magis deo newsletter february 2009magisdeo.org/mdnl/2009_feb_highres.pdf · 2011. 1. 29. ·...

MagisMagisMagisMagisMagis 11111

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MAGIS DEO COMMUNITYMagisMagisMagisMagisMagis

VOL. X • ISSUE NO. 37 FEBRUARY 2009

“Check out the Sacred Space inwww.magisdeo.org.”

Formation for Mission

MAGIS DEO PLANNING WORKSHOP 2009Reflection, Prayer and Collaboration in Mission

On January 17, the Pastoral Council andMinistry Heads gathered in reflection and prayerto look back at 2008 and pray what God desiredof the Magis Deo Community in 2009.Our Spiritual Director’s Challenge

The gathering started with our communitySpiritual Director, Fr. Ruben M. Tanseco, S.J.exhorting the community to be more involved ina more organized way in non-partisan politicalaction and advocacy through networking withvarious existing groups involved in the workagainst graft and corruption. He shared his long-standing dream of families living according to thespirit expressed by the late John Paul II in hisencyclical, Familiaris Consortio, “…familiesshould grow in awareness of being ‘protagonists’of what is known as ‘family politics’ and assumeresponsibility for transforming society; otherwisefamilies will be the first victims of the evils thatthey have done no more than note withindifference.” Fr. Tanseco then asked Mr. VincentT. Lazatin, his nephew, Executive Director,Transparency and Accountability Network,Executive Director, Bantay Lansangan andDirector of the newly formed Coalition AgainstCorruption to speak about these organizations

that he heads. After his brief,informative and well-receivedpresentation, Mr. Lazatin extendedhis invitation for those interestedto become members of theseorganizations.Reflecting on 2008

Then the work of theplanning workshop began,

facilitated by Bro. Karel San Juan, S.J.,Executive Director of Emmaus Center whois doing his theology studies in the LoyolaSchool of Theology. Bro. Karel introducedthe approach for the day and invited all tohave and maintain a discerning mind, heartand spirit, to stay “contemplative to allowourselves to listen to the Lord’s prompts.” Wewere, true to our Ignatian spirituality, to take adiscernment approach to our decision making.

We started by reflecting on 2008 to recognizeand be grateful for all that God had done in andthrough the community. Each ministry in turnpresented a review of the ministry’s past yearusing a framework of consolations, desolationsand challenges, invitations and possibilities.Indeed, 2008, in spite of some problems anddifficulties, was a grace-filled year. God wasactively at work in our community and in thelives of the members – singles, couples andfamilies of our community and those that weserve.

Bro. Karel summarized the sharing into aframework based on the three main thrusts ofthe recently concluded 35th GeneralCongregation of the Society of Jesus whichelected a new Superior General, Fr. AdolfoNicolas, S.J. and determined the thrusts of theSociety of Jesus. The framework’s three factorsare: Frontier – Mission, Friendship –

Nurturing Community and Fire – Passion orIdentity. The summary was enriched byadditional “nuances” that we needed to take intoconsideration alsoPraying Our Desires for the Future “ For surely I know the plans I have for you,says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not

for harm, to give you a future with hope. Thenwhen you call upon me and come and pray tome, I will hear you. When you search for me,you will find me; if you seek me with all yourheart, I will let you find me, says the Lord …”(Jeremiah, 29:11-14)

After lunch, using this passage of scripturefrom the prophet Jeremiah, Brother Karel offeredtwo prayer points: First, God desires nothingelse but our good and that he has promised hisabiding presence, friendship and accompaniment.We were to pray for God’s great desires andplans for our Magis Deo and its mission. Second,God expects us to come with him with our owndesires and invites us to approach him withconfidence, courage, strength and fervor. Did weknow what desires to present before God? Dowe have the necessary fervor to present them toHim?

continued on page 2

Mr. Vicente T. Lazatin, Director of Transparencyand Accountability Network, Bantay Lansangan,and Coalition Against Corruption.

Tony del Rosario, Philip Panlilio, Ted & SusanConcepcion, Mimi Santos, Ike Lllamas [rear]Monchito Mossesgeld, Josie Llamas.

MagisMagisMagisMagisMagis22222 FEBRUARY 2009January Community Celebration and

Commissioning of Council, Shepherds, Ministry and CommitteeHeads

from page 1...Planning workshopUsing these two points as springboards,

we individually, for 20 minutes, prayed ourdesires for our future. Then gathering in smallgroups of 5 to 6 members, we shared the fruit ofour prayers. The small groups presented theirsharing in plenary which Bro. Karel summarizedinto three main areas.Thrusts for 2009

The thrusts identified for 2009 are thefollowing:

1. Focus and deepen our programs andactivities. We will prioritize and simplify ouractivities, focusing on the most essential andwhat has the most impact on others, in line withour mission and vision and our resource capacitiesas a community. We will focus more on how ourprograms will have greater and deeper impactrather than just having more number of programs.We desire that our programs and activities deepen

our spirituality and build a stronger sense ofcommunity. We, as a community, will be involvedon a sustained basis in addressing national issuesthrough membership in existing groups andcoalitions involved in these.

2. Intensify the “fire” and commitmentof our membership. We will deepen in ourIgnatian spirituality because the “fire” andcommitment are its fruits. We will help membersto recognize more deeply God’s love in their livesand identify how they will respond throughservice in the community. We will strengthen,encourage and reinforce our sense of thecommunity’s vision and mission and its praxis incouple, family and community life. We willstrengthen our shepherds in their critical role inintensifying this “fire” and commitment, and sharethe stories of our exemplary shepherds.3. Systematize our ways of proceeding

towards deeper “friendship” andcommunity. We will strengthen our members’sense of belonging to and participation in thecommunity. We will systematize and document,identifying and using best practices, communityprocesses related to membership. We willidentify, on a longer term basis, how we operateand work together as a community.Afterword: Collaboration in Mission

Each of our six ministries, namely,Marriage Encounter, Shepherds and SharersFormation, Membership Formation, Praxis,Outreach, and Community Services, will turnthese thrusts into realities through their plansfor 2009. But these ministries need the supportof the entire community for plans to berealized.

