Compassionate Considerations

Happy New Year and welcome to the new decade!

Posted on 1 January 2010 | 1 response

It was a full-moon last night as the gentle breeze was blowing to usher in the coming of the new year.  And the coming of the new decade.

Amidst the fireworks and the clanging noise that we usually go through at the passing of the old year into the new one, I could not help but be quiet and reflect on how 2009 went.  The ushering of the new year could naturally lead us to be more hopeful about the things that may have caused us difficulties the past several months.

At the end of 2009, families and friends naturally come together.  What a blessing to be with church friends on December 25th. 

Then two days after, had a reunion with my long time friends in the church.  It was amazing as we recalled most of our teenage memories and the different changes we had gone through.  There is something really special about friends that know you from years before.  We thank God for allowing us to have this friendship for more than 25 years.

It was also awesome to have been able to do the ordination of Tita Luz as an elder. 

What a sobering experience as we laid our hands on her and prayed for her surrounded by her children and grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.  At 77 years old and being the 3rd woman in our denomination to be ordained, it was very humbling to be given the privilege to do this for her.

I pray that I will be as zealous as she is in serving the Lord when I reach 77 (God willing…)

Thank you Lord for all these heartwarming events.

Thank you that in the midst of these celebrations and gatherings, you allow us to experience the simple things that truly make this journey significant and memorable – our families and friends.

For 2010, we pray for more of your loving touches in our lives. We pray for the wisdom and discernment as we go through the different challenges in our lives.  We pray for the provision we would need as we pursue the dreams and burdens you have placed in our hearts. 

I pray for the fervor to serve you in 2010 and for the encouragement when it gets to be very discouraging.

I pray for more of you and less of what I simply just want to be.

Cause us to discover our inner selves – made free to experience the depth of your love through the life of the SON.

We place our hope in you.  A lot of things were taken from us in 2009 – and may all these things be restored and more in the light of the freshness of your grace for us.

Usher us into the new year and into the new decade.

In your precious Son’s name.

AMEN.

A prayer for an orphaned young Christian brother…

Posted on 14 December 2009 | 6 responses

I was in Aklan for a Strat Plan meeting for the pastoral teams in Panay Island.  During the 2-day planning meeting, my mind was also consciously in NHV, Bulacan.  A week ago, the mother of a 16year old teen passed away. Now JR Rubio is an orphan.

I was expecting that the funeral would be around Tuesday or Wednesday.  But the relatives who arrived, decided for a sunday funeral.  The disappointment in his voice was very noticeable when I told him that I would still be in Aklan and would not be back until Sunday night.

JR Rubio was one of the camp scholars we had.  Last year for the summer camp, I asked him to help out in the Kitchen, a task that he gave with all of his heart.

A few hours after the death of his mother, I was able to call him and express my condolences.  In a soft tone of a voice – he narrated the surrounding events of his mother’s death and how they had been going through involuntary hunger in the midst of her mother’s sickness.

I cried after that call. I asked God why it has been so difficult for so many.  They had been eating only once a day – and he said, it was so rare for them to even have a kilo or rice in their house. They were starving when her mother died of the complications from her kidney disease.

During the strat meeting, I received more than 20 messages from JR.  And the messages were the same “Please pray for me!”…  since I was facilitating the strat plan meeting, I could not answer right away.  at 12:48am, he sent me another sms “Please pray for me…!”  I called his number right away and talked with him for awhile.  He was dreading the funeral the following day at 9am.

I was surrounded by very serene, pristine environment in Aklan, but my mind was alternating from the heartrending reality of an orphan’s life and the complicated pastoral assessments needed before the strategy plans were drafted.

I was thinking of him a couple of minutes ago when I got another sms with the same message “please pray for me!” -

I am writing this so that perhaps, one of you, would also join me in praying for JR.  He is a senior in highschool now.  After the traditional 9th day, his sister would go back to her job and the other brother would go on his own way..(another brother is in jail for possession of illegal drugs back in 2004)…and so in the coming days, JR who is already an orphan, would be totally alone.

