louietall

SUMMARY

2006-03-05T16:49:00.000-08:00

FAITH

In every human existence has its own Call Narrative, a call to which to live into a harmonious way of living, which anchors the faith in God, as the source of everything. This call is a special call to us individuals in a different perspective or dimension of our faith, some are called to live in three levels in life, to a married life, religious life and to be called into single blessedness. This call narrative implies the theophany, commissioning, objection to the mission, assurance and acceptance. Through this call narrative we could also experience the ten steps of faith in particular in hunger’s hearth, encounter with Christ Jesus, call for conscious, and others, Perhaps, as we experience this narrative then we are called into a special way of our life journey, a special that makes us closer to the divine person of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
However, if we try to put it into a concrete manifestation of this call narrative we could narrate to the Old Testament events on how Abraham as the father of nation respond this call of God, even the first apostle of Jesus as the first witness of his miraculous event by words and deeds, in fact the story of Moses as the bearer of salvation of the chosen people of God, all of them are called by God in a special way, even they are not capable to this call.
In the call of Abraham, even he is not certain to the place which Yahweh offer to him but still he obey to the command of God, he lift his old way of living and follow the command of God, with great faith on his heart, he was commission by God to depart to a certain place with his wife Sarah, he even asked himself for he is not worthy, but the assurance God that we will be there to guide him, he will be there to protect him in the midst of pains to encounter. And with this the acceptance to follow the will of God, with great desire, hope, and faith.
Like Abraham, it is also what the experience of the first apostle of Jesus as the first witness of the divine revelation, through this call narrative they were also called into a different way of their life, some are fishermen, others a tax collector, and a sinners, and as they are called they have a religious experiences of Jesus that mark there conversion into the life of Jesus, the fulfillment in their hunger’s heart, being down and out of love, and experiencing to a strange God. They were also commission by Jesus to be fishers of men, to spread and proclaim the word of God to the poor of the society, but they are not worthy of it, they are outcast of the society, they are sinners. But Jesus did not look there infidelity, Jesus did not choose the righteous but he chooses the weakness in order to be strong he always intervene and give them the assurance that he will be always with in to guide them to protect them as they experience persecution to defend their faith.
Indeed, the call of Moses has its also a significant event to this narrative call, to be the bearer and the instrument of salvation to the chosen people as they inter into a special relationship with Yahweh, and through Moses God give to the Israelites the law to make them a holy people and a great nation.
Moreover, prior to this as they were called through this call narrative they left, they focus, and they surrender their selves to God. We also are challenge as we continue to offer our self to God in different way, to left everything even it is important to us, we should have to focus to the one who called us, and the most important is to surrender our self to the one who called us to respond with great faith.

Down and Out

2006-03-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

REFLECTION

In the beginning of the existence of the world God created everything out of the abundance of his great love, his love is his great manifestation of revealing himself to the creation which able him to made man in his image and likeness and putting them into the paradise of garden of Eden, which symbolizes peace, harmony; justice, for whom also men at this time should lived for.
Even our first parents committed sins, and disobedient to Yahweh’s covenant but still he continuous to shared his love for by the salvation of sins. Indeed we could also manifest the love of God in the Old Testament, lies the Exodus event which is the central event of the Israelites journey, which it continues the oppression of the Egyptian to the chosen people and the miraculous deliverance of Yahweh through Moses who led them into the wilderness to the promise land.
Through this event in the whole history of the creation down at this present millennium is the constant and real manifestation of the love of God, this love unfold to the present revelation of Jesus as the new tabernacle of Yahweh’s presence.
Even at this point in our history we could also test the love of God even such calamities, chaos, misunderstanding of the Government officials, graft and corruption, drugs, political oppression, human trafficking, but the love is still present, he did not allow such this things to happen, but instead by the will of men, through personal freedom which make them to commit division to God’s unfolding love, to gained, and to manipulate others with their power and fame, and to gained political wants.
But as Jesus is the true love of the Father we should also live the love which Jesus share to us, despite of this misunderstanding with in, but still we could able to share to others the real love of Jesus, we could be able to feel to others in need the love of Jesus, as what Theresa of Calcutta says, to want to help the poor, just open your eyes, open your ears, open your heart and you could help them as what you could see, as what you could hear and as what you could felt, because if we continue to be blind, to be deaf, and mute we could never share the love of Jesus to others, by opining of our heart, ears, and heart it is then the overflowing love to others happened.
Moreover this is also what the challenge of my life journey as I have read this last step to faith to be realistic to share this love which I a have shared from Jesus, to be an instrument and bearer of love to others, to love the poorest among the poor, to love the unloved, and to love Jesus above all.

Christ Encounter

2006-03-05T16:47:00.001-08:00

REFLECTION

On my discernment in life were I constantly encounter Christ presence is every time I give a recollection to a certain high school student in different school. On that experience I used to choose the topic of God’s love, even though student knows about it but for deepening of their personal realization to the love of God, and for them to acknowledge the love of God with in.
Through this topic I explained to them the expression of the love of God in contrast to the love of man, the love of God is with out limit, and seeks no return hence forth the love of man has its own limits indeed it seek something in return, even man sometimes not faithful to his personal love to God but still God’s love manifested to man for his personal salvation.
Through our parents presence we share also the love of God, through them we feel the love of God as we are loved by our parents; it is a dual relationship by God through our parents, and in respond through our personal prayer and faith to God.
But sometimes man ignore the love of God we tend to follow our own conscience and do the unnecessary wrong values, indeed we hurt others, we make others as a material thing which we did not feel with them the essence of the love of God, we sometimes hurt others by our thoughts, words and action.
However, as I continue the recollection I asked the student during the activity time with three-guided questions. What instances in your life journey you experience the love of God? What is your concrete respond to the love of God? Are you still happy being love by God?
As we start the sharing student started to cry, because there are times in their life journey they did not feel the love of God, as they experience death in their family member, as they experience the death of they father, mother, and other member in their family. They thought there is no God at all, they though no heaven, no angels, because if there is, why it allow it to happen.
Others also shared with their life journey they experience with in the family for they did not feel the love of their parents for they have experience favoritism among the children sometimes their parents would ignore their own needs. Others share their life journey for being a broken family, the infidelity of their father.
While listening to the student it is then personally I encounter the presence of Christ which I could also relate to them my personal life journey. Through listening to them I know God hears all the pain that they have, hears all the anger that they have to their parents, Gods love is constant even we person are not constant with our love to God.

The Experience of Spirit

2006-03-05T16:47:00.000-08:00

REFLECTION

When I was still a college seminarian every time we had a summer apostolate in our own parish my parish priest immediately assigned us in the barrio to conduct or to facilitate seminar of the sacrament of confirmation. On that event we had to prepare assigned topics for us to give. Indeed through this experience it is really challenging in a sense I could able to develop my self- esteem and how to face people specially to talk in front of them and to able them to understand my own topic in the sacrament of confirmation.
And while preparing my own topic, one of the things that I really like to give during the seminar is the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Perhaps as I read through out the booklet that we have, it is also then I know some works of the Holy Spirit, and merely the function of the Holy Spirit in some other way.
Furthermore there are examples in which the work of the Holy Spirit has, like a Spirit of Ammonia, A team Spirit, etc. What does it mean the Spirit of Ammonia, if a certain person happens to collapse the spirit of ammonia used in order to restore his or her memory.
Perhaps, the team Spirit is to signify the spirit of individuals and by which the spirit present in them us a team who give them courage and strength to won such game, to give them strength to pursue and continue the game even of hardship. In fact as I reflected on that matter, Holy Spirit really has its work present in the Church as it strengthen the church to continue to be Holy, continue spreading the gospel through out the humanity.
Moreover, as I continue my formation it deepens more and more my understanding with regard to the Holy Spirit. As Holy Spirit works in the Church it is to continue the revelation of Christ as to represent, to reminds, to internalize and to actualize. Through the work of the Holy Spirit to represent it means the revelation of Christ still present with us in our memory. To remind means to recall the work and deeds of Christ. To internalize that Jesus is with in us, and lastly to actualize means to understand the truths of Jesus teaching and in application into our situation.
Furthermore, as a challenge for me as I understand the function of the Holy Spirit merely to remind my self being a Christians to be faithful to believe in Jesus, to represent as also what the work of the Holy Spirit to be present with in, to internalized all the moral values which I received from the seminary formation with the aide of the Holy Spirit, and to actualized not only for the self but for the others. A relationship towards others, in sharing what I have as what also the Holy Spirit as the bearer of faith to all believers.