We invite all the members toparticipate and contribute in implementing

2009 Council: Regie & Daisy de Guzman, Rey Mella, MaluPanlilio ( Vice-Chair), Aida & Tony del Rosario

2009 Council: Tina & Monchito Mossesgeld(Chaircouple), Eli & Edith Prieto, Maricel & JoeySuarez

Anchit & Sally Chua Chiaco ( South Sector Head) , Bambi Narciso(Central Sector Head), Ike & Josie Llamas (ME Ministry), Joey & PortiaEustaquio ( ME Classes Committee), Louren & Rufo Dacanay(Newsletter Publications)

Ronnie Ambe(Alternate,Community Services Ministry), Alice & Mon Go (NorthSector Head), Ted & Susan Concepcion (Shepherds & Sharers FormationMinistry), Jojo Aldeguer ( Alternate,Shepherds & Sharers FormationMinistry;Recruitment Committee),Eve & Gene Bañez (Finance,Audit)

Lito Quimel (Outreach Ministry), Marcia Balderas,(Liturgy),SuniRodriguez (Individual Formation Committee), Evelyn & Miles SanPedro (Community Services Ministry)

January birthdayand AnniversaryCelebrants

continued on page 7...

MagisMagisMagisMagisMagis 33333ISSUE NO. 37

Ruben M. Tanseco, S. J.

Sunday HomilyJanuary 11, 2009Ruben M. Tanseco, S. J.

SINLESS-SINFUL JESUS?How come Jesus submitted Himself to

John’s baptism of repentance? Was Jesus asinner who needed conversion? Johnhimself insisted that he simply baptized withwater, whereas the sinless, divine Jesuswould baptize with no less than the HolySpirit! “One mightier than I is coming afterme. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen thethongs of his sandals. I have baptized youwith water; he will baptize you with the HolySpirit.” (From today’s Gospel reading, Mk.1: 7-11). In other words, John simply initiatedthe process of conversion, so that those hehad baptized could then turn to Jesus fortheir lifelong discipleship and journey withGod toward eternal bliss.

What, then, is the meaning of Jesusbeing baptized by John? My faith tells methat the divine Jesus came to be One-with-us, from birth until death, so that in turn, wecan be one-with-Him. This means a lifelongjourney of unconditional love and anongoing conversion to be sinless like Him.He showed us the way to be fully-human,because to be fully-human is to be divine.To love and be loved unconditionally is tobe fully-human, and thus be like Him, be likeGod. And He showed us that this wasindeed doable, by the way He lived andloved. Jesus, the Professional Lover.

How exactly did Jesus live and love?The most historical, inspiring, andchallenging biography of Jesus I know ofare the two books of Fr. Albert Nolan, O.P.,namely: Jesus Before Christianity and JesusToday. The first book focuses on the manJesus “before he became enshrined indoctrine, dogma, and ritual, a man deeplyinvolved with the real problems of his time ?which are the real problems of our time aswell.” The second book captures thespirituality of Jesus, which is radicalfreedom, not of the ego, but radical freedomfrom the ego.

In the person of Jesus, as Nolan pointsout, love and justice were the two sides ofthe same coin. Unconditional love cannotbut involve a deep passion for justice,especially toward the poor, the oppressed,

the downtrodden. At the heart of it all iscompassion. Jesus was first and foremost ?the Compassionate One. He healed the sick.He fed the hungry. He consoled the suffering.Not only that. He forgave sinners, once therewas a sign of repentance on their part. Hetaught in parables, which He incarnated inHis own life. In other words, He walked Histalk. The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk.10: 29-37). The Parable of the Prodigal Son ?or should we say the Parable of theForgiving Father (Lk. 15: 11-32), and manyothers. Indeed, Jesus was the Forgiving Onebeyond compare.

But there must be true repentance.Otherwise, as Jesus Himself said: “But I tellyou, if you do not repent, you will allperish…(Lk. 13: 3,5). This is not becauseJesus is a punitive God, but because of man’schoice to be unloving, uncompassionate,and unjust. The lack or absence ofrepentance.

In this context, many of our people havebeen baptized with water, but resist or evenrefuse to be baptized by the Holy Spirit ?because this will mean a 180-degree turn-around in their life and lifestyle. Thus, weare Christian in name as a Filipino nation,but many of our so-called baptizedChristians are, in reality, anti-Christ.Widespread corruption in governance andbusiness; nationwide moral injusticesagainst the poor; ever-increasing sexualimmoralities, and what-have-you.

But we must never lose hope, lest webecome spiritually paralyzed. With total faithin God, accompanied by our dedicatedhuman efforts and actions, He will intervene? in His own way and time ? as He did atEDSA I and again at EDSA II. We have anincreasing number of NGOs, coalitions oforganizations, and programs that areactively advocating love and justice amongour people and our leaders.

Just to single out one of them: TheBantay Lansangan (Road Watch). This is a“partnership among government, private,and civil society stakeholders in the nationalroad sector for the delivery of quality road

services that are responsive to users’ needs,through the efficient and transparent use ofpublic resources.” Bantay Lansangan“seeks to increase transparency and accessto information on the one hand, as well asmonitor the Department of Public Works andHighways (DPWH) performance indelivering national road services.” As a resultof their efforts, they’ll expect to reducetransaction costs for road construction andmaintenance, improve the response time formaintenance, increase road user satisfaction,and improve the public perception of theDPWH. The World Bank is ready to loanthe Philippine government no less than $232million dollars, but with the propersafeguards.

With Transparency and AccountabilityNetwork (TAN) as coordinator, the membersof Bantay Lansangan include:

• Road Users, like the Federation ofJeepney Operators and Drivers Associationof the Philippines, and others.

• Governance Advocates, like theAteneo School of Government, and others.

• Road Service Providers, like thePhilippine Contractors Association, andothers.

