Cagayan de Oro Cathedral

The gothic San Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral is located at the heart of Cagayan de Oro City.  Mass goers feast their eyes on the century-old stained glass windows which depict the life and times of Jesus Christ.  At the left side of the church after the main entrance is a small chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross while a garden outside the cathedral had been named after St. Joseph.

Biting the Bullet or Cutting Corners

by Frank D.B. Savadera, SJ

One time, as a teacher in one of our schools, I caught a student red handedly CHEATING during  MIDTERM exams.  Just like any teacher, I was angry ... very angry. Just like any teacher however, I tried my best to keep my composure.  I approached the student, got his cheat sheet and marked his paper “Caught Cheating!  Please see me after the exam.”    As expected, he was profusely apologizing: “I’m sorry!  I’m sorry!”  Forgive me, Brother (brother pa ako niadto).  I didn’t get to study enough last night ... and I need to pass this exam.  Sorry ... that I cheated! 

I think you would know if you encounter anyone who is truly sincere with his apologies.   “I am sorry” can be quite a HOLLOW phrase if we truly, truly do not mean it.  But this student of mine was SINCERE!  PRAISE GOD!  At the end of our conversation, I just needed to tell him:  DON’T SAY SORRY TO ME!  PLEASE APOLOGIZE TO YOURSELF!  You have every right and opportunity to live your life as a DIGNIFIED HUMAN PERSON.  But you have pulled yourself LOW and VERY LOW.   Your ACTION DEMEANS you.   "Look at you," I asked him:  "Do you feel good about yourself?  More than anything else ... you should say “SORRY” to yourself.  Your SELF does not deserve the treatment it is getting."

Friends, our Gospel tells us:  “Do not give what is holy to the dogs.”   I guess, this must bring us to the anthropology of how we had been created ... in the image and likeness of God.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs.   What is a human person?  What is a dog?  Can we observe ourselves ... our manner of carrying ourselves, presenting ourselves to others, the way we eat, the way we interact with others, etc.  The dog just like any animal can be quite INSTINCTIVE.  If it is hungry, it will grab onto the nearest food that it can find;  if angry, it bites; a word in BISAYA :  a dog can be quite MARU ... WISE ... especially the game dogs.  If they are hunting for food ... the focus simply is what I can get and of course, HOW I CAN GET AHEAD OF OTHERS IN THE PACK.  Maru!  What a dog!  He can be a champion dog or a breeder dog or a sniffer dog ... but at the end of the day ... he remains what he is ... a DOG!  As human persons, we are more than DOGS!  Do not throw your life to the DOGS as the saying goes!

The next imagery in the gospel is equally significant:  DO NOT THROW YOUR PEARLS BEFORE THE SWINE.  We know for a fact, that PEARLS take years and years to form at the bottom of the sea before it becomes what it is ... an important PEARL.  We relate this of course, to the many years and experiences that we had formed us as persons.   How are we making the most of our time ... making the most out of our mistakes and learnings?   Sometimes, I think of it as a waste to throw away food or stuff that simply got spoiled or turned unusable.   I shake my head and say:  SAYANG NAMAN.   Do not throw your pearls to the swine ... perhaps can speak to us about how we value life forming us as persons.  We need to learn from all our mistakes else ... SAYANG NAMAN di ba?  How are we asked not to take things for granted?  Do not throw your pearls to the swine.  I would like to think that God thinks of all us as improtant. This is what we are/  A gem is meant to be precious! 

The last reflection is about entering the NARROW GATE ... trodding through the difficult path.  In our day and age, we may tend to take the easiest way out of things; the more instant, the more quickie, the better.  But the gospel says:  enter the narrow gate, the gate where others dare not go.  But sometimes we catch ourselves CUTTING CORNERS ... shortchanging ourselves.  I don't know if you've met friends who simply couldn't take difficulty in stride.  There are those that are just so used to escaping and making life easy and convenient. Or you may have known those who simply depended on others for support and finding it hard to just stand on their own.   Will they actually learn anything?  Sometime somewhere, we will need to take life for what it is, right?  Bite the bullet if necessarily so.  Such is the narrow gate, right?  The bitter pill will need to be swallowed and only in doing so can a sick person get well.  We pray that we be delivered from our propensity to cut corners and bear and endure that which will make us better persons. 

Christmas Cards Anyone?

CHRISTMAS CARDS: How did this start? Loyola House of Studies in Manila would ask members of the community to submit possible Christmas card designs that can be reproduced and sent to friends. Some of these attempt-at-art designs eventually saw print. The usually bright colors that characterize the cards speak of joy and celebration that we commonly associate with the Christmas season.

It's Just GOOD to be Here!

Feast of the TRANSFIGURATION

by Frank Savadera, SJ

I was just reflecting on the events of the past days, our celebration of the feasts of Sts. Ignatius and John Vianney and most especially, the death of and burial rites for the late president Corazon Aquino.  Many thoughts come to mind.  The Gospel today on the transfiguration of  the Lord, I think gives form to my many scattered reflections.  

