, in
schools, and
in our
churches, we
are in
continual
formation.
With time,
perhaps, it
has seemed to
grow vague due
to the various
external
influences,
adornments and
garnishes
allowed in
it. In
the end,
again, the
Love
Application is
the Golden
Rule – doing
to others what
you would have
them do to
you.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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WAKES
Why
spend
money on what
cannot nourish
and your wages
on what fails
to satisfy?
Listen
carefully to
me, and you
will have good
things to eat
and rich food
to enjoy. Pay
attention,
come to me;
listen, and
you will live.
Isaiah 55: 2-3
In
the
countryside,
whenever there
is a wake
(which is
usually done
in the family
residence)
and, for fear
of just a few
vigilantes,
there is often
a big feast:
drinking,
smoking,
gambling,
videoke
singing...
and, of
course, lots
of eating.
Who, then, is
praying for
the dead?
When
a Grade 12
Senior High
Student died
in our parish,
I took this
rare
opportunity to
wean the
people away
from their
usual
practice. I
wished to
teach them a
new culture in
keeping a wake
for their
departed loved
ones. My
method might
be a very
lonely one.
Laughable for
some. But, I
believe, it is
time to do it
due to the
lingering
illnesses
ordinarily
afflicting
many of our
parishioners.
When
some
classmates
organized to
visit their
departed
classmate, and
seeing that
the prepared
boat was big
and sturdy
enough, I
volunteered to
go with them.
While
still on the
boat waiting
for the others
to arrive, I
assigned each
one of them a
decade of the
rosary to
lead, read the
invitatory
psalms, the 3
psalm
passages, as
well as the
psalmody
prayers and
antiphons and
the 2 lengthy
readings from
the Liturgy of
the Dead found
at the back
part of our
Divine Office.
I also
assigned some
of them the
following
Morning
Prayer: to
read the hymn,
the psalm
passages, as
well as the
psalmody
prayers and
antiphons, the
reading and
the
intercessions.
As
soon as we
landed and
reached the
place,
everyone
already knew
their own
individual
role to the
great surprise
of the
bereaved
family.
At
the conclusion
of our
paraliturgy,
each of them
wrote a prayer
dedication to
their departed
classmate at
the back of a
estampita (prayer
card) which I
handed to them
earlier and,
one by one,
laid it on top
of their
departed
classmate's
coffin. Then,
I prayed the
concluding
prayer and did
the sprinkling
of the holy
water.
On
the day of the
requiem mass,
while waiting
for the
funeral
entourage to
arrive, I
assigned the
remaining
class members
who were not
able to join
the
paraliturgy,
the series of
novenas we
have in
church, while
encouraging
all of them to
come and
receive the
Sacrament of
Reconciliation.
I also
assigned the
others to be
the lectors
and servers at
mass. One lead
the singing.
All of these
offered for
the eternal
repose of
their departed
classmate.
Stay
sober
and alert.
Your opponent
the devil is
prowling like
a roaring lion
looking for
someone to
devour. Resist
him, solid in
your faith.
1Peter 5: 8-9
In my
homily, I
explained to
the bereaved
family that
what we were
doing, with
the
cooperation of
that entire
Grade 12
class, was to
teach a new
method of
holding wakes
in our
countryside
parishes.
Wakes
should be
spent not in
drinking and
smoking
heavily,
gluttonous
eating,
gambling, and
entertainment
but, rather,
in prayer for
the soul of
the departed.
The
members of the
family could
take turns
praying the
rosary. As our
parish was
already
clustered and
provided with
the Holy Bible
written in the
local dialect,
we could read
it passage by
passage,
chapter by
chapter, page
by page, book
by book and
sing known
mass hymns.
If
visiting
vigilantes are
true enough,
they will stay
put and join
in praying the
rosary,
listening to
the Word of
God and
singing
familiar mass
hymns.
As
wakes last
several days,
by then I am
sure the
bereaved
family would
have gone
through the
entire Old and
New Testament
of the Holy
Bible, and
would have
prayed as many
rosaries as
they had in
their entire
prior lives.
The Holy
Bible, and the
rosary, was
really done in
that way so
that it can
accompany us
in that long
journey called
life.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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MAQUILADORAS
*
A
proverb: "You
can lead a
horse to water
but can't make
him drink."
One
afternoon, I
met a
parishioner on
the street and
he told me his
family was
looking for a
prayer warrior
to pray at the
wake of a
loved one for
a fee.
I
reassured the
parishioner
that, since he
had yet to
find one, our
cluster would
go there later
with the icon
of our
patroness
saint and pray
the rosary. He
responded,
"Thank you,
Father."
I
remember the
day when the
first well-lit
jukebox came
to our town.
Everyone was
falling in
line and
amazed that at
the drop of
.25 cents it
automatically
played the
musical record
that one
chose.
The
service
industry, in
the digital
age, has grown
a lot. It now
has apps
available for
almost
anything
intended to
make our daily
lives more
convenient.
But, of
course, this
is in exchange
for a fee.
It's like
paying someone
to do our
laundry,
cleaning
around the
house, buy and
prepare our
food, and
drive us to
where we wish
to go shopping
or be
entertainment.
In
cultures,
traditions and
even in our
church, I also
see this
happening. In
my mission
work, I see
how they pay a
group of
professional
mourners,
complete with
all the
microphones
and
loudspeakers,
do the
ear-splitting
crying for the
family and
loved ones of
the deeceased.
When
our great
grandmother
died, a group
of prayer
warriors paid
by our family
would come to
the house
every night
for almost the
duration of a
month just to
pray the holy
rosary and
other novenas
especially
intended for
the dead,
while we also
gathered by
their side
praying with
them.
One
day, while I
was staying in
a pilgrimage
church and
walking by the
patio, perhaps
mistaking me
for a pilgrim,
a group of
these prayer
warriors
approached and
made a
proposition
that, for a
fee, they will
complete the
9-day novena
prayer to our
regional
patroness
saint on my
behalf. With
the thousands
of pilgrims
coming to that
place, how
many of them
did they lead
to believe
they would do
this in this
“pay-to-pray”
scheme?
Even
during the
Lenten and
Holy Week
celebrations,
it is already
our practice
to subcontract
to a group of
professional
prayer
warriors to
pray in song
and chant the
Passion of
Christ (Pasyon)
for us, while
most of us
entertain and
enjoy
ourselves on
the side.
I
questioned
this kind of
practice. Can
money buy our
salvation? A
person with a
lot of money,
maybe a
million
dollars, can
call all of
these
professional
prayer
warriors to
pray for his
soul and even,
perhaps,
receive the
sacraments on
his behalf?
Will
not
God then
secure the
rights of his
chosen ones
who call out
to him day and
night? Will he
be slow to
answer them?
Luke 18:7
The
practice of
our faith, of
both the
corporal and
spiritual
works of
mercy, our
devotions, the
reception of
the
sacraments...
cannot be
subcontracted
to any
professionals
or apps. They
cannot fight
our battles
for us. We
have to do it
on our own. We
cannot be a maquiladoras
in
our personal
relationship
with God.
As
St. Augustine
said, “He
who created us
without our
help will not
save us
without our
consent.”
Finally,
Philippians
2:12 ,14 says:
“So, my dear
friends, you
have always
been obedient;
your obedience
must not be
limited to
times when I
am present.
Now that I am
absent it must
be more in
evidence, so
work out your
salvation in
fear and
trembling..”
“...let
your
behavior be
free of
murmuring and
complaining...”
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
*
Maquiladora-
or maquila is
a company that
allows
factories to
be largely
duty-free and
tariff-free.
These
factories take
raw materials
and assemble,
manufacture,
or process
them and
export the
finished
product.
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SPIRITS
and
BOOZE
When
the
wine ran short
the mother of
Jesus said to
him, “They
have no wine.”
And Jesus said
to her,
“Woman, how
does your
concern affect
me? My hour
has not yet
come.” His
mother said to
the servers,
“Do whatever
he tells you.”
John 2: 3-5
I
read some
survey results
as to why many
livelihood
training
programs were
often geared
towards women,
particularly
to mothers of
family
households.
They found out
that, when
they earned
something out
of the
activity, they
would usually
invest it in
the welfare of
their
families. The
money would be
spent on
household
necessities
such as food
for the table,
clothes for
the children,
utility bill
payments,
needed
medicines, and
shelter
improvements.
On
the other
hand,
according to
their
findings,
their male
counterparts
would usually
spend it on
vices like
gambling,
drinking, or
worse, drugs.
My
father, when
he was still
alive, used to
run a
convenience
store selling
cheap liquors
and tobacco.
However, when
he passed away
and one of our
siblings took
over the
business, she
decided to do
away with the
cigarettes and
liquor
inventories.
Instead, she
focused on
selling school
supplies and
family
household
necessities.
For her,
selling smokes
and booze had
become a moral
issue, as we
were seeing
too many
fathers of
families
buying these
things to
indulge their
vices. Some
were even
pawning
valuables to
buy them to
share with
their drinking
buddies.
However, they
bought nothing
to give their
children. They
did not buy
even a kilo or
two of rice,
school
supplies,
cough
medicines, or
pay long
overdue
electric
bills. And
then later on
they were
getting sick.
At
first we were
fearful, as
frequent
patrons would
warn us that
they wouldn't
come back to
our store if
they couldn't
buy the said
sin products
that they came
for. They told
us our
business might
lose a lot of
money and
close down, as
this kind of
merchandise
really means a
lot
profit-wise.
After a
certain period
of time, we
observed that
the business
was able to
adjust, gain
the correct
customers, and
later even
thrived
without those
high profit
products.
Everyone
serves
good wine
first, and
then when
people have
drink freely,
an inferior
one, but you
have kept the
good wine
until now. John
2:10
We
are called to
contribute
something to
the community.
What do we
contribute? A
cheap inferior
wine? That's
like promoting
and supporting
vice-inducing
lifestyle
products. In
doing this, we
endorse the
death
industry.
Death to
families.
Death to good
relationships.
Death to
friendships.
Death to
worthwhile
ambitions and
plans. Death
to what is
good and
proper.
If we
put out the
good wine
first, we help
promote and
support life
and health –
the real
happiness. We
have, then, a
strong and
spirit-filled
community to
be of service
to the family,
the church,
the society,
the nation and
the world. We
will be like a
mother, like
the Blessed
Virgin Mary,
giving us life
– Our Lord,
Jesus Christ.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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ZACH
and
the CROWD
Jesus
replied,
"Anyone who
loves me will
obey my
teaching. My
Father will
love them, and
we will come
to them and
make our home
with them.”
John 14: 23
In
life, we were
taught to mind
our own
business. Good
or bad, all of
us have
something that
is going on in
our lives.
That is why we
have to stay
focused on our
own intended
activities and
bring them all
to their
successful
completions.
So,
at our age and
status, what
things are we
still seeking
in our
lives?
More wealth,
positions, or
power? Like
Zaccheus, a
wealthy
Jerichan chief
tax collector,
is there a
sense of
diligence in
us to also
seek the most
essential
matter in life
– Jesus, who
is Life?
How
diligent was
he? He was
full of life.
There was an
adrenaline
rush in him.
He was
mentally,
emotionally,
spiritually
and physically
in tip top
shape to be
able to run
ahead and
climb a
sycamore tree
in order to
see Jesus. He
came down
quickly and
received Jesus
with joy. He
stood there
and said to
the Lord,
"Behold, half
of my
possessions,
Lord, I shall
give to the
poor, and if I
have extorted
anything from
anyone, I
shall repay it
four times
over.” (Luke
19:4, 6, 8).
The
crowd. A mob.
Are our lives
ones in which
anything goes
without any
sense of
structure,
like a mob to
the extent
that we bar
others from
seeing Jesus?
Or do we just
keep on
grumbling that
Jesus has gone
to stay at the
house of a
sinner? (Luke
19: 3, 7).
What
kind of
hearts, lives,
and houses do
we have? Are
we prepared to
receive Jesus
so that like
Zaccheus, we
will hear from
him the words,
“Today
salvation has
come to this
house because
this man too
is a
descendant of
Abraham. For
the Son of Man
has come to
seek and to
save what was
lost.” (Luke
19: 9-10).
Sir
or Ma'am, come
down quickly,
for today I
must stay at
your house.
(Luke 19: 5).
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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VIVA
VOCE*
One
morning when I
was about to
ride my
skateboard
down the hill,
I overheard a
group of
parishioners
talking about
someone who,
due to some
domestic
problems,
attempted
suicide using
a knife. Good
thing, it did
not hit the
main artery...
The
meaning of the
saying, "What
goes around
comes around,"
dawned on me
when, after a
period of
almost twenty
years of just
hearing about
it, I was able
to really go
and celebrate
mass in the
non-recognized
private
cemetery
located in a
largely
forested area
of our coastal
parish.
Due
to its
distance from
the officially
recognized
Catholic
cemetery in
the town
proper,
parishioners
from our
coastal
villages
deemed it
better to bury
their dead
loved ones in
a lot at that
site donated
by a generous
family coming
from the same
place. Many of
those interred
there did not
even receive
any
sacramental
rites, oracion
( prayer for
the dead), nor
a requiem mass
offered for
them. It was
not officially
recognized by
the Church,
and, as there
was no deed of
donation, no
regular mass
was celebrated
in the place,
especially on
the feast of
All Souls'
Day. The place
can only be
accessed by
going through
deep
mangroves,
with the birds
chirping and
flying by on
the sides, and
using a small,
motorized
outrigger
boat.
This
experience
called to mind
a similar trip
that our batch
mates have
made in the
Mekong River
Delta in Viet
Nam in the
past. Except
for the
whitewashed,
concrete tombs
jutting out
from the
ground which,
in time, have
mushroomed
almost on all
sides, the
cemetery has
no structures
to provide
shade, or even
a table on
which to
celebrate the
mass. There is
no electrical
supply to plug
in an
amplifier.
Calling
the faithful
to come closer
to where I was
standing, and
with the
leaves of the
trees around
providing
cover, I
celebrated the
mass out in
the open air viva
voce. I
had to project
my voice on
all sides, to
all ears. In
my homily, I
shared that in
the past, I
used to hear
about this
place, but had
never
physically
been to it.
Until that
day, I had not
even thought
of reaching as
a reality.
What
goes around
comes around.
Just like
death. All of
our lives, we
have been
hearing of the
death of
someone
distant, a
colleague, a
neighbor, a
loved one and,
in time, in
just a matter
of time, one
day our own
death will
become a
reality to us.
It will surely
come and claim
us. We will be
inside the
whitewashed
tombs we are
sitting or
standing on as
we are
offering the
mass now for
our faithful
departed. We
are just
taking turns.
It's their
turn today.
Tomorrow, it's
ours.
Thank
God for the
time that
still affords
us to live our
lives out in
the open air.
Let us live
out our faith
and not wait
for the time
when we are
already
confined in
the four
corners of our
bed of
sickness,
hospital
rooms, and
much worse:
the four
corners of our
coffins, our
tombs.
In as
much as we
would prefer
otherwise, no
one would like
to die. All of
us would like
to live
forever. We
don't want to
leave this
life despite
everything we
have found
discouraging
and
frustrating in
it. But, if we
live our faith
in God...
They
can no longer
die, for they
are like
angels: and
they are the
children of
God because
they are the
ones who will
rise...he is
not God of the
dead, but of
the living,
for to him all
are alive.
Luke 20: 36,
38.
Fr.
Allan S.
Fenix.
* VIVA
VOCE -
word of mouth.
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ON
EDGE
After
a very strong
typhoon passed
by, seen
posted on many
area store
fronts were
signs that
said: “YOUR
CREDIT IS
GOOD. BUT, WE
NEED CASH.”
Right now!!!”
God
works in
various
mysterious
ways.
As
omniscient as
he is, we
could not
really fathom
his wisdom
when, in fact,
he could do
something for
others whereby
the blind
regain their
sight, the
lame walk,
lepers are
cleansed, the
deaf hear, the
dead are
raised, and
the poor have
the good news
proclaimed to
them (Matthew
11: 5).
But he would
not even lift
a finger and
do something
concrete like
organize an
advocacy lobby
group, raise
bail, or seek
the help of
someone
influential
and powerful
enough to get
his close,
intimate
cousin, John
the Baptist,
freed from the
coldness of
the prison
bars. When
John the
Baptist heard
in prison of
the work of
Christ, he
sent his
disciples to
him with this
question, "Are
you the one
who is to come
or should we
look for
another?”
(Matthew
11:2). This,
in and of
itself, was
already an
indirect
indication
that he needed
HELP big-time,
which, as we
know, never
came. And
eventually,
his story
ended in his
sorrowful
beheading.
Is
God being
contradictory
in this
matter? Wishy
washy? Saying
one thing and
doing
otherwise?
As
they were
going off,
Jesus began to
speak to the
crowds about
John, "What
did you go out
to the desert
to see? A reed
swayed by the
wind?"
(Matthew
11:7). As the
Word made
flesh, Jesus
Christ was so
talkative.
Verbose. He
just went on
talking about
John the
Baptist.
So,
in the case of
John the
Baptist, he
doesn't need
more credits
from anyone
but the hard
cash to
realize his
ever waning
hope for
freedom. It is
the same way
with us.
Amidst the
discouraging
situations
that we find
ourselves in,
like being
victims of
crimes and
addictions,
sickness,
homelessness
and
joblessness,
we don't need
more credits
for whatever
good we might
have done in
our lifetime,
but the hard
cash necessary
to gain
justice,
regain our
sight and
hearing, the
ability to
walk, be
cleansed of
our illnesses
-- a total
holistic
healing.
We
cannot liken
God to a life
or security
guard, or a
door person
who is on call
24/7 to come
to our rescue
whenever we
direly need
him. I can
still clearly
recall what I
learned in our
catechism
classes: that
salvation has
already been
accomplished
for us by our
Lord Jesus
Christ on the
cross (the
objective).
Yet life is
still 99%
perspiration
and only 1%
inspiration.
We
cannot just do
a waiting for
Godot thing by
sitting by
forever
playing video
games or
watching our
favorite T.V.
Programs. We
have to really
have the will
to work hard
for it (the
subjective).
Our
credit might
actually be
good. But, we
need more.
Let's give it
all we got!
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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KYRIE
ELIESON
In
the nursing
home kitchen
where I worked
before, I
often saw the
delivery of
boxes with the
big word
“PERISHABLE”
printed on top
of them. Our
supervisor
informed us
that these
items were
very time
sensitive.
They were
delicate and
expensive. So,
we would
immediately
mark and store
them in the
large walk-in
freezer and
refrigerator
located in the
basement. We
always
maintained a
certain low
temperature
level to keep
these items
fresh and
good.
The
items
contained in
those boxes
were full of
preservatives.
Nevertheless,
we were able
to prepare
something of
nice quality
and good
nutritional
value for the
residents to
help keep them
healthier and
stronger for a
much longer
time.
There
was one
occasion when
we were all so
busy in the
kitchen that
we did not
notice the
presence of
such
perishable
items that
were just
stacked up
outside the
doors of the
two walk-ins
by the
delivery
person. By the
time we were
able to get
our hands on
them, some
were already
getting stale
or watery.
With the
condition of
our residents,
to avoid any
form of food
poisoning,
many of the
said items had
to be
discarded.
KYRIE
ELIESON!
What a
great waste! I
was the one
tasked to do
it, and it
really broke
my heart to be
the one
tossing all
this food into
the garbage
compactor. I
knew it was
our combined
fault that it
happened.
Everyone of us
was so
preoccupied in
the kitchen
that we were
caught unaware
of what was
happening down
there in the
basement.
Repentance
is
what keeps our
faith, our
church, and
our community
fresh and new.
