Pilgrimage

I just got back from a memorable pilgrimage to the Shrine of my patron saint, Gemma Galgani, in Lucca, a lovely “medieval city” in the region of Tuscany, Italy. It was something I’ve been longing to do for the past 15 years and I finally got it as gift for my golden year of life and silver year of religious profession!
What was my motive in going there? Firstly, to know more about this beautiful Saint, then to “listen to her” speak to me about Jesus and finally to speak to her and ask her to intercede for the suffering people I know.
The first words I saw on our way to the shrine were “Do you really want to love? Learn how to suffer first. Sufferings teach how to love.” These are words extracted from one of her dialogues with our Crucified Lord in a moment of ecstasy.
Perhaps our modern reasoning would say, isn’t it the other way around: learn how to love and you can bear all kinds of suffering? I guess with St. Gemma, the approach is through the simple but at times, ruthless, school of life and its many mishaps.
Born in 1878, Gemma lost her mother when she was 11 and after 5 years lost her favorite brother Gino who was then studying for the priesthood. She witnessed how her father, a pharmacist, struggled to keep the family together but had to relinquish everything because of the debts incurred due to family sicknesses and other travails. Finally, he too fell ill with cancer of the throat and died when Gemma was 20. As soon as the creditors got knowledge of his death they rushed to the house where the Galgani children still lived and sequestered everything. Gemma confided to a benefactor later on, “They rummaged my pockets and took away the few coins I had.” She herself bore all kinds of sicknesses: inflammation of the bone which led to temporary paralysis, acute otitis, sharp internal pains and tuberculosis, leading to her death at age 25. Her entrance to the other life was synchronized to the suffering of our Lord. Her acute pains started on Holy Wednesday. She told her aunt Cecilia who nursed her till then, “Don’t leave me till I’m nailed on the cross. I have to be crucified with Jesus…” St. Gemma suffered terribly till Holy Saturday morning, April 11, 1903. Four years after her death, her first biography was published and was translated and read all over the world. In 1933, she was beatified by Pius XI and in 1940, canonized by Pius XII.
In suffering, she was able to identify with the Crucified Lord and find the meaning of her life. And the Lord whom she adored and loved was pleased with the identification that St. Gemma was even “gifted” with the signs of the Lord’s wounds, like St. Francis and Fr. Pio. This identification was not reduced only to the physical signs but to the very motives of our Lord’s death – love for humanity, especially the sinners. St. Gemma was also known for her intercession for the conversion of hardened criminals.
An English lady by the bus stop asked me as I left St. Gemma’s sanctuary: "What is St. Gemma famous for?" And I simply answered—1) her identification with our Crucified Lord to the point of having signs of his wounds on her body and 2) her intercession for sinners. The lady remarked: “Oh, I would need a lot of her!”

Finding Blessing in the Pain

I watched the Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) twice in a row in two nights, first time in Italian and second time in English. This film by Kevin Reynolds struck a chord in me: let me call it “finding blessing in the pain.”
This is actually the “theme song” I’ve been singing these days while listening to the lot of different persons, especially the sisters I live with. Each one has a story to share, whether it be of injustice suffered, suffering endured, endurance tested and eventually rewarded.
Two lines I love in the film, or perhaps three: (i) the writing on the wall – “God will give me justice!” (ii) the dialogue between the priest-teacher and Edmond Dantès: the latter – “I don’t believe in God,” and the former, “It doesn’t matter; God believes in you!” (iii) the dialogue between Edmond Dantès and Mercedes: the former – “I can’t escape God,” and the latter, “No, you can’t, God is everywhere… even in a kiss.” And so the reconciliation begins and the “blessing” is slowly revealed, or maybe I should say “blessings…”
Another thing I found so striking in this film is the cinematography and especially the “imitations” of the suffering and agonizing Christ in the person of the protagonist, Edmond Dantès. There is one specific shot, the one after the flagellation of Dantès in the prison cell in Chateau d’If, where I was reminded of the statue of the agonizing Christ in the Basilica of San Marco in Florence, Italy. Very impressive indeed! Actually, I didn’t realize that the actor in the film, Jim Caviezel, is actually the same person chosen by Mel Gibson in the Passion of the Christ (2004). To conclude, I guess what I’m trying to say is that perhaps the actor was not simply acting in this film, he was also expressing his faith conviction!

