What should I do?

         This morning, like every morning we start our day with either communal prayer or Holy mass. But one thing is strange. The weather is not as usual. Strong winds with no sunlight. People talk about the so called evil plan, the RH Bill in this Philippines. Priests and devout catholic are murmuring about this plan. They say politicians and the President are no longer protecting the citizens. The voters in the congress and the other related people are bribed and threatened in order to have the RH Bill passed. What shall we do?

           As a Catholic I am really sad, how could I express this sorrow? They want to bring this bill of Death in this Christmas season? On the other hand I am ready to oppose it whatever it may cost. Life or death no matter what lies ahead. I am even happy to help pray for a soul to be saved, my life and my mission is already fulfilled. I do not want to blame anyone anymore. Let them exercise their power and freedom. Jesus has entrusted us with this mission, not to follow the rulers of this world which is corruption in every way.

       In the Philippine daily news I see the people rejoicing because this evil plan is brought out in this little society. I do not wish to see them in sorrow again in the future. As a foreigner living in this Philippines, I feel pity  on the natives here. They are going to suffer, the persecution of the Catholic Church is officially inaugurated in this country. And I foresee there will be more evil plans awaiting. This called for faith repentance and practice our faith. I feel sad about the supporters of this Bill, and I am wondering whether they really understand the bill or just following with the flow. 

        You know, when we fall sick we have take medicines, capsules and tablets and so on. When the tablet is bitter there will be sweet coating on it. So that we might not notice when we take. In the same manner, this Bill is covered with words like Health, Right of Filipino Women, to address poverty in the country and so on.....many sweet sounding words. 

       Majority of the supporters have not read the bill completely is a fact. They were just informed by the politicians that this would help address the poverty in the country, health and right of women. If it is the problem of the poverty why not address the monopolizing-business men and women to share their richness? Why allowed all the resources to be monopolized by the small group of people, Americans and Europeans who give them dollars and Euros what they want.

   All I can say is I AM REALLY SAD FOR NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE. May God bless us...Deliver us from Evil, Lord Jesus.

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The Daily Gospel

Sunday, 16 December 2012
Third Sunday of Advent - Year C

St. Eusebius, Bishop († c. 371)



Commentary of the day
Blessed John-Paul II : « Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say: Rejoice! The Lord is near » (Phil 4,4-5)

Reading

Lk 3:10-18.


And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
He said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise."
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
He answered them, "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."
Soldiers also asked him, "And what is it that we should do?" He told them, "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages."
Now the people 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.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Blessed John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Angelus for the 14/12/2003 (trans. © copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana rev.)

« Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say: Rejoice! The Lord is near » (Phil 4,4-5)

"Rejoice in the Lord always.... The Lord is near" (Phil 4: 4-5). With these
words of the Apostle Paul the liturgy invites us to be joyful. It is the
Third Sunday of Advent and is known as "Gaudete" Sunday for this very
reason...Advent is a season of rejoicing because it revives the expectation
of the most joyful event in history: the birth of the Son of God by the
Virgin Mary. To know that God is not distant but close, not indifferent but
compassionate, not aloof but a merciful Father who follows us lovingly with
respect for our freedom: all this is a cause of deep joy which the
alternating ups and downs of daily life cannot touch. An unmistakable
feature of Christian joy is that it can go hand in hand with suffering,
since it is based entirely on love. Indeed, the Lord who "is near", to the
point of becoming man, comes to fill us with his joy, the joy of loving.
Only in this way can we understand the serene joy of the martyrs even amid
trial, or the smile of saints, full of charity for those who are suffering:
a smile that does not offend but consoles. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord
is with you!" (Lk 1:28). The Angel's announcement to Mary is an invitation
to rejoice. Let us ask the Holy Virgin for the gift of Christian joy.

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Where are you?

           Sad things are happening! They are really saddening. Almost everyday these bad news creep into our thoughts and conversations. Who will be rejoicing if one hears a murder in the conversation or just in the news. Oppressions can't be tolerated in these day as every one cries for justice. What if those who can't even make even a little cry? I wonder will they received Justice? The So called Justice of our day is not a justice at all. It's always on the side of the rich and powerful.
          You may  probably perceive what i am talking about. I want to shout out the injustice being done in our today society. The powerful and the rich would kill the innocence in the name of their own benefits. Even they plan to kill a child which has no capacity to protect itself. Not even a child, they have planned since long ago to kill unborn babies in the name of Health reasons. The so called RH Bill in the Philippines is not just a human plan but the it is the PLAN of the DEVIL. Though many Christians agree to the PLAN OF THE DEVIL. Even the famous Catholic Universities agree to that Plan, How sad it is?
        If you are pro-abortion, may i ask you that would you agree with the murders or just any crime or a simple injustice. Killing is still the SAME and it will always remain the SAME. All of us talk about war, natural calamities, injustice but we have forgotten the ultimate task of ours to protect the lives of our Own Blood. Will it be the same as Pharaoh killed Israelite children? Will it be the same with the killing of the babies  in the infancy of Jesus?
      Do we really know what this so called RH Bill would bring out in the near future. Can we foretell so surely of what lies ahead on our path? I am really sad that the Faithful Catholics are going to be persecuted by the laws (Ready Made) in the Evil Infested USA. It is so obvious event of human Intellectual Decline! What do we know? Even those politicians and so called intellectuals can no longer see what is right and what is wrong. What is the use of the Degrees of doctoral , Masteral degrees, or degrees of post-doctoral intellectuals? 
       What about you? Where do you stand? Will you support the wrong thing or right one? Where are you?