We have to be
inside the
Church to do
it.
In
the very
beginning of
the mass, the
first part is
the KYRIE
ELIESON (Lord
have mercy
upon us) by
which we
invoke of
God's mercy
and
forgiveness
for all of our
sins to
ourselves, to
others and to
Him. We do
this that we
might be fully
disposed of
our sins in
accepting him
in Holy
Communion in
the later part
of the mass.
This
part of the
mass plays a
very important
role in our
liturgy, as
without it
Christianity
would be a
philosophy, a
history, a
code but not a
religion that
saves. Without
it, our
liturgical
rites and
everything
that we do
inside the
Church would
turn stale and
watery and
only fit to be
thrown in the
garbage. It
would be of no
benefit and no
good for
anything but
to be
discarded and
forgotten.
Keep
yourselves and
your faith
inside the
Church. For as
Jesus said, ".....
If you do not
repent, you
will all
perish as they
did.” Luke 13:
3
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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THE
ESTAMBAY PHENOMENON
An estambay
(stand-by)
is the local
version of a
bum who spends
his life
wandering from
place to place
and begging
for food.
In
the sacred
scriptures,
they were
mentioned,
particularly
in Matthew 20:
3 and 6, in
the Parable of
the Laborers
in the
Vineyard: “The
landowner
going out at
about the
third hour he
saw others
standing idle
in the market
place... Then,
at about the
eleventh hour
he went out
and found more
standing
around, and he
said to them,
“Why have you
been standing
here idle all
day?”
There
are no
official
statistics for
them. It is an
unregulated
lifestyle.
However, by
the looks of
it, there is
an abundance
of them
conspicuously
situated in
every part of
our society.
Usually,
estambay are
found just
sitting by the
corner store
or in any open
space as if on
an extended
and indefinite
wait. They are
either playing
some board
games or
cards, chain
smoking, or
quenching
their thirst
with cheap
liquors.
Whatever
happened to
our law on
vagrancy?
It is
no wonder that
I overheard an
expatriate
saying that,
from what he
had heard, the
country is
going through
an economic
hardship. Look
how these
people are
just sitting
around the
whole morning,
and are drunk
and singing
late in the
afternoon.
Then, the next
day, they are
there again,
repeating the
same
performance.
For
me, how I wish
I could post
an ad urgently
hiring anyone
willing to
browse and
read book upon
book of our
unread and
unused Holy
Bible. In our
parish, we
have boxes
full of the
sleeping Good
News. It is
just there
sitting and
waiting for
anyone
interested and
willing enough
to ingest it
and act on it.
Being
an estambay
is not
inborn. No one
was born one.
Rather, it is
a choice by
one who, out
of
frustration,
has just
simply given
up on hope, on
life. They
have thrown in
the towel.
We
again have to
respect the
law of gravity
- get down. If
possible, go
down on all
fours and
start all over
again. Get
that towel
back once
again!
It is not too
late.
There is truth
to the saying
that where
there is life
there is
hope. We
will have
plenty of time
to lie down in
our graves
later on.
And,
for sure, it
is forever.
Father
Allan S. Fenix
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PRIMORDIAL
It
was First Holy
Communion time
in our parish
and, along
with the crisp
certificates
that were
issued for the
occasion,
there was
supposed to be
a brown
scapular and
rosary beads
for each
communicant.
Someone had
donated theses
items for this
purpose, but
the donated
items were
very limited
in number, and
the entire
supply was
exhausted in
the villages
prior to the
service. There
were none
available to
be given to
the first
communicants
from the
parish.
The
situation in
our parish is
that a parent
cannot even
afford to give
a child,
coming home
hungry from
school P5.00
(10 US cents)
to buy three
tiny pieces of
bread.
Instead, this
money goes to
the so-called
STL (Small
Town Lottery),
as these
individuals
hope against
hope to win a
few thousand
pesos. And
this place is
also located
several hours
from the
nearest store
selling the
tickets.
So
the night
before, we
were already
resigned to
the fact that
our first
communicants
wouldn't be
receiving
anything
except the
crisp
certificate.
They would go
home, put it
on their
altars and
just stare at
it. However,
wonder of
wonders, as we
were about to
close down for
the night,
something
forced us to
feverishly go
through our
drawers and
bureaus, and
we found a
plastic bag
full of
specially-designed,
handmade
wooden
crosses. I
heard from
certain
parishioners
that they were
donated a
long, long
time ago but
were forgotten
in the fast
flow of time.
We
immediately
thanked our
patron saint
for not
abandoning our
first
communicants.
On the day of
their first
communion, not
only did they
received a
nicely printed
certificate,
but also a
blessed,
specially-designed,
handmade
wooden cross.
Even the
parents and
visitors got
one. There
were more than
enough for
everyone.
As
each cross
came with no
cord or chain,
I posed the
challenge to
each recipient
that,
depending on
their own
resourcefulness
and
creativity, I
would like to
see how they
were going to
string it up
and wear it. I
also reminded
them not to
take it for
granted or
else something
not good might
befall them.
Those
specially-designed
handmade
wooden crosses
saved the day.
Our
celebration
was so
meaningful for
the children.
I am sure they
won't forget
the day they
first received
the Body and
Blood of Our
Lord, Jesus
Christ.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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PORTALIB
Back
in the days
when there was
still no
electricity in
our area, each
household used
to have
battery-operated
portable
radios as our
sole source of
information
and
entertainment.
In the
evenings after
dinner, we
would usually
gather around
eagerly and
excitedly
awaiting to
listen to our
long-running
and
never-ending
soap operas.
With
the advent and
explosion of
varied outdoor
activities, a
new kind of
business
boomed:
portable
toilets. This
was shortened
to
portalets.
It is a vast
relief to
those out in
the field and
especially for
those with
incontinence
problems.
In
our parishes
and many of
our schools
today,
satellite
dishes are
already
ubiquitous in
even virtual
shacks and
lean-tos. And,
added to that,
are the
computer game
shops
mushrooming
everywhere; a
hive for many
of our bored
children,
especially
during the
long summer
vacations. So,
who still gets
to read
nowadays?
Within
a
several
kilometers
radius, we
don't have
functional
libraries to
borrow and
read books
from. So, in
talking about
portables, in
my own small
way, what I
did was to
introduce the
Bible as a
portable
library -- a
portalib. With
the total of
73 varied
books from the
Old and New
Testaments, it
practically is
one. This is
our new life
hack.
Usually
on
weekends, our
grade
school-level
altar servers
would come and
clean the
parish church.
After they
were finished,
I would invite
them to our
makeshift
pastoral
center and let
them read from
the numerous
donated copies
of the bible.
As they read
orally, I
discovered
that many of
them were not
reading at
their grade
levels. Many
of them were
falling far
behind.
So,
after their
oral readings,
I let them use
my dictionary
to look for
the words they
encountered
that they
didn't
understand.
They would
copy the
meanings on
paper, and I
would let them
make simple
sentences out
of them. I
would then
have them read
it again
orally and
repeatedly
until they had
a grasp or
mastery of the
word. And,
voila!, we
have here a
lesson plan on
literary
education,
devotion and
the Word of
God. It is
killing three
birds with one
stone.
This
practice works
the same way
in our distant
coastal
villages.
Right before
the
celebration of
the Eucharist,
while we are
still waiting
for
stragglers, I
ask volunteers
from the
children and
young people
to read from
the Bible and
the novena
orally in
front of the
microphone. I
wish them to
build their
self
confidence,
reading
skills,
devotion and
knowledge of
the Word of
God. With the
constant
repetition and
much patience,
I am sure we
are on the
right track.
We are, again,
killing three
birds with
just one
stone.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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BLESSED
WOES
Among
the
Beatitudes,
the following
three of them
speak loudly
to me as I,
myself, have
had first-hand
experience on
how true they
are to me in
my life...
Blessed
are
you who are
now hungry,
for you will
be
satisfied... During
peak
travel seasons
like Christmas
and New Year,
bus terminals
are
overflowing
with
passengers
with their
bursting
luggage,
waiting for
available
buses that can
bring them
home.
Every empty
bus
approaching is
a sight to
behold, as
bored and
eager
passengers
storm it to
full capacity,
as it then
immediately
leaves the
terminal for
its various
destinations.
Be blessed and
God-speed.
Woe
to
you who are
filled now,
for you will
be hungry...
Once or twice,
I attended a
traditional
Chinese
banquet where
eight courses
of the menu
were being
served and not
all at the
same time, as
I am
accustomed to.
Rather, they
were served
one at a time
and after long
intervals of
time.
Already
feeling
famished and
getting
impatient,
what I did was
unleash my
ravenous
appetite on
the first
course
servings. So I
was just
staring
disinterestedly
by the time
the fourth,
fifth, and
sixth courses
were being
placed on the
table. I was
already
feeling full
and satisfied
earlier on.
Woe
to
you who are
rich, for you
have received
your
consolation...
Lottery
games are very
popular
everywhere, as
the adrenaline
rush that they
arouse
satisfies the
cravings of
the so-called
“reward
system” deep
inside the
brain
People pool
and bet their
hard-earned
money and
excitedly
await the
drawing dates,
and then do
this again and
again for
another and
another. There
is no end to
the
consolations
they receive,
and it is
gradually
becoming so
addictive.
How
about you?
Which of the
Beatitudes
speak to you?
Then, share
them!
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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ABUNDANT.
PROGRESSIVE.
RICH.
“...and
they
were
continually in
the temple
praising God.”
Luke 24:53
In
almost all of
my encounters
with our
parishioners,
there is
always one
thing that I
emphasize –
DEVOTION,
DEVOTION,
DEVOTION!
Our
parish has
already gone
through the
process of
designing and
constructing a
well-lighted
massive church
building, a
rectory and a
pastoral
center.
However, after
all of the
hustle and
bustle of
activities in
our church, it
is often empty
like the tomb
of Christ on
that first day
of the week
when Mary
Magdalene came
to the tomb
early in the
morning, while
it was still
dark, and saw
the stone
removed from
the tomb.
Our
village masses
and devotional
processions
are attended
mainly by
playful and
often rowdy
children, and
the aged who
can barely
read their
novenas. There
are those who
give the
seemingly
valid excuse
of being busy
or away at
work. I tell
them about a
video I saw
that perhaps
many of you
have also
seen. It is
about a rat
inside a cage,
running around
in a wheel.
Whatever it
does, whether
it runs slowly
or fast, it
can go
nowhere, as it
just keeps on
turning the
wheel like a
merry-go-round.
We might be
very busy and
we might feel
tired and
exhausted, but
where are we
getting
ourselves to?
I
have been to
another place
where I heard
people tell
stories about
the long past
when they were
dirt poor and
would find
themselves on
the steps of
their nearby
church,
begging for
food,
receiving
donated
clothes, and
watching
television
programs.
However, when
God heard and
answered their
cries and
prayers with
the economic
miracle that
occurred in
that place,
the young and
strong found
no more good
reasons to
still be in
church that
often. People
got so busy.
Food is
readily
available and
on the table.
They have new
clothes on
their back.
Their
television
sets
multiplied.
If
the coldness
of our faith
and devotion
at present is
proportionate
to the high
temperatures
of this place
at present
and, having
seen two sides
of an almost
similar
situation, I
would
sometimes pray
to God to just
maintain the
present state
of complacency
we find
ourselves in.
If at present
we behave this
way, how much
more if God
makes us
abundant,
progressive
and rich? Will
we, like in
the situation
I just
mentioned,
also find no
more reason to
be in church?
Lord,
God forbid
that this
reality should
occur in this
place! As it
is said in
Psalm 137:
5-6: “...
If I forget
you,
Jerusalem, let
my right hand
wither. O Let
my tongue
cleave to my
mouth if I
remember you
not, if I
prize not
Jerusalem
above all my
joys!”
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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STATUS
QUO
“
.....
And who is my
neighbor?”
Luke 10: 29
Someone
gave
me a patch
with the
embroidered
image of a
person
carrying
someone on his
shoulder and
with the
words: “The
greatest
casualty is
being
forgotten.”
I
once watched a
For Adults
Only movie. It
was classified
as such not
because it
contained
porn, but
rather due to
its violent,
bloody theme.
The story
opens with
people
joyously
welcoming a
once enemy
force who, in
the succeeding
scenes, are
shown killing
one-by-one
those people
they deemed
not with them
politically.
After the film
ended, I was
drenched in a
cold sweat.
“I
cannot work
there... They
cannot help
me... I am not
with them...”
An election
period has
just ended at
our place. New
sets of
officials were
sworn in. Just
as there were
a lot of
casual
employees
sorrowful for
abruptly
losing their
jobs, there
were also the
same number
rejoicing for
getting their
positions –
for being of
the right
political
color. Many
are hurting
and left
abandoned on
the sidelines.
In our
country, it is
a pathetic
situation to
learn that, in
order to work
or receive
help, one
needs to be
with the right
group. This
has been
happening
since when and
will it be
always be this
way?
I am
no one. By
myself, I
cannot do
anything to
right this
age-old system
in our
country. I
surrender. I
accept defeat.
With white
knuckles, I
agree that the
situation is
really
heart-wrenching,
and it is
nerve-wracking
to say the
least. If I
only had
something to
offer to calm
the prevailing
atmosphere,
which is very
unsettled and
this has no
value
whatsoever.
MERCY, anyone?
Before
I
go on much
further, mercy
is a virtue
caused by the
free movement
of the will
regulated by
reason,
aroused by the
suffering of
another person
and leading to
something
positive done
about the
suffering.
To
continue, like
me, you might
say: "I am no
one. By
myself, I
believe I
cannot do
anything."
However,
according to
The Quran
verse 5:32,
“Saving one
life is as if
saving the
whole of
humanity.”
Following that
line of
thinking, if
we have shown
mercy to just
one person,
it's as if we
have shown
mercy to the
entire human
family.
One, and
another, and
another
more... There
will be many
in the end to
show mercy to
the world.
Again:
MERCY,
anyone ?
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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BUTTERSCOTCH
Late
every
afternoon in
our parish, it
is customary
for us to
bring the icon
of our
patroness
saint to two
households and
pray the
rosary.
On
one occasion,
while we were
processing to
a household, I
saw a familiar
7-year old,
grade one
child in
tears, crying.
After our
rosary, I went
back and asked
the mother
what the
problem had
been with her
child.
The
mother, who
manually
washes other
people's
laundry for
her
livelihood,
and is married
to a
subsistence
fisherman, who
catches fish
according to
the conditions
on the sea,
said that her
child was
earlier on
asking for the
amount of P
1.00 (a penny)
to buy a
favorite
candy, and she
had none to
give.
The
child was
somewhat
familiar to
me. One time,
I had seen him
eyeing the pan
de sal (local
bun) snacks
prepared for
parishioners
who were
fixing
something
inside the
church. Seeing
the child, I
approached,
picked up two
pieces of the
bread and gave
it to the kid,
who jumped in
happiness and
ran back to
his house. I
wished I could
have given the
child more.
After
that, I forgot
about the
child.
However, as I
was going
through my key
chain, I saw a
small,
metallic
medallion
which I picked
up from a
church lobby
while I was
still in the
United States.
Embossed on
the front was
the image of
the Sacred
Heart of
Jesus, and on
the back the
emblem Our
Lady of Mount
Carmel. I
attached it to
my key chain
to remind me
of God, the
Father, and
his Mother,
the Blessed
Virgin Mary.
Later, I
planned to
share it to
give hope to
anyone in need
of it.
While
I was looking
at the
medallion, the
image of the
child I saw
earlier in the
church was
sparked in my
mind, and I
also
remembered
what
Maimonedes, a
medieval
Sephardic
Jewish
philosopher,
said: "Give
a
man a fish and
you feed him
for a day;
teach a man to
fish and you
feed him for a
lifetime."
I
detached the
medallion from
the key chain,
put it in a
white envelop
and, later on,
I would give
it to the
child.
As it
was rainy that
afternoon when
I passed by
the child's
house, with
both of my
hands holding
a large
tarpaulin over
my head as
rain gear, I
called out and
told the child
to pick out
something
inside my
pant's side
pocket.
The
child beamed
upon seeing
the white
envelop. I
asked what he
thought it
might be, to
which I heard
the response,
"Money!" I
said to look
inside the
envelop as it
contained more
than money.
While
I was having
this exchange,
the mother
appeared and
told me that
earlier,
before I
arrived, her
child was
asking her for
P 5.00 (.10
U.S. cents)
which again
she had none
to give.
I
said that it
might not be
the P 1.00 nor
the P 5.00 the
child was
asking for,
but was
something that
would fill up
and strengthen
him so he
might not get
bogged down by
the
environment he
was in;
something to
help him
strive for
much more good
in life than
his favorite
butterscotch
candy –
something to
feed the
person for a
lifetime of
FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY.
As 1
Timothy 1:14
said it, "Indeed,
the grace of
our Lord has
been abundant
, along with
the faith and
love that are
in Christ
Jesus."
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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BED
and
BREAKFAST
As
he was
entering a
village, ten
lepers met
him. They
stood at a
distance from
him and raised
their voice,
saying,
"Jesus,
Master! Have
pity on us!"
Luke 17: 12-13
It is
my habit to
row a few
meters from
the shore to
unwind on my
kiddie rubber
toy boat after
praying the
rosary with
two
households,
One afternoon,
I felt a kid
tugging on my
shirt,
pleading that
he wanted to
ride with me
on the boat.
In
his great
excitement,
when I agreed
to his
request, he
fell in the
water as he
was scampering
to get in the
boat.
Once in it, I
noticed he was
a kid born
with his feet
slanted inward
so that it was
not his soles
touching the
ground but the
sides of his
feet. He runs
and walks with
great
struggle.
When
I saw this I
remembered the
little grade
school girl I
met, while
doing my
morning ascent
walk in my
state of the
art trekking
shoes that
someone had
given me, who
was selling
some homemade
food stuffs
perched on her
head. She was
in ill-fitting
clothes and
barefoot –
barefoot
without even
slippers or
anything to
protect her
delicate feet.
Out of pity, I
immediately
bought and
brought to her
a hundred peso
(US $ 2.00)
pair of
slippers from
the nearest
store.
As
soon as she
put on the new
slippers, she
ran away fast
towards home,
with the food
stuffs she was
selling still
on her head.
Seeing
these
events
transpire
before me, I
remembered the
lyrics of a
song
inscribed,
faded and with
paint peeling,
on the wall of
our seminary
refectory
before which
had seen good
times. It
said; "Some
have
food but
cannot eat.
Some can eat
but have no
food. We have
food and we
can eat. Glory
be to God,
Amen."
And
one
of them,
realizing he
had been
healed,
returned,
glorifying God
in a loud
voice, and he
fell at the
feet of Jesus
and thanked
him... Luke
17: 15-16
There
are some
households in
our parish
that don't
have proper
tables. On
several
occasions,
when we have
gone to their
houses, there
are
parishioners
who are in a
dilemma as
where to
station the
icon of our
patroness
saint. Some
would like to
put her on the
floor to which
I protested,
“No, no! At
least, put her
on a chair or
raised
platform.”
After
we prayed the
rosary, I
asked how they
ate their
meals, to
which they
responded that
come meal
times, they
serve
themselves
from their
dirty kitchen,
then look for
a corner or a
chair, and
there eat in
different
positions.
Some of them
eat rice mixed
with coffee,
instant
noodles or
salty junk
food chips...
Some
have
food but
cannot eat.
Some can eat
but have no
food. We have
food and we
can eat. Glory
be to God,
Amen.
And
when
he saw them,
he said, "Go
show
yourselves to
the priest."
As they were
going they
were cleansed!
Luke 17: 14
"I'm
going to bed
now?!"