• Managers, namely, the DPWH.• Regulators and Enforcers, namely, the

Land Transportation Office.• Government Partners, namely, the

Office of the Ombudsman; and thePresidential Anti-Graft Commission.

• Development Partners, namely, theWorld Bank, and possibly others.

• Media, namely, the Catholic MediaNetwork.

MagisMagisMagisMagisMagis44444 FEBRUARY 2009

EDITORIALBy Tony Narciso

Say YES to Magis, YES to God!Say YES to Magis, YES to God!Say YES to Magis, YES to God!Say YES to Magis, YES to God!Say YES to Magis, YES to God!Every year, the Pastoral Council and

ministry thrusts are set, and plans toimplement are prepared. There were 2 points that caught myattention:1. Active membership in Magis hasdeclined vs. last year.2. In the summation, Bro. Karel SanJuan, S.J. brought out that “God desiresnothing else but our good. A future ofgoodness, fortune, reconciliation, healing,restoration, homecoming, communityand peace.” Wow, what a wonderful and lovingGod. I reflected on this for some timeand really felt how true this is in my lifeespecially in the community that God hasgiven me, Magis Deo. Really we have a loving God whosays “Yes” to all our requests. Someright away, some a bit delayed, butalways in His time. Paul (II Cor 1: 18-

20) says that in God, the answer is always“Yes”.

The challenge now is to reflect onthe first point and see the connection withthe second point. Have we said “Yes”to God, through the community that Hehas given us?

It’s another year and it serves as agentle reminder to us all. Let’s go throughthe following questions and reflect if wehave said “Yes” to them:1. Do I have a regular prayer time?2. Do I journalize?3. Do I attend the BCGG/ME reunionmeetings?4. Do I attend the monthly communitycelebration?5.Do I participate in any of the Magismission areas, Pateros, Payatas, GK AyaVillage?6. Am I involved in the parish?7. Do I recruit for the quarterly MEWeekend?

8.Do I reach out to a friend, formerBCGG/ME classmates to re-join thecommunity?9.Do I recharge my relationship with theLord through the annual Ignatianretreat?10. Do I pray for my BCGG/ME class,sector and community?11. Do I contribute to communityactivities through membership dues andlove offerings?12. Have I loved much? The goal is to say “Yes” to all the abovequestions. Have a new year filled with God’slove, God’s YES and our YES!

A Father’s PrayerBuild me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when

he is weak,

and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid.

One who will be proud and unbending in defeat,

and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds;

a son who will know that knowing himself is the foundation

stone of knowledge;

a son who will know You and follow You!

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort,

but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenges.

Here let him learn to stand up in the storm;

here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goals will be

high;

a son who will master himself before he seeks to master others;

one who will learn to laugh yet never forget how to weep;

one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of

humor,

so that he may be serious, yet never take himself too seriously.

Give him humility, so that he may always remember

the simplicity of true greatness,

the open mind of true wisdom,

the meekness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”

Bambi & Tony Narciso

MagisMagisMagisMagisMagis 55555ISSUE NO. 37COUNCIL CORNER

By Eli and Edith Prieto, Council Members/MEM

Our Relationship with God,Country,Magis Deo Community

John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask notwhat your country can do for you. Askwhat you can do for your country.” Wecan also apply this in our relationship withGod, with Magis Deo, with our BCGG,with our family, with our spouse, andeven with ourselves. However, it ishardest when we apply it to ourselves…i.e., “Ask not what my ego can do forme. Ask what I can do with my ego.”

As kids, we are taught and driven toexcel by our teachers and by our parents.At an early age, we already nurture theego to be better than everybody else andto idolize others who are much betterthan us. When we start working, our egowould tell us to act and market ourselvesin such a way that we would be chosen,over our co-workers, for promotion andadvancement. When we plan to start ourown family, our ego would tell us tochoose a lifetime partner who would beacceptable to our family and friends.When we have children of our own, wenurture the egos of our children the sameway as our egos were formed.

Alexander L. Lacson has written apocketbook entitled “12 Little Things

Every Filipino Can Do To Help OurCountry.” These are: (1) Follow trafficrules; (2) Ask for official receipts; (3) BuyFilipino; (4) Speak positively about ourcountry; (5) Respect our uniformedservicemen/servicewomen; (6) Do notlitter; (7) Support your church; (8) Duringelections do your solemn duty; (9) Payyour employees well; (10) Pay your taxes;(11) Adopt a scholar or a poor child; (12)Be a good parent. Before we shout tohigh heavens the corruption besetting ourcountry, perhaps we can start by askingourselves if we have adopted andpracticed faithfully just one of the “12Little Things…” outlined by Alex Lacson.When we do not follow traffic rules, wepractice corruption. When we do not askfor official receipts when we buy or payfor anything, we practice corruption. Andso on and so forth.

In Magis Deo, one great teaching thatour spiritual director Fr. Ruben constantlyteaches us (from the time we participatedin our own marriage encounter weekendup to where we are now in ourcommunity) is personal transformation.All other teachings in our Magis Deo

Community emanate from this – personaltransformation. We are asked to transformourselves from an egotistical individual toa selfless creation of God. This is ourstruggle. This is our journey. We seethis struggle in how we relate to ourmembers within our BCGG. Weexperience this struggle in our sector, inour ministries, in our pastoral council andin our community as a whole. We areegotistical individuals struggling in ourjourney to become selfless creations ofGod.

We have learned in Magis Deo thatwe all can become servant leaders –leaders who serve and not seeking to beserved; leaders who recognize rather thanseek recognition for themselves; leaderswho listen intently to the needs of othersrather than dictate what they think othersneed; leaders who continue to serve evenwhen no one else would want to join themin rendering service. This is how Jesusof Nazareth has shown us how to lead.Even His apostles left Him in times ofcrisis. As Christians and members of aspiritual organization called Magis DeoCommunity, He is our inspiration; He isour model.

Therefore, our relationship with God,our country and our Magis DeoCommunity is greatly influenced by howwe are to ourselves. Am I an egotist oram I selfless? ONLY GOD KNOWS. WECAN ONLY CONTINUE TO BEFAITHFUL IN THE STRUGGLE IN OURJOURNEY TO BECOME SELFLESSCREATIONS OF GOD.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MAGIS DEO COMMUNITY

STAFF WRITERS Rey Mella

Clyde AbapoZarah Gagatiga

Kimi Abapo

Please send articles/reactions/feedback [email protected]

COUNCIL CHAIR COUPLEMonchito and Tina Mossesgeld

EDITORIAL BOARDTina MossesgeldTony Del Rosario

Tony Narciso

MANAGING EDITORSRufo and Louren Dacanay

MagisMagisMagisMagisMagisPHOTOGRAPHERS

Ferdie CruzAnchit Chua Chiaco

Lito Quimel

PUBLICATIONRamie and Mimi Santos

Edith & Eli Prieto


Spirituality and the Second Half of LifeSpirituality and the Second Half of LifeSpirituality and the Second Half of LifeSpirituality and the Second Half of LifeSpirituality and the Second Half of Lifeby Father Ronald Rolheiser, OMI

When Nikos Kazantsakis was ayoung man he interviewed an old monkon Mount Athos. At one stage he askedhim: “Do you still struggle with thedevil?” “No,” the man replied, “I usedto, but I’ve grown old and tired and thedevil has grown old and tired with me.Now I leave him alone and he leaves mealone!” “So your life is easy then,”Kazantsakis asked, “no more struggles?”“Ah, no,” replied the monk, “it’s worse.Now I struggle with God!”

Someone once quipped that wespend the first half of our lives strugglingwith the devil (and the sixthcommandment) and the second half ofour lives struggling with God (and thefifth commandment). While thatcaptures something, it’s too simple,unless we define “the devil” more widelyto mean our struggles with the untamedenergies of youth - eros, restlessness,sexuality, the ache for intimacy, the pushfor achievement, the search for a moralcause, the hunger for roots, and thelonging for a companionship and a placethat feel like home.

It’s not easy, especially when we’reyoung, to make peace with the firesinside us. We need to establish our ownidentity and find, for ourselves, intimacy,meaning, self-worth, quiet fromrestlessness, and a place that feels likehome. We can spend fifty years, afterwe’ve first left home, finding our wayback there again.

But the good news is that, generally,we do get there. In mid-life, perhapsonly in late mid-life, we achievesomething the mystics call“Proficiency”, a state wherein we haveachieved an essential maturity - basicpeace, a sexuality integrated enough tolet us sleep at night and keepcommitments during the day, a sense ofself-worth, and an essentialunselfishness. We’ve found our wayhome. And there, as once before theonset of puberty, we’re relatively

comfortable again, content enough torecognize that our youthful journeyings,while exciting, were also full ofrestlessness. We’d like to be youngagain, but we don’t want all that disquieta second time. Like Kazantsakis’ oldmonk, we’ve grown tired of wrestlingwith the devil and he with us. We nowleave each other alone.

So where do we go from there,from home? T.S. Eliot once said, “Homeis where we start from.” That’s trueagain in mid-life.

The second-half of life, just like thefirst, demands a journey. While the first-half of life, as we saw, is very muchconsumed with the search for identity,meaning, self-worth, intimacy,rootedness, and making peace with oursexuality, the second-half has anotherpurpose, as expressed in the famousepigram of Job: “Naked I came frommy mother’s womb, and naked I goback.”

Where do we go from home? To aneternal home with God. But, to do that,we have first to shed many of the thingsthat we legitimately acquired andattached ourselves to during the first-half of life. The spiritual task of thesecond-half of life, so different from thefirst, is to let go, to move to thenakedness that Job describes.

What does that entail? From whatdo we need to detach ourselves?

First, and most importantly, fromour wounds and anger. The foremostspiritual task of the second half of lifeis to forgive - others, ourselves, life,God. We all arrive at mid-life woundedand not having had exactly the life ofwhich we dreamed. There’s adisappointment and anger inside everyone of us and unless we find it inourselves to forgive, we will die bitter,unready for the heavenly banquet.

Second, we need to detachourselves from the need to possess, toachieve, and to be the center of

attention. The task of the second-halfof life is to become the quiet, blessinggrandparent who no longer needs to bethe center of attention but is happysimply watching the young grow andenjoy themselves.

Third, we need to learn how to saygood-bye to the earth and our loved onesso that, just as in the strength of ouryouth we once gave our lives for thosewe love, we can now give our deathsto them too, as a final gift.

Fourth, we need to let go ofsophistication so as to become simple“holy old fools” whose only message isthat God loves us.

Finally, we need, more and more, toimmerse ourselves in the language ofsilence, the language of heaven. MeisterEckhard once said: “Nothing so muchresembles God as silence.” The task ofmid-life is to begin to understand that andenter into that language.

And it’s a painful process. Purgatoryis not some exotic, Catholic doctrine thatbelieves that there is some place in thenext life outside of heaven and hell. It’s acentral piece within any mature spiritualitywhich, like Job, tells us that God’s eternalembrace can only become fully ecstaticonce we’ve learned to let go.

Article from: Engaging AgingVolume 3 Issue 2 Spring 2008

(Publication of the National ReligiousRetirement Office)

Father Ronald Rolheiser, OMI


SecrSecrSecrSecrSecreeeeets ots ots ots ots of Servf Servf Servf Servf Servant Lant Lant Lant Lant LeaeaeaeaeaderderderderdershipshipshipshipshipBy John C. Maxwell

AFTER Princess Diana was killedin a tragic car accident, 2-½ billionpeople tuned in to watch her televisedfuneral. Not only Great Britain, but theentire world, mourned her death. Whataccounted for the public’s emotionalattachment to Princess Di?

Certainly, royalty and beautyattributed to Princess Diana’spopularity, but something elseconnected her to the hearts of peopleacross the globe.

Looks and lineage may have landedher on magazine covers, but PrincessDi had an endearing quality that gaveher even greater appeal. Princess Dianawas beloved because she was a servantleader.

For centuries, royal familiesepitomized self-serving leadership.Comfortably removed from the day-to-day troubles of those in their kingdom,they enjoyed opulent wealth andabsolute power. Princess Diana brokethe stereotype.

She leveraged her popularity to lendsupport for AIDS research, to care forthose with leprosy, and to ban landmines. In fact, the force of Diana’scompassion was so influential that Time

Magazine named her one of the 100 MostImportant People of the 20th Century.Practices that help leaders serveothers

In their valuable book, “TheSecret,” Ken Blanchard and Mark Millershed light on the practices that enableleaders, like Princess Diana, to serveothers.

In this edition of A Leader’s Way,I’d like to pass on their ideas to you.1. See the future.Leaders have a compelling vision for thefuture stirring inside of them. The visionmakes plain a leader’s identity, directionand pattern of behavior.To affect the future, a leader spreadsvalues throughout an organization.These values are core beliefs thatbecome the cornerstones oforganizational culture. A wise leaderpublishes the values so that they can berepeated, recognized and rewarded.A leader cannot delegate theresponsibility to see the future. Theymay share the responsibili ty, butultimately, it’s the leader’s job to maketime today to ensure the direction oftomorrow.2. Engage and develop others.To create the future a leader envisions,he or she must have the right people, inthe right roles, fully engaged to theirwork. Everything that you willaccomplish as a leader ultimately hingeson the people you have around you.As the Law of the Inner Circle says, “Aleader’s potential is determined by thoseclosest to him or her.”Sadly, many people’s talents languish onthe job because they are disengaged.Likely, the greatest waste in business ishuman potential. Leaders pull out thepotential inside of their people byinspiring and motivating. They are quickto offer opportunities for growth, bementors, or equip their employees withresources.

3. Reinvent continuously.Great leaders reinvent continuously ona personal level. They are alwaysinterested in ways to enhance their ownknowledge and skills. The very bestleaders are learners. They realize that ifthey stop learning, they will stop leading.A leader sets the tone of the organization.If they cease growing personally, thenthe majority of those they lead willbecome stagnant as well.Reinvention is critical to survival. Thesolutions to problems of the past areinadequate to address the demands oftoday. Leaders must have fresh,innovative thinking and new ideas torespond to the challenges theorganization faces.4. Value results and relationships.When it comes to results andrelationships, the best leaders take a both/and approach. A focus solely on resultsdemoralizes the team, while anoveremphasis on relationshipsundercuts the bottom line due to conflictavoidance and an absence ofaccountability.The greatest leaders make friends andprofits.Leaders earn relational capital, and putit to work to gain results. As the Law ofConnection states, “leaders touch a heartbefore they ask for a hand.”5. Embody values.All genuine leadership is built on trust.Leaders build trust when they establish,articulate, model and enforce values. Inshort, they walk the talk.If I say customers are important, myactions had better support thatstatement. If I choose to live as ifcustomers are not important, people willhave reason to question mytrustworthiness.And in the final analysis, if I am deemeduntrustworthy by my people, I will notbe trusted or followed as a leader.(Article taken from the internet, 08 July2007 Inquirer.)

from page 2...Planning workshop

these plans so that our community, Magis Deo,may continue to fulfill our community missionand vision and work with our Lord in this world.

The Jesuit Charles Jackson describesIgnatian spirituality as an active attentivenessto God joined with a prompt responsiveness toGod, who is ever active in our lives. God lovesus so he always calls us to growth. He calls usvery often out of our comfort zones. As thecommunity moves forward in 2009, let each ofus be open to whatever his Spirit may be callingus and, trusting God, in courage, and generosityand love, respond to his Spirit.-By Monchito Mossesgeld, Council Chair for2009


Faith and Feng Shui:Faith and Feng Shui:Faith and Feng Shui:Faith and Feng Shui:Faith and Feng Shui:Reconciling Luck and God’sReconciling Luck and God’sReconciling Luck and God’sReconciling Luck and God’sReconciling Luck and God’sPresence in My LifePresence in My LifePresence in My LifePresence in My LifePresence in My LifeBy Kimi Abapo, Magis Youth, Jeremiah BCGG

I’m not really superstitious and I generallydon’t adhere to Feng Shui, but the happenings inmy life seemed so coincidental that I couldn’tplace it on anything else.

I was supposed to go to Israel on yet anotherbuying trip for the brand that I handle at work.My boss and I even had a minormiscommunication because I wasn’t able toinform her of the trip immediately. We were allso busy with the holiday rush (the busiest timeof the year for us in the retail industry), that Ineglected to make the necessary arrangementsprior to the trip. It was also as if my subconsciouswas telling me not to go. The trip was scheduledJanuary 4 - 8. But just a few days before we wereto leave, the Gaza air strike began. Of course,for our safety, my boss and I canceled the trip.But we still had to do the buying no matter what,so the Israeli company came up with the plan tosend us to their China office in Shanghai instead.Luck or what-have-you, I was glad for it.

We were to go to Shanghai January 19 - 22.I was pressed for time to finish all the documentsneeded for the tr ip, aside from my usualmerchandising functions. Then the big bossesdumped us with the news that we were to presentour annual business reviews for each brand theFriday before I was to leave for Shanghai. I wasextremely busy trying to finish all my work,even staying in the office ‘ti l midnight andSaturdays. It felt like I was never going to getthings done. By some stroke of luck once again,the business review presentations got postponed.This meant I had time to focus on the buyingdocuments for the trip. I was able to finish themon Saturday, just enough time before our trip.This was the only time I could finally relax.

We left for Shanghai on the 19th; it was aneasy flight - just three and a half hours. Andthen we learned that the office is also in thehotel we were staying at. Such a blessing becausewe didn’t have to travel far to get to work, wecould wake up late (savor the time spent on theluxurious hotel), eat buffet breakfast, and headto the office without stress. We could even staylate at the office without worrying about gettingback to our hotel. Indeed, it was the most relaxedbuying trip we’ve ever had so far. Because ofthis, we were able to finish most of our work onthe night before we were to fly back home. Ionly needed to input some stuff in the morningbut my boss was kind enough to allow me to goto Shanghai city for the few hours before ourflight. I didn’t want to leave Shanghai withoutseeing Shanghai so I took the offer. The daybefore was chilly and the weather bleak, but thatday - that day was great. It was as if the heavensopened up to show Shanghai City to me.

It was not only the heavens that cleared

the way for me that day. I thought I would haveto take a taxi to the city, but the company driverwas available, so I needn’t worry abouttransportation. He even served as my tour guide,although he spoke no English at all. The quicktour was awesome! We went to Yuyuan to visitthe temple and buy some Chinese souvenirs andpasalubongs, then we stopped over the PearlTower for some picture-taking. The driver alsotook me through the scenic route going back tothe hotel, and passed by the tallest skyscrapers,the Century Park, and others. The greatest thingabout being in Shanghai was that they werecelebrating the Chinese New Year. And herecomes the superstitious part… this year is theYear of the Ox, and I was born on the year ofthe ox, which makes this year, my year! Luckor what-have-you, I was totally psyched! I hadmy picture taken with the humongous yellowox decoration that spouted smoke at Yuyuantemple, prayed for luck this year and boughtsome Chinese “anting-anting” to carry homewith me. Needless to say, it was the best 3-hourrush trip I ever had!

Back in Manila, the Chinese New Year isalso being anticipated. My friends and I met upat Eastwood City and came across a fortunetelling event. Just to ride with the Chinese themein my life for the moment, I went ahead and hadmy fortune read by a manghuhula .Coincidentally, the manghuhula I got wasChinese (most were Filipino.) I was basicallyconcerned with one thing in my l ife at themoment (okay, it’s my love life), so I wentstraight ahead and fired my questions about it.The manghuhula was not the dubious mystictype, she was actually very realistic. She toldme she saw in my cards that my family life wasswell and that I am a spiritually-oriented person.It was surprising that that came out in my cards.I told her it was probably because of the influenceof my parents. And she told me that was goodand that I should continue it. She was sayingthat man’s luck is only 33% of your fortune; itis God’s blessing. The rest is something you haveto work hard for. So if you are close to God,then you’re almost halfway there. Not a badidea for something that is stereotyped aspaganistic as fortune telling. She went on to tellme about my good fortune in career life andother things. I was eager for her to get to thelove life part and well, she did not disappoint.She told me good things will happen in thatarena of my life this year. I believe it just becauseI want to. It is not because I consider fortunetell ing or feng shui as real , but more ofpsychologically, it affirms my goal of improvingmy life this year.

For me, everything that has happened so

far in my life; how, amazingly, things are fallinginto place, even if I have to go through roughtimes and very testing waters, I still pull through,is like good fortune in itself. The postponedtrip to Israel that earned me a black mark withmy boss was overcome by the very relaxed andsuccessful Shanghai trip. The general timing ofworld events that affect events in my life seemsso surreal and yet they were real for me. Howcould I have figured that the bombings in Gazawere directly related to me and my job? Howcoincidental that I go to China during thecelebration of the year that my feng shui sign isthe luckiest? Okay, these may all sound like somebig mumbo-jumbo that I’ve just created formyself to believe in, but I’d like to think it’sjust God’s way of telling me that I’m on theright path. I feel like He’s always here with me,guiding me all throughout my life. He protectsme and sends me signs so I know how to proceed.These things I have regaled, man-made creationsand buil t-up supersti t ions, are actuallyinstruments that God has used to send me Hispersonal messages. It is up to me to interpretand use them not in fanatical ways or to veerme away from my Christian faith, but for themto actually enrich my life. I remember in classour teacher said that it was easier before for Godto communicate with His people – during thetime of the Old Testament, He wouldcommunicate through a burning bush or a cloudor light; during the New Testament, He sentJesus. But now the time of the Father and theSon has passed, it is the time of the Holy Spiritto communicate with us. How direct can He get?I admit I sometimes fail to talk to God regularly,so He probably has to find ways to remind methat He is there. And I do take notice. I do realizeit. I experience His presence in my life, Hishand in all the things that are happening to me.So rationally thinking about it, things like fengshui and luck and coincidences are not actuallyagainst religious beliefs. I think they merely serveas man’s ways of phrasing the messages he getsinto something he can understand more tangiblyor even, taking it as far as, making the messagesmore fun to hear.

The author at the Pearl Tower in Shanghai,China


Shepherds Appreciation Dinner By Monchito Mossesgeld, Council Chair

[ Last Saturday some 56 members ofMagis Deo came together at the home ofTony and Aida del Rosario in Alabang. Theyhad kindly offered it as the venue for MagisDeo’s Shepherds Appreciation Dinner. Itwas a cool and breezy evening as thehonorees arrived from as far as Antipolo,Carmona and Quezon City. It was a grandtime to catch up with one another over thefood, drinks and warm fellowshiporganized by Philip and Malou Panlilio,Maricel Suarez, and Suni Rodriguez. Thefollowing WELCOME REMARKS of CouncilChair Monchito Mossesgeld delivered afterdinner capture the spirit of the evening. –by Tony del Rosario ]

This gathering has been a longtime coming. Matagal na dapat tayonagtipon tulad sa gabing ito. Wehave regular shepherds meetingsbut these are largely business innature. We have not come togetheras far I recall to remember, say

work with the Lord in his vineyardall these years. Tonight weremember your care, compassionand love that have helped ourmembers grow.

And remembering your service,we in the community say to you,“thank you very much.” Thank youfor being the frontliners ofcommunity leadership. Withoutyou, the Magis Deo community willnot prosper. You, whether young or

thank you and celebrate. Well,tonight we have come, hopefullynot too late, to do just that—remember, say thank you andcelebrate. Tonight is for and aboutyou. You are tonight’s honorees.

Tonight we remember yourdedicated service to thecommunity. Some of you arerelatively new shepherds but formany, it has been many years, evendecades of service. You, to use anIgnatian perspective, have been at

Eli Prieto and Bambi Narciso settle who willdo the dishes the pinoy way - Jack en Poy!

Our gracious hosts, Tony & Aida delRosario

old, are the foundations of ourcommunity, without whom it willnot be able to live out its missionand vision. Thank you for being acouple for others. We also expressour thanks to God. The words to thePhilippians of St. Paul, whose yearwe celebrated last year, express ourgratitude very well. “I thank my Godevery time I remember you,constantly praying with joy in myevery prayer for all you because ofyour partnership for the gospel...”

Finally, we celebrate inremembrance and in gratitude.Perhaps our community does notcelebrate enough for all thegraces that we have received.

Too....

....many...

...to name!

Tonight we do—and all of youare certainly among the biggestgraces that this community hasreceived. When we in the

Continued on page 10...

Joy Uy-Tioco and Suni Rodriguez- tied forbest make up.


Feelings … Judgments … RealizationsBy Louren Dacanay, Mustard Seed BCGG

Rufo and I attended the ChristianParenting for Peace and Justiceseminar last January 24 and 25… andI felt…

Embarrassed … that we werelate. From past interactions with Fr.Tanseco, I know that he is verypunctual. I was afraid he would getmad at us and that would really beembarrassing. But it was okay. Hesimply called us to sit at the front row,his way of letting us know that henoticed us and our lateness. I was tolearn later that this strategy is called“Confrontation with Caring.”

Regret ... that our children werenot able to join us. The session wasenjoyable, challenging, informative, aneye-opener, and, most of all, inspiring.Nina (27) and Jay (24) would havebenefited from the seminar as youngadults, and specially as future parents.

Challenged … to learn moreabout the three S’s (Stewardship,

community see you and yourgenerosity of heart, we knowthat what our Ignat ianspirituality teaches us is true—God is constantly at work ineach of us, teaching, shaping andmolding us. Tonight, we celebrateGod’s love and goodness shown inand through you.

Before I end, I would like tothank all those who organized thiscelebration—Malu and PhilipPanlilio and those who helped them,

Simplicity andSharing) and howwe could live ourlives based onthem. When wewere bringing upour children, wereally lived in aculture ofm a t e r i a l i s m ,competition, positive expectance, andlived for ourselves. Goals were forthe growth and betterment of thefamily. I did not see beyond theimmediate family. And I thought I wasalready living God’s plan for me – Iwas a good mother, a good wife anda good boss. Now I realize that theresponsibilities go beyond these.

Blessed … the Asian crisisforced me to simplify my life. Forcedinto a life of simplicity, I began torealize how blessed I was and startedsharing beyond my family. The CPPJ

Cont. from page 9...Appreciation dinner

weekend made me realize that evenmore is expected of me.

Overwhelmed but hopeful … asI listened to the sharers who arespending their lives in service to thecountry. I feel so humbled that I havenot done more. As one of theparticipants shared, our individualefforts may be just drops in a bigbucket, but if more people contribute,we can fill the bucket and truly makea difference.

and our hosts, Tony and Aida delRosario. You are among the mostdedica ted shepherds of th iscommunity and are great examplesto all of us. May there be more ofyou and a l l our communi tyshepherds whom we honor tonight.

Let me end with a prayer for allof you, our shepherds, present heretonight and those who have beenunable to join us. It is from the sameepistle to the Philippians. “And thisis my prayer, that your love may

The CPPJ seminar participants from MagisDeo with Fr. Ruben - Louren & RufoDacanay, Fely Redual.

overflow more and more withknowledge and full insight to helpyou to discern what is best, so thatin the day of Christ, you may bepure and b lameless , havingproduced the harves t ofrighteousness that comes throughJesus Christ for the glory and praiseof God.”

Amen.


Who is Jesus Christ to me?By Lala Lopez, former KKK BCGG member

I heard about God’s message inmy early years of college life when Ijoined a prayer group – “I’ll bring youto a peaceful place... it is beautiful.”Then on, I started to see God throughsigns, symbols, people and events inmy life.

I have pictured God in the imageof Jesus of the Sacred Heart. Ilonged more to see and feel God asmy devotion to the Sacred Heart ofJesus grew deeper. Once I prayed:“Lord, how I wish you’re here withme physically where I can see you,feel you and love you.”

I never knew that one day itwould be an answered prayer; Godnamed Him Emmanuel, God is withus. Jesus was God’s gift to us onChristmas day, where He becameman to live with us. And for me, it wason Christmas day, when I met Jesusin the person of Mannix. Was it acoincidence to have his name Manuel?I don’t think so. Jesus became realto me as I journey with him. Little bylittle I began to know Him more, andwe became the best of friends. Ilaughed with him, celebrated with him,cried with him, everything that goodfriends were meant to be. Wecommunicated a lot. Ourconversations became my prayers.Then I realized that the closer youknow Jesus, the closer you feel Hiscross. Being married for almost 16years is a tough call. Building a familyis another hurdle. It’s not easy to bea career woman with 3 growingchildren (we’re now blessed with 4)and with a husband keeping up in thepinnacle of his career. I have to jugglemy time between my work and my

family, only to find out that I wasspending more time with my job thanwith my family. I complained to Hima lot until one time while I was prayingin the Blessed Sacrament, He told meto leave everything and follow Him.I decided to leave a highly influentialjob. Alas, I’ll be a full time mom andwife... which I had never been. Andmy cross became heavier.

Jesus taught me the Lord’sPrayer, God’s will be done. Give usthis day our daily bread.....save us intimes of trial and deliver us from evil.It’s difficult to be a mother, more soto be a wife. I experienced my ownbrokenness. But Jesus allowed me tounderstand the true meaning ofbrokenness. The breaking of thebread in the Eucharist became moremeaningful to me. It is aboutforgetting yourself, learning to forgive,and committing yourself to what youhave promised God; the real essenceof forgiveness, accepting the totalityof the person given to you, even hisand your own imperfections.Nobody’s perfect, nothing is perfect.Why? Because God will never beable to work in us, mold us, if we arealready perfect. As I dwell in mybrokenness, little by little God’s loveis being unfolded. I grew in faith, inobedience to follow His will,wherever He leads me, even incoming to New Zealand. As I wentthrough my desert life here, theuncertainties of where this life wouldlead me to, being humbled whilefinding my own niche in this newplace, I persevere in walking withJesus. Amidst all the hardships andfears, all the unanswered questions,

being skeptical, feeling beingabandoned, Jesus remained with Godas He surrendered Himself, “Intoyour hands, I commend my spirit.” Ilearned to let go and let God. Indeed,God remains true to His promise,Jesus’ resurrection brings new hopeand new life. In my own personal life,as I continue my journey with Jesus,God becomes closer and real. Hecontinued to keep His covenant, “Iwill never forsake you.”

Yes, finally, on a very special day,a very memorable day, God revealedHis great love for me, Mannix and ourfamily. Once more, on this veryspecial day, God kept His promise oflove; He will be with us always in thisnew life in New Zealand as we livehere permanently. Yes, my dearfriends, He granted us our permanentresidency on Valentine’s Day.

He has told me before, “I’ll bringyou to a peaceful place, it is beautiful.”Thanks for the new hope, thanks forthe new life. Praise God and Jesus,now and forever. AMEN.

Editor’s Note: Mannix and LalaLopez were members of KKKBCGG until they migrated to NewZealand early last year.

“When Mannix was invited to talkabout Jesus Christ as part of ChristianLife Program for Couples for Christhere, I was asked to share my ownpersonal experiences. I was soinspired hence would like to share this.I want you to share this with the MagisDeo community. This is doing MOREFOR GOD!” – Lala Lopez)


YOUTH CORNER

Study ties bedrStudy ties bedrStudy ties bedrStudy ties bedrStudy ties bedroom TV to unhealthyoom TV to unhealthyoom TV to unhealthyoom TV to unhealthyoom TV to unhealthyhabits in teenshabits in teenshabits in teenshabits in teenshabits in teens

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Teenagers with a bedroomtelevision tend to have poorer dietand exercise habits and lowergrades in school than those withoutone, U.S. researchers said onMonday.

While many studies haveexamined TV viewing habits ofyoung people, researchers at theUniversity of Minnesota Schoolof Public Health said little hadbeen known about theconsequences in particular forolder adolescents of having abedroom TV.

They questioned 781adolescents, ages 15 to 18, in theMinneapolis area in 2003 and2004. Of them, 62 percentreported having a television intheir bedroom.

Not surprisingly, those with abedroom TV were more apt towatch it a lot, clocking four tofive more hours in front of atelevision per week, theresearchers said. Twice as manyof the teens with a bedroom TVwere classified as heavy TVwatchers — at least five hours aday — compared to those withoutone.

Girls with a bedroomtelevision reported getting lessvigorous exercise — 1.8 hoursper week compared to 2.5 hours

for girls without a TV. They alsoate fewer vegetables, drank moresweetened beverages and atemeals with their family less often,the researchers said.

Boys with a bedroom TVreported having a lower gradepoint average than boys withoutone, as well as eating less fruitand having fewer family meals, theresearchers said.

“It really clearly points outthat there’s some merit to notallowing your child to have a TVin the bedroom,” said DaheiaBarr-Anderson, one of theresearchers.

“When you upgrade your TVin the living room and you havethis smaller TV that’s out of datebut still usable, parents shouldreally resist putting it in one ofyour children’s bedrooms — andresist the pressure from the childto have a TV in their bedroom,”she said in a telephone interview.

SURPRISE ON OBESITYThe American Academy of

Pediatrics urges parents toremove TV sets from children’sbedrooms, the researchers noted.The findings were published inthe academy’s journal Pediatrics.

Boys were more likely to havea television in their bedroom thangirls — 68 percent versus 58percent.

Teens from the highestincome families were far lesslikely than those from all otherincome levels to have a bedroomTV, the survey found.

Among black teens, 82percent reported having abedroom TV, compared to 66percent of Hispanics, 60 percentof whites and 39 percent of AsianAmericans.

The researchers tracked bodymass index — a measure based onheight and weight — and foundthat having a bedroom TV had noinfluence on whether teens wereobese.

Barr-Anderson said thatfinding was a surprise,considering that previous studieslooking at younger children —one on elementary school kidsand one on low-incomepreschoolers — found that havinga bedroom TV was an evenstronger predictor of obesity thanthe time spent watching TV.

Both boys and girls with abedroom TV reported spendingless time reading and doinghomework, although theresearchers said the differenceswere not statistically significant.(By Will Dunham, Editing byMaggie Fox and Eric Beech –internet article, 07 April 2008)


By Clyde Abapo, Jeremiah BCGGSCENES AND SIGNS OF FAITH

Light of GodAbout the end of October, I read

about the Nobe l Pr ize winners inChemistry for the year 2008. There werethree of them. One was a Japanese whodiscovered the luminescence of the cells- DNA of earthworms and jellyfish. Theother two were awarded for the i rresearch in the application of thesef ragments o f l igh t in o ther l iv ingorganisms, to better understand theircharacteristics and behavior. Just asthese microscopic c rea tures a reendowed with the luminescence of light,we too are given light signals as a meansof communication. Most of the time wecannot see the s igna l s , bu t acombination of past and recent eventswill bear out His presence, love and carefor us. Take for instance the followingincidents.

Last November 6, I had a deliveryschedule in Cavite. Normally I use thevan for bigger cargo space and fueleconomy, be ing d iese l - fed . Forunknown reasons, I decided to take theold Toyota car. Delivery went fast andokay. Early the following day, I used

the van to pick up the purchases in LasPiñas . On my way back , the vandeveloped engine trouble that made mestall right in front of an auