I Love Me

“I love You”, are the most common words that people utter every now and then that even loses its real essence but very few tell themselves “I love me”. It would be very unfortunate if every time we see our reflection in the mirror we point out first the black spots on our face rather than admiring our aesthetics. I don’t mean to that we have to be like Narcissus by doing it, only thing is that we have to love first our own selves before we can love others.

I feel great on seeing me because I am a person of worth and value and I like the person I see. I know my abilities, skills, and strengths but I also know my weaknesses and shortcomings and I like me.

“I am good for nothing” that’s what others tell they are when asked on how they do so in life. But what makes them say so? Perhaps they are constantly reminded of their failures and shortcomings and never given a helping hand, and then they probably never think of becoming someone good. I should always be reminded that struggles, shortcomings, and even problems are part of my existence. I am dead when I don’t feel these things. After all what makes my experience more memorable and sweeter in the end is not that I have done it smoothly and just a piece of cake but the fact that I have successfully hurdled the challenges and the pains along with it. Without which, I could not say I am successful. Our self-image must be built up in order for us to see things in a positive perspective and our parents and others play a significant role in doing so. Remember the concept of significant others in Psychology, we are what we are because of what others, especially the significant others, say we are. If I was always rejected when I was I a child even from doing good then probably I develop a feeling of unworthiness. But because as a child I always get an affirmation even from doing not-so beautiful artworks and other similar things, I turned out to be better if not the best from doing it in the end. It is because affirmation is like a sweet melody in my ears, and I’m sure for others too, that motivates me from doing more after many trials and errors until I nearly perfect it.

We have to see the good things and acknowledge the bad things in us but we should never hate ourselves because of our weaknesses. Yet we have to learn how to use our strengths over our weaknesses more often. It is our tendency to make comparisons among ourselves. This evokes self-hate rather than self-love. Let us not live in the fantasy that our life should be perfect and fully satisfying, but make life the best as we can. We can only make the best in us if we love ourselves. If we do, then we can accept ourselves an even our weaknesses, we always expect good experiences in life, we feel good about our achievements and we do not like to impress others.

Looking at myself I can say I Love Me. It is only by loving and respecting my own self that I can love and respect others. We cannot give what we don’t have as they say. I rejoice in my success and celebrate my gains. I even treat myself for a massage, lunch or dinner-out in a fast-food chain, or watch movies in my favorite movie houses, alone, after a long stressing week. Just me, myself, and I. because I believe that we should always give ourselves a break. I know that others are very important in honing up my personality and character, and their evaluation to me will help me to a great extent but my worth and value never depends on their evaluation to me. I am worth everything; I was created by God uniquely. There is only me and no one can take my place. I am who I am and that is all I need to be and I love me.

When the Shoot Blooms From the Trunk

(The following article is first published for RECONCILIARE, the official publication of University of La Salette-Silang Campus, volume 3, issue no. 1, academic year- 2007-2008. )

Two thousand years ago when the church began to thrive, gradually but in stable, then with a fine machinery of philosophy in handling down the faith of the first apostles to the early Christians, and watered by the blood of the martyrs, it made a splendid leap in the history of humankind. It happened to be the source of power not only through its sacraments but also through its certainties or dogmas which the church fathers defined as conviction that truth must mean to be a complete absence of contradictions and of inconsistencies. This conviction motivates the quest for scientific progress. Thus, science, which is the systematized body of knowledge, owes its viable birth to that Christian dogmatic conviction in quest for certitude.

Many would think that religion and science are two deviating entities that are irreconcilable and incompatible to each other. But it should not be seen to be far remove from one another since; in fact science is closely related to religion where it came forth with full vitality. Long before the institution of the Universal Church, Science was already on the rise but, it was only after Christ founded His church that this body of knowledge blooms. People then specially the Churchmen, in making an attempt to comprehend the world, started to philosophize or at least continue asking the same questions that earlier philosophers asked until they derived at certain knowledge that makes some of the mysteries unveiled, then, Eureka! That’s it, it ceases to be part of philosophy, and it is now to be called-definite knowledge. But it was not that so easy, remember that during those times what has been said by the Church and proclaimed as Dogma must certainly be true which of course made some promising scientists had a second thoughts if they do not want to experience inquisition. Since then, scientific advancement was perceived by some to be incompatible with religion.