First:  Peter, not knowing what to say to Jesus after experiencing a great theophany (that is, the Lord appearing in all His majesty and glorify, in all His shining and shimmering splendor), most awkwardly blurts out:  “Rabbi, it is good that we are here!”  And this was  exactly what I just texted a batchmate of mine the evening of our concert to celebrate the feast of John Vianney.  Seeing all of you … with FULL ENERGY (with all the singing and dancing) and with great promise to be future leaders of our Church here in Mindanao … I told myself … Wow!  It’s great to be here.  It’s great to be a part of this great work of God for the Church in Mindanao.  In my prayer, I was just telling myself … “Lord, it’s simply good to be here.”

On the Aquino burial, I was initially telling myself … if  I was in Manila … I could have visited La Salle, I could have marched … I could have sang … I could have joined my other brothers sympathizing closely with the Aquino family.  But I am here.  But then I needed to be here to realize that the effect and influence of this woman … Corazon … overflows out of the boundaries of Manila and Luzon … to the Visayas, to Mindanao, to Asia and the world.  A friend of mine texted to say that she was watching the ANC coverage of the mass, the procession and the burial yesterday and she couldn’t understand why she kept on crying.  Perhaps, just like myself … she was just overwhelmed by how a people so influenced by GOODNESS can come out in the streets once again … not to express indignation or defiance … but this time to share stories of GOODNESS … to celebrate GOODNESS … knowing how in spite our failings as a people … as a nation … we raise our hand to say … count me in … I have received God’s goodness.  

I think this is what the events of the past days made possible: Filipinos once again share the Goodness they find within them … the good within us.  And thus we say… it truly felt good hearing stories of how we have regained our democracy.    It really feels good to share the HOPE of possible reconciliation among our many warring political families.  On TV, people were just glad posting pictures with Tita Cory … as if they were saying:  it simply feels good knowing that in my own lifetime, I had rubbed elbows and had taken photos with a great icon of democracy … a beacon of light and hope for all of us.  It’s good to think … that in our time now … this time in our history … we have been granted the privilege to stand as witnesses to how a Filipino … a president can live a GOOD and less blemished life.   

And so, Peter in the Gospel today summarizes for me … my predominant feeling the past days … I’m just glad to be here.  God placed me here.  God had wanted all of us to be here … such that in all reverence … we can proclaim … Lord, we are witnesses to your sheer goodness … your great theophany … in the lives that we live together … here and now. 

            Peter, James and John were privileged witnesses to the Lord’s transfiguration.  They were great witnesses too to a cloud that came and cast a shadow over them … to a voice that came saying:  “This is my Beloved Son. Listen to Him.” And truly … they listened to Jesus … and what a surprise they got by listening to our Lord.  Jesus was arrested and their listening to Jesus brought them to an experience of Calvary.  But then even the despair of Calvary manifests even for us the overpowering goodness which the Lord shares with the world.  Much so after the Lord’s ascension … the  disciples embarked on a great mission to proclaim the GOODNESS that they have experienced.   

            Friends, let’s remember the events of the past days … we remember our blessings as a people … but then … may we listen constantly as well to the Lord’s message for all of us.  To WITNESS is to PROCLAIM.  The Goodness that we have received is the same GOODNESS that we ought to share and manifest.  And concretely … as we have witnessed the theophanies of the Lord in our life as a nation … may we stand as witnesses as well to such revelation of goodness.  Can all the work that we do … in our studies, in community, in our apostolate … carry that mark of goodness.  Can we … with our lives defend goodness when goodness is threatened?  Can we simply talk about goodness … and fill our hearts with hope that each and everyone of us can perform a lot of good things.  And more good things … we can as well accomplish as a people. 

           

            In today’s mass, we say:  Lord, it’s simply good to be here ... to stand as witnesses to the great work that you continue to perform in our lives and the lives of our country.  May our witnessing your work … allow us also to listen to you … follow the goodness that you exemplify … and more than anything … may that goodness continue to reign in our hearts … in our land. 

I just came back from Surigao! And ... what a long trip from Cagayan de Oro! Whew! Staying in a Korean Hotel by the beach, I couldn't help but be awed by the sight and sound of the great Pacific Ocean. Wow! I've realized that it was my first encounter with this biggest body of water in the world. Its waves were high and strong, nothing like those I've seen in Luzon. It was creating a lot of noise too. Hmmm ... and so I asked: How would anyone judge this mighty ocean? Two ways ... I thought: One, we can perhaps be so afraid of the giant waves that we opt to stay farther inland and feel most safe and secure. Or ... two ... we can think of the great explorers of old ... Columbus, Magellan, da Gama, etc. ... and imagine the new shores, the great adventures that are offered for us to discover. Hmmm ... life is short! Why miss the opportunities which only those crazy waves can offer!

Jesuits in Makati

EASTER THANKSGIVING. A couple of Jesuits priests, brothers and scholastics were on hand to celebrate my first mass in Makati. A true celebration indeed more so as everyone remembered the great miracle of the resurrection.