There
are some
households in
our parish
that don't
have proper
and decent
beds in which
to rest at
night, as they
live in shacks
and lean to's.
I prayed my
prayer of
gratitude,
seeing how
some of them
are sleeping
with just a
thin carton
board
separating
them from the
cold floor, or
they just lay
about anywhere
to rest their
tired bodies
at the end of
the day.
I
remember (but
not exactly)
the words of
our late
archbishop who
practically
rebuilt our
seminary
facilities, "I
am giving you
good rooms and
beds hoping
that in the
coming days,
as priests,
you can serve
the people of
God well and
good.”
Some
have
food but
cannot eat.
Some can eat
but have no
food. We have
food and we
can eat. Glory
be to God,
Amen.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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CHIMNEYS
Our
“pre-gas and
electric
stove” house,
where our
large family
grew up, was
built with a
chimney
connected to
our dirty
kitchen stove
by an
elongated
metal pipe.
Using either
firewood or
charcoal to
cook, it
produced a lot
of soot.
Being
an old
structure, it
was one of the
few houses in
the
neighborhood
equipped with
a chimney.
Whenever it
spewed out
smoke, people
standing
nearby the
house could
quickly guess
what our help
was preparing
for our next
meal.
I
have a very
wild
imagination.
So, whenever I
saw our
chimney
spewing smoke
up into the
sky, I often
imagined our
house moving
at a high
speed and on
the go, like
those coal and
steam powered
trains and
passenger
ships I often
saw in western
movies.
It also
reminded me of
a painting I
saw about a
series of
factory
smokestacks
aggressively
belching out
the heavy,
polluting
smoke that is
gradually
killing the
environment.
Among our
peers, we
often compare
someone who
incessantly
chainsmokes to
a chimney.
In
the human
anatomy, the
mouth is the
chimney of the
body. It is
where the
contents of
the mind and
heart cooked
up in the
brain goes
out. According
to Mark 7:15,
21-23; "
Nothing that
enters one
from outside
can defile
that person;
but the things
that come out
from within
are what
defile... From
within people,
from their
hearts come
evil thoughts,
unchastity,
theft, murder,
adultery,
greed, malice,
deceit,
licentiousness
, envy,
blasphemy,
arrogance,
folly. All
these evils
come from
within and
they defile.
I
often remind
people to be
very careful
of the tone,
words and
terms they use
in dealing
with others,
as they could
either bring
damage for
life or
spiritual
death. A whip
is better, as
the scar it
causes can
easily be
healed and
forgotten.
But, not
words. They
can leave a
lifetime of
unforgettable
and unfading
lingering
scars.
What
is in your
conscience and
in your heart?
We invest a
lot in our
dental
hygiene. We
take good care
of our
precious
remaining
teeth. We are
aware of when
the last time
was we went to
the dentist.
And so it is
with our
mouth. We must
never neglect
to always
patronize the
Sacrament of
the
Reconciliation,
where in that
small,
screened room
our mouth –
our chimney –
spews out all
the soot, all
the
pollutants,
all the
poisons we
have in our
minds and
hearts.
May
we go out and
go home a
renewed
person. For, “A
good person
out of the
store of
goodness in
his heart
produces good,
but an evil
person out of
a store of
evil produces
evil, for from
the fullness
of the heart
the mouth
speaks.” Luke
6:45
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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AD
HOMINEM
They
said
to him,
“Teacher, this
woman was
caught in the
very act of
committing
adultery. Now
in the law,
Moses
commanded us
to stone such
women. So what
do you say?” John
8:
4-5
I
read that one
can learn a
lot about
someone within
just three
minutes of
meeting them.
My
party, right
or wrong!
During every
election
period, there
are some
candidates who
wanting to
distract
voters and
will dig for
dirt deep in
the closets of
their
opponents.
They search
for rotting
bones for the
very purpose
of producing
blackmail
propaganda and
smear
campaigns.
In
this day and
age of fake
news and
alternative
media,
consumers are
in a dilemma
try to
determine news
organization
to still trust
and believe
in, as each of
them has their
own version on
the issues
based upon
their own
political and
moral slants.
In
the study of
philosophy,
particularly
logic, Argumentum
Ad Hominem
is a falsity,
as it is
something
directed
against a
person rather
than the
position they
are
maintaining.
It is an
attack on the
person which
is completely
irrelevant to
the argument
that someone
is making.
This is
usually done
by one party
getting
desperate when
it cannot
anymore find a
decent counter
argument: when
they find
themselves
pushed and
shoved to the
wall.
Sometimes
this
comes from our
family
members,
colleagues or
coworkers. It
happens almost
everywhere,
and in every
kind of
situation in
which people
find
themselves
cornered or
put in a very
uncomfortable
situation.
They will, as
much as
possible,
fight their
way out of it
by attacking
the person. As
we say, “...it
is getting
personal.”
Which is, of
course, very
painful.
Then
Jesus
straightened
up and said to
her, “Woman,
where are
they? Has no
one condemned
you?” She
replied, “No
one, sir!”
Then Jesus
said, “Neither
do I condemn
you. Go, and
from now on do
not sin
anymore.” John
8: 10-11
Focus
on the facts
and not on the
person. On the
sin and not
the sinner. By
this, one will
know how civil
and mature a
person has
become.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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THE
LAZARUS
HEALTH BUDGET
There
was
a rich man who
dressed in
purple
garments and
fine linen and
dined
sumptuously
each day. Luke
16: 19
Sometimes,
as
a priest, I
see myself as
the rich man
mentioned in
the gospel
story.
One
time, right
after a full
meal, I felt
my tongue
craving for
something
more,
something
different.
Something
sweet. My mind
went back to
the rich
chocolate ice
cream cake
that was
donated by
someone to the
retired
priests of our
archdiocese.
However, due
to various
health
reasons, they
cannot partake
of it anymore.
So, when I was
with them for
a few days,
they were
inviting me to
consume all of
it, plus the
other sweet
stuff found
just sitting
in their
fridge. They
were asking me
to be a
janitor fish.
God
is so good to
his priests.
While I was
still
reminiscing
about the cake
offered to me
by our retired
priests,
suddenly we
overheard the
hurried
arrival of a
motorcycle
outside. When
we got up and
checked it was
a parishioner
who earlier in
the day gone
to the city on
some business.
On the way
back home, he
cared enough
to buy some
calorie-rich
sweet
chocolate cake
for us at the
rectory.
Immediately,
upon
being laid on
the table, I
reached out
and ate a big
portion of it
and felt an
overall sense
of
satisfaction
while being
tormented
thinking that
many of our
parishioners
downstairs had
nothing to eat
for the night.
I knew some of
them ate rice
mixed with
coffee, or
MSG-laden
instant
noodles.
And
lying
at his door
was a poor man
named Lazarus,
covered with
sores, who
would gladly
have eaten his
fill of the
scraps that
fell from the
rich man's
table. Luke
16: 20-21
.....and
from
the
netherworld,
where he was
in torment...
I am suffering
torment in
these
flames...
whereas you
are
tormented...
place of
torment...
Luke 16: 23,
24, 25, 28.
Recently,
our
high school
and college
class had the
rare
opportunity to
meet up in a
downtown
restaurant.
During our
gathering, one
by one, as I
was reviewing
their faces in
my mind, we
heard about
what had
happened to
some of our
classmates who
passed away in
different
horrendous
ways.
Some
of them were
terribly ill.
Some shared
about the
overwhelming
stress of
balancing
careers and
family life.
While they
were at it, I
kept on
reciting a
gratitude
prayer
thanking God
that, as His
celibate, I
only have my
own stomach to
fill up and,
at least, a
bed to crash
on for the
night.
The
table in the
middle laden
with all the
rich, greasy
and meaty
foods was
practically
left
untouched, as
most of us
were carrying
our own
various
creeping
health
problems.
Going
back to our
seminary
formation, on
the very first
day of our
orientation,
we were given
a road map. We
were reminded
that our
formation has
four aspects-
Human,
Spiritual,
Intellectual
and Pastoral.
From
that day on
and henceforth
until our
death, to
achieve
balance, our
lives must
rotate around
those corners.
Day in and day
out, to
meaningfully
and
productively
fill up my
day, my hours
keep on
shuffling back
and forth
through them.
Some times
good. Some
times not so.
But, at least,
I am armed
with a road
map for life.
Even
among priests,
many of our
brothers have
long since
stopped doing
vigorous
physical
activities. I
never did
stop. This is
my life hack.
I still do a
thousand of
repetitions on
my 25-pound
free weights
while
listening to
the very early
morning news
on the radio.
After
praying the
Liturgy of the
Hours, Morning
Prayer and
celebrating
the Eucharist,
as our place
is hilly, I do
an ascent walk
and descent
aboard my
nephew's
skateboard.
In
the afternoon,
after praying
the rosary at
two
households, I
run to the sea
with my
120-pound
capacity, 200
Pacesetter
inflatable
rubber boat
that my
sibling sent
me from the
United States.
I row a few
meters from
the shore and
unwind by
enjoying the
view, watching
birds fly back
home and
listen to the
waves. Soon,
after hearing
about my
activities, a
good friend
promised to
give me a used
fishing rod to
complete the
picture.
Then
I
beg you,
father , send
him to my
father's
house, for I
have five
brothers, so
that he may
warn them,
lest they too
come to this
place of
torment. Luke
16: 27
Seeing
a
middle age
person on a
skateboard or
on a rubber
boat is a bit
of a curiosity
for many
schoolchildren
in our parish.
I am like the
Pied Piper of
Hamelin, as
many of them
follow me
looking and
touching these
devices that
are rarely
seen in this
part of the
world.
And,
this is how I
live the four
aspects of our
seminary
formation to
achieve a
balanced and
healthy
lifestyle. All
on a P 0.00
budget- the
Lazarus Health
Budget.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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ON
FIRE
“And
the
Holy Spirit
descended upon
him in bodily
form like a
dove. And a
voice came
from heaven,
You are my
beloved Son;
with you I am
well pleased.”
Luke 3: 22
One
day, I went to
visit a
coastal
village where
potable water
was scarce.
So, I wondered
to myself,
“How do
inhabitants
survive such a
condition?”
While I was
there looking
around, I saw
several large,
plastic
containers
installed on
raised
platforms in
the area.
Whenever it
rained, water
was caught and
stored in
those
containers to
be consumed,
little by
little, in the
following
months of
dryness and
aridity.
Once,
I saw a wide
swathe of land
full of lush
vegetation in
the middle of
a desert. It
was constantly
being
irrigated.
God
is well
pleased with
us. He does
not abandon
us. What a
thing to
behold!
From
these two
incidents that
I have just
shared, I came
to admire how
people living
in that
coastal
village, and
those living
in the middle
of the desert,
were able to
harness the
gifts of
nature,
enabling them
to live for
another year
with dignity
and pride.
These
incidents are
the concrete
living out
made possible
by all the
gifts of God.
Like Jesus
received the
gold, the
frankincense
and the myrrh
from the Magi,
we also
receive the
gifts that we
need from God.
The
gold is the
100 carat gold
worth more
than anything.
It represents
the pure
capacity and
strength to
respond to
God's
invitation in
the everyday
living of our
lives.
The
frankincense
reminds us of
the shared
responsibility
of blessing
and discerning
everything
that is around
us. To see in
ourselves the
image and
likeness of
God, and see
this also in
the lives of
other people.
We have to
respect our
own dignity
and that of
others. All of
this is the
result of the
Sacrament of
Baptism
whereby, we
share in the
priesthood of
our Lord,
Jesus.
Finally,
we
have the myrrh
to remind us
that
eventually we
have a divine
destiny. No
one among us
will leave
this earth
alive.
However, we
have somewhere
to go. From
the womb to
the tomb, God
is well
pleased with
us. All of our
gifts are
given
legitimacy
through the
Sacrament of
Baptism.
Let
us not limit
ourselves like
the people who
were filled
with
expectation,
and all were
asking in
their hearts
whether John
might be the
Messiah. John
answered them
all, saying,
“I am
baptizing you
with water,
but one
mightier than
I is coming. I
am not worthy
to loosen the
thongs of his
sandals. He
will baptize
you with the
Holy Spirit
and fire.”
Luke 3: 15-16
We
have more than
John the
Baptist
baptizing in
water. We have
the Messiah
baptizing us
with the Holy
Spirit and
fire. If those
people living
in the coastal
village and
also those in
the middle of
the desert
just
surrendered to
their
situations,
what would
eventually
happen to
them?
Be on
fire. Burn
through the
limitations we
find ourselves
in. We can
live through
all of it.
Fr.
Allan Fenix.
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WHAT
IS
THE DEAL?
For
many, the
title of my
homily sounds
similar to a
very popular
and exciting
T.V. game show
that some
among us
avidly love to
watch.
However, for
me, ever since
I have been
studying the
scriptures,
there is one
great question
that keeps on
bugging me.
It's like the
incessant
sound of a
mosquito in
our ears while
we are trying
to get a good
night's sleep
– is God the
Father the
original blue
print for a
great
salesperson?
Many
who love to go
shopping for a
bargain are
very
discriminating
concerning
which product
offers the
best deal.
Consequently,
the business
world uses
this to their
advantage by
coming up with
all kinds of
gimmicks to
conveniently
facilitate the
transfer of
money from our
wallets to
their accounts
and to their
profit
margins.
That's why it
is not
surprising
that we have
in the
marketplace
all kinds of
one, two,
three in one
promos –
various items
together in
one very
beautiful and
enticing
package.
At
the very start
of another new
year in our
lives, God the
Father, the
best ever
salesperson,
is offering us
a lot of free
giveaway items
ready for the
taking, and
available to
anyone who
decides to
accept his
offer
wholeheartedly.
“And
Mary
kept all these
things,
reflecting on
them in her
heart.”
Luke 2:19
Today,
we
are
celebrating
Mothers' Day
five months in
advance. The
first item
being offered
on the line is
a mother – Our
Blessed Virgin
Mary.
The
celebration of
the Motherhood
of Mary on the
first day of
the year
reveals to us
the
soft-hearted
nature of our
God the
Father. At the
same time,
this also
shows us the
essential role
of women, not
only in our
families, but
also in the
Church and
other
institutions.
A mother oozes
with life,
like him. God
the Father
would like to
remind us of
the tremendous
role that
women play in
giving life.
The
mother is the
heart of the
house, beating
and giving
life. Notice
how sad a
household is
in the absence
of a mother.
From my own
experience,
whenever I am
amidst
difficulties
and trials, I
would usually
just sit by
staring
intently on
the calm and
peaceful face
of Our Blessed
Virgin Mary.
After some
time doing it,
everything
starts to fall
into its
rightful
place. It is
from her we
draw our pure
strength and
the will to go
on; to take
one more step
and then
another
towards the
completion and
fulfillment of
our goals.
Indeed,
God
is wise in
making Mary
the Mother of
God or Theotokos,
the
God-bearer. He
is making the
best deal at
the start of
the year for
anyone
accepting the
opportunity to
gain for
themselves a
two for one –
the Mother and
the Son.
The
more the
better. They
say that too
many cooks
spoil the
broth, however
at this time,
the more the
better, as we
are getting
the two best
helping pair
of hands ever
in the form of
our Blessed
Virgin Mary
and her Son,
Jesus Christ.
More power.
More energy.
More life....
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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DIVINE
COFFEE
Every
weekday
morning, to
prepare the
church for the
coming Sunday,
parishioners
would come and
clean for
free. In turn,
the parish
prepares some
snacks for
them.
It
was on such an
occasion as
this, while I
was looking
for some
coffee in our
pantry, that a
parishioner
approached to
ask for some.
She suddenly
said that the
coffee is,
"for the
humans."
At
first, I was
at a loss for
the proper
words. I was
surprised by
the term she
had used. Then
I came to
myself and
said, “I pray
that people
will not see
me as inhuman
(the worst), a
cyborg (good),
a superman
(better), but
holy (the
best).
As a
priest, I am
an Alter
Christus (Another
Christ) who is
God and
Divine.
May I drink
more to
it. More
Divine Coffee
please!
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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STOP.
LOOK.
LISTEN.
One
of my favorite
bible stories
is when the
Lord appears
to Samuel:
...the
Lord called
Samuel. He
answered,
“Yes, Sir!”
and ran to Eli
and said, “You
called me, and
here I am.”
But Eli
answered, “I
didn't call
you go back to
bed.” So
Samuel went
back to bed.
The Lord
called Samuel
again. The boy
did not know
that it was
the Lord,
because the
Lord had never
spoken to him
before. So he
got up, went
to Eli, and
said, “You
called me, and
here I am.”
But Eli
answered, “My
Son, I didn't
call you; go
back to bed.”
The Lord
called Samuel
a third time;
he got up,
went to Eli,
and said, “You
called me, and
here I am.”
Then Eli
realized that
it was the
Lord who was
calling the
boy, so he
said to him,
“Go back to
bed; and if he
calls you
again, say,
'Speak, Lord,
your servant
is
listening.'”
So Samuel went
back to bed.
The Lord came
and stood
there and
called as he
had before,
“Samuel!
Samuel!”
Samuel
answered,
“Speak; your
servant is
listening” 1
Samuel 3:
4-10.
I
love the
silence and
freshness of
every early
morning, for
it is the
highlight of
my day. I
always look
forward to it,
as it is a
time to be one
with my
Liturgy of the
Hours. As I go
through the
Office of
Readings and
Morning Prayer
to open up the
day, I really
listen to what
God would like
to say to me
before
celebrating
the mass, and
before the
different
noises of the
world distract
me.
In
every moment
of our
everyday
waking lives,
from the time
we open our
eyes, and up
until we close
them to end
our day, there
are many
different
kinds of noise
vying for our
precious
attention.
There is the
noise of one
who is so
aggressive in
selling us
something- a
product or
service. And,
especially
during the
election
period, there
is also the
noise of the
ones
soliciting our
votes: “Please
do choose me!”
And there is
the noise of
the news
outfits trying
to make us
believe in the
brand of news
and the
ideologies
they are
propagating.
Where
can we go to
free ourselves
from all of
these noises?
We have to
unplug
ourselves from
our gadgets
and devices
and, like
Samuel, seek
time for
prayer and
say, “Speak,
your servant
here is
listening.”
I
live in a very
simple parish
and always
close the day
by bringing
our patroness
saint around
to the nearby
households. We
pray the
rosary and, as
a community,
really listen
to what God is
telling us.
We
say, “Speak,
your servant
is listening.”
Father
Allan S. Fenix
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TO
FEED.
TO TEND.
Back
in the days of
analog
technology,
whenever we
had to set up
an external
antenna, we
looked for a
good spot
where we could
catch a good
signal – get
good
reception,
good frequency
modulation,
and pick up a
lot of nearby
and distant
stations.
One
day, while I
was walking by
the port area,
I happened by
the steering
room of a
large fishing
boat. One of
the men there
explained to
me the use of
the sonar
tracking
equipment I
found hanging
on a panel.
They used it
to determine
the exact spot
where the most
schools of
fish
congregate. In
the analog
days, he said,
they just wild
guessed for a
good place,
and just kept
throwing their
nets anywhere
and everywhere
until they hit
the right
spot.
In
our church,
there are two
kinds of
priest. The
first is the
one who can
write and
frame well
their thoughts
and ideas on
paper.
However, he
cannot
verbally
communicate it
very
effectively.
The second can
speak,
enunciate,
entertain and
hold the
attention span
of his
parishioners
for hours.
However, he
doesn't have
the time to
put everything
in print and
writing. Soon
his thoughts
and ideas just
vanish and are
gone. Future
students will
not find
anything of
his to
research and
pass on to the
coming
generations.