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The Daily Gospel

Sunday, 09 December 2012
Second Sunday of Advent - Year C

St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548),  St. Leocadia, Virgin and Martyr († c. 304)



Commentary of the day
Blessed Guerric of Igny : «Let the desert and dry land exult ; let the steppe rejoice and bloom» (Is 35,1)

Reading

Lk 3:1-6.


In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
He went throughout (the) whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157), Cistercian abbot
4th sermon of Advent ; SC 166 (trans. ©Cistercian Fathers series, 8)

«Let the desert and dry land exult ; let the steppe rejoice and bloom» (Is 35,1)

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord."
Before anything else I think we should consider the grace of the desert,
the blessedness of the desert, which right from the beginning of grace has
deserved to be consecrated to the repose of the saints. The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, John preaching and bestowing the baptism of
repentance in the desert, certainly consecrated for us his dwelling-place
in the wilderness. Yet even before him the solitude had always been dearly
loved by the holiest of the prophets as a place where they could listen to
the Holy Spirit (cf. 1Kgs. 17,2ff.; 19,3ff.). But a far greater and more
divine grace came to the desert to sanctify it when Jesus took the place of
John (Mt 4,1)... For forty days while he was living in the wilderness,
purifying it and dedicating it as a new place for the new life; he
conquered the tyrant who brooded there... not so much for himself as for
those who would be its future inhabitants... Wait there, in the solitude,
for the One who will save you "from pusillanimity of spirit and the storm"
(Ps 55[54],9). However much the storm of battles may assail you, however
much you may feel the lack even of sustenance in the desert, do not because
of pusillanimity of spirit return in mind to Egypt. The desert will feed
you more abundantly with manna... Jesus himself fasted indeed in the
wilderness but the multitude that followed him into the desert he fed often
and in a wonderful manner... When you think Jesus has forgotten you for
rather too long, he himself, not unmindful of his goodness, will console
you and say to you: "I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a
bride, how you followed me in the wilderness" (Jer 2,2). Then will he make
your wilderness like the garden of delight, and you yourself will confess
that “the glory of Lebanon has been given to it, the majesty of Carmel and
Sharon” (Is 35,2)... so that, from the fullness of your heart, you will
sing a hymn of praise, saying: "Let them praise the Lord for his mercy, for
his wonderful works to the sons of men, for he satisfied him who is thirsty
and the hungry he filled with good things” (Ps 107[106],8-9).

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Get Ready

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ,

          I humbly ask your prayers for our protection from the coming superstorm called "Pablo." We can hear wind blowing strongly. Please pray for us and especially those who have no proper shelter and housing and food for them to stay warm and well fed("And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?" - James 2,16)
          The warning is signal #3. It's quite dangerous. Moreover, all the schools are closed due to the coming/passing superstorm. Including our theological institute, the Dean of the Studies, just this morning announced that "all the classes are canceled." I do not feel happy about those poor who struggle for their daily sustenance. And those poor fisher men who catch their daily share from the vast ocean. Who will feed them when they lack Food?

          Here is the warning "“By the time it arrives, it may have become as strong as that,” Servgando said when asked if the typhoon could reach wind strength of 210 kph, which US meteorologists would classify as a “superstorm.” Pagasa has no such category for tropical cyclones." (http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/hl/hl112224.htm)
       
       




It's passing the regions of Mindanao and Visayas. We live in Cebu, the most protected part of the region, yet we are experiencing the stormy winds blowing.
         Let us share the burden help those in need. The easiest and most effective way is to implore the Lord to protect his innocent Children from natural disaster.
         Even the shortest prayer of each individual would be enough to have mercy on us.
May God bless us all.Amen

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The Daily Gospel

Sunday, 02 December 2012
First Sunday of Advent - Year C

St. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr (4th century)



Commentary of the day
Pierre de Blois : The three advents of Christ

Reading

Lk 21:25-28.34-36.


          There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
          But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand."
Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise
like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth.
         Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man."


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Pierre de Blois (c.1130-1211), Archdeacon in England
Sermon 3 for Advent

The three advents of Christ

             There are three advents of the Lord: the first in the flesh, the second in
the soul, the third at the judgement. The first took place at midnight
according to these words of the Gospel: “At midnight a cry was heard: The
Bridegroom is here!” (Mt 25,6). This first advent has already happened
since Christ has been seen on earth and has spoken with men (Bar 3,38). Now
we are in the second advent, provided we are such that he can thus come to
us, since he said that, if we love him, he will come to us and make his
home in us (Jn 14,23). This second advent is therefore something mingled
with uncertainty, since who other but the Holy Spirit knows who is God's?
(1Cor 2,11). Those whose longing for heavenly things transports them out of
themselves know well when he comes; however, they “do not know where he
comes from or where he is going” (Jn 3,8). As for the third advent: it is
most certain that it will happen, most uncertain when it will happen. For
there is nothing more certain than death, nothing less certain than the day
of our death. “It is when people are saying: 'peace and security' that
death comes upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and none will be able to escape it” (cf. 1Thes 5,3). Thus the first advent was
lowly and hidden; the second is mysterious and full of love; the third will
be dazzling and terrible. In his first advent Christ was judged unjustly by
men; in the second, he grants us justice by his grace; in the last, he will
judge all things with equity: Lamb in the first advent; Lion in the last;
our most gentle Friend in the second.

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