Dear God,

I am too silenced by the pain that this young man is going through.  Bathe our hearts with your holy compassion – so that this teen orphan will find the strength through us.

Lord God, gently surround him with your peace.  Thoughts are racing through his mind and painful memories are running back and forth.  Perhaps a thousand questions and what-ifs are flooding his mind right now.  You, the GOD of all COMFORT, descend upon this young man now and embrace him.

Do not let him be afraid of the future.  Assure him Lord as you had assured so many orphans of your special and tender mercies for them.  Shower him with your encouragement and open the floodgates of your heavenly provision for him.

In the coming days when the support system is gone, please let him know that You have been there all along.

Give him your peace dear God.  Give him your strength.

Protect him from harm. Protect him from any undue influences that surround him in that very difficult place. Send people to guide him and to show your love for him.

It is going to be difficult for him.  This will be the first Christmas as an orphan so I pray that he would be surrounded by people that really care for him.

Instill in his heart the truth of the resurrection.  He will see his mother again. He will see his father again – and all these painful memories surrounding their deaths will also be redeemed by your wonderful grace.

I surrender JR to you.  I ask for all of these and many more for a young christian brother during this terrible time of grief.

May You be HIS ALL in all.

Thank you Father for your steadfast love and your endless compassion that surrounds us the moment we were conceived and even to our dying breath.

Through the tender name of Jesus, I pray.

AMEN

A Call For Temperance and Sobriety in our Christmas Celebrations

Posted on 10 December 2009 | No responses

The Christmas season is here.  Christmas parties are already set and people have started attending these social events.  For many companies, these parties become such annual highlights that they have become more and more lavish in preparations and expenses.  Even celebrities are commissioned as guests and presenters to make the parties more alive.

In the light of the parties that are to happen left and right, I appeal to all of us here in the Philippines to be temperate and sober in our parties and spending.  I could only imagine the amount that will be spent in homecomings, annual reunions, Christmas get-togethers and the like.  There have been times when people go through a lot of debts when the Season is over.  Too many times, when the celebrations have lost the meaning or the reason for the season, the gatherings tend to become a place for inebriated to make fools of themselves.  I cringe at some of the party games done in these occasions for entertainment.  Sexual jokes or presentations brimming with sexual innuendoes have also become the norm.

I prayerfully request that we be temperate and sober and remember.

While we have been invited to these parties in posh hotels or other venues, a growing percentage (24%!!)  of our countrymen go through involuntary hunger.

A big percentage of our country is still going through the massive loss incurred by ONDOY, PEPING, massive fire in Mandalayong and other places.

Families of the 57 massacred individuals are still trying to find the shattered pieces of their lives.

During the Advent Season, we celebrate Christ.  We celebrate our Savior whom the world in general has decided to ignore.

We celebrate the One who gave everything so that we might have all.

Let us strive to honor him in these celebrations by focusing on what He came here for.  If Jesus attended your Christmas parties, would be come home exalted or would he come home terribly ignored?

Have fun.  Enjoy these events with friends and make meaningful connections or reconnections with friends and families and even workmates.  The Lord would be really pleased with that.

But in the midst of our celebrations, let us remember that the heart of the Lord also goes out for the downtrodden, the widows, the orphans and those who go through so much without in their daily lives.  Maybe we can cut down our wine expenses and entertainment budgets. Maybe we don’t need to spend thousands upon thousands of money for a party that will last for 5 hours…. and even sponsor a party for those who only manage to eat once a day.  There are many places where people would appreciate eating three meals a day. You will be surprised to hear and see their proximity to yours.

You may ignore this and even label this post as an event-killer.  I cannot make you do these things though, that is why I am writing this as a request.

This is in behalf of those who still cry, who feel the very familiar hunger pangs, the orphans sniffing substances under the flyovers in the city and in so many more places where so many people go through daily with so much less, than we could even begin to imagine.

Remembering the 57 massacred in Maguindanao

Posted on 3 December 2009 | No responses

It has been more than a week.  But it is still as fresh as ever. As painful as it was on the 23rd when these beastly acts were committed.

It was not just done to 57 individuals.  It was done to the whole nation – to more than 80 millions here in the country and several millions more living and working overseas.

I could not make myself write anything.  Even the CNN Hero of the YEAR win by Efren Penaflorida was eclipsed by this terrible event.  It was not enough to serve as balm to soothe the pain that this massive wound has caused inside our hearts.

It is only today that the President has started visiting the relatives of the journalists who were murdered in broad daylight.  She could not visit right away because she was busy sustaining the suspense whether she was running for a congressional seat or not.  The immorality of what she is planning to do after her presidency is something that is so unthinkable.  Amazing how the greed for power could be so intoxicating.

But we remember the fallen ones.  We remember the little children who lost their mother.  The husbands who lost their wives.  The father who lost an unborn child.  Mothers who lost their sons and husbands.

We remember our country that was vicariously hacked, gunned down and buried during that fateful day on November 23rd.

Lord heal our land…

47 Massacred in Maguindanao…

Posted on 24 November 2009 | 1 response

Every election year signals for the whole country – major uncertainties.  It has become an accepted reality that there will always be casualties every time it is election year.

 But the election violence that took place in Maguindanao tells of a wider, deeper, menacing reality in our political landscape.

While we are seeing our political candidates do the major rigodon of changing parties and affiliations – it is very obvious that our politicians are just merely making sure of their chances in winning.  And in some parts like Maguindanao – there is no need to change political affiliations once the political rivals have been killed.  Along with the media men and women covering the event as one family is about to file their certificate of Candidacy.

47 people were ruthlessly killed to ensure that somebody’s political ambition will not be hindered.

It is a very dark day in Mindanao and in the whole country.  We have gone to the savages where the rule of the law is based on the number of militia men and thugs who would be more than happy to pull the triggers and operate the backhoes to bury our victims.

We have gone to savages because in Maguindanao – considered to be the 3rd poorest province in the country – yet the palatial residences of the powers that be are very visible to all. 

We have gone to the savages because Maguindanao and certain areas in the country are ruled like in the feudal ages.  Where men are armed to protect the interests of the very, very few as they lord it over the nameless thousands who are at their beck and call.

It is a terrible day in the country – when feuding families have turned the province into a battleground as a result of this massacre.

The country just saw Efren Penaflorida reached worldwide status when he was declared as CNN HERO OF THE YEAR….

It is very sad to think that while we have someone like Efren Penaflorida who would push carts to teach children on the street.  We have an Efren who promised to give his tithe to the church when the award money comes, and yet from the same country that produced a hero admired by the world, we also have savages who could mercilessly kill so they could be in the position to rule and lord it over the very poor among the region.

God please have mercy on our country.

Please save us from our corruption.

Please intervene and save our country from further degradation.

Please save us from politicians who are drunk and obsessed with power and position.

Lord please give us rulers who would truly serve the country as their act of worship.

Please give us leaders who are men and women of integrity and would stand firm on their principles guided by their strong faith in You.

Please give us leaders who will put the country ahead of their wallets and investments.

Please give us leaders who are beyond reproach.

Save us from ourselves.

Please have mercy on us.

Arrogant entitlement….

Posted on 19 November 2009 | 3 responses

My wife shared with me a story that remained with me to this day.

Back in 1998, we drove for about 12 hours to reach a  seaside resort for the church retreat.  There were several churches involved in that retreat, so it meant the arrivals of the participants and facilitators would be staggered based on their times of departure.

We were not married yet at that time – but along with other singles we traveled to that venue way ahead of others so we could help prepare the place.

My wife recounted that at about 3am – they were woken up by the commotion inside their room.  Another group arrived (smaller group) from their drive from Manila.  It would be easy to imagine that the first few people who arrived would have been sleeping already at that time.

One of them- turned on the light switch when they entered the room, and when the ladies stirred in surprise (which is a natural reaction when someone turns on the light while you are asleep) and to get adjusted to the light, they heard this lady say with a loud voice, and several times,  “we just got here, it’s our right.. it’s our right to turn on the light…”

My wife at that time wondered, why did she have to say it is her right?  Why not just say – “sorry I really need to see where to put my things?”

I did not know what to call that until I came across this term as I was reading one of the books I got on Booksale for personal growth.  Stephen Arterburn and John Shore wrote a book called Midlife Manual For Men : Finding Significance in the Second Half.

Arrogant entitlement.

One of the things that caught my attention was the description they referred to about certain behaviors that threaten to sabotage any relationships.  Such behaviors would oftentimes be linked to abuse of authority that men may actually have or perceived to possess by virtue of what they may have accomplished in their lives.

Arrogant entitlement.  It is my right… it is all about my right…

I had been thinking a lot about these things lately as I ponder about the seemingly un-controlled things in the lives of so many Filipinos.

Arrogant entitlement – that is the term that could explain the phenomena around us.  Because of the power that we have (money, fame, fortune, looks, intelligence, connection, position etc) we also acquire a sense of entitlement.  And this entitlement is expressed in so many ways.  This sense of entitlement grows bigger as we become more powerful or more influential.

Arrogant entitlement’s d’etre is “because we can…”

Arrogant entitlement could explain why some of the despicable things are going in our society. Let me try to explain some more:

When our politicians and leaders steal money from the nation’s coffers and do with a sense of impunity – that is because they feel they are entitled to the nation’s money.

It is arrogant entitlement when our national leaders would spend P1M for a lavish dinner in New York while in the Philippines – those who are going through involuntary hunger rose to 24%.

Arrogant entitlement is seen when politicians still refuse to let the younger leaders assume the positions. Instead they hang on to their seats and guard their positions despite the obvious need for them to stop aspiring for political positions.

Arrogant entitlement is seen when presidential aspirants never learned the lessons from their previous mistakes and still considers that the presidency was taken away from him.

Arrogant entitlement is seen when young, good-looking actors and actresses get into troubles and expect the nation to be kind to them just because they are seen on the TV screens.

Arrogant entitlement was manifested when a promising doctor videotaped all his sexual conquests without the consent of the partner in that specific tryst.

I saw this arrogant entitlement when a police at the airport yelled at the boy working the carts at the arrival area and when the boy looked at him he screamed at him and said “O, titingin tingin ka pa!” (You even dare look at me!”)

Arrogant entitlement takes place when the new teachers in Sibalom do not receive their salaries because some bureacracy said they do not get it until after about 6 – 12 months.  The budget has been approved – and yet the salary is not being given them and the explanations they receive from the Manila office is really flimsy.

It is arrogant entitlement when a father hits a son or a daughter.  When the son or a daughter could not explain their situation and are rather answered with a punch or a slap.  These types of fathers  think that because they give financial support, that they are entitled to do whatever they want.

This arrogance gets more sickening when a father molests a daughter, a young relative and remains un-repentant of his actions.

It goes on and on…

It is arrogant entitlement when a teacher yells at a student and causes the student to be embarrassed in the presence of schoolmates.

It is arrogant entitlement when famous men in politics, business, sports or what have you – get involve in extra-marital affairs.  Their achievements do not give them the right to be involved in affairs – but deep inside these men feel they have earned the right for that extra-marital affair.

It is arrogant entitlement even in church, when members withhold their finances so that they could get the attention of the leadership.

This is not mine but I will quote this here.  It is arrogant entitlement when “pastors are treated as hirelings instead of men called by God to serve and care for the church.”

It is also arrogant entitlement when church leaders do not give way so that the younger leaders would have a place at the leadership positions.

It is arrogant entitlement when a pastor or a church leader acts as if he is the sole repository of God’s gifts and revelations.  And questions authenticity of what God may have revealed to people below his position.

It is arrogant entitlement when employers do not pay their employees on time and make the workplace unbearable for them.

It is arrogant entitlement when children misbehave in public so they can get what they want from their parents.

It is when we are so dismissive or impatient with our children or our staff because we feel we have the right to act that way.