In
the third time
that Jesus
revealed
himself to his
disciples
after being
raised from
the dead, he
gave us
priests two
tasks – to
FEED and to
TEND his
sheep. By
inviting the
disciples to
have breakfast
after the
miraculous
catch of one
hundred fifty
three large
fish, and by
coming over
and taking the
bread and
giving it to
them and in
like manner
the fish, he
set the proper
example for
us. Reference
John 21.
We
priests would
sometimes come
as actors; as
messiahs; as
experts. We
would involve
ourselves in
so many
activities and
projects in
which we hold
no expertise.
These tended
to pull us far
away from our
primary
concern as
shepherds – to
FEED and to
TEND the
people with
the Word of
God and the
Holy
Eucharist.
This is what
the people
really
need.
Armed with
this in their
faith, the
people
themselves
become experts
in their own
right. We do
not just
impose it upon
them. By
themselves
they can
navigate in
and out of any
situations
they find
themselves in.
BUSY!
NO TIME!
Humbug! How
many priests
put so much
time into
their other
activities and
projects that
there is no
time to
celebrate the
Holy Eucharist
at least once
a day, or to
even open the
pages of their
Liturgy of the
Hours? It's
like they
subcontract
it. There were
a lot of
activities and
programs in
our church
which were
launched but
went nowhere
after the
priest left.
They just
crashed and
burned on the
ground. It was
like a rocket
that blasted
off, was
launched high
into the sky,
and got lost
in outer
space.
As
priests, when
we FEED and
TEND our sheep
that is where
we will find
the good spot,
with the good
signal
reception on
all the
frequencies,
and the full
school of fish
– a catch of
people for the
Kingdom.
We
priests must
not be
technocrats on
stilts. We
must heed the
invitation of
Jesus Christ
to FEED and to
TEND his sheep
and follow him
to his
crucifixion.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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MAYO
Méi
yǒu is the
Chinese pin
yin which
means “none”
in English. It
also rhymes
with our own
Bicolano
dialect word “Mayo,”
which
also means
“none.” We use
the Spanish
word “Mayo”
for the month
of May.
When
I was still a
student, the
coming of the
month of May
brought with
it a mixture
of excitement
and anxiety,
as it
indicated that
only a month
of summer
vacation
remained
before
seriously
hitting the
books again –
back to
school. And,
of course,
there was the
excitement of
the Agua
de Mayo,
the “Water
of May” that
is a break
from the long
and monotonous
dry, hot days
of April.
In
our country,
during the
month of May,
we have the
traditional Flores
de
Mayo the
“Flowers of
May,” where
we, the
children,
would troop to
church on
Wednesday and
Saturday
afternoons to
offer our
newly bloomed
flowers at the
feet of Our
Blessed Virgin
Mary. In my
case, I
learned about
this tradition
due to the
snacks and
refreshments
being
distributed
after the
activity. I
would usually
stand nearby
it hoping to
get another
serving once
everybody else
got theirs.
Recently,
our
country was
undergoing the
so-called El
Nino
Phenomenon, a
weather
pattern
characterized
by high
temperatures
and aridity
due to the
long absence
of rain. With
this forecast
in hand, I
psychologically
prepared
myself to
stick out
those sticky
days with less
water around.
However, God
really doesn't
forget his
promises. He
never defaults
on them. One
very early
morning just
after the
midnight
hours, the
water just
poured down.
There were
loud and
roaring
thunder and
lightnings.
Heavy rains
came pounding
onto my room's
windows. Our
parishioners
were so happy
that the wells
swelled with
water over the
next few days.
And afterward
we were back
to the long
stretch of hot
days again.
With
all of these
events
transpiring,
right in the
middle of the
month of May,
I asked myself
where is the Flores
de Mayo
activity in
our parish
church? Didn't
anyone muster
the necessary
initiative to
gather the
children and
let them offer
freshly
bloomed
flowers at the
feet of Our
Blessed Virgin
Mary? Maybe
everyone is so
busy and
distracted
eking out a
living that
they forgot. I
immediately
got scissors
and cut the
red roses and
sampaguita
flowers
growing and
wilting away
fast by the
side of the
parish church,
and by myself
offered them
all to our
regional
patroness, Our
Lady of
Penafrancia,
our patroness
saint, Our
Lady of Peace
and Good
Voyage, and
also our
secondary
patron saint,
San Roque.
“If
you know these
things, you
will be
blessed if you
do them.”
John 13:17
I did
not learn the
practice of
the Flores
de Mayo
from our
philosophy and
theology
classes. I got
it in days
long past,
from those who
took the right
initiative,
and gathered
us children
together and
told us to
harvest
freshly
bloomed
flowers, fall
in line and,
one by one,
approach and
offer it all
on the feet of
Our Blessed
Virgin Mary.
It stuck with
me. And I knew
on that day I
was equally
blessed along
with our
parishioners.
For
as long as we
do the good
things we have
learned, yes
indeed, there
are blessings
from God in
whatever time
and situation
that we might
find ourselves
in.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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BANANA
HEARTS
Nature
is
a great
teacher. To
start with,
let us take as
an example the
banana fruit.
Aside from
being so
nutritious,
the humble
banana has a
very essential
lesson to
impart to us
all.
A
banana is a
fruit that is
very familiar
to almost
everyone. It
is affordable,
easy to eat,
and a highly
recommended
dietary
companion. On
any given day,
it is what is
conspicuously
displayed on
fruit stands
along the
road, in the
market or on a
restaurant
buffet. The
dictionary
defines it as
a long, curved
fruit with a
thick skin
that is yellow
when ripe.
At
the back of
our parish
church, I saw
a number of
banana plants
which had not
yet reached
the
fruit-bearing
stage. Every
morning before
the mass, I
would observe
them one by
one, and a
secret scheme
formed in my
mind. I wanted
to perform an
experiment
using the
water from the
bowl I used in
washing my
hands in the
mass to
nourish one of
these plants
to see if it
would bear
fruit more
abundantly
than the
others that
were not
included in my
study.
So,
morning by
morning and
mass after
mass, I did
what I had in
mind and one
day, after
several weeks
and months,
when I looked
up I was
surprised to
see reddish
banana hearts
(puso ng
saging)
protruding and
hanging out
from all of
theses plants.
As we
love to eat
vegetables, I
excitedly told
an early bird
parishioner
that we could
harvest one of
those banana
hearts after
the mass and
have it for
lunch. The
parishioner
replied that
it is from
those hearts
which come out
first that
eventually
banana fruits
will come.
Without those
hearts, there
will be no
fruits. I
reflected
deeply on this
statement and
concluded that
it is not only
a law of
nature but
also true in
the
scriptures; "A
good man
brings good
things out of
the good
stored up in
his heart, and
an evil man
brings evil
things out of
the evil
stored up in
his heart. For
the mouth
speaks what
the heart is
full of. Luke
6:45
What
comes out of
our mouths is
from our
hearts. It is
the same way
in our lives.
We should show
first our
hearts before
anything in
our lives
reaches
fruition. The
heart before
the fruit. Let
us all learn
from this
simple law of
nature and
what the
humble banana
plant is
teaching us.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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FIRST
TABLE
The
First
Table was the
First
Stable...
There
was a priest
who officiated
at the
Sacrament of
Matrimony for
a couple from
a village near
his parish.
After the
ceremony, with
all the
picture-taking
and everything
that was still
going on, the
priest and a
companion were
invited to the
reception hall
ahead of rest
of the wedding
party to
partake of the
best prepared,
and most
sumptuous
viands, at the
first table.
As
the priest and
his invited
companion were
enjoying their
meal in the
still empty
place, a
kitchen
staffer
suddenly
appeared and,
not knowing
the entire
situation, and
not
recognizing
them, scolded
them for going
ahead and
eating food
meant only for
the newly
wedded couple,
their parents,
family members
and important
guests and
visitors.
As a
seminarian, I
also have had
the experience
of being
seated at the
first table,
together with
the priest who
celebrated the
Holy Eucharist
for a village
feast. Same as
above, it
contained the
selected
viands for the
priest-celebrant,
his companions
and other
invited-only
persons who
were the only
ones seated
there.
There
was even a
priest who
shared that he
got his
priestly
vocation when,
as a Knight of
the Altar, he
was seated
with a priest
at the first
table:
“Priests eat
good food at
the first
table. Better
be a priest
myself!”
In
the
celebration of
the Holy
Eucharist,
while movie
theaters and
other
entertainment
arenas have
their
comfortably
cushioned
seats numbered
and priced, we
faithfuls,
seated on
wooden, hard
pews, have
court and
ringside seats
at the First
Table, as we
witness the
greatest
miracle
occurring on
earth, wherein
the bread and
wine is
transformed
into the Body
and Blood of
our Lord,
Jesus Christ.
In
the mass, we
are not privy
to the
hocus-pocus
tricks of a
priest,
learned from
his years in
the seminary,
but, in truth
and in fact,
through his
anointed hands
in the
consecration,
God once again
comes down
from heaven
and transforms
himself into
the appearance
of the bread
and wine on
the First
Table.
Lest
we desecrate
the First
Table, there
was a
liturgist who
warned us
priests to not
even attempt,
in a joking
manner, to
hover our
hands over the
bread and wine
while reciting
the
consecration
words, “Let
your Spirit
come upon
these gifts to
make them
holy, so that
they may
become for us
the body + and
blood of our
Lord, Jesus
Christ...”
How
are we
approaching
the First
Table? I have
been to a
western
country and
saw how in an
orderly
manner, pew by
pew, they form
a respectful
queue to
receive the
Body and Blood
of our Lord
Jesus Christ
from the First
Table. While
here in our
country, it is
a frequent
occurrence for
parishioners
to rush in
from all
corners and
directions as
if akin to,
and
reminiscent
of, when
relief goods
are being
distributed
after a
calamity.
Cheek by jowl,
they crowd in
to receive
holy communion
from the First
Table.
We
have an
archdiocesan
policy
wherein,
except if it
is a parent of
a priest, the
Holy Eucharist
is not allowed
to be
celebrated in
wakes in
private
residences.
One of the
reasons given
was the
absence of a
decent table
on which to
celebrate the
mass.
Sometimes the
table was a
card table on
which games
were played,
drinks or
snacks were
served, and it
was to be used
when these
things were
done.
The
First
Table happened
in the First
Stable, the
manger, during
the First
Christmas.
Christmas
is
once again
coming. It is
aptly said in
a very popular
song etched in
every
Filipino's
heart - Ang
Pasko ay
sumapit. Tayo
ay
mangagsi-awit.
Ng magagandang
himig. Dahil
sa ang Diyos
ay pag-ibig.
Nang si
Kristo'y
isilang May
tatlong haring
nagsidalaw. At
ang bawa't isa
ay
nagsipaghandog
Ng tanging
alay. Bagong
taon ay
magbagong-buhay.
Nang lumigaya
ang ating
bayan. Tayo'y
magsikap upang
makamtan Natin
ang
kasaganahan.
Tayo'y
mangagsi-awit.
Habang ang
mundo'y
tahimik. Ang
araw ay
sumapit Ng
sanggol na
dulot ng
langit. Tayo
ay magmahalan.
Ating sundin
ang gintong
aral. At
magbuhat
ngayon KAHIT
HINDI PASKO AY
MAGBIGAYAN!
(Christmas
has
arrived. Let
us all sing
Beautiful
melodies For
in God is
love. When
Christ was
born Three
kings came to
visit. And
each of them
presented
Unique gifts.
Start a new
life at the
new year To
bring joy to
our people.
Let's strive
in order to
achieve
prosperity for
us all. Let us
all sing While
the Earth is
quiet. The day
has arrived of
the infant
given by
heaven. Let us
all love love
one another.
Let's follow
the golden
rule. And from
now on EVEN
WHEN IT'S NOT
CHRISTMAS,
LET'S SHARE!)
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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RENAISSANCE*
Someone
asked
him, Lord,
will only a
few people be
saved? Luke
13:22
At
one of the
monthly
general
assemblies we
had with our
late
Archbishop, a
Dominican, I
can vividly
remember him
asking all of
us, his
priests,
present at
that time: “If
you could
relive a
certain period
in our church
history, which
one would you
wish it to be?
To which he
shared that
personally,
for him, he
would wish to
relive the
Renaissance
period, in
which time
kings and
queens would
knock hard on
the wooden
doors of the
churches
asking to have
their
confessions
heard.
In
our parish, we
decided to
give each
village and sitio
(zone) clearly
printed and
laminated
novenary
copies of
their patron
or patroness
saints to
enable them,
through
constant
repetitions,
to imprint it
in their
hearts and
minds.
One
time when I
visited one of
the villages,
I suggested
that, while
waiting for
the other
parishioners
to arrive,
perhaps we
could pray the
novena to
their patron
saint. They
replied that,
due to fear of
theft and
loss, the said
copies of the
novenary were
not available,
as they were
entrusted to a
parishioner
who had
already left
the village
and had not
been around
for some time.
I
countered that
the next time
we made copies
of the novenas
available,
just leave
them in the
chapel so
parishioners
dropping by
could have
easy access to
them to use
and pray with.
If, in case
someone should
take one home,
so much the
better, as a
word, a
sentence and
even a
paragraph
might be able
to make a
difference and
change the
life of a
person.
We
can always
reproduce
copies of it,
but the impact
that it can
bring to the
hearts and
minds of
someone is
simply
immeasurable.
There were
some
parishioners
who even said
that, in their
long
existence, it
was only
recently that
they became
more familiar
with their
patron saint.
When
I was in the
mission field,
I had an
experience
where I lost a
copy of my
sacramentary.
However, I
also gained a
convert.
It
was an
unfamiliar
language. I
was just
starting to
learn it. So,
it was a habit
to lug along
with me my own
copy of the
sacramentary
containing my
own rubrics;
cues to tell
me which part
of the liturgy
I was in and
would follow;
reminders on
the ways and
means to
properly
pronounce a
character.
During
that
time, after I
would finish
celebrating
the Holy
Eucharist in a
nearby church,
I would
usually go,
sit in a
nearby public
park, breath
in the fresh
air and just
relax.
One
day, maybe
because I had
already become
so accustomed
to the place,
I was too
trusting and
careless; so
much so that I
left my
backpack
containing the
copy of my
sacramentary
on a bench and
went to the
restroom. When
I came back it
was gone.
Walking back
through the
memory, I can
recall
observing a
young person
just hanging
out a short
distance away
from me.
To
make a long
story short,
after a few
months, now
with a new
sacramentary
of my own
again, our
porter called
me up to say
that someone
was looking
for me. When I
went down to
our visiting
area, a person
handed me a
plastic bag
full of
tattered
pages. This
person
apparently
found it
somewhere and
started going
through it and
confessed
that, in a
way, it
changed his
life. My name
and contact
address was
visibly
printed on the
pages. So, it
was not
difficult to
connect it
back to me.
The
paperback
sacramentary
that was lost
was nothing to
me, but what
it did to
another
person's life
matters a lot
and the most.
Strive
to
enter through
the narrow
gate, for
many, I tell
you, will
attempt to
enter but will
not be strong
enough. Luke
13:24
Just
like our late
Archbishop,
how many of us
are also
daydreaming
about life
during the
Renaissance
period of the
Church, when
people from
all walks of
life would go
out and come
to church in
droves to
receive the
sacraments?
Even, perhaps,
witness how
John the
Baptist, in
the movie
scenes of
Jesus of
Nazareth, was
baptizing
great numbers
of people in
the Jordan
river.
By a long
shot, that
time is
past. It
is all wishful
thinking by
now.
And
people
will come from
the east and
the west and
from the north
and south and
will recline
at table in
the Kingdom of
God. Luke 13:
29
We
might not be
able to
convert and
baptize a
thousand souls
into the
faith.
However, our
simple little
acts like
leaving a copy
of a Catholic
magazine, like
what I do with
my old Life
Today
magazines, stampitas,
rosary guides,
novenas...
leaving them
in places
where people
might see and
find
them.
Perhaps, a
word, a
sentence or a
paragraph
might change a
life.
That,
in itself, is
indeed like
living back in
the Renaisance
period of our
church.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
*The
period
in the 14th,
15th and 16th
centuries
during which
there was a
renewed
interest in
art and
literature,
inspired by a
fresh study of
ancient Greek
art, ideas...
It started as
a cultural
movement in
Italy in the
Medieval
period and
later spread
to the rest of
Europe.
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CALLOUSED KNEES
There
was a priest
who decided to
get laicized.
One day, a
brother-priest
visited and
let him listen
on a tape
cassette
recorder to
the happy and
loud pealing
of bells on
the very day
of his
ordination.
After that, he
changed his
mind and went
back to his
ministry with
gusto.
For
where
your treasure
is, there also
will your
heart be.
Luke 12: 34
Growing
up,
I would
oftentimes
hear people
say that
religious nuns
were married
to Jesus
Christ- “Ikinasal
kay Kristo”.
That is why
they can no
longer get
married to
another human
person – they
are celibate
for life.
In my
case, as far
as I can
remember, eons
ago, on the
night before
our diaconate
ordination,
the ordinandi,
in a kneeling
down position,
and witnessed
by the entire
seminary
community in
our chapel,
made a solemn
pledge of
celibacy,
signed and
handed, one by
one, to our
unsmiling
rector, which
he turned over
to our
archbishop.
The
next scene
that I can
remember was
we, the
ordinandi, all
prostrated
down on the
cold sanctuary
floor of our
basilica
minore, and
now witnessed
by our
individual
family and
loved ones.
Personally, I
felt as though
I was on Cloud
Nine of the
high heavens,
as the litany
of the saints
was being
slowly sung by
a bass cantor,
right before
our archbishop
eventually
laid his hands
on our heads.
“Good bye
world!”
From
that time on,
our genuine
treasure is
God alone. He
is now our
spouse to whom
we should be
truly and
entirely
available.
This is the
business
enterprise
that we have
entered into
with the whole
of our lives.
And
all of this
can only be
made possible,
as we were
also formed
for years
inside the
seminary,
through
prayers on our
knees. Prayer
is the only
way by which
we can
strengthen
that bond to a
spouse whom we
cannot
physically
sense, but
know only in
the deepest
recesses of
our hearts.
That is why,
if one would
like to know
who a
seminarian is,
just look at
his knees –
they should be
calloused from
long hours of
prayer all
throughout the
day.
Right
after
ordination,
what? There
were many who
observed that
many priests
in their first
few years in
the ministry
gain a lot of
weight. Some
resorted to
unhealthy
diversions
like drinking
too much and
too many to
chain-smoking,
overnight
gambling, and
the lending
business.
Eventually,
many got sick
and some died
too young. Our
spouse might
be the
Almighty, but
we are not
immune or
invulnerable.
It is
because that
right after
our seminary
formation,
many forgot
all about self
care – about
exercise,
proper diet
and rest. So,
in the same
way, right
after
ordination,
prayer, all of
a sudden, just
became bland,
uninteresting
and
unattractive.
It was
abandoned in
favor of more
“sensible”
pursuits.
Celebrating
the Holy
Eucharist
became the
last of
priorities.
Let
us go back
home to our
womb, my dear
brother
celibates, and
reminisce
about how we
were truly
formed in the
seminary.
Right before
the Blessed
Sacrament, on
our knees,
praying the
rosary, the
Liturgy of the
Hours and
meditating on
the great love
we received
from our
spouse, our
Lord and our
God, as we
were all
prostrate down
on that cold
sanctuary
floor, as the
litany of the
saints was
being slowly
sung by a bass
cantor.
From
our
youthfulness,
to senescence,
to
obsolescence,
all of our
focus,
strength and
our everything
– the et
als should
only be to
him, our
spouse, our
Lord, our God.
With our
calloused
knees and all,
he is indeed
our treasure
and who our
hearts should
be with, be
in, and be
around.