Pinoy Classics

As I was getting ready to write my blog piece today, this irresistible article came by, forwarded by a friend from the Philippines. I thought it would be nice to share it with pinoys who might be feeling homesick. It's a real "contemplation on pinoy culture" by a certain Ed Bugarin. You may also use this as a quick explanation to non-pinoys who wonder why your "tastes" are so different.!? Now read on and see what affective memories this article awakens in you.

FROM the 1896 Revolution to the first Philippine Republic, the Commonwealth period, the EDSA Revolt, and the tiger cub economy (did not make it, but will someday), history marches on. Thankfully, however, some things never change. Like the classics, things irresistibly Pinoy mark us for life. They're the indelible stamp of our identity, the undeniable affinity that binds us like twins. They celebrate the good in us, the best of our culture and the infinite possibilities we are all capable of. Some are so self-explanatory you only need mention them for fellow Pinoys to swoon or drool. Here, from all over this Centennial-crazed country and in no particular order, are a hundred of the best things that make us unmistakably Pinoy.
Merienda. Where else is it normal to eat five times a day?
Sawsawan. Assorted sauces that guarantee freedom of choice, enough room for experimentation and maximum tolerance for diverse tastes. Favorites: toyo't calamansi, suka at sili, patis.
Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you want.
Pinoy humor and irreverence. If you're api and you know it, crack a joke. Nothing personal, really.
Tingi. Thank goodness for small entrepreneurs. Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap, condiments and life's essentials in small affordable amounts?
Spirituality. Even before the Spaniards came, ethnic tribes had their own anitos, bathalas and assorted deities, pointing to a strong relationship with the Creator, who or whatever it may be.
Po, opo, mano po. Speech suffixes that define courtesy, deference, filial respect--a balm to the spirit in these aggressive times.
Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious thrills and delights of a trip, and a wonderful excuse to shop without the customary guilt.
Beaches! With 7,107 plus islands, we have miles and miles of shoreline piled high with fine white sand, lapped by warm waters, and nibbled by exotic tropical fish. From the stormy seas of Batanes to the emerald isles of Palawan--over here, life is truly a beach.
Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic, unbearably stinky and simply irresistible.
Bayanihan. Yes, the internationally-renowned dance company, but also this habit of pitching in still common in small communities. Just have that cold beer and some pulutan ready for the troops.
The Balikbayan box. Another way of sharing life's bounty, no matter if it seems like we're fleeing Pol Pot every time we head home from anywhere in the globe. The most wonderful part is that, more often than not, the contents are carted home to be distributed.
Pilipino komiks. Not to mention "Hiwaga," "Aliwan," "Tagalog Classics," "Liwayway" and"Bulaklak" magazines. Pulpy publications that gave us Darna, Facifica Falayfay, Lagalag, Kulafu, Kenkoy, Dyesebel, characters of a time both innocent and worldly.
Folk songs. They come unbidden and spring, full blown, like a second language, at the slightest nudge from the too-loud stereo of a passing jeepney or tricycle.
Fiesta. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow is just another day, shrugs the poor man who, once a year, honors a patron saint with this sumptuous, no-holds-barred spread. It's a Pinoy celebration at its pious and riotous best.
Aswang, manananggal, kapre. The whole underworld of Filipino lower mythology recalls our uniquely bizarre childhood, that is, before political correctness kicked in. Still, their rich adventures pepper our storytelling.
Jeepneys. Colorful, fast, reckless, a vehicle of postwar Pinoy ingenuity, this Everyman's communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting ride. If the driver's a daredevil (as they usually are), hang on to your seat.
Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea, until you try it with puto. Best when mined with jalapeño peppers. Messy but delicious.
Santacruzan. More than just a beauty contest, this one has religious overtones, a tableau of St. Helena's and Constantine's search for the Cross that seamlessly blends piety, pageantry and ritual. Plus, it's the perfect excuse to show off the prettiest ladies--and the most beautiful gowns.
Balut. Unhatched duck's embryo, another unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders, but oh, to indulge in guilty pleasures! Sprinkle some salt and suck out that soup, with gusto.
Pakidala. A personalized door-to-door remittance and delivery system for overseas Filipino workers who don't trust the banking system, and who expect a family update from the courier, as well.
Choc-nut. Crumbly peanut chocolate bars that defined childhood ecstasy before M & M's and Hershey's.
Kamayan style. To eat with one's hand and eschew spoon, fork and table manners--ah, heaven.
Chicharon. Pork, fish or chicken crackling. There is in the crunch a hint of the extravagant, the decadent and the pedestrian. Perfect with vinegar, sublime with beer.
Pinoy hospitality. Just about everyone gets a hearty "Kain tayo!" invitation to break bread with whoever has food to share, no matter how skimpy or austere it is.
Adobo, kare-kare, sinigang and other lutong bahay stuff. Home-cooked meals that have the stamp of approval from several generations, who swear by closely-guarded cooking secrets and family recipes.
Lola Basyang. The voice one heard spinning tales over the radio, before movies and television curtailed imagination and defined grown-up tastes.
Pambahay. Home is where one can let it all hang out, where clothes do not make a man or woman but rather define their level of comfort.

