Welcome To My World!

ENLIGHTENMENT

The Master was an advocate both of learning and of Wisdom. "Learning", he said when asked, "is gotten by reading books or listening to lectures".

"And Wisdom"?

"By reading the book that is you".

He added as an afterthought: "Not an easy task at all, for every minute of the day brings a new edition of the book"!

MORSEL:
Your vision will become clear only when You can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. -- Carl Jung

DEFINITIONS

The Master had a childlike fascination for modern inventions. He could not get over his amazement at the pocket calculator when he saw one.

Later he said, good-naturedly, "A lot of people seem to have those little pocket calculators, but nothing in their pockets worth calculating"!

Weeks later, when a visitor asked him what he taught his disciples, he said,

"To get their priorities right: Better have the money than calculate it; better have the experience than define it".

MORSEL:
Ours is a society that has perfected its means yet neglected its meaning. -- Albert Einstein

CHANGE

The visiting historian was disposed to be argumentative. "Do not our efforts change the course of human history"? he demanded.

"Oh yes, they do", said the Master.

"And have not our human labors changed the earth"?

"They certainly have", said the Master.

"Then why do you teach that human effort is of little consequence"?

Said the Master, "Because when the wind subsides, the leaves still fall".

MORSEL:
While everything around me is every changing, ever dying, there is underlying that change a living power that is changeless, that holds all together, that creates, dissolves and recreates....For I can see in the midst of death, life persists, in the midst of untruth, truth persists, in the midst of darkness light persists -- Mohandas K. Gandhi

BELIEF

The Master had quoted Aristotle: "In the quest of truth, it would seem better and indeed necessary to give up what is dearest to us". And he substituted the word "God" for "truth".

Later a disciple said to him, "I am ready, in the quest for God, to give up anything: wealth, friends, family, country, life itself. What else can a person give up"?

The Master calmly replied, "One's beliefs about God".

The disciple went away sad, for he clung to his convictions. He feared "ignorance" more than death.

MORSEL:
Your vision will become clear
only when you look into your heart ...
Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, awakens. -- Carl Jung

AGGRESSION

A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait".

Each year the disciple would return with the same request and each time the Master would give him the same reply: "Wait".

One day he said to the Master, "When will I be ready to teach"?

Said the Master, "When your excessive eagerness to teach has left you".

MORSEL:
You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips. -- Oliver Goldsmith

Philippine Culture

This is the one thing that separates us from the rest of the world - our colorful and lively culture that makes us distinctly Filipino. This includes traditions, language, arts, etc. which are found in museums, churches and galleries, found within the heart of the key cities.

Most provinces have their own identifying folk dances too wherein they showcase the elegance and beauty of the way we do things, the way we dress, the way we see things as shown in different paintings, as we have been influenced by events that happened in our history.

That’s not all. When you have lived in the Philippines long enough, you’ll know that it’s not an exaggeration to say there is a town that’s celebrating its fiesta every single day.

Daily Reading & Meditation

Monday (6/12): "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven"

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12a

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven

Meditation: What is the good life, and the ultimate end or purpose of life? Is it not happiness, which is none other than the complete good, the sum of all goods, leaving nothing more to be desired? Jesus addresses this question in his sermon on the mount. The word beatitude literally means "happiness" or "blessedness". What is the significance of Jesus' beatitudes, and why are they so central to his teaching? The beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness that God has placed in every heart. They teach us the final end to which God calls us, namely the coming of God's kingdom (Matt. 4:17), the vision of God (Matt. 5:8; 1 John 2;1), entering into the joy of the Lord (Matt. 25:21-23) and into his rest (Hebrews 4:7-11). Jesus' beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue here on earth and the use we make of the goods he puts at our disposal. God alone satisfies. Do you seek the highest good, the total good, which is above all else?

The beatitudes which Jesus offers us are a sign of contradiction to the world's understanding of happiness and joy. How can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? Poverty of spirit finds ample room and joy in possessing God as the greatest treasure possible. Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and spiritual oppression. God reveals to the humble of heart the true source of abundant life and happiness. Jesus promises his disciples that the joys of heaven will more than compensate for the troubles and hardships they can expect in this world. Thomas Aquinas said: No one can live without joy. That is why a person deprived of spiritual joy goes after carnal pleasures. Do you know the happiness of hungering and thirsting for God alone?

"Lord, increase my hunger for you and show me the way that leads to everlasting peace and happiness. May I desire you above all else and find perfect joy in doing your will".

JUNE 12
ST. JOHN OF SAHAGUN

St. John was born at Sahagun, Spain, in the fifteenth century. He received his education from the Benedictine monks of his town. Then John became a parish priest. He could have lived a very comfortable life in the cathedral parish or in other wealthy parishes. However, John felt attracted to the poverty and simple lifestyle that Jesus had lived. Father John chose to keep charge only of a small chapel. There he celebrated Mass, preached and taught catechism.

Father John realized that he needed to know theology better. He enrolled in classes at the great Catholic University of Salamanca. After four years of hard study, he became famous as a preacher. Nine years later, he joined a community of Augustinian friars. They were very impressed by the way he practiced the Christian virtues. He was obedient to his superiors and humble, too. He also continued his preaching. His beautiful homilies or sermons brought about a change in the people of Salamanca. They had been quarreling violently among themselves. Often young noblemen fought each other in revenge. St. John succeeded in ending many of these bitter fights. He even persuaded people to forgive one another.

He was not afraid to correct evils, even when the evildoers were powerful people who could take revenge. Once he corrected a duke for the way he was making the poor people suffer. What the priest said was true! In anger, the duke sent two of his men to kill St. John. The two men found the priest and approached him. Father John was so calm and kind. Both men were overcome with sorrow and asked his pardon. Then the duke became sick. Through the prayers of St. John, he repented of his sins and recovered.

It was the graces he received from prayer and from the Mass that gave St. John his special power as a preacher. He celebrated the Mass with great devotion.

St. John of Sahagun died on June 11, 1479.

He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Alexander VIII in 1690.