Conflicts arouse as science progressed and made its name especially when it overthrew the church, that rest in what was assumed to be inspired by the Holy Scriptures in her teaching that the Earth is the center of the universe and which its age is only about six thousand years. Thus, this two powerful parties that of human intellect and that of faith, incessantly contending.

These two irreconcilable parties as seen by others can work side by side however. They can work together in the context of human progress. As observed in the contemporary time we cannot deny that scientific advancements have been part of human routine. We live in the advent of scientific progress where it mushrooms in every corner of the world. And as science advances, religion benefit too, for it broadens the reach of evangelization. Thanks to science we can now hear masses on air, bring the Good News aboard to the farthest corner of the world and browse the internet for the Daily Gospel Commentaries. Apparently science revolutionizes the face of the earth as it continues to make the quality of our living high. From the first century technology of message in the bottle to the latest wireless voice messaging of 21^st century, it makes a big difference. It makes our life faster and more comfortable, though sometimes, in man’s search for a new trend of technology, to improve its own life of course, it unconsciously ruins his own life and that where religion is needed most, to uplift the morality of the people. To be our inner voice in knowing what is good and what would be beneficial for us and what is not. We can’t deny that science contributes a lot for the progress of mankind and in every advantage it gives there is disadvantage that goes along with it. Well, we can’t get rid of all evil as they say but the choice is still ours whether to conform or to repudiate to it and in every choice we make religion is our conscience. When Albert Einstein formulated the law of gravity that indeed changed science, his intention was for mere betterment of people but then that same law was demonstrated by the atomic bombs that were dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We can’t blame Einstein for formulating it, for it would be the same blaming plane crashes to Newton for his law of gravity. We know that our world is full of contraries that of good and evil love and hate, and that we can never eradicate what is bad and choose only what is beneficial for us. We can only make a decision on which of the two contraries is for comprehensive good and not for individual alone.

No matter how advance science is and out of trend the religion may be, they still both contribute in man’s progress. We should not think that the former has more essence over the latter because the former is just an instrument towards the teaching of the latter. Let me quote St. Ignatius of Loyola who says on his First Principle and Foundation, “Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God… the other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help in attaining the end for which he is created”. We should always be reminded that in every discovery we fulfill it’s always a way for us to praise God. When the crew of Apollo 13 that made Neil Armstrong to be the first man to step in the moon, had its first moment to see the earth from the outer space, they recognized the omnipotence power of God for creating such a beautiful world, (that is now being ruin by the abuse of science). Could we not think the same when we come to know that the earth revolves around the sun for 365 days every year! Or when we happened to discover that our body is composed of different cells which make our organ systems, which work so perfectly to sustain the life that is given to us? Or better yet for those who do not recognize themselves having religion, that there must be somebody who is greater than all the things that are perceivable and for those that are yet to discover? Come to think of it… man needs science as well as religion for its attainment of goal.

Rush Hours

I was riding on a jeepney on a rush hour when two elementary boys asked the driver, “manong pwede magsakay paeskuwelahan?” (sir can we have a ride to our school?) The driver said, “syempre” (of course), then one of the boys asked again the driver, “libre?” (for free?). “sige na ngani” (okey) the poor driver answered the young boy when the other boy shouted, “hoy mari na kamo, libre daa!” (hey come on, its free!). then to our all surprise five more elementary pupils joyfully came running to hitch a ride! the driver just smiled and all other passengers looked at each others with a smile in their eyes.

I was so happy to know that in spite of the hard times and sacrifices of our drivers to earn for their family living there are still some of them who has always room in their hearts for sharing what they little have to others who are also in need.

The driver’s generosity gave hope to those pupils and for all the passengers on his jeepney that there are still many people in this world that are willing to help in their little ways.

On the other side of the story, the smiles on the face of those children gave joy to other passengers and cracked the heat and stress of the rush hours.

An Kasimbagan

Wara sa sakong paglaom na ika sakong masumpungan

Banwang namundagan urog nang namomotan

Manga simpleng paguirumdom can enot kang mamidbidan

Danay na mag-eerok, ririmposon na daeng kasagkoran

Diit-diit, luway-luway, mantang aco may naaadman

Sacong naapresyar an saimong kagayunan

Kabubuldan, kadagatan, pati na an kapatagan

Tunay na kayamanan, Perlas kan Sirangan.

Sa padagos na pag-urgolyo kan banwang magayon

Lawog ko nakaabot luminampas sa panganoron

Asin sakong nahiling con gurano kaharayo

Agwat kan mayayaman sa dukhang namamanwaan

Bakong sagana kita sa yamang natural?

Ta daw ta kadakul man guiraray an gutom

Maski ngani naglapigot, nagdaplos, nagpagal

Pagsulnop can aldaw sa rutoy guiraray man minabulukon

Sigon sa gobierno, may krisis sa kakanon

Kaya bagas can ibang nacion kaipuhan angkaton

Imbes na bakalon, sadiring produksyon

Kita pinakaon – bukbukon na bagas sa presyong garo ka halunon

Mantang nakarambong sa saco an diklom

Sa manga pangyayaring gusto kong butasan

An ako, sa lawog ko, simbag an kahagadan

Ining manga pagtios, ano daw an pinuna-an?

Haen na an kurahaw can manga kasaradayan

Ta garong mas nadadangog huring nin manga mayayaman

Kita daa parantay siring sa trayangulo

Sa mata kan kadaklan, ano daw an totoo?

Iyo man nanggad trayangulo con saimong paghilngon

Pero laen parantay kaya dae pagparehason

Ta mas dakol an sa ibaba kumpara sa ibabaw

Asin an dae pa nagpas-an iyo pa an sa tahaw

Mala ngani an sa taas garo habo na maglusad

Sa tronong minamawot kan kadakol niatong katuod

Tronong solo-solo, gusto nindang malukuban

Guiguibuhon an gabos, biyo na pigiiriwalan

Kanya-kanyang diskarte sa pagmamantinir

Kan puwestong mawot sinda an mailihir

Kanya-kanyang tapok can dugi sa pandok

Ini an guibo kan pulitikong daeng  supog

Trabaho, progreso, kakanon asin edukasyon

Pangakong mahamis kulang man sa aksyon

Pinsan kuno sa lolo kan lolo, midbid ka ta eleksiyon

Maibugtak ngani sa puwesto, dipisil na paghanapon

Sa halawig na panahon na sa puwesto nagpahinog

Puduon man tuo, putot man guiraray lapa pa an pisog

Presente sana pag-honorarium, tangu-tango sa sesyon

Manga proyekto papadaguson, ta ngaya maeleksyon

Tinampong inarado, ipinadagos na an kaputol

Asin an kalaban inagi sa kanta an hatol

Sa paghayop can habagat pasiring sa sulnopan

Botante kandidato andam an pirilian

Kanya-kanyang padurukot kan saindang pangaran

Muriton na papel o sako hinalayhay sa aguihan

Litratong ngirit, todo postura… sa kanto nakapamiadan

Daog pa an manga guwardiya; sa poste puerte an barantayan

Alagad mamumundo ka, pag simong naaraman

Lakdang nin ibang kandidato digdi sa banwaan

Nananakot, nanggigipit para sinda an pilion

Binuruhay pati gadan para sinda suportahan

Pero bag-o ka magtaram asin kandidato husgahan

Haputon mun-a an sadiri, sisay daw an may kasal-an?

Kandidato kayang sa banwaan, dulot iyo an kasusupgan

O an manga botanteng sa pagpili nagbinuta-butahan?

Dignidad asin prinsipyo, dae kayang isuriyaw

Nagpatakot, nagpa-api, sa cuarta nagpasuriaw

Sa dikit na sinselyo, itinunggal an boto

sa dikit na sinselyo, ipinasaluib samong futuro

Kaya sa Mayo a dies magmangno kita kan leksyon

Dipisil con iisipon pero pasil con guiguibuhon

Karagting nin bulawan, dae dapat dangogon

Plataformas de gobierno taw-an nin maninigong atensyon

Satuyang iboto an may sinserong liderato

Ta gud satong banwaan makamtan an progreso

Kaya dae na maghapot con ano an kaipuhan
Ta dapat mong maaraman BOTO MO AN KASIMBAGAN!

Are You Fair?

…Are you fair…?

The question thrown to the parishioners by a priest on a Sunday mass so I too reflected on it…

I am, sometimes, not fair with my friends, with my classmates, and my teachers. I already cheat on my class; I already favored a friend of mine by casting my vote on him for class presidency even if I know that my other classmate could be a better leader.

I am not fair always as expected.

Maybe the pastor who threw this question is, perhaps he is not. Because no doubt men and women of clothe do the same.

I was a seminarian for four years and I heard a story of a priest who was caught by a traffic officer for traffic violation. As the officer was ticketing him the priest pleaded saying “Oh I’m so sorry sir, but I have to say mass everyday in a two-hour-distant parish so I have to use my car” then the officer learning that he is a priest said in reply, “Oh forgive me father for bothering you. You may go and continue your ministry.” Then as the priest thanked him the officer said again, “father please pray for me.” Oh come on! The ministry of the priest is to make the word of God known to people, promote justice, and abide the law; even Jesus subjected Himself to the law of land isn’t it? And the ministry of the traffic officer is to catch traffic violators.

With that, the priest is not fair. The officer is not fair either.

How about you? Are you fair?

No Peace No Justice; No Justice No Peace

Peace. A very common word that people utter every now and then yet the meaning seems elusive. The Lord says, “Peace be with you; I give you My peace: Not as the world gives peace do I give it to you.” (Jn. 14:27) Nowadays if we watched the news on television, listen to the radio, or glance at the newspaper, we can not help but be aware how true the words of Jesus are, how fragile the peace of the world is, how elusive it is. It is disturbing not because violence is present anywhere but because of our attitude towards it. We long and pray for world peace yet even in us peace is absent.

From the farthest corner of the world we have witnessed the presence of carnage, let us take for example the fight of America against terrorism. It was after the Twin Towers’ attacked on September 11, 2004 that America declared all out war against terrorism but in her fight against it, she uses the same formula. She too terrorizes another nation in search for the master mind by ruthless and deliberate attack on the innocent people. Is she promoting peace with her actions? Yes! She promotes “eternal peace” to those departed victims of her war, isn’t she? Well painful truth in every war is that, victory belongs to neither of the parties. All are victims in war. In fact it just triggers more violence. Violence begets violence as the dictum would say and it is very much true to the action of America. When they will learn from this? Don’t they realize that they too became oppressors then in search for supremacy and dominance? She cares for wound of her own land but how about the wounds of the history of humanity which she inflicted?

Now let us not go far because here in our country we have the same problem. The government is serious in ending insurgency in the country but the rebels too are serious in fighting for their principles. The government calls justice for the military and civilians killed by the rebels but what comes after? The rebels would cry the same in search for that “justice”? It is like a cycle, one hit the other and in return, he too hit the one who hit him. It seems to be that these conflicts would never end. Yes indeed, conflicts won’t end but unless both sides observe true justice, peace will not prevail. In a way military condemns the extremists for violence but who then in another way perpetrated extra judicial killings in the past? Hmm, trying to cover up his own mud with others’ huh.

Is peace attainable? Why not, we can create war isn’t it? Why can’t we make peace then? It is possible if we respect each others belief and differences, realize how crucial the life is, live in harmony and unity with each other, promote justice, and live in the spirit of reconciliation. “Peace be with you” shouldn’t just be uttered, it should be carry out and work for it. If we could not even make peace with the members of our family, with our friends and with our neighbors whom we have seen everyday, how can we make peace then with the people around the world whom we have never seen? If we can’t even promote justice in our family and community, how can we call then for comprehensive reconciliation? We are for justice but oftentimes we don’t desire to change the system because we are benefiting from it. We want justice then we should be ready to pay the cost. Peace is not just a repression of violence, not just the absent of war, but most of all it is our dedication to love and respect the whole humanity and creation as we want to be respected in return. Peace should be rooted in justice and only in the spirit of forgiveness and of reconciliation justice is at hand. We can’t just get rid of all the violence in the world but we can begin peace in ourselves. We want peace so let us be peaceful within ourselves.