Filed under: Caffeine Rush
The Spot: Starbucks Valero, 2/20/2009, 12AM-2AM
Rush #1: Objective Service (Who are the audience of our Service?) – In a community life, or even in our pre-school lives, we were already being taught of “small” concept such as “helping those who are in need!” In a young untainted mind, this is not a challenge. But with ours already driven by society-tweaked “truths” or media-accepted “norms”, this is next to impossible.
What has been discussed during our quick chat is about a religious community having to target a specific group, mga ladlad na bading, who are being discriminated by the society, to join a religious community and let them know that Christ loves them no matter what.
In one of the new testament’s gospels of Matthew, what particularly caught my attention relating to the ultimate definition of service is with Matthew, the tax collector. Below is the excerpt from the Bible:
9As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him. 10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with Him and His disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Here Matthew relates his own call into service by Jesus: “As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him” (vs. 9). Interestingly, Matthew places this episode within a section of his book in which he is recounting various miracles of Jesus. Matthew surely realized that the transformation of his own life from a tax collector to a follower of Jesus was miraculous. “It is surprising that Jesus should call a tax-collector, but even more so that that man should be ready so promptly to leave a business so lucrative” [Thomas, 125]
In that culture, tax collectors were normally very prosperous. They would bid to the Roman government for the right to collect taxes and tolls. Then, having paid the government for this right, they were free to collect as much as they could in order to make a profit. Their actions to extract every penny they could on taxes and tolls made them very much hated. Certainly, the hatred they faced must have, in turn, engendered much hatred within them. Yet, through Jesus’ transforming power, Matthew became a man of love. Brothers and sisters, do not give up praying for your unsaved friends and relatives. The Lord can soften the hardest of hearts, transform the most corrupt of lives.
This is a true miraculous transformation of a person for the service of God. In our context today, the tax collectors are us sinners [hindi ang mga ladlad na bading!] We must not be calling for service because of one’s sexual orientation [or how they particularly behave]! We must introduce Christ to everyone particularly us sinners who are in dire need of miraculous conversion! 
That is true service! 
Rush #2: Politicking in a Community (Voter’s Right?) – As much has been said already regarding this topic, essentially what needs to be understood is that in any organization (may it be religious such as ours), it must be leveled that when we exercise our right to vote (thereby placing some in a postion for service), it is also an automatic responsibity on our part to support the activities and agenda of the person who assumed power [or rather the office in service].
Conversely, had you not exercised this right, this goes without saying that you have no right to promote unhealthy participation in a government [by black propaganda; or commenting how bad the service - everything must be constructive]. If you want something changed – level with the people in service and let them know your side by constructively providing suggestions and alternatives!
Hope this made sense. Note that in the end — the true goal of one’s service is to pave for the community a path that one can walk on. It is still in each and every person within the community’s ultimate goal to make the experience on that paved-path a worthwile [or a miserable] one!
Filed under: My Dramas
In a community which is composed of different sets of individual, PERFECTION must NOT be the ultimate goal. Learning to accept that any community, even a religious or charismatic one, can never be perfect IS a start. May it be a community of the holiest of men and the most pious of the believers will never be grounds enough to have the zenith of existence.
Life in all its beauty can never be actually fully appreciated without those simple imperfections that go along with it. In a community life full of these imperfections, the challenge for each and everyone of us is first to accept that everyone has individual differences that make it HARDER for us to live a harmonious community life in Christ. Nonetheless, accepting that we have these differences; then collectively aiming to make these differences complement each other makes the journey to the life designed by Christ a [bitter-]sweet journey all the more!
In our life’s journey, having a mind-set that our community can NEVER be perfect no matter what we do (and accepting it as a personal truth) will make the ball-of-life rolling back to us! IT is only until then when we realize this that we can start living it.
BEARING – the ultimate challenge and sacrifice one can offer to GOD - simply SUMS it ALL!
Filed under: My Travels
I am actually in an office meeting [22nd floor, GT Tower, Makati, 2-430PM] while writing this entry thinking I can cover more grounds in “documenting” my valentine’s adventure; but unfortunately, not everything goes to plan (magdadaya pa kasi eh bayad na ang oras sa meeting! ).
Anyways, my Valentine’s adventure started off quite early but I have to wait (First Stop: Starbucks LaSalle) for two of my friends for a staggering two hours (mga feeling artista, hehehe…)! Times like this when bringing a pillow is a good idea (gawing tulugan ang starbucks, susyal). Good thing though that Anna (a makulit community classmate and friend) was there to accompany me during those times that seemingly just went apassing.
Next Stop: Mall of Asia -> This was just a short stop since we only had to meet the rest of the group [Ate Cheg - the official driver and nanay [di naman dahil sya ang eldest sa group - 36 ba?], miles – the cook [sarap ng adobo at siomai], chindy -ang bitbit [pahirapan isama], anna – ang sabit [SE11 to eh], jheyp – sleeping beauty [tulog palagi sa byahe] at feeling artista na walang pera, ice – ang ninong [di malukot ang puting-puting polo] at isa pang feeling artista [salamat sa imported rosary from Rome! ], at syempre ako – ang walang kasing cute sa group [alter-ego ni dex].