Call of Conscience

2006-03-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

REFLECTION

After our caroling together with my co-bukid major seminarians to Bukidnon last December, I then spent all my Christmas vacation in the parish, helping my parish priest by serving every dawn masses including the big celebration of the Christmas and new years mass, perhaps cleaning the convent in preparation for such occasions to celebrate in different organization, teaching the young altar night how to serve in a proper way, and other.
On that experience of mind during the Christmas break helped a lot to slowly built up a relationship with my parish priest. Because since from the beginning of the year in our parish he did not know me and as I reveal my self by helping him is a one way we could know each other. And perhaps as a tradition in every seminarians life as to report to their parish priest they may receive some financial assistance for personal needs of the seminarians.
Indeed, on a certain day when I was in the parish he told me that we go together to the barrio for the mass and to serve, so I decided to go with him. And it is my opportunity to be with the barrio people since many years that I was not assign in our own barrio for the seminary formation that I have.
However, on the other hand, as I helped in the convent I also spent few days at home, for the house hold choirs. Helping my parents in some family activities a family program during the day of Christmas for as to built more relationship to each one of the family member. And with the presence of my brothers and sister we share lots of experiences during our childhood days. And indeed the presence also of my parents is somehow gives us the hope to continue in our endeavors.
As the Christmas vacation is seemingly ended and seminary reporting is past approaching, I then asked permission to my parish priest, that tomorrow is the day of our reporting. And what is in my mind is that I my received some amount of money as “pinaskuhan” for such endeavors I made during that certain labor days.
But I was frustrated for what I expected to happen that even a single amount for me to have for a fare to the seminary he did not even give. And so what I did I went to the secretary to ask some amount and she give me. And I told her “sag di lang Te kung akoy mapari ing-anion gi hapon nako ang akung mga seminarista”. In that certain point of my word, which come out to my mouth, made me to ponder as I reflected on it to a call for conscience.
“Nakoncensya ko”, for I only focus to my emotional wanting which to gained money out of the labors I made. What for me to happened is something in return? Moreover, as what had happened I did not give-up to returned to the seminary without even a pocket money. But in fact I am so happy reflecting on that experience that I have I am happy without any deep depression in my heart for as long I’m still happy serving others

The Wondering Mind

2006-03-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

REFLECTION

Every person desires to ask something which able them to answer their personal inquiry. Others may have to gather information in order for them to really affirm such evident. And perhaps through wondering of mind is something could able us to acquire more knowledge to a certain finite being. And so, with this discernment of mind my focus to my own experience in life, way back when the seminary gives me the one-year formation program on teaching regency, before continuing the theological formation. For such reason in order for me to cope with my personal leadership which I would have to develop. With this experience made me to gain more faith in God and faith in one self. For I could able to lived what I learned inside the seminary into the real present situation leaving with the other person, adjusting new values and culture, which also be part of my self-formation. Beside through that period of preparation I started to wonder and asked my self could I able to made it, could I able to handle student who are been hard headed, which I was also long before, could I continue my personal prayer, could I teach well, all of this are my anxiety, before I finally teach to a certain school in our own Diocese.
Through the years of teaching experience able me to appreciate and to value the true meaning of prayer a prayer which I did not experience before when I was still in the formation, there is really a different that I felt and a something new, something unusual. In fact it built me a personal and a true prayer before and after leaving the school for such another day for teaching the students, Before when I was still in the seminary I could not appreciate the essence of the holy mass for it is a daily routine schedule, but since I have this regency able me to value to attend everyday to strengthen me to continue teaching, since this is also one of the reason which the seminary have to send me to regency in order for me to built up self confidence and ever to develop my leadership.
Moreover, through teaching regency really helped me a lot to understand my own self, able me to be a mature person, physically and in spiritual maturation. Perhaps sometimes in my life journey could asked my self with a certain question that able me to ponder. Should it really important to go to this regency program just only to know one self. Should I have to teach only for me to have a develop leadership, should I attend mass just to develop my personal prayer and relationship to God. And I answer my self YES with a reflective mode, for me to develop will, for me to know my self better, for me to acknowledge the love of God I should have then to undergo such trial and self formation to be a good person. And in fact leadership develop more and more to handle such situation, before I really asked if I could ever continue to teach, but as the month indeed with out noticing it I then concluded that I really made it, the grace of God, through my own faith in him and of my self.

The Heart’s Hunger

2006-03-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

REFLECTION

One of the books of Bro. Andrew Maria, MMHC on Parcels on Truth that I read years ago about “God knows best”. The story goes like this There is a certain poor widow had to take four different jobs and work for eighteen hours a day just to provide for her children. Her only consolation was the love of her children. They were aware of their mother’s sacrifices and were devoted to her. One night, she was so overwhelmed by her difficulties that she could not help but cry out to the Lord. Lord she cried, I’ve been praying to you for so long and still you have not answered my prayers. A voice answered her, what have you been praying for my child? Please put an end to my poverty, the woman replied so that my children and I will no longer suffer. Child the gentle voice continued your present suffering is what is best for you. Accept it as my will Lord she complained I know what is the best for me. If only you’ll do what I ask, you’ll see. Make me rich she answered give me money and property. The voice did not answer. When the woman opened her eyes, she found her self in a mansion in front of her many chests of gold. The Lord had made her very rich. So every one enjoy until one day she received news that her children were in trouble two of her sons were in jail her only daughter had eloped with a married man. She prayed once in the Lord. Lord she whispered weakly, I wish you did not grant my prayers years ago when I asked you to make me rich. Now you know the voice answered, why I don’t grant all petitions. Believe me child; I know what’s the best for you.
As I read through out the article of Bro. Andrew I was moved into self-realization, which able me to discern, cause somehow it has also a significant into my life where I always bother to asked God for something more than what I expected in life. Since my childhood days one of my dreamed is to finish my studies and got a stable job in order to help my parents. Indeed after my studies to proceed to become an army as what my father is. Perhaps I really force my self to commit my self to apply in that certain profession. But in the end everything has change of what I dreamed and expected for. Before for such matter my vision in life change when I decided to enter in a priestly life, offering my self to God. But with this decision that I have I never regret having this as my profession in other sense. In fact this is my personal decision because I know God did not give to me the things that I asked for, the things which I plan for he knows what is really the best for me.
With this path that I choose make me happier than the life that I choose before if ever I have it for I may able to nourish my faith in God, my own heart to love him more, I know this is the life that God wants me to be he did not want that I may able to perish in the battle if ever I became of what I dreamed but he wants me to be with him in the other way by of serving him. Serving him as pastors of souls, he really knows what’s the best for me, what is really suited in me I know I have the hunger heart to achieved those vision in life before, but by the help of God he knows everything, he knows what is good and not good for me. As I lived this way of life I may increase my own desire to love others as what God would asked me to do in this certain vocation, able to catch more faithful believers and to convert more Christians by nourishing faith in him.