Tricycle and trisikad, the poor Pinoy's taxicab that delivers you at your doorstep for as little as PHPesos3.00, with a complimentary dusting of polluted air.
Dirty ice cream. Very Pinoy flavors that make up for the risk: munggo, langka, ube, mais, keso, macapuno. Plus there's the colorful cart that recalls jeepney art.
Yayas. The trusted Filipino nanny who, ironically, has become a major Philippine export as overseas contract workers. A good one is almost like a surrogate parent--if you don't mind the accent and the predilection for afternoon soap and movie stars.
Sarsi. Pinoy rootbeer, the enduring taste of childhood. Our grandfathers had them with an egg beaten in.
Pinoy fruits. Atis, guyabano, chesa, mabolo, lanzones, durian, langka, makopa, dalanghita, siniguelas, suha, chico, papaya, singkamas--the possibilities!
Pinoy tastes. A dietitian's nightmare: too sweet, too salty, too fatty, as in burong talangka, itlog na maalat, crab fat (aligue), bokayo, kutchinta, sapin-sapin, halo-halo, pastilyas, palitaw, pulburon, longganisa, tuyo, ensaymada, ube haleya, sweetened macapuno and garbanzos. Remember, we're the guys who put sugar (horrors) in our spaghetti sauce. Yum!
The sights. Banaue Rice Terraces, Boracay, Bohol's Chocolate Hills, Corregidor Island, Fort Santiago, the Hundred Islands, the Las Piñas Bamboo Organ, Rizal Park, Mt. Banahaw, Mayon Volcano, Taal Volcano. A land of contrasts and ever-changing landscapes.
Gayuma, agimat and anting-anting. Love potions and amulets. How the socially-disadvantaged Pinoy copes.
Barangay Ginebra, Jaworski, PBA, MBA and basketball. How the verticaly-challenged Pinoy compensates, via a national sports obsession that reduces fans to tears and fistfights.
People Power at EDSA. When everyone became a hero and changed Philippine history overnight.
San Miguel Beer and pulutan. "Isa pa nga!" and the Philippines' most popular, world-renowned beer goes well with peanuts, corniks, tapa, chicharon, usa, barbecue, sisig, and all manner of spicy, crunchy and cholesterol-rich chasers.
Resiliency. We've survived 400 years of Spanish rule, the US bases, Marcos, the 1990 earthquake, lahar, lambada, Robin Padilla, and Tamagochi. We've survived Erap. Now it's Miss Half...
Yoyo. Truly Filipino in origin, this hunting tool, weapon, toy and merchandising vehicle remains the best way to "walk the dog" and "rock the baby," using just a piece of string.

Mary's Assumption

Today is the Solemnity of Mary’s Assumption, her being taken up to heaven. “The Assumption was God's way of finishing the job he started at Mary's Immaculate Conception, redeeming her body from the effects of sin as well,” says a website explaining the dogma of the Assumption.
What are the main sentiments that go with this Solemnity, according to my faith experience? One is JOY for a life and a mission that “ends well.” Mary’s participation in the suffering of her Son was not indifferent. I’ve always believed that she had her moments of trials too but she never gave up. She never stopped believing the angel’s words to her: “Nothing is impossible with God.”
The second sentiment is HOPE. "it is our hope that belief in Mary's bodily Assumption into heaven will make our belief in our own resurrection stronger and render it more effective" says the dogma Munificentissimus Deus n. 42

Perhaps we could better visualize the joy and hope that this Marian mystery brings by contemplating some lines from Dante Alighieri’s Paradiso (Canto XXIII):
The sweetest melody that e’er did sound
In mortal ears, stealing the soul away,
Like thunder bursting from a cloud were found
if matched beside that lyre’s roundelay
ringing the sapphire, whence, ensapphirined,
the brightest sphere of heaven was made more gay.