The Travel to Picnic Grove, Tagaytay [via Cavite] -> The journey to the location was quite long but seemed short since everyone was enjoying each other’s company [it had been quite long since the group went out]. This was also the first time I had taken the Cavite Route going to Tagaytay and everything was new to me [except for the traffic! pati ba naman dito] especially the very tall electric posts. During the travel, signs were already warning us. First, love was in the air since even the insects [balang ata yun or grasshoper] were mating on the windshield; and, second, we must not push through with the plan because we were already having traffic troubles [may kagitgitan na kotse ang aming machong driver, peace ate cheg! ). We opted to proceed though! Nothing would stop us having the long-awaited and quickly-planned [in short, bara barang plano para matuloy lang] heartscapade go to waste [kasi next year na ulit yun pagnagkataon].
Primary Stop: Picnic Grove, Tagaytay -> The volume of people going to Picnic Grove was really heavy [mukhang tambayan to ng mga Tagaytayenos]. Starting it off was a quick trip of Anna and Ice to the rest room. Bad thing though that the male restroom was busted. So then again we have to wait for Ice (and Jheyp – tagal sobra, nagdate pa? nakahalata na ang grupo ahh…hehehe. ) before we went to the the main treat – the Zipline [yeeeyyy]. Looking at those taking the line was purely exhilirating [I remember the ride in Genting, Malaysia -> nakadapa din but this time more manual -> de-tulak at gulong ng kotse ang stopper, hehehe.]. Even the guys (Ice and Jheyp) had second thoughts riding it that they just decided to take solo moments [taking picture, kuwentuhan overlooking sa bangin -- namumuro na mga to! hehehe.]. But eventually it still had to come to it — we have to take the line! Cutting it short to the ride, when I thought it was really an exciting ride due to everyone’s screams [especially Miles] even before the push, it was but just a simple glide overlooking a ravine for me. No thrill! Just pure push of the air over my face! waaahhhhhh. [I need to be in Extreme Sports, NOW!] :( That’s it for the zipline!
And then there went the cable car — CAGED cable car [a turtoise-speed pa! ]! Nothing much to say with the ride, it was purely for moments when you want to enjoy the view of Tagaytay from a hight point. Just for the sake of riding it that we opted to take it. It was an experience to take still.
And after all that, our stomaches were really empty that we wasted no time [except for the tambay sa sarangolahan area, sa bazaar along the way, sa picnican, sa parking lot for the food -> no time wasted talaga, promise. ] to get the food and find a nice spot to enjoy the sumptous lunch [230 PM na!]. Finally, sarap ng kalderetang baboy at hamon [ay adobo pala and siomai, ehehe! salamat Rowena! yum yum.].
Quick Stop: Our Lady of Manaog -> The place is awesome. Simply evangelic (?)! We thank you Lord for giving us this day to enjoy the company of one another but still nevertheless remember that You are always with us and everything is not possible without your guidance and love.
Final Tagaytay Leg: Starbucks Main Road -> On our way there, I believe we already had someone emoting [si Miles ba?] because I was so mapang-asar and makulit [She might have reached her breaking point kasi kanina pa akong umaga nang-aasar. Churi.]. We just went there to yet again relax, enjoy the view, and catch up with each other [while having a sip of coffee]. It was just one of those moments that we normally wanted to sit down and enjoy the company and share each other’s lives [in short, kuwentuhan to the max.].
Final Heartscapade Stop: CCP Manila Bay -> After ng matagalang pag-iisipan at pagtuturuan that we [Filipinos] are known for, we ended up in Yakitori Dori for a dinner and inuman. Kuya Mark [the one I look up to in the community] and Ate Miko [his wife whom I also respect, tahimik but makulit din]. After some long talks and catching up, the night with my community friend/family ended up with a bang! :D Rowena Miles performed on stage! Grabe sa performance, pwede ng pang circus! Joke! But really, she brought the house down with her voice and of course very strong stage presence [nakakagiba-ng-stage na performance! astig!].
Filed under: My Dramas
Twenty six years had passed and not so often had I been given a chance to enjoy life, capture the moments and immortalize them! 2009 is a new year for me. This is the time that I have really started to look back at how I was living my life (being all-work, less-play / no-play attitude) and assess how I want to live life moving forward! Now, life has to be balanced. With my stress-inducing (? :S) work habit, busting it off by visiting and discovering (and rediscovering) new places will not be a challenge. Thanks to my three sets of travel companions (office friends, community friends and highschool friends), gaining back the life lost in those years will just be walk in the park!
Filed under: My Dramas
Today I celebrate my mother’s day (Not the Hallmark-inspired day, that is ). Today is the birthday of one of the most important persons in my life – my mother (02/15/1956).
Today I sent her an SMS thanking her for being a good provider and the best mother we could ever have (of course with a “much love from your CUTER son” salutation – and to think we’re just two brother’s – identical twin pa! hehehehe. ) How I wish she could be here for me to personally say and make her feel those words.
Treasure your mother, today – always!