Escaping from Strange Gods

2006-03-05T16:40:00.000-08:00

REFLECTION

When I was still a child I could still remember the days when my entire family went to Sunday mass to pray. In that moment of experience in my life slowly build-up and able to develop my own personal image of God, my own understanding of him personally, but since I am a child it is just an image of God with no meaning of it, just a strange ideas of him, Perhaps not only by going to the church every Sunday that I know the image of God but rather also every time my mother would always asked us to pray the Holy Rosary every day. Even by praying the rosary sometimes I fall asleep under my mother’s feet with the rosary in my hands. Oftentimes I used many excuses in order for me not to attained the rosary because for me it is bored and “sakit mag luhod” as we have many excuses but our mother really force us to say the rosary, indeed we have to “kay kung dili me bunalan man me” So in that experience “bahala ug kapoy” we pray together. In such manner I did not even notice that by praying the holy rosary is a one way my deeper relation of God grows, it is a stepping-stone of my faith in him. Until then I nourished this relationship of mined with the Lord and years passed I responded it by personally making my self an offering into a life to priesthood, as a priestly life would have.
However at my present life would tell me for the change of I personal perception of an image of God. Now my knowledge of God widen to consider him as a provider, provider of everything even though before when I pray the rosary and fall asleep but still he provides me with a good and nice parents who able me to understand such situation in life and there in moment of crisis. God always provide me everything I asked of him and he knows what the best for me, which increases my faith to him. Not only as a provider but rather a heart that able to forgive sinners, as I grow up many things had happen and many things also have done, but somehow there is a God who ready to forgive, there is a God who ready to love and comfort in times of sins committed.
Moreover in the seminary everything have been taught personal, emotional, social, spiritual dimension of a person, for more being a mature person mature not only by a physical aspect but in spiritual maturation mature in faith in God that able to stand a God’s given faith. With all this things able me to acknowledge the different images of God, before only one aspect of my image of God that I know and with the help of my parents, but now through my own faith to God it give more ideas to have a different images of God. Every person has its different ideas of God, the god who punish the sinners, the god who doesn’t need love, the god who doesn’t care about people, the god who not desires human happiness, the god who say, you will pay for that, has no emotions, the god who is specialist with souls, with all this things even we have different images of God but the most important is our faith in him. Different in our approaches to God but it does not count in the real sense, what is the important is how we believe in God, how we have lived our own faith in him.

The Heart’s Hunger

REFLECTION

One of the books of Bro. Andrew Maria, MMHC on Parcels on Truth that I read years ago about “God knows best”. The story goes like this There is a certain poor widow had to take four different jobs and work for eighteen hours a day just to provide for her children. Her only consolation was the love of her children. They were aware of their mother’s sacrifices and were devoted to her. One night, she was so overwhelmed by her difficulties that she could not help but cry out to the Lord. Lord she cried, I’ve been praying to you for so long and still you have not answered my prayers. A voice answered her, what have you been praying for my child? Please put an end to my poverty, the woman replied so that my children and I will no longer suffer. Child the gentle voice continued your present suffering is what is best for you. Accept it as my will Lord she complained I know what is the best for me. If only you’ll do what I ask, you’ll see. Make me rich she answered give me money and property. The voice did not answer. When the woman opened her eyes, she found her self in a mansion in front of her many chests of gold. The Lord had made her very rich. So every one enjoy until one day she received news that her children were in trouble two of her sons were in jail her only daughter had eloped with a married man. She prayed once in the Lord. Lord she whispered weakly, I wish you did not grant my prayers years ago when I asked you to make me rich. Now you know the voice answered, why I don’t grant all petitions. Believe me child; I know what’s the best for you.
As I read through out the article of Bro. Andrew I was moved into self-realization, which able me to discern, cause somehow it has also a significant into my life where I always bother to asked God for something more than what I expected in life. Since my childhood days one of my dreamed is to finish my studies and got a stable job in order to help my parents. Indeed after my studies to proceed to become an army as what my father is. Perhaps I really force my self to commit my self to apply in that certain profession. But in the end everything has change of what I dreamed and expected for. Before for such matter my vision in life change when I decided to enter in a priestly life, offering my self to God. But with this decision that I have I never regret having this as my profession in other sense. In fact this is my personal decision because I know God did not give to me the things that I asked for, the things which I plan for he knows what is really the best for me.
With this path that I choose make me happier than the life that I choose before if ever I have it for I may able to nourish my faith in God, my own heart to love him more, I know this is the life that God wants me to be he did not want that I may able to perish in the battle if ever I became of what I dreamed but he wants me to be with him in the other way by of serving him. Serving him as pastors of souls, he really knows what’s the best for me, what is really suited in me I know I have the hunger heart to achieved those vision in life before, but by the help of God he knows everything, he knows what is good and not good for me. As I lived this way of life I may increase my own desire to love others as what God would asked me to do in this certain vocation, able to catch more faithful believers and to convert more Christians by nourishing faith in him.