It is arrogant entitlement when spend our resources now and do not think of the next generation.

It is arrogant entitlement when we sell our inheritance (be it land or other form of property) so that we could benefit from the money now, instead of thinking of what to pass to the next generation.

It can even be arrogant entitlement when we question what God is doing in our lives and wonder if He knows how to make our lives abundant.

We all feel a sense of entitlement – but left un-corrected, it creates havoc in our community, family, society and yes, even to our destiny.

Lord God, allow us to humbly examine ourselves in the light of your example.  Give us the opposite of arrogant enlightenment – which is, humble willingness, to be what you want us to be, to receive, to experience and to accomplish at any given time, place and situation in our lives.

Teach us to be humble.

Teach us to be considerate.

Teach us to be loving and respectful.  Merciful and not intrusive.

Teach us to be grateful and dependent rather than un-thankful and independent.

Whatever power we have in our lives brought by the money, fame, popularity, expertise in sports, education, connection… all the powers that come with all of these – are really not ours to keep.  All powers come from You alone.  The areas in our lives are not our fiefdom to rule as we please.

Please do not allow us to forget again and again, that when we take advantage of whatever power we have – it means that we have assumed that such power is ours to begin with. But in reality, it only means that we are usurping, blocking, misleading, misappropriating Him from whom all power is derived.

Forgive our entitlement.

Forgive our arrogance.

Teach us to emulate Jesus

⁶Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross! – Philippians 2 : 6 – 8

In His precious name,

AMEN

After the flood, came the fire…

Posted on 17 November 2009 | No responses

It has been my habit to turn on the news when we get home.  Last night I did just that – and the news was about the fire that gutted 1000 homes in Mandaluyong City.  I initially heard about it from my nephew we met up with last night.  It took him awhile to get to our meeting place because according to his sms “a big fire in Mandaluyong…”

The big fire he sms me about was really massive. 1000 homes destroyed and rendered approximately 5000 people homeless.

I looked at the clock as the news was going on.  Almost midnight. I was just about to take my shower and then head for bed, whereas these people lost everything and would need to make do with sleeping inside a public elementary school.

A couple of weeks ago – it was the flood that caused the people to leave their homes.  Now it was the fire that rendered them homeless.

I had a very troublesome sleep.

Lord have compassion on these people. Embrace them and miraculously provide please their needs at this very traumatic time in their lives.

It was the flood, it was the landslides, it was the fire….

Cause us not to lose our sight on you Jesus.

The greatest boxer in the world is a Filipino!

Posted on 16 November 2009 | 12 responses

He did it again!  Blasting his way through boxing history, the country’s boxing icon and the best pound-for-pound fighter won his 7th title in his 7th weight category!

Yesterday I did not watch the fight through pay-per-view. I joined the millions who waited on GMA-7 to show the delayed telecast.  While waiting for that, I could hear the screaming fans from near our house because they were watching it live.  And from the decibels created by their thunderous reactions, I could safely say that it was an awesome Pacquiao’s night in Vegas!

My wife and I along with our mini-pin watched the fight. In typical Pacquiao’s form, he obliterated Cotto.  This was the only Pacquiao fight that I was not anxious for him.  Sure he was the best and he is, but on fight night – I stil pray that nothing tragic would happen to him (like what happened to Z Gorres – who after winning the fight was rushed to the hospital due to the induced coma as a result of the hits he sustained).  We want Manny to win and win safely without a lot of head bruises and trauma. We still want him looking like Aling Dionisia!!

It was evident that Manny was going to win as round after round he was winning in the number of punches delivered.  Cotto was actually very admirable.  He did not succumb like Hatton or the ex-great Oscar dela Hoya (sorry, Manny surpassed La Hoya’s record) who hit the canvas so loud it was heard all over the world!

Cotto managed to stay until the 12th round – and he was being beaten to a pulp that wifey asked me “why is he still there?”  I replied “because sometimes they are already too weak to give up….” What a relief though when the referree stopped the fight.  It was pathetic when you have millions of people all over the world watching you get beaten up and turned into a pulp.  I was already feeling sorry for Cotto.  But deep inside I just wanted him to be knocked out so that the game would be over.