Postscript:
The
day after my
ordination I
ceased to
receive my
weekly one
hundred peso
($ 2.00)
allowance and
a carton of
milk from my
mother, as she
knew that I
was already
then with my
spouse, my
Lord, my God.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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“...Lord
teach us to
pray just as
John taught
his
disciples.”
Luke 11:
1
We
priests, and
other ordained
ministers of
the church,
are obliged to
pray
faithfully the
four volume
Liturgy of the
Hours,
familiarly
referred to as
the breviary.
If one would
really
assiduously
follow every
detail of it,
it would take
a considerable
time to
accomplish it
throughout the
day.
In
time, using
the acceptable
excuse that we
are too busy
(or lazy) to
pray, there
came out a
very short
version --
"The Shorter
Christian
Prayer."
How
many among us
still really
pray? I
ordinarily
notice these
four volumes I
earlier
mentioned just
relegated to
gathering dust
beside the
Holy Bible on
many of our
bookshelves.
Nowadays, many
have opted for
its online
edition.
When
I was still a
transitional
deacon, a
parish priest
whom I was
with at that
time, honestly
told me to not
pray regularly
the Hours, as
he himself had
already
completely
stopped doing
so. "I am out
of it," he
told me.
Let
us learn from
our mass
transport
drivers. Be it
a trimobile, a
public utility
vehicle or
jeepney, a
bus... almost
all of us, at
one point in
our lives,
have
experienced
riding one of
these
conveyances
plying our
thoroughfares.
As
a student, I
witnessed and
admired how
our public
transport
drivers, whom
we fondly call
"sweet lovers"
in our culture
(as
popularized by
a sticker
posted on
their
windshields),
pray the
briefest and
shortest
prayers. What
a devotion!
Very early in
the morning,
newly bathed
and with their
hair properly
combed,
immediately
upon sitting
in front of
the steering
wheel, they
press the
rosary, the
crucifix, the
miraculous
medal, the
brown scapular
and the
stampita found
dangling from
their rear
view mirrors,
and make a
quick sign of
the cross.
There was even
a particular
driver whom I
observed
making the
sign of the
cross every
time his
jeepney passed
by a church or
a cemetery
along his
route.
What
do you think
they were
praying for?
To have a good
day and make
fares enough
to meet their
daily
requirement,
put food on
the table, pay
their bills,
buy much
needed
medicines,
milk, diapers,
etc... Give us
each day our
daily bread.
Luke 11:3
At
the end of the
day, I haven't
seen them as
they park
their vehicles
in the car
barns. I
wonder if they
do a similar
closing
gesture to
that with
which they
started their
day?
Do
we still care
to pray?
Again, let us
look at what
our drivers,
the sweet
lovers of the
road, do it at
the start of
each day.
Whatever
we do, as
priests,
seminarians,
nuns, teachers
or students,
we can be
edified by our
humble
drivers, the
sweet
lovers.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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INKLESS
I am
very much an
early bird
kind of
person. I am
usually up at
four in the
morning,
listening to
the news of
the day, sans
the
never-ending
commercials
coming up
later on.
As I
have been
listening to
the news, one
thing that I
noticed lately
is the uptick
of suicide
cases
occurring
among our
younger
generations.
The particular
news item
would often
end saying
that no
immediate
cause was
determined.
One
time, as I had
been
continually
hearing this
kind of news,
a question
suddenly
formed inside
my mind. Is
there a strong
connection
between what
is in the news
and what I
have seen
transpiring in
our canonical
books?
From
time to time,
whenever I
would go
through the
pages of our
canonical
books –
usually when
parishioners
would request
a copy of
their
baptismal
certificate –
I would first
admire how
parish
secretaries,
using fine
point ink
pens, would
decorate those
pages with
their entries.
Secondly, I
would also
observe many
empty entries
under the
“Father of the
Child”
section.
Usually, it
would just be
marked as
P.N.C. (Padre
No Conocido
– Father
Unknown).
Sometimes it
would just be
left blank –
inkless.
In
our society
nowadays, solo
parenting, in
which most of
the time the
female is
singly raising
her own
children, is a
stark reality.
Many mothers
are made
widows, and
children, in
turn, orphans,
by the death
of their
so-called
“breed and
leave” type of
fathers. And,
with so many
seeking the
overseas work
necessary to
help support
the
ever-increasing
needs of their
families, many
of these
children are
left under the
care of
grandparents,
or other
relatives,
willing to do
this care
giving for
them. In turn,
these children
are left to
fend, and find
for
themselves,
the emotional
support that
only real
parents
provide. Many
of those still
in their
formative
years are
already
included in
the statistics
for high
incidence of
teen
pregnancies,
addiction of
various types,
drop outs...
depression...
suicides...
It's
no wonder that
in our masses
the ones
mostly present
are the very
old – the
grandparents –
and the still
too young –
the children
they care for.
I admire so
much the
statement I
overheard from
the wife of an
overseas
worker,
expressing the
hope that her
husband would
eventually
come back
home, as no
amount of
money or
possessions
could equal
his presence
in the lives
of their
children.
Whenever he
came home he
was treated as
a stranger, or
just another
visitor.
We
need those
absentee
fathers to
fill out not
only the blank
entries of in
their
children's
baptismal
records, but
we also need
their physical
presence to
bridge the gap
that their
absence has
created in the
lives of their
children.
It
might sound
utopic.
However, let
us pray that
these absentee
fathers will
at least try
to go back to
their families
once again so
as to rid and
vanish from
our midst
theses
incidences of
teen
pregnancies,
addictions of
various types,
drop outs...
depression...suicides...
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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PREPPERS
There
was a person
who avidly
listened to
the news both
on T.V. and
the radio. One
day, the
banner news
was about the
incoming super
typhoon.
As
news is
constantly
being repeated
over and over
again
throughout the
day, he got
scared. The
matter got
magnified in
his
mind. A
sorry scene
formed in his
imagination
about the
events that
might happen
to him, his
family and his
possessions.
In a frenzied
mode, he got a
hammer and a
ladder and
started to
nail down
around his
property.
While doing
this activity,
an accident
occurred. The
ladder he was
stepping on
fell down and
he broke some
bones in his
body. He was
rushed to the
hospital and
was bedridden
in a cast for
sometime.
Meanwhile, the
aforementioned
super typhoon
considerably
weakened as it
hit land and
just went
away.
When
I encounter
the following
scriptural
passages:
"They did not
know until the
flood came and
carried them
all away. So
will it be
also at the
coming of the
Son of Man.
Therefore,
stay awake!
For you do not
know on which
day your Lord
will come"
(Matthew 24:
39, 42). I
remember a
video I saw
about
preppers.
What
and who is a
prepper?
He/she is a
doomsday-minded
person who
believes a
catastrophic
disaster or
emergency is
likely to
occur such as
a worldwide
economic
collapse or
war. A prepper
makes
preparations
for it,
typically by
stockpiling
food,
ammunition and
other
supplies.
They
are a
disorganized
lot, as there
is no
agreement
among them
about what
particular
disaster is
most imminent.
They just keep
on gathering
materials and
make plans in
preparation
for surviving
the imminent
major disaster
or cataclysm
that has
formed in
their minds.
Their
survivalist
activities
almost border
on hoarding,
which
sometimes
endangers
their own
lives and
those of
others, as
these supplies
gathered in a
substantial
amount around
their property
eventually
become fire
hazards.
Good
for the
preppers who,
most of the
times, have
the proper
resources to
gather and
prepare what
they might
need to
survive for
the long haul.
But, what
about us
ordinary
mortals just
dependent on
our own bare
limbs?
A
popular song
said: "Don't
worry. Be
happy." Michel
de Montaigne,
a French
Renaissance
philosopher,
also aptly
said it: "My
life has been
filled with
terrible
misfortunes,
most of which
never
happened. And
this is backed
by a long term
study which
found that 85%
of what we
worry about
never happens.
We
only have our
faith in God
and each
other. Let us
hold hands and
calmly face
whatever is
coming to us
in the future.
As Romans
13:14 says:
"But put on
the Lord Jesus
Christ, and
make no
provision for
the desires of
the flesh."
"What
are you, a
prepper or a
faither?”
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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FREE
RADICALS*
"Take
care to guard
against all
greed, for
though one may
be rich, one's
life does not
consist of
possessions."
Luke
12:15
What was your favorite
subject while
still in
school? In my
secondary
grades, I
couldn’t
abstractly
imagine how
invisible
elements could
exist and move
about; I just
couldn’t grasp
what our
chemistry
teacher was
babbling
about, and I
did not pass
the course. I
failed
terribly and
it became one
of my lifetime
frustrations.
Now, in the course of going
around our
parish
bringing Our
Lady to every
house, I
encountered a
parishioner
who is a
degree holder
and teaches
the said
subject in our
nearby school.
I requested to
be tutored
whenever time
allowed
it.
In the exercises I was
given, what I
discovered and
took away from
the process
was that it
applied well
and good to
our daily
faith lives.
Eight
is the ideal
and stable
number. The
more electrons
a particular
element
possesses, the
harder for it
to share and,
vice versa,
the lesser the
easier. It
works like
this with
almost all of
us, doesn’t
it?
In my work with the
migrants
before, it was
not uncommon
to encounter
newly minted
ones,
receiving
their first
full paycheck
and splurging
everything on
themselves:
buying here,
there and
everywhere,
and only
learning to
budget their
money for
their
families'
needs when
everything had
already run
out.
The story of the prodigal
son comes to
mind. After
a few days,
the younger
son collected
all his
belongings and
set off to a
distant
country where
he squandered
his
inheritance on
a life of
dissipation.
When he had
freely spent
everything, a
severe famine
struck that
country, and
he found
himself in
dire
need.
Coming to his
senses he
thought, "How
many of my
father's hired
workers have
more than
enough food to
eat, but here
am I dying
from hunger. I
shall get up
and go to my
father and I
shall say to
him, "Father,
I have sinned
against heaven
and against
you. I no
longer deserve
to be called
your son;
treat me as
you would
treat one of
your hired
workers. "
Luke 15: 13-19
It is really true. There
were many loan
defaulters who
made similar
confessions
once they were
in dire need
of money for
something very
important in
their lives.
For the first,
second, third
times, out of
deep gratitude
for the
lending
outfits that
lent them the
amount,they
would
faithfully pay
them back.
However, after
some time,
when greed and
avarice
started to
overload the
hard drives of
their hearts
and minds,
they started
to make
excuses, evade
and runaway
until they
totally
defaulted on
their
obligations –
“It’s my
money, after
all,” each
would say.
“Why should I
give it to
them?”
I have served in a rich
parish where
our daily
provisions
were almost
portioned out
in rations.
Food items
were locked
tight in
pantries or
kept shut in
store rooms
for the
insects and
the elements.
On the other hand, I have
served in a
very poor one
where we had
almost no
income at all.
However,
we had food in
abundance and
ate to excess
there.
It made
a generous
contribution
to my
girth.
There is a book entitled,
“All I Need to
Know I Learned
in
Kindergarten.”
Perhaps, we
can also add
that we can
still learn a
very essential
lesson about
how to live
life in the
secondary
grades through
the subject of
chemistry.
Eight is the
ideal and
stable number.
The more
electrons a
particular
element
possesses the
harder for it
to share and,
on the other
hand, the
fewer the
easier.
Avoid any forms of envy,
gluttony,
greed or
avarice, lust,
pride, sloth
or anger...
the excesses.
These are the
free radicals
in our lives.
Just enough
will take good
care of us and
will go a long
way – lasting
until the
second coming
of our Lord,
Jesus
Christ.
Fr. Allan S. Fenix
*Unstable
atoms that can
damage cells;
causing
illness and
aging.
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Living
in
a very
distracted
age, where
almost
everyone is
preoccupied
with
something,
where do
people have to
go to really
pray and
listen to God
– to get
better divine
reception in
their hearts?
In
the analog
past, most
especially in
the
countryside,
to watch our
favorite
television
programs we
used to rely
on outdoor
element
antennas
attached to
long, metal
pipes
installed atop
our roofs.
Program
reception,
according to
weather
conditions,
varied from
day to day.
There was no
guarantee of
clear and
crisp
entertainment
to end a long
day.
Now
in the digital
age, cell
towers dot
mountain tops
where, for
sure,t here is
the least
interference
coming from
any direction.
That is where,
one day, Jesus
took Peter,
John and James
to pray. While
there, the
signal
strength and
sensitivity
were so good
and strong
that, “While
he
was praying
his face
changed in
appearance and
his clothing
became
dazzling
white. And,
behold, two
men were
conversing
with him,
Moses and
Elijah, who
appeared in
glory and
spoke of his
exodus that he
was going to
accomplish in
Jerusalem.” With
this kind of
full bar
reception, it
is not
surprising
that even
Peter proposed
that “Master,
it
is good that
we are here;
let us make
three tents,
one for you,
one for Moses,
and one for
Elijah.” Luke
9:
29-31,33
All
through the
1990s, there
was an MTV
(Music
Television)
program called
“Unplugged,”
wherein music
originally
played
employing
electrical
instruments
was performed
acoustically
and in much
quieter and
smaller
venues.
For
me, that is my
prayer style.
It is going
back to the
basics by
getting far
away from the
interference
coming from
nearby
outlets. It is
like
unplugging
myself from
all
attachments
and
connections so
I can once
again climb up
a mountain and
experience, in
analog mode,
the glory of
God,
unfiltered and
with full, raw
power. With
this kind of
quality
reception,
like Peter, I
could spend
hours and
hours just
savoring it to
the point of
setting up my
own tent so as
to just let
time pass by
without
noticing it.
Fr.
Allan S.
Fenix
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VOWS
If
anyone comes
to me without
hating his
father and
mother, wife
and children,
brothers and
sisters, and
even his own
life, he
cannot be my
disciple.
Whoever does
not carry his
own cross and
come after me
cannot be my
disciple. Luke
14: 26-27
In
our country,
it is not
customary for
us clerics to
wear the roman
collar to
distinguish us
as priests.
When I was in
another
country living
at the
bishop's
house, it was
my habit,
after eating
dinner, to go
to the nearby
cultural
center to
watch a live
orchestral
performance.
It
was on such as
this occasion
that, while
seated alone
enjoying the
show, a woman
with her
entire family
seated just a
few rows from
me turned her
head towards
me and asked;
"Why are you
all alone?"
Our
country,
located at the
farthest end
of the Pacific
islands, and
surrounded by
Asian
countries, is
very
family-centered.
Multi-generational
families
living
together under
one roof is
the usual
scene.
That
is why it was
not surprising
to overhear
someone saying
straight out
that it is
very difficult
for him to
accept the
Catholic
faith, as it
teaches
totally
cutting off
relationships
with one's
family.
There
was a certain
time when I
immersed
myself in a
particular
community to
live and study
their way of
life; how they
think, how
they speak...
It was a
ministry of
presence.
Everyday, I
was just there
together with
them. I never
divulged my
true identity
as a priest. I
didn't preach,
and no one saw
me wearing the
collar or
celebrating
the
sacraments.
After
a time, they
started to be
curious about
me being still
unmarried at
my age, while
most of them
were in
different
marital
situations -
multiple times
divorced,
separated, or
single
parenting.
There was one
who asked me,
"What is wrong
with you?" And
another, " Are
you sick? " To
which I
replied by
just smiling
at all of
them.
In my
present
assignment,
every late
afternoon,
after bringing
the icon of
our patroness
saint to two
households and
reciting the
rosary with
them, to
unwind I run
to the
seashore and
ride on my
inflatable
rubber boat. I
row it out a
distance and
just enjoy the
waves, the
fresh air, and
the nature all
around.
Children in
the area, who
haven't yet
seen this kind
of basic
flotation
device before
in their
lives, are all
wide-eyed upon
first seeing
it. Many of
them keep on
following me
and touching
the sides of
the boat. I am
already out a
distance at
sea and yet I
can still hear
them shouting,
"Father!
Father!
Father!" as
they also want
to play and
ride on that
rubber boat.
However, most
of them cannot
swim yet.
So, I
decided to ask
my brother in
law, who
operates a
fleet of
jeepneys, to
donate a used
inner tube for
these children
living by the
sea. Such a
simple toy
will make
their day by
the sea more
enjoyable.
I am
a father
without a
child and yet
many call me
by the title
"Father." From
my youth to
senescence to
obsolescence
down to the
humus, with
the help of
our Almighty
God, despite
all the
temptations
that beset a
celibate's
life, I am
sure to live
out this life
I entered into
when I knelt
down in front
of our
ordinary,
bound my hands
in his, and
heard him say:
"RECEIVE
THE
GOSPEL OF
CHRIST WHOSE
HERALD YOU
ARE. BELIEVE
WHAT YOU READ;
TEACH WHAT YOU
BELIEVE,
PRACTICE WHAT
YOU TEACH!
And
everyone
who has left
houses or
brothers or
sisters or
father or
mother or wife
or children or
fields for my
sake will
receive a
hundred times
as much and
will inherit
eternal life.
Matthew 19: 29
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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SYNDERESIS
When
I first heard
the word
“parable” I
started to
imagine a
special kind
of ball
children used
to play with.
Then I asked
myself how is
it similar to
words I often
encountered
reading comic
books such as
parachute,
paratrooper,
paramilitary,
paralegal, and
in our
religion
classes words
such as
paradise and
paraclete?
A
parable is
defined as a
type of
analogy using
human
characters to
illustrate one
or more
instructive
simple truths,
moral lessons
or religious
principle.
One
early morning,
while I was
reflecting on
the parable of
the prodigal
son, the
headline news
on the radio
was about the
surrender of a
very trusted
municipal
payroll
worker, who
had absconded
with millions.
This vast
amount of
money came
from
withdrawals
from a
neighboring
city bank that
he hid in a
faraway
region, while
contemplating
what to do
with this pile
of money.
"...and
the
younger son
said to his
father,
'Father, give
me the share
of your estate
that should
come to me.'
So the father
divided the
property
between them.
After a few
days, the
younger son
collected all
his belongings
and set off to
a distant
country where
he squandered
his
inheritance on
a life of
dissipation."
Luke 15: 12-13
Upon
hearing the
said news
item, and
seeing in it a
certain
parallelism
with the
parable I was
reflecting on,
my interest
was whetted
and I started
to follow up
more on it by
going to other
news sites to
gain more
in-depth
knowledge.
“Its
not worth it!”
he confessed.
It turned out
that on the
very day he
took the money
he started to
lose sleep- a
basic need.
All he had on
mind was the
money in front
of him. He
didn't want to
lose sight of
it. Afraid of
losing it, he
always took
this fear with
him wherever
he went.
Appetite
abandoned him
and sleep
became a
stranger, up
until it
totally went
away from his
life. In time,
he lost his
vitality-
everything. He
became a
walking
zombie. What
for?!
"
...and he
found himself
in dire
need... And he
longed to eat
his fill of
the pod on
which the
swine fed, but
nobody gave
him any.
Coming to his
senses he
thought, ' How
many of my
father's hired
workers have
more than
enough food to
eat, but here
am I dying
from hunger
...
"I
shall get up
and go to my
father and I
shall say to
him, 'Father,
I have sinned
against heaven
and against
you. I no
longer deserve
to be called
your son;
treat me as
you would
treat one of
your hired
workers.' So
he got up and
went back to
his father..."
Luke 15:14,
16-20
This
person was at
the end of his
rope. There
was no sense
in having
these millions
with no peace
of mind –
always on the
run here and
there. He
became
nostalgic of
things so
familiar to
him – his
former simple
life, his
family, his
old home, his
friends...
He
started going
through what
we called in
moral
philosophy
“the process
of synderesis”
which is
defined as the
innate
principle in
the moral
consciousness
of every
person which
directs the
agent to good
and restrains
him from evil.