“Of the angelic loves am I, and wind
circling the joy sublime breathed from the womb
where once abode our hope for all mankind.
Still circling, heavenly Lady, will I come,
till with thy holy presence thou hast filled,
In thy Son’s wake, the sphere which is thy home.”

Thus the entwining melody was sealed.
All other lights together cried aloud
And through the sphere the name of Mary pealed.
The regal mantle which on high doth shroud
the world’s revolving layers and, nearest Him,
is by God’s breath with liveliest love endowed.

So distant was, so far its nearest rim
above us that, for all my scrutiny
its aspect to my vision still was dim;
Wherefore my gaze could not accompany
the crowned flame which rising from below
to Heaven returned, following her progeny.

As motherwards a baby’s arms will go
When she has fed him at her breast, by love
His soul being kindled to this outward show
So I saw those white radiances move
and reaching upwards, after Mary clinging,
how deep their love towards her to me prove.

Then still within my sight they lingered, singing
Regina coeli with such dulcet sound
within me still the joy of it is ringing.
O what a fertile yield doth there abound,
o’erflowing from rich coffers which of old
on earth were acres of good seeding ground!

Awesome!!!

I just thought this one is worth publishing and passing around. It makes my day really "Eucharistic" = full of thanksgiving!
The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb. During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr.Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger.

Dr.Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.
The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, 'Hand of Hope.' The text explaining the picture begins, 'The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life.' Little Samuel's mother said they 'wept for days' when they saw the picture. She said, 'The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person.' Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful.
Our God is truly an awesome God!!!!!

Chinese Christian Art

If you want to know how Christian art is progressing in China, read this piece of news:
Dr. He Qi was a professor at the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary and a tutor for master candidate students in the Philosophy Department of Nanjing University. He is also a member of the China Art Association and a council member of the Asian Christian Art Association.
He has been committed to the artistic creation of modern Chinese Christian Art since 1983. He hopes to help change the "foreign image" of Christianity in China by using artistic language, and at the same time, to supplement Chinese Art the way Buddhist art did in ancient times. In his works, He Qi has blended together Chinese folk customs and traditional Chinese painting techniques with the western art of the Middle and Modern Ages, and has created an artistic style of color-on-paper painting.
Dr. He Qi was the first among Mainland Chinese to earn Ph.D. in the Religious art after Cultural Revolution. He wrote his dissertation while studying at Hamburg Art Institute in Germany, where he was also able to pursue research in medieval art. His work has been well received overseas: He has exhibited in Kyoto, Hong Kong, Geneve, Hamburg, London, St.Paul, San Francisco, Berkeley and Madison, NewHaven, Minneapolis, St.Paul, Madison, Washington,P rinceton, Detroit, Toronto, as well as in mainland China.
He won the 20th Century Award for Achievement in the field of Religious Art Theory and Christian Art Creation by the International Biographical Centre Cambridge, England. His art works have been introduced through some main medias such as: Washington Post, BBC, HK Cable TV, Asian Week, Far Eastern Economic Review, Christianity Today, Upper Room, Augsburg Fortress, Sing Tao Daily News, The World Daily, etc.

From bankruptcy to riches!

Crossings commentary on today’s gospel (Lk 12:13-21) “diagnoses” our spiritual bankruptcy caused by our self-satisfied seeking, content only on aggrandizing ourselves with these earth’s goods – always wanting “more” of “less.” In fact, Jesus the teacher, while refusing to be the arbiter in the division of properties, unhesitatingly leaves us a wise warning: "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."
The solution rests on a change of attitude towards worldly goods: consider them important but not as important as one’s relationship with God and with others. Follow Jesus, the Father’s Son who wisely stored his treasure up in God.

This is how Crossings commentary completes the “prognosis” for life eternal:
Step 4: Initial Prognosis (Eternal Solution): Receiving the Brother's Inheritance
For those who are spiritually bankrupt, the only bit of good news that could possibly change these dire circumstances is the arrival of an unexpected good fortune--say, an unexpected inheritance. And that is exactly what is provided by the Father through Jesus. Jesus is no mere teacher or arbitrator, he is the Father's Son. He is the first born with the birthright. But more than that, he is the Son who stores his treasure up in God and not in the world's treasures--so much so, that he surrenders his life to the cause. Jesus accepts the full-blown poverty of death; he has nothing to show for himself; no treasure laid up on earth (v. 21). And his heavenly Father responds to that self-surrender with: "Rich!" Jesus gives away his earthly life and gets what you can take with you: the wealth of life with God. While it is true that Jesus' life was demanded of him, it is also true that, because he was rich toward God, his death was vanquished. What's more, his resurrection made him the heir and rightful administrator of that inheritance. Our relationship to Jesus, the Heir, can be summed up this way: We are the undeserving beneficiaries of our Brother's inheritance, which he is eager to share.
Step 5: Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution): Expecting More with Jesus
Such generosity on Christ's part, makes us do a double take, when it comes to what we ask of him: This is no mere teacher; this is no dime-a-dozen arbitrator. We have come into the company of Jesus the Christ, who administers the family fortune of mercy. And there's no need to fight over which of us is more deserving of the riches; in faith we know the inheritance is unearned by all, and always will be. We are simply beggars who have come into the company of a generous God; to which we can only say, "Rich!" Such undeserved well-fare merits our most sincere, "Thank God!"
Step 6: Final Prognosis (External Solution): Wanting More than More
The priorities of those who inherit God's rich mercy are bound to shift. Worldly riches may have their purpose, but being rich toward God comes with its own benefits: In faith we know that our security doesn't depend on storing up worldly goods, so our lust for more ebbs. Of course, worldly goods can be used to care for ourselves, our loved ones and, very importantly, the poor. We all need daily food. But, unlike the world's goods, God's riches don't run out, and they satisfy long after the eating, drinking, and revelry have faded. Besides, we have more important things to spend our time on: Adopted into Christ's family, we are executors of our Brother's inheritance; we are called to divide the family fortune again and again, to benefit even more undeserving (but pleasantly surprised) souls.

St. John Mary Vianney

Do you see God's hand in this picture? Ok, it wasn't a camera trick; only the usual "error" of forgetting to keep off one's finger from the camera lens. But just the same, I find it a very meaningful picture. It's actually a photo of the mountains surrounding the sanctuary of St. Anne of Vinadio, (boundary of Italy and France). What it says to me is that God who created the mountains and hills, holds them into being, just as he holds each one of us in the palm of his hands.

For me, contact with the beauty of nature is oftentimes contact with God. My "peak experiences" usually happen there--in contemplating nature. It's like prayer or it is prayer in itself. It is pure ecstasy!
Talking of prayer, our saint for today, St. John Mary Vianney or the Curè of Ars, patron saint of parish priests, has this to say:

My little children, reflect on these words: the Christian’s treasure is not on earth but in heaven. Our thoughts, then, ought to be directed to where out treasure is. This is the glorious duty of man: to pray and to love. If you pray and love, that is where a man’s happiness lies.
Prayer is nothing else but union with God. In this intimate union, God and the soul are fused together like two bits of wax that no one can every pull apart. This union of God with a tiny creature is a lovely thing. It is a happiness beyond understanding.
My little children, your hearts, are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God. Through prayer we receive a foretaste of heaven and something of paradise comes down upon us. Prayer never leaves us without sweetness. It is honey that flows into the souls and makes all things sweet. When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun.
Some men immerse themselves as deeply in prayer as fish in water, because they give themselves totally to God. O, how I love these noble souls!
How unlike them we are! How often we come to church with no idea of what to do or what to ask for. And yet, whenever we go to any human being, we know well enough why we go. And still worse, there are some who seem to speak to the good God like this: “I will only say a couple of things to you, and then I will be rid of you.” I often think that when we come to adore the Lord, we would receive everything we ask for, if we would ask with living faith and with a pure heart.