I am sure we will be talking about this fight and what this means for weeks to come.  I could only imagine the welcome party for Manny when he comes home.

It was a great day to be a Filipino!

Especially when you are Manny Pacquiao.

But for the rest of us, all we have are bragging rights. It is difficult to brag about Manny when you are surrounded by Filipinos – almost nonsensical to brag when they are Filipinos as well… tee hee!

The belt has been worn. The lights have been turned off and the spectators have come home.  Please tell all our politicians who watched the game live in Vegas to come home.  There is still so much work to be done.  Unfortunately, the lives of the people and the economy that is crying for some help, will never be won inside the ring in a hotel in Las Vegas.

Our favorite national anaesthesia

Posted on 14 November 2009 | 2 responses

This sunday morning, (saturday night in Las Vegas) our favorite national anaesthesia will once again numb the whole country for a couple of hours. Manny Pacquiao who recently headlined on the cover of Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential people, is set to make history when he wins the 7th title in seven different weight classes.

I consider him as the national anaesthesia because similar to medical anaesthesia, Manny has the power to render into a state of total unconsciousness the whole nation from the pressing needs of the country.

The past several days, politicians from the Philippines were boarding flights to Las Vegas to watch the show live. While they may all claim paying for their trips, the congress is not in recess at this time. I wonder how many of our congressmen are there in Las Vegas right now with their privilege seats already reserved for the much anticipated fight?

I consider Manny as the national anaesthetic because it seems that we are in the path of forgetting some of the challenges that the country is facing right now:

- still many areas in Eastern Manila and areas in Laguna are still submerged in flood waters.

- The cost of fuel is set to be raised when the Executive Order is lifted up this monday.

- 24 Filipino sailors were abducted by Somali pirates last week (and this news info hardly broke through our Las Vegas excitement)

- the highest number of starving people are now in Metro Manila. 22% of the residents in Metro Manila are going through what is called involuntary hunger.

- it will take months before our devastated farmlands up north could recover from the floodwaters.

- the warning of an impending food shortage next year caused by the P18B- damage to agricultural crops are still waiting to be addressed by the current government.

- 15 state officials including the incumbent president still needs to be charged at the Ombudsman as a result of the Senate inquiry that ended this week.

- the kidnapping of the Irish priest Sinnott still has to be resolved. While he was released, there were no concrete steps made to assure the public that proper investigation is being made at this time.

These are just some of the things that are taking a backseat just because PacMan is fighting this sunday morning. After his last fight, the President even declared a national holiday so that the country could join in the celebration over his big win.

I am still cheering for the PacMan – it would be awesome when he brings the Puerto Rican down in the similar fashion as he did Ricky Hatton. But as we cheer him on, I pray that still have our eyes wide open to the pressing needs of the country.

He is our favorite athlete – but let us not make him our favorite national anaesthesia.

The Lord is still in His Holy Temple…

Posted on 12 November 2009 | No responses

Psalm 11: 3 – 4 The foundations of the law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?

Verse 4 – But the Lord is in his Holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everything closely, examining everyone on earth…

What a powerful set of verses. The Lord still rules from heaven.

There are times when the circumstances in our lives could render us immobile. Confused and dazed, we oftentimes wonder what is happening around us because we have seemingly lost control of our lives.

I find myself in that same dilemma from time to time. And this scripture brings me back to be in the perspective of the Father. He is still in control despite what may seem to be a very desperate situation.

An OFW from the Middle East was about to be sent home by a former employer because the visa for the new employment was “late” in coming. The OFW was already being threatened by the employer that they will call the police and that would mean a lot of trouble for this OFW.

Two days ago, this OFW received word that the visa was already approved. The visa was handed to this OFW after three weeks and two days before the deadline.

Thank you God for being in control and for watching everything on earth. While there are still so many things that make our hearts anxious – you still rule from heaven and you are still in your holy temple. You are in control.

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