In
the end,
paraphrasing
St. Augustine
who said that
"Our
heart
is restless
until it rests
in you,"
our heart
really has
nowhere to go
but to its
true north,
and that is
with our
creator, God
the Father.
While
he
was still a
long way off,
his father
caught sight
of him, and
was filled
with
compassion. He
ran to his
son, embraced
him and kissed
him. His son
said to him, '
Father , I
have sinned
against heaven
and against
you; I no
longer deserve
to be called
your son. But
his father
ordered his
servants, '
Quickly bring
the finest
robe and put
it on him; put
a ring on his
finger and
sandals on his
feet. Take the
fattened calf
and slaughter
it. Then let
us celebrate
with a feast,
because this
son of mine
was dead, and
has come to
life again; he
was lost, and
has been
found. ' Luke
15:20-24
In
our lives, we
have been
everywhere, in
all places
but, in the
end, God our
Father is
always our
final
destination
and home. He
is on an
eternal vigil
of waiting for
us in our
churches in
the Blessed
Sacrament, and
then in our
hearts once we
make the
ultimate
decision to
change our
lives and go
back to him.
He
became angry,
and when he
refused to
enter the
house, his
father came
out and
pleaded with
him. Luke
15:28
To
top off my
reflection, I
asked myself
what would be
the reactions
of those
people who
were scammed
out of their
money? For
sure, there is
much anger in
their hearts.
The desire for
total revenge.
They cannot
wait to tear
the person to
pieces.
Emotions are
running high
and so too the
need to heed
the call for
compassion and
forgiveness.
Again,
LET
GOD TAKE OVER!
LET GOD TAKE
OVER! And,
again, LET GOD
TAKE OVER! To
all of us
victimized by
similar
persons and
situations,
God, the
Father is
here.
Let
us hear from
Him. "My
son, you are
here with me
always;
everything I
have is yours.
But now we
must celebrate
and rejoice,
because your
brother was
dead and has
come to life
again; he was
lost and has
been found."
Luke 15:31-32
This
is the
so-called the
Prodigal
Father's
Challenge. Can
you take the
challenge?
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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HEAVENLY
INFERNO
Jesus
said to his
disciples: "I
have come to
set the earth
on fire, and
how I wish it
were already
blazing." Luke
12: 49
One
Ash Wednesday,
as our lay
Eucharistic
ministers and
I were going
about to the
outlying
villages
administering
blessed ashes
on the
foreheads of
our faithful,
I took note of
some different
reactions.
There
were those
who, out of
the novelty of
having
something on
their
foreheads,
excitedly fell
in line to
receive it.
However, there
were those who
pulled back;
their
reluctance
inflamed due
to a statement
they verbally
overheard from
some
bystanders,
that receiving
it would
entail some
obligations
which, if ever
they failed to
fulfill them,
might bring
more
misfortune
than graces
into their
lives.
I am
the child of a
Chinese
merchant, and
when I first
learned some
English words,
I started
practicing
them by
standing on
the corner
reading, and
rereading, the
labels
imprinted on
the boxes
being hauled,
one by one, by
the hired day
laborers from
the delivery
truck to our
father's dark,
cavernous
store room:
FRAGILE:
HANDLE WITH
CARE.
And
also, as my
mother would
go through
checking in
some goods
before
displaying
them on the
shelves, I can
remember
reading the
label on the
cigarette
lighter fluid:
WARNING:
FLAMMABLE
I
enjoy bringing
Our Lady
around to the
houses of our
parishioners,
for in doing
so, I am able
to encounter
more of them
deeply. In our
short talks,
after the
recitation of
the rosary,
they will
usually update
me, not only
on the
sacramental
needs of their
family
members, but
on their
academic
performances,
medical
statuses, and
other things
as well.
There
are those who
are very
supportive of
the Church,
yet do not
come to
regular Sunday
Eucharistic
celebrations,
as they are
using
contraceptives
not prescribed
by the Church.
It is all or
nothing for
them. “Sorry
Father, we are
still enjoying
the sin...”
There
are those who
have some past
issues with
people of our
church, and
are being
exploited by
other sects
that
proselytize
them.
And,
there are
those who are
really nice
and good, but
going to
church was
never a part
of their
vocabulary or
lifestyle.
They just go
about their
lives,
seemingly as
normal as
possible.
On
those people's
foreheads,
perhaps, I
could imprint
the words
FRAGILE:
HANDLE WITH
CARE. Faith is
such a very
fragile
matter. A mere
misunderstood
word or action
coming from
the Church
will
completely
obliterate
everything. On
the other
hand, faith in
God comes with
it a stern
warning:
FLAMMABLE.
Our
faith in Him
burns through
our throats,
our lungs, our
hearts, our
spleen, our
kidneys, our
intestines...
It is a
conflagration
which
incinerates
every ounce of
evil, and the
impurities and
temptations
that run all
through our
system.
As
Jesus himself
said, “Do you
think that I
have come to
establish
peace on the
earth? No, I
tell you, but
rather
division.”
Luke 12:15.
Faith is not a
plaything, nor
a show time.
It is a
heavenly
inferno. It
toughens. It
sears through.
It burns the
fat away from
the muscles.
It separates
the genuine
gold from that
which is not.
Virtues from
vices...
Faith
is not for the
faint and
weak-hearted.
If one has it,
one possess
the spark
necessary to
burn through
the pain,
sufferings,
hardships,
difficulties,
trials and
challenges
that this life
brings us.
Faith.
It
is labeled
both FRAGILE:
HANDLE WITH
CARE and
FLAMMABLE.
And
either you
have it or you
don't.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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CONTAINERS
In
our catechism
class, we were
taught that
sloth is the
playground of
the devil. If
there is one
thing that God
gave us, it is
the abundance
of time. What
do we do to
make use of
it?
In
our lives, we
must fill our
seconds, our
minutes, our
hours, our
days, our
weeks, our
months and our
years with
good thoughts
and intentions
so as to not
give the devil
the chance to
play with us.
Let
us take a
simple poll.
Have you ever
experienced
drinking
alcoholic or
acidic
beverages on
an empty
stomach or
while feeling
hungry? For
sure, you did
not feel well,
but, rather,
nauseated,
with a loss of
energy and a
general
weakness.
I
read that in
shopping for
food one
should not do
it on an empty
stomach or one
will end up
buying more
than one
needs. It's
the same way
with the mind
and the heart.
One should be
mindful and
critical of
what one is
listening to,
reading,
watching, and
talking about
with other
people. If we
are unaware,
it might be
leading us
into a sinful
desire for
power, glory
and pride. The
devil might
become our
favorite
seductive
playmate.
In
Luke 4:12,
after the
devil had
offered to
Jesus all
worldly power
and glory if
only he would
worship him, Jesus
said to him in
reply, “It
also says, you
shall not put
the Lord, your
God, to the
test.”
The
stomach, the
brain and the
heart are
containers
that should
never be left
empty. They
should always
be filled up
with good
food, good
thoughts and
good
intentions.
Fr.
Allan Fenix
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THE
JESUS
EXPRESSO
I am
a very early
morning
person. I love
the somber
atmosphere,
and listening
to the various
chirpings of
the birds
outside by my
window, while
sipping my
so-called
“Jesus
Expresso” to
fully wake me
up to face
another
exciting day
of life. Lord,
deliver this
day to me...
I was
once a postal
worker, and
every morning,
while our mail
carriers were
securing the
parcels we had
earlier
scanned and
sorted for
their route
deliveries, I
would often
hear them
exclaiming to
one another
that some of
their
customers were
ordering
something
online almost
weekly or on a
regular basis.
“What were
they doing
with it?” I
just told
them, “Keep it
cool, man!
This is where
we get our
bread and
butter!
Without these
parcels, where
would our
much-awaited
paychecks come
from?”
We
are never
satisfied.
There is never
an end, a
period nor a
stop to all of
our caprices,
desires, and
debaucheries.
We always want
more of that,
more of this,
more of
theirs...
No
wonder we have
a lot of
clutter and
waste all
around us. Of
course,
ultimately, we
never blame
ourselves. By
nature, we
stand accused
of being “non
satis est” –
not satisfied
enough. We are
never
satisfied
because this
term is never
a part of our
character
lexicon.
The
people stood
by and
watched; the
rulers,
meanwhile,
sneered at him
and said, 'He
saved others,
let him save
himself if he
is the chosen
one, the
Christ of
God.” ... “If
you are King
of the Jews,
save
yourself”...
“Are you not
the Christ?
Save yourself
and us.” Luke
22: 35, 36, 39
Just
like with many
of our
electoral
candidates
vying for our
precious
votes, we
immediately
extend our
open hands to
God, asking
him to deliver
on our selfish
expectations,
caprices,
desires, and
debaucheries.
We are eagerly
looking toward
God to get
these matters
accomplished,
and according
to our own
deadlines. Let
us see if he
can really
deliver on his
Words and
promises, as
we heard it
read from the
sacred
scriptures.
How about us,
can we, at
least, be
proactive with
our personal
salvation by
standing up
and delivering
on our
promises?
“Let
us
see! Let us
see! Let us
see!” With
God, we are
spoiled brats.
We are in a
lazy stupor
contentedly
perpetuating
our stance of
just standing
by and
watching what
will happen.
We sit by
whiling away
the time and
procrastinating.
“Let
us
see! Let us
see! Let us
see!” Our
attitude
towards our
salvation is
passive
aggressive. We
beat around
the bush. We
don't want to
get our feet
wet. We are
outside the
loop looking
in. We are
just staring
at a screen.
We
have to be
proactive. We
have to
initiate and
anticipate
matters. We
have to
counteract our
being “non
satis est”
persons. We
have to stand
up, carry our
ton of crosses
and deliver on
our promises.
And
this is done
with more
Jesus
Expresso,
please!
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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I am assigned in a parish which is so far away from
the city
center that
whenever we
have our
monthly
general
assembly, I
have to travel
early and have
to be there
the day before
the scheduled
meeting.
Once I spent the night in an institution. While we
were having
supper, I was
fascinated
when I was
introduced to
their latest
and most newly
acquired
technology
whereby, at
the mere sound
of one’s
voice, the
gadget, in a
female-sounding
voice, would
give out
whatever news,
information,
music, weather
or facts and
figures
requested of
it.
With a
few rounds of
beer and
chips, we all
gathered
around and it
kept us
company and
entertained us
all throughout
the night.
Getting to
know this kind
of gadget,
made me
remember my
bulky but
ever-faithful
“Made in
Japan” Sanyo
tape cassette
recorder
manufactured,
perhaps, in
the 80s.
I
salvaged it
while I was
studying in
another
country.
One day, I went to help fetch a group of
priest-retirees
of the diocese
whose
retirement
home was
declared
condemned and
was about to
be demolished.
When we
had loaded the
last person
into the van,
and when I was
about to leave
the building,
I came upon it
just lying
there
abandoned in a
corner. The
person in
charge of the
demolition
team told me
that if I
wanted it I
could take it
with me, or
else it would
go down with
the demolition
of the
structure.
At the time I found it, with all the latest cheap
gizmos
ever-becoming
more minute in
size and
coming out on
the market, I
am pretty sure
no one was
using that
kind of model
anymore. Do
you?
It had all the bells and whistles, but I just used
it for its
radio feature.
It kept
me company,
providing
sound while I
went through
my lessons and
slept in the
silence of my
room. I got to
listen to
news,
information
and music on
both the A.M.
and F.M.
bands, and
special
feature
programs and
the mysterious
numbers
stations on
the S.W.
(shortwave)
band.
As a
celibate
person, like
many others, I
am not a pet
person, as I
don't have the
patience to
take good care
of one. Aside
from the daily
prayers,
masses and
novenas, it is
a challenge
for me to fill
up my hours
and days with
something
constructive
to distract me
from falling
into
loneliness,
temptations
and sin.
From the bells and whistles of yesterday's
technology, to
the type and
touch pads of
the recent
times down to
voice
recognition
command, where
is it taking
us?
We acknowledged the fact that technology has made a
very big and
wide
difference in
all of our
lives. It
brings us
closer to
persons with
whom we have
lost contact
for a long
time. However,
sometimes, it
makes us a
stranger, and
even alienate
us, from the
very person
who is our
next-door
neighbor.
Many are so engrossed in their screens, they are
oblivious to
what is
happening
around them. At
the extreme,
technology is
taking us to a
virtual
reality world.
It is putting
us in a
make-believe
world. It is
removing us
away from
truth and
inserting us
into the
biting reality
of an
existence of
fiction and
fantasy.
“.... And so who is my neighbor?” Yes, it keeps us in great company and provide us
with great
entertainment.
However, it
can’t be a
substitute
for, or take
the place of,
a warm, living
breathing
person.
Leave the very expensive gizmos at home in your
room. Go out
and greet the
next person
you see on the
street and you
will be truly
happy, in good
company and
richly
entertained.
And remember, “It is the one who treated him
with mercy.”
Luke 10:29
& 37
Fr. Allan S. Fenix
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PROVISIONS
He
said to them,
"Give them
some food
yourselves....
" Luke 9: 13
One
day, I dropped
by our old
house and
while I was
going about
tinkering in
its nooks and
crannies, I
saw a big,
porcelain
china bowl
silently
sitting by the
glass cabinet
where we keep
most of our
precious
cutlery.
Seeing it
brought a
flood of good
memories.
I was
born and grew
up in a family
where our amah
(paternal
grandmother)
would
regularly send
us cooked
viands, still
steaming in
the covered
porcelain
china dish,
and conveyed
by their
household
help. In turn,
our mother
would put
something back
in the bowl as
a goodwill
gesture before
we returned
it. And
whenever our
mother would
cook something
special, she
would do the
same and send
it in our
china bowl.
Somehow in
this series of
exchanges the
dishes of the
two households
ended up in
each other's
pantries, and
it was here I
saw again the
porcelain
china bowl of
our long
departed amah.
When
our father was
still with us
and running
his business,
there was a
fisherman who
borrowed some
money from him
to help fund
his fledgling
trade. Our
father did not
charge him any
interest. So,
in turn, the
fisherman
would usually
send a
plateful of
his fresh
catch through
his overly
excited
children, as
they knew in
their hearts
that when our
mother would
hand back the
plate it would
contain some
foodstuff like
biscuits and
sweets --
something rare
for them in
their
neighborhood.
I
lived for
sometime in
another
country and
saw how still
clean and good
batches of
food from a
large
institution,
to avoid any
liabilities of
any kind,
would put it
in black
industrial
plastic trash
bags and
discarded in a
huge
mechanized
compactor.
This was done
instead of
giving it out
to the many
hungry street
people just
prowling the
nearby areas.
Then
taking the
five loaves
and the two
fish and
looking up to
heaven, he
said the
blessing over
them, broke
them, and gave
them to the
disciples to
set before the
crowd. They
all ate and
were
satisfied. And
when the
leftover
fragments were
picked up,
they filled
twelve wicker
baskets. Luke
9: 16-17
In
the mass,
during the
offertory,
parishioners
bring before
the altar
their
agricultural
products, and
some put in
their monetary
offerings. In
return, when
communion time
comes, Jesus
Christ himself
gives us of
his body and
blood. We all
eat and drink
and are
satisfied.
One
day, we
prepared too
much of the
vegetable
viand, and
when we
finished
eating our
supper we
still had a
lot of it
leftover. It
is not healthy
to keep it and
consume it the
next day, so I
brought it
down to a big
family I knew.
I was just in
time, as the
youngest
child's share,
while he was
playing
everywhere and
nowhere while
the rest of
the family was
eating supper,
had already
been consumed
by another
hungry
stomach.
Liabilities.
Black
industrial
plastic trash
bags.
Compactors.
These are all
cold and
unfeeling
objects. The
will to send,
to share and
to give back:
this is the
warmth and
compassion of
life, and it
will fill
innumerable
empty and
hungry
stomachs.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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HIGH-END
Once,
I was talking
with a woman
and asked if
she had any
children, to
which she just
kept on
repeating to
me, L.O.V.,
L.O.V.,
L.O.V.. So, I
surmised that,
perhaps, she
only wanted
the LOVE but
not the
consequences –
children.
But
no! She said
that what she
meant was that
she was on her
way to the
bank to take
out a loan and
buy herself an
L.O.V. Later
on, I came to
know that
L.O.V. is an
acronym for a
very high-end
line of
women's
leather hand
bags.
Once,
my sister
visited me and
we went window
shopping. We
found
ourselves in a
high-end store
selling all
these high-end
hand bags, and
she was
interested in
buying one.
Seeing the
several digits
price tag, I
tried to
discourage her
from doing so.
She waited
until we got
home and, when
I was out of
sight, went
back on her
own to that
store and
bought herself
the most
coveted kind
of hand bag. I
found it out
later on when
she left me a
giveaway item
that I traced
back to that
store we
visited
earlier.
“What
is in a hand
bag?” As
someone who
only owns a
few set of
clothes, I
keep on asking
this question
of women. Why
are there
those who will
sacrifice
having
children over
a hand
bag?!
Some answered
that they
would just
like to flaunt
what they
have. Though
it merely
would contain
a few trivial
items, the
bigger the
size the
better to
parade it
around showing
to others that
they have
“made it.” “I
am very
successful,”
it says.
This
is
how all will
know that you
are my
disciples, if
you have love
for one
another. John
13: 35
As
Christians,
LOVE should be
our sole and
authentic
high-end
trademark. We
have to
sacrifice
everything to
achieve it,
possess it,
own it and
live it. Its
price tag is
steep: To live
it is to die
in it.
Jesus
Christ, our
Savior, showed
his LOVE for
us by going up
“HIGH” on the
cross and
“END”ing his
life up there
for all of us.
Now, that is
LOVE, LIVE and
on an all time
HIGH, and not
merely an
L.O.V., a
product, that,
in time, will
get old and
moldy, go out
of fashion,
and, when
tried of it,
consigned to a
second-hand
store or
discarded.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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LIFE
SUMMARY
Jesus
went about
doing his
mission by
teaching,
proclaiming
the gospel of
the Kingdom,
and curing
every disease
and illness
among the
people. These
three actions
summarized the
entire life of
Jesus.
In
the gospel of
Mark 6: 34-44,
regarding the
multiplication
of the five
loaves of
bread and two
pieces of fish
feeding
thousands upon
thousands of
hungry people,
we also saw an
additional
aspect of the
life of Jesus
– that of
doing
miracles.
A
miracle is
defined as a
surprising and
welcome act or
event which
does not
follow the
known laws of
nature.
Anyone
can
teach well. In
the same way
that anyone
can also
proclaim the
gospel of the
Kingdom, and
even cure
every disease
and illness
among the
people.
However, it is
solely God who
can do
miracles that
defy the laws
of nature. It
is his sole
monopoly. It
is his
exclusive
brand and
label.
In
Peter's
confession of
faith, Jesus
asked the
twelve, “Do
you want to
leave, too?”
Simon Peter
replied , “Lord,
to whom shall
we go? You
have the words
of eternal
life. We
believe and
know that you
are the Holy
One of God.”
John 6: 67-69
We
are all a work
in progress.
We are not
perfect. As it
is said, “Be
patient with
me. I am not
yet finished.”
It is a
lifetime
scenario of
trials and
errors on our
part. A
lifetime of
work and
endeavor. It
is only at the
point of death
when we cease
and decease.
So,
as long as we
are still
alive, we are
reminded to
continually
ask ourselves,
“What
summarizes our
life and
mission here
on earth?”
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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PORTA
SANCTAS
In
our parish, we
call them the
usual
suspects.
Except on
Sundays and
other special
occasions, we
only have
three to four
regular
mass-goers on
weekdays. Once
the three or
four of them
are at mass,
we are certain
that no one
else will be
coming. We
expect no one
else to arrive
after them.
One
weekday
morning, and
for the next
few days, I
was surprised
not to see
anyone of
them. I alone
celebrated the
mass. After
some time,
when they were
back in their
usual places,
I came to know
that it was
already the
election
season when
local
candidates
would, from
time to time,
come to town
and distribute
some relief
goods, usually
put in
personalized
plastic bags
containing a
few kilos of
rice, canned
goods, instant
noodles, the
usual
contents.
As we
were in the
election
season, I
noticed that
the presence
of our three
to four
regular
weekday
mass-goers was
becoming
intermittent.
They would
usually fall
in line very
early in the
morning at the
covered court
where the
distribution
would happen
and wait for
their turn to
receive the
goods.
I
missed them
for a few
days. Then,
after
everything was
consumed and
gone, I
expected them
to be back at
their favorite
places in
church
celebrating
the weekday
Eucharist with
us.
In my
life, as I
keep
reflecting on
the greatest
parable which
is that of the
prodigal son,
it brings to
mind the time
of the
Extraordinary
Jubilee of
Mercy declared
by Pope
Francis
whereby he
said that “The
Holy
Door will
become a Door
of Mercy
through which
anyone who
enters will
experience the
love of God
who consoles,
pardons and
instills
hope.”
In my
mind, I can
picture the
scene: “So
he got up and
went back to
his father.
While he was
still a long
way, his
father caught
sight of him,
and was filled
with
compassion. He
ran to his
son, embraced
him and kissed
him.” Luke
15:20
The
actions of the
father and the
son, running
fast toward
each other in
the parable,
represents the
passage from
sin to grace.
It symbolizes
the internal
renewal which
began with the
willing desire
to make peace
with God,
reconcile with
our neighbors,
restore in
ourselves
everything
that has been
damaged in the
past, and
reshape our
hearts through
conversion.
I
shall get up
and go to my
father and I
shall say to
him, “Father,
I have sinned
against heaven
and against
you. I no
longer deserve
to be called
your son;
treat me as
you would
treat one of
your hired
workers.” Luke
15:
18-19
Our
churches, with
there wide
open main
doors, side
doors and
other
entrances, are
like the
compassionate
father in the
parable. They
often catch
sight of us
while we were
still a long
way off, and,
filled with
compassion,
run to meet,
embrace and
kiss us. Our
churches are
our portas
sanctas
(holy doors).
Always there
silently
standing,
witnessing and
waiting for us
to confess, “Father,
I have sinned
against heaven
and against
you; I no
longer deserve
to be called
your son” Luke
15:21.
Have
you darkened
your nearby
church lately?
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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COUSINS
“Amen,
I say to you,
among those
born of women
there has been
none greater
than John the
Baptist; yet
the least in
the Kingdom of
heaven is
greater than
he.” (Matthew
11: 11).
A
very strong
typhoon just
visited our
region. Though
it brought
lots of
destruction to
life and
property in
other places,
it was also,
and at the
same time, a
great blessing
in disguise
for us, as our
drying wells
all rimmed
over with much
needed water.
Talking
about
water, I
always
associate it
with John the
Baptist. At
that time
Jerusalem, all
Judea, and the
whole region
around the
Jordan were
going out to
him and were
being baptized
by him in the
Jordan River
as they
acknowledged
their sins
(Matthew 3:
5-6).
John
the Baptist
and Jesus
Christ were
blood-related
on the mother
side by reason
of Elizabeth,
the mother of
the former,
and the
Blessed Virgin
Mary, the
mother of the
latter, being
cousins. “And
I tell you
this too: Your
cousin
Elizabeth
also, in her
old age, has
conceived a
son...” (Luke
1: 36).
Then
Jesus
appeared: he
came from
Galilee to the
Jordan to be
baptized by
John... “And
when Jesus had
been baptized
he at once
came up from
the water...”
(Matthew 3:
13,16).
As
cousins, as
some of us
were, both of
them were
closely
intimate.
Thus, it is no
wonder, that
after his own
baptism in the
Jordan River,
there were
TWELVE
instances in
Jesus' public
ministry which
were
water-related:
FIRST,
the
call of the
first
disciples. As
Jesus was
walking by the
Sea of
Galilee, he
saw two
brothers,
Simon who is
called Peter,
and his
brother
Andrew,
casting a net
into the sea;
they were
fishermen. And
he said to
them, “Come
after me and I
will make you
fishers of
men.” And at
once they left
their nets and
followed him.
(Matthew 4:
18-19).
SECOND,
“He
could see that
they were hard
pressed in
their rowing
for the wind
was against
them; and
about the
fourth watch
of the night
he came
towards them,
walking on the
sea...” (Mark
6: 48).
THIRD,
in
the healing of
the deaf and
blind men. He
took him aside
to be by
themselves,
away from the
crowd, put his
fingers into
the man's ears
and touched
his tongue
with spittle.
Then looking
up to heaven
he sighed; and
he said to
him,
'Ephphatha',
that is,
beopened (Mark
8:33-34). “He
took the blind
man by the
hand and led
him outside
the village.
Then, putting
spittle on his
eyes and
laying his
hands on him,
he asked, 'Can
you see
anything?'”
(Mark 8: 23).
FOURTH,
in
the
preparations
for the
passover
supper. “So he
sent two of
his disciples,
saying to
them, 'Go into
the city and
you will meet
a man carrying
a pitcher of
water. Follow
him.'” (Mark
14: 13).
FIFTH,
the
first miracle
of Jesus at
the wedding in
Cana. “There
were six stone
water jars
standing
there, meant
for the
ablutions that
are customary
among the
Jews: each
could hold
twenty or
thirty
gallons. Jesus
said to the
servants,
'Fill the jars
with water;
and they
filled them to
the brim...'”
(John 2: 6-7).
SIXTH,
in
his
conversation
with
Nicodemus.
“Jesus
replied: 'In
all truth I
tell you, no
one can enter
the Kingdom of
God without
being born
through water
and the
spirit...'”
(John 3:5).
SEVENTH,
Jesus'
encounter with
the Samaritan
woman at the
well. “Jesus
replied:
'Whoever
drinks this
water will be
thirsty again
but no one who
drinks the
water that I
shall give
will ever be
thirsty again;
the water that
I shall give
will become a
spring of
water within,
welling up for
eternal life'”
(John 4:
13-14).
EIGHTH,
the
promise of
living water.
“On the last
day, the great
day of the
festival,
Jesus stood
and cried out:
'Let anyone
who is thirsty
come to me.
Let anyone who
believes in me
come and
drink.'” As
scripture
says, “From
his heart
shall flow
streams of
living water.”
(John 7:
37-38)
NINTH,
the
cure of the
man born
blind. Having
said this, he
spat on the
ground, made a
paste with the
spittle, put
this over the
eyes of the
blind man, and
said to him,
'Go and wash
in the Pool of
Siloam.' So he
went off and
washed and
came back able
to see (John
9: 6-7).
TENTH,
the
washing of
feet, “...and
he got up from
table, removed
his outer
garments and,
taking a
towel, wrapped
it round his
waist; he then
poured water
into a basin
and began to
wash the
disciples'
feet and to
wipe them with
the towel he
was wearing.”
(John13: 4-5).
ELEVENTH,
At
the very point
of death,
Jesus
remembered and
asked for his
cousin, John
the Baptist:
“'I am
thirsty.' A
jar full of
sour wine
stood there;
so, putting a
sponge soaked
in the wine on
a hyssop
stick, they
held it up to
his mouth.
After Jesus
had taken the
wine he
said,'It is
fulfilled;'
and bowing his
head he gave
up his
spirit.” (John
19: 28, 36).
TWELFTH,
in
death, John
the Baptist
came out of
the side of
Jesus. “...one
of the
soldiers
pierced his
side with a
lance, and
immediately
there came out
blood and
water” (John
19: 34).
“...and
saying,
'Repent for
the Kingdom of
heaven is at
hand!'”
(Matthew 3:2).
Jesus
just could not
be apart from
his good
cousin, John
the Baptist.
Could these
TWELVE
instances in
his public
ministry that
were all
water-related
be one of the
reasons why he
also chose
TWELVE
apostles?
To
end, even the
English
equivalent,
JOHN BAPTIZER
has 12
letters...
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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MIS
EN PLAS
"This
is how the
birth of Jesus
Christ came
about. When
his mother
Mary was
betrothed to
Joseph, but
before they
lived
together, she
was found with
child through
the Holy
Spirit."
(Matthew 1:
18).
God jumped the
line!
During a late
evening rush
hour, in a
very long
queue at a
supermarket
cashier, at a
movie ticket
window, a
gasoline
station, an
ATM, a canteen
and down to an
airport check
in counter, we
hate to see
people jumping
the line to
avoid the
patient
process of
waiting for
one's turn.
I once studied
culinary arts.
During our
class sessions
and, even
later, during
our on-the job
training in
institutions
and
restaurants,
what I took
away from it
was that
cooking itself
is just a
breeze once a
sufficient
time is
invested in
gathering and
preparing all
of the
ingredients
and materials
needed. The
process is
aptly called
MIS EN PLAS.
"So, Joseph,
her husband,
since he was a
righteous man,
yet unwilling
to expose her
to shame,
decided to
divorce her
quietly."
(Matthew
1:19).
Initially, for
one who is
used to
following
normal step by
step processes
in completing
a certain
project, the
birth of Jesus
comes as
somewhat
disorganized.
It is no
wonder that it
brought a
certain
confusion on
the groom
to-be, Joseph.
A carpenter by
trade. Thus,
used to going
through a
certain
systematic
blueprint in
his building
activities.
Try watching a
cooking or
carpentry show
and observe
how they do
everything,
one thing at a
time, in a
very
professional
manner. I have
had the
experience of
working with a
chef who was
not into this
manner.
So, we, the
assistants,
gained a lot
of physical
exercise in
running back
and forth
between the
kitchen and
the basement
stockroom to
retrieve a
needed cooking
ingredient or
two.
Such was his
intention
when, behold,
the angel of
the Lord
appeared to
him in a dream
and said,
"Joseph, son
of David, do
not be afraid
to take Mary
your wife into
your home. For
it is through
the Holy
Spirit that
this child has
been conceived
in her. When
Joseph awoke,
he did as the
angel of the
Lord had
commanded him
and took his
wife into his
home."
(Matthew 1:
20, 24).
We have a
local saying
that a
carpenter's
own house is
not built.
During the
daytime, a
carpenter
spends his
building
skills
constructing
something for
others.
However, at
the end of the
day, he goes
home to one
not properly
built. How
many among us
have or know
married family
members,
relatives, or
friends who
have nowhere
to take their
own growing
families but
to their
parents'
houses? Or
they just rent
out a place,
or take them
just about
anywhere. What
a pity!
Joseph, a
carpenter, is
a very
organized
person. He has
somewhere
decent and,
even perhaps,
presentable to
bring his
nascent
family. "She
will bear a
son and you
are to name
him Jesus,
because he
will save his
people from
their sins."
(Matthew 1:
21).
And
furthermore,
Joseph, not
only as a
carpenter but
as a person,
was
predisposed to
listen and
receive
instructions.
From here, all
systems go.
Now, we have
Mary with a
child through
the Holy
Spirit and
Joseph, her
husband, who
has the
salvation
schema crystal
clear in his
heart:
"Behold, the
virgin shall
be with child
and bear a
son, and they
shall name him
Emmanuel which
means, 'God is
with us'"
(Matthew 1:
23).
Now, that all
of our
salvation
ingredients
are MIS
EN PLAS,
our salvation
recipe will
also be a
breeze.
Fr. Allan S.
Fenix
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MARY
In
the sixth
month the
angel Gabriel
was sent by
God to a town
in Galilee
called
Nazareth, to a
virgin
betrothed to a
man named
Joseph, of the
house of
David; and the
virgin's name
was Mary. Luke
1: 26-27
Recently,
I
was at the
cathedral
where our
regional
patroness was
being
venerated
prior to her
upcoming feast
day. I met a
nun who was
solely
in-charge of
changing the
Blessed Virgin
Mary's cape
twice a day
due to the
thousands of
devotees and
visitors
coming through
the line to
touch and kiss
her icon.
I do
not know if
you have the
same confusion
I do. In the
past, I deeply
questioned the
fact that our
Blessed Virgin
Mary is called
by so many
titles like
Our Lady of
Mount Carmel,
Mediatrix, Our
Lady of
Fatima, Our
Lady of
Lourdes, Our
Lady of
Salvation, Our
Lady of the
Assumption,
Our Lady of
the
Annunciation,
Our Lady of
the
Presentation,
Our Lady of
the Pillar,
Our Lady of
Peace and Good
Voyage, and
our very own
regionally
venerated
Mother of
Penafrancia,
whom we
endearingly
address as INA
(Mother).
So, how many
Blessed Virgin
Marys do we
have? One?
Two? Three?...
Those
were the
questions that
kept lingering
in my mind. To
do away with
all of those
question marks
crowding my
already
scattered
brain, I
started to
look at myself
as an
ontological
person.
I
approached the
matter at the
human level. I
have 5 senses
– sight,
hearing,
smell, taste
and touch –
whose
objective is
to experience
that which is
agreeable. My
eyes tend to
look at things
bright,
beautiful and
wonderful. My
ears love to
listen to
soothing
auditory
sounds. My
nose and
tongue towards
pleasant
smells and
flavors. And,
of course, my
flesh has got
billions of
receptors
wanting to
feel smooth
and soft
surfaces.
To
those who are
parents with
children,
correct me if
I am wrong. It
is much
cheaper to
raise a male
than a female
child. Why? As
little tots,
it is not yet
noticeable.
However, when
they start to
learn how to
put on make up
and lipstick,
they also wish
a complete
wardrobe. They
do not want to
be seen
wearing the
same clothes
too often.
They always
want something
new and
different. In
fact, a former
first lady put
our country on
the map by
having a
roomful of
shoes.
Even
in our
church's
various fund
raising
activities, it
is all too
often a search
for a Miss or
Mrs so and so,
and not a
Mister so and
so. It is a
bit boring to
watch a parade
of individuals
all in Barong
Tagalogs
(our
national
costume), or
in tuxedos for
that matter.
During
big
festivities,
people are not
awaiting the
snappy
marching
cadets with
their uniform,
all in a line
rifles, but
rather the
all-smiling,
all made up
beautifully,
majorettes,
with their
graceful
movements,
hypnotizing us
with their
twirling
batons.
While
on the other
end of the
spectrum, the
male species
is contented
having just 2,
3, 4 sets of
clothes and
that is it.
They're good.
Living
in
a very humid
country, it is
common to see
men half naked
with their
beer bellies
totally
exposed out in
public,
playing ball
or board
games,
loitering or
drinking on
the street
corners, or
just lazing
around the
whole day
through. But
who among us
can stand to
ogle them?
Going
back to the
Blessed Virgin
Mary. She was
given to us by
the Church,
with all its
accompanying
golden and
diamond-studded
adornments and
garnishments,
to attract us
to her son,
Jesus Christ –
bloodied,
dirtied,
suffering and
dying up on
the cross, and
dressed very
skimpily.
The
law of nature
abhors excess
as it
eventually
turns bad. Our
love and
devotion to
her, however,
should not
stop or, even
more so, go
beyond her, or
else it will
result in what
is happening
now all over
the world –
women getting
exploited and
abused,
trafficked,
and
prostituted.
We
love women.
Thus, it is
truly easy for
us to
translate to
them our love
of the Blessed
Virgin Mary
who, in turn,
points us to
her son, who
we avoid and
who does not
warrant our
stare and
prayers, as he
is up there
bleeding,
suffering and
dying on the
cross for our
sins. Who
wants to look
at a scene
like that?
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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MARITHA
“...There
are
different
kinds of
gifts, but the
same spirit.
There are
different
kinds of
service, but
the same
Lord... So it
is with
Christ.” 1
Corinthians 12
After
the Holy
Bible, the
next all-time
bestsellers
the world over
are how-to
books. Almost
everyone would
like to learn
something...
anything!
However, as
there is no
definitive
method of good
parenting so,
in the same
way, there is
no one single
best method of
teaching
catechism.
A
clear example
of this is our
teaching on
the utmost
priority of
the
sacraments,
“before the
table” (misa
bago lamesa).
In our
celebration of
the
sacraments,
most
especially in
the
countryside,
be it baptism,
confirmation,
matrimony or a
requiem mass,
we only see a
handful
present in
church, while
at the
reception
afterward the
whole town
shows up.
This
creates the
impression
that getting
married in the
countryside is
really
expensive and
a terrible
ordeal,
because the
celebrants
have to
prepare food
and wine for
the whole town
days before
and after the
occasion. This
kind of
scenario earns
for us the tag
of being
"sacramentalized"
but not
evangelized.
In my
reflection, I
don't see any
conflict with
Martha who,
anxious and
worried about
many things,
burdened
herself with
much serving
on that one
day when Jesus
came for a
visit. Her
sister, Mary,
just sat
beside the
Lord, at his
feet,
listening to
him speak
(Luke 10:
39-40). The
sisters Martha
and Mary
rather
complement
each other, I
think. Later
on, when Jesus
left, they
must have sat
down and
compared notes
with each
other on what
they had taken
away from the
visitation
experience.
Back
in college,
before the
dawn of
textbooks,
prepared notes
and recording
machines, we
merely relied
on each other
to fully
understand
difficult
philosophical
lectures given
by
fast-talking
professors.
Usually, one
would be the
dedicated
listener while
the others
would do the
note taking
word for word.
Later on, we
would gather
together,
compare notes
and do study
group
sessions, with
each of us
sharing a
piece and a
morsel of what
we had brought
with us to the
table. Through
this crude
method, we
were able to
comprehend the
course and
pass it. For
us, this is
both a Martha
and Mary
experience. A
Maritha
one.
Isn't it said
that two heads
are better
than one?
There
is really
nothing wrong
with either
one of them.
As it is said:
Be patient
with me, I am
still a work
in progress.
This is
neither an
alibi nor an
excuse, as
change cannot
be abrupt. It
takes
centuries and
generations to
change an
already
ingrained
culture and
tradition.
There is no
one single
best method by
which to learn
and to live...
It
really all
depends on
one's
imagination
and
creativity. As
my spiritual
director often
tells me:
“Each of us
have our own
story to
tell.”
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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DELEGATION
Years
before the
word
“multitasking”
became a part
of my
vocabulary,
there was
someone in our
town who
earned the
avid
fascination of
many. For a
time, he
became a
center of
attraction, as
he was able to
teach himself
to sing, as
well as
simultaneously
play the
guitar, the
drums, the
harmonica and
other handmade
musical
instruments
that he made
out of the
scrap
materials he
scrounged up.
He earned the
title “one-man
band.”
I
once dreamed
of becoming a
member of the
military. One
time, while
going through
a magazine, I
happened upon
a military ad
inviting
anyone to fill
out and send
in the
attached form
and, in
return,
receive a free
T-shirt and
VHS tape
titled, “An
Army of One.”
When
the VHS tape
arrived in the
mail and I got
to watch it
while wearing
the
accompanying
giveaway
T-shirt, I
learned about
individual
soldiers being
completely
trained, and
materially
equipped from
head to foot,
with all the
necessary
warfare gear
and technology
necessary to
win a battle
with that just
one, single
robot-like
soldier.
In
reading the
scriptures,
one thing that
I personally
discovered was
that even
though God is
infinite,
eternal,
all-powerful,
all-knowing
and ever
present,
nevertheless,
in Jesus, who
became human
like us except
in sin, he
showed the
attribute of
human
limitation.
Not only in
choosing the12
apostles but
even in going
as far as “...appointing
72 others whom
he sent ahead
of him in
pairs to every
town and place
he intended to
visit...” And
even with the
request that
as “The
harvest is
abundant but
the laborers
are few; so
ask the master
of the harvest
to send out
laborers for
his harvest”
(Luke 10:
1-2).
I
read that a
good leader is
not someone
who can
successfully
accomplish a
certain task
all alone, but
someone who
knows how to
delegate:
someone who is
not insecure
about himself
but able to
share his
obligations
and
responsibilities
with others.
We
are familiar
with the
following: If
you DRINK,
don't DRIVE.
If you DRIVE,
don't DRINK...
Don't TEXT and
DRIVE...
According to a
study,
multitasking,
which is the
great rage
right now
among many
busy people,
is not
effective. One
way or the
other, we can
only focus on
one single
task and
neglect all
the rest.
We
are humans.
Limited. We
are neither
God nor a
robot that
never gets
tired or sick.
We breakdown
at some point.
Somewhere.
Sometime. We
need our
community. We
need others.
All alone by
ourselves, we
can only
accomplish so
much. However,
when we learn
how to reach
out, ask and
delegate some
of our powers,
we are able to
accomplish and
realize much
more than we
can imagine
and measure.
To
continue, the
scriptures
said it thus:
“Behold, I
have given you
the power to
tread upon
serpents and
scorpions and
upon the full
force of the
enemy and
nothing will
harm you.
Nevertheless,
do not rejoice
because the
spirits are
subject to
you, but
rejoice
because your
names are
written in
heaven” (Luke
10: 19-20)
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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GOD
SPECULATORS,
INCORPORATED
The
last world war
occurred many
decades ago in
our country.
However, from
time to time,
we still hear
on the news
about
so-called
vintage bombs
being
unearthed here
and there.
Sometimes we
hear they are
even
responsible
for maiming
and killing
innocent
individuals.
Once
upon a time,
there was a
certain group
of gold
speculators
who came to a
certain place
in quest of a
hidden trove
of golden
buried
treasures.
They boasted
of having an
age-old map
that was
handed on for
generations.
However, after
spending a lot
of time, and
exhausting a
sizable amount
of funds and
energy in
digging a lot
of holes in
the nearby
mountains,
they ended up
digging into
the same holes
that they
themselves had
dug previously
while finding
nothing. In
time accidents
happened and a
few lives were
lost. Some
members of the
group went
crazy and, to
put it
briefly, just
abandoned the
doomed project
which was
going nowhere
anyway.
Using
our very
limited
imagination,
let us travel
in time:
According
to
scientists,
the world is
4.543 billion
years old. Our
church teaches
us that Jesus
Christ, the
Son of God,
the Savior,
died for us on
the cross over
2,000 years
ago. However,
in that long
span of time
and, up until
this very
moment, in our
quest for
knowing and
understanding
God in depth,
we are just
barely
scratching the
surface.
Many are deep
into the study
of God but
have not yet
even reached a
respectable
depth. We are
still
feverishly
digging and
speculating.
Many
went to war
dedicating and
losing their
own precious
lives. Overly
gifted
intellectuals
have used all
the words that
they know. And
individual
enthusiasts go
and reach
everywhere and
sing, as the
song sang it:
“I never stop
my
wandering...”
One nagging
question that
keeps on
rearing its
head, and
which leaves
us all
famished for
an answer, is:
just Who is
God in His
three Divine
persons - the
Father, the
Son and the
Holy Spirit?
Brothers
and
sisters,
inasmuch as I
miss so much
all of my
departed loved
ones. As I
look up at the
dark starry
skies at
night, the
quest to know
and understand
God is a
relentless and
endless
pursuit. It
will still be
so in
thousands,
even billions,
of generations
to come. But,
in our own
little way, in
our own
lifetimes,
what we can do
is continually
seek him in
the silence of
our own
hearts, and
ask him to
please reveal
himself to us.
As
Jesus said to
his disciples:
“I have much
more to tell
you, but you
cannot bear it
now. But when
he comes, the
Spirit of
truth, he will
guide you to
all truth. He
will not speak
on his own,
but he will
speak what he
hears, and
will declare
to you the
things that
are coming”
(John
16:12-13).
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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AVAILABILITY
“The
Advocate,
the Holy
Spirit that
the Father
will send in
my name – he
will teach you
everything and
remind you of
all that I
told you. John
14: 26”
The
school year
has already
started for
most students.
However, when
I saw some
still hanging
around and
just being
care free
during school
hours, I asked
them why they
were not in
class. They
answered that
they were
taking their
time and
relaxing as
many of their
teachers were
not yet in.
When
we were in the
seminary, I
remember that
we were not to
be seen in
some
designated
areas, but
only in our
classrooms or
the library
studying,
reading or
researching,
whenever our
professors
were not
available.
According
to
an ancient
quotation;
“When the
student is
ready the
teacher will
appear” In
life, the
moment we open
our eyes in
the morning,
up until we
close it at
the end of the
day to rest,
the Holy
Spirit is ever
present 24/7
waiting for
our dedicated
response.
We
have to drag
ourselves out
of our beds
and do
something. Get
the brooms and
dust pans,
rosaries and
prayer books,
mops and
buckets, books
and notes,
running shoes
and athletic
outfits, and
feel the burn
sweating it
out.
The
Holy Spirit is
beside us,
accompanying
us in the ups
and downs of
the whole day.
We must talk
to him, and
ask for his
help and
support, in
reminding us
to choose the
correct,
proper and
right choices,
as we confront
our
relationships,
works, exams
and
recitations.
To be
care free and
gallivant
around; to
procrastinate
and not lift a
finger to do
anything when
the sun is
bright and
high up there
in the sky is
a great insult
and a
transgression
against the
Holy Spirit.
Get
up, up, up,
there!
The Holy
Spirit is wide
eyed and
beaming
waiting for
anyone willing
enough to
respond to his
invitation.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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BEWITCHED
“...
and
a little child
shall lead
them.”
Isaiah 11:6
In
our parish, we
used to have
the practice
of bringing
our patroness
saint, Our
Lady of Peace
and Good
Voyage, from
house to house
in the late
afternoons to
pray the Holy
Rosary with
parishioners.
Praying the
Rosary had
been a dormant
practice for
awhile. While
we were
gathered
around the
image of our
patroness
saint
brainstorming
our upcoming
activities, we
agreed that we
really had to
revive this
practice. A
small child
passed by and
saw the
darkened face
of our
patroness
saint and
exclaimed,
“Oh, a witch!”
She ran away
fast from that
place.
How
many Catholics
still go to
mass on a
weekend? Based
upon my own
observations
in our parish
church and at
village
masses, it is
just a
minuscule
number in
proportion to
the entire
population.
In
our lives as
Catholics, we
develop
devotions to a
lot of rituals
and practices.
This is well
and good as it
distract us
from all
worldly
allurements.
However, once
we become just
nominal,
seasonal
believers, and
go slack and
dormant with
our various
devotions, the
world will
slowly bewitch
and waylay us
from the
proper and
right way.
Perhaps,
like
the child I
mentioned
above, upon
seeing our
religious
icons and
symbols, we
will also
exclaim, “Oh,
a witch!”
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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TRIO
I
love to listen
to how people
talk and
often, when I
would overhear
their
conversations,
I would find
that many of
them were fond
of using such
letters and
words as
“O.M.G.” (Oh
My Gosh! Oh My
God! Oh My
Goodness!) or
“Jesus, Mary
and Joseph!”
as an
exclamation, a
habitual
expression or
just a
conversation
filler. I
guess this is
for want of
more right
words to
say.
However, I
also noticed
that I seldom
heard the Holy
Spirit
mentioned. Why
is this?
Is it because
we cannot
sense it, as
it is a
spirit?
When
the Holy
Trinity was
first taught
to us in the
past, I would
often
associate it
with a musical
trio; a band
composed of
siblings
possessing a
close harmony
with each
other. I
thought of
them as the
greatest hit
of the '70s
and '80s,
dishing out
their lively
disco music.
The
Advocate,
the Holy
Spirit that
the Father
will send in
my name, he
will teach you
everything and
remind you of
all that I
told you. John
4:26
Although
we
were taught in
our catechism
that the Holy
Trinity, the
Father, the
Son, and the
Holy Spirit,
are one and
the same, in
their
individual
roles there
seems to be
some sort of
gradation – a
hierarchy. So,
it is not
surprising
that among the
three, the
Holy Spirit
seems to be
the least
popular. He
seems to just
stay in the
background.
Even in the
rosary, he was
only actively
mentioned
once, in the
third glorious
mystery, the
descent of the
Holy Spirit
among the
apostles.
As an
advocate, the
Holy Spirit
supports the
Father and the
Son by
teaching and
reminding.
Unseen and
unheard, it is
the Holy
Spirit that
brings us
peace, which
is what the
world truly
needs and
wants.
Not
out in front.
Not on the
vocals. Not
the lead. The
peace that the
Holy Spirit
brings covers
the whole wide
world. It
should be
included among
our most basic
necessities.
We might have
the right
food,
clothing,
shelter,
medicine and
education.
However,
without peace
we will not be
able to fully
and truly
enjoy all of
it, as our
hearts will be
full of fear
and trouble.
Peace
is free and it
only comes to
us from the
Holy Spirit.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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HUNGRY
EYES
Are
you an
educated
believer or
merely a
religion
junkie?
We
Catholics are
fond of
crowding our
home altars,
and even
personal
living spaces,
with religious
icons. And
with the
various moving
ups and
graduations
occurring all
around us,
academic
titles,
achievement
citations of
every kind,
plaques,
diplomas,
degrees – all
have been
distributed,
framed and
hung on the
walls for
everyone who
cares to see.
Does this
stuff really
make us an
educated
believer or
merely a
religion
junkie?
It
has been many
years since I
earned my own
degree and
left the
academy. It
was a wonder –
a big “Ah-ha!”
moment on my
part – to have
lately
discovered the
presence of
the
documentary
stories,
narratives and
programs, and
enrichment and
supplemental
information of
the seminary
on the
internet. It
updated
everything I
had previously
brought with
me from behind
the seminary
walls. It is a
sort of an
ongoing
formation for
me.
There
are several
movies,
hobbies,
activities,
etc., that I
saw way back
when I was in
grade school
that I didn't
understand
then and
understand
only now
through the
internet.
Through its
analysis and
reviews I am
just now
gaining the
whole
comprehension
of these
matters. With
my hungry
eyes,
ever-questioning
mind, and
wildly
wandering
heart, I binge
watched on the
internet,
trying to
absorb
everything
that, up to
that point, I
had spent
hours dipping
deeply into
and not fully
understanding.
Even if
granted those
degrees,
diplomas,
citations, and
titles – how
many of them
would I earn
with flying
colors? Or is
it all just a
distraction
and an escape
on my part? Am
I really
becoming a
more educated
believer, or
just merely a
religion
junkie?
I've
met not a few
people who,
for various
reasons, did
not undergo
the usual
educational
process that
most of us
did. However,
with a firm
character,
they presented
themselves so
knowledgeable
about many
topics, trends
and issues,
and they
learned
everything
online. They
have nothing
to show on
their walls in
terms of
diplomas,
degrees and
the like. But,
they are very
credible
individuals.
They always
lug with them
a notebook and
pen and
scribble on it
anything of
value they
encounter both
online and
offline. Any
new words, any
new
observations,
and just about
anything new
is outlined in
their notes.
They sometimes
borrow my
personal
dictionary to
look for the
proper meaning
of a word. I
advised them
to make simple
sentences and
then we
discussed it
further. They
have educated
themselves.
Jesus
said to him, "
Have you come
to believe
because you
have seen me?
Blessed are
those who have
not seen and
have believed.
" John 20:29
Just
as a truly
educated
person need
not display
walls full of
academic
achievements
and titles, so
too truly
believing in
God need not
also mean
displaying a
hundred to a
thousand
religious
icons,
cluttered in
and around our
living spaces.
Rather, it is
seen in how we
present
ourselves and
in the
strength of
our character.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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THE
HOLY SPIRIT
WORKS
Expectations,
both real and
unreal, flood
our lives. To
have an
expectant
attitude is
like talking
to the wind,
hoping that
something
happens
according to
one's desires
and plans.
That
is why,
perhaps, I can
empathize with
the strong
feelings of
the people who
came to listen
to Jesus in
the synagogue.
“Today this
scripture
passage is
fulfilled in
your hearing.”
And all
spoke highly
of him and
were amazed at
the gracious
words that
came from his
mouth. They
also asked,
“Isn't this
the son of
Joseph”
Luke 4: 21-22.
When
I first
received my
passport, the
first thing I
did was to go
visit the
Disney World
in Hong Kong.
I thought, “I
am going to
fully enjoy
the
experience.”
However, I
felt a bit sad
that
everything
that I
encountered
there, from
the entrance
down to the
last ride and
character,
were all
make-believe.
I can no
longer find
the sense of
wonder and awe
that filled me
when I was a
small child,
just reading
and watching
all of the
Disney
characters in
their colorful
comic books,
and on
television
programs. I
did not expect
the experience
to be that
way. For me,
at that point
in my life,
everything
just seemed
very ordinary.
During
my adult life,
I have also
tried to
develop
devotional
practices and
relationships
with the
different
saints that I
heard from
others brought
them all kinds
of windfalls.
I prayed all
the novena
pamphlets that
I found just
strewn by the
church main
entrance. I
told myself
that, perhaps,
five saintly
heads would be
better than
one.
I
completed all
of the
required days
for the novena
prayers
expecting, in
the end, the
fulfillment of
my petitions.
However, in
the end, all I
heard was
complete and
total silence.
I felt so
frustrated
that nothing
materialized.
I did not
expect it to
be this way.
It did not
work as
promised. So,
I said to
myself, "It
might be
effective and
good for
others, but
not for me."
When
the
people in the
synagogue
heard this,
they were all
filled with
fury. They
rose up, drove
him out of the
town, and led
him to the
brow of the
hill on which
their town had
been built, to
hurl him down
headlong. But
he passed
through the
midst of them
and went away.
Luke 4:
28-30
For a
time, I
stopped all of
the devotional
practices in
my life to
look for
better
perspectives.
Then, when I
shared it with
my spiritual
director and
with others
who might be
able to impart
some wisdom to
me, they all
told me to
stop analyzing
and
rationalizing.
Instead, they
told me to
just let the
Holy Spirit
work in my
life. Do not
go on living
inside your
head but
surrender to
the Holy
Spirit.
I
lengthened my
more silent
meditations
and really
tried to just
listen. I
found out that
everything
really does
work. I just
have to keep
on expecting
that the Holy
Spirit will
work on me.
Fr.
Allan Fenix
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THE
CRUCIFIX
AND THE ICON
SQUAD OF
SAINTS
In
the deep
countryside,
seeing a squad
of soldiers
doing their
regular patrol
reconnaissance
is a familiar
sight. A squad
is usually
made up of
6-10 soldiers
led by a
sergeant. A
soldier is
never alone on
the road.
I
walked into to
this kind of
scenario one
day when I
came to visit
a sitio (subvillage)
wherein the
chapel had
long since
seen better
times. But, at
least, the
decrepit
structure was
still there.
Upon
entering the
chapel, lo and
behold, I saw
an icon squad
of saints, in
full
formation,
flanking the
crucified
Christ. All
eight of them,
in various
shapes, sizes,
colors and
conditions,
were standing
tall in front
of the chapel
altar keeping
Christ
company. It
seems that all
eight of them
came and
gathered to
keep Christ
and me
company. They
were all fully
awake. Christ
was not all
alone on the
cross.
The
experience
also brought
me a
tremendous
sense of
relief and
consolation.
It lifted me
out of my
earlier
doldrums and
drooping
spirit.
A bit
later on,
residents were
slowly
trickling in
to attend the
Holy
Eucharist, and
I encouraged
them to always
frequent their
chapel and
seek spiritual
communion with
the crucified
Christ, and
with the
strong squad
of saints in
front of them.
Many
churches and
sects might
participate in
a constant
harsh
criticism of
our devotion
to the saints.
Let them all
have it. But,
thank you for
the battalions
of holy men
and women in
heaven. We
will never be
alone on the
road with OUR
crucified
Christ.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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METHOD
As we
continue with
the gospel
according to
John, we saw
today how John
the Baptist
carried out
his mission of
bringing
Christ to the
world.
As a
catechist
today, we saw
how he
utilized one
of the
spiritual
works of mercy
by instructing
the ignorant
when he
proclaimed: Behold
the
Lamb of God,
who takes away
the sin of the
world. He is
the one of
whom I said,
“A man is
coming after
me who ranks
ahead of me
because he
existed before
me.” I did not
know him, but
the reason why
I came
baptizing with
water was that
he might be
made known to
Israel... I
saw the Spirit
come down like
a dove from
the sky and
remain upon
him. I did not
know him, but
the one who
sent me to
baptize with
water told me.
“On whomever
you see the
Spirit come
down and
remain, he is
the one who
will baptize
with the Holy
Spirit.” Now,
I have seen
and testified
that he is the
Son of God. John
1: 29-34
For
the past day,
we have been
going through
how the
persons of the
Blessed Virgin
Mary and John
the Baptist
carried out
their mission
of bringing
Jesus into the
world. While
the Blessed
Virgin Mary is
the Mother of
God – the Theotokos,
the
God-bearer,
for John the
Baptist it is
being the
conduit of
God's current
through his
voice and
through the
water.
Today,
we
saw God's
method clearly
applied with
John the
Baptist. Let
us then
continue in
discovering
for ourselves
how we, also
according to
our own
temperament,
and innate
resources, may
fulfill our
mission of
bringing
Christ into
the world.
Fr.
Allan S. Fenix
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HOW-TO's.
We
love “how-to”
books because
we would
always like to
learn
something new
in our lives.
In
the first two
days of the
newly started
year, we are
being given a
variety of
options and
choices in how
we can convey
God to others.
What are they?
Yesterday,
we
saw the
character of
the Blessed
Virgin Mary,
who introduced
God into human
history by
being the
Mother of God
or Theotokos,
the
God-bearer.
Today, on the
second day, we
have John the
Baptist, who
did it by
being “...the
voice of one
crying out in
the desert,
'Make straight
the way of the
Lord.'” John
1:23
The
Blessed Virgin
Mary acted as
a courier,
physically
delivering God
into the
world. On the
other hand,
John the
Baptist did it
by way of
being a
conduit for
God spirit
through voice
and water.
All
of us, as
faithful
believers,
have a mission
to do in
bringing God
to others.
Depending on
our
temperament
and innate
resources, we
are given
these two
choices or
options. Do we
want to do it
physically
like the
Blessed Virgin
Mary or like
John the
Baptist, as
the conduit of
God by way of
voice and
water?
The
first option,
the way of the
Blessed Virgin
Mary, is being
a good
Samaritan. It
is living the
corporal works
of mercy –
feeding the
hungry, giving
drink to the
thirsty,
clothing the
naked, giving
shelter to
travelers,
visiting the
sick and those
in prison, and
burying the
dead.
The
second option,
the way of
John the
Baptist, is
being a
catechist. It
is living out
the spiritual
works of
mercy-
counseling the
doubtful,
instructing
the ignorant,
admonishing
the sinner,
comforting the
sorrowful,
forgiving
injuries,
bearing wrongs
patiently, and
praying for
the living and
the dead.
How
do you wish to
be a harbinger
of the good
news?
Are you of the
Blessed Virgin
Mary way, or
that of John
the
Baptist?
Choose
whichever way.
The way of
either of the
two is good
enough.
Fr.
Allan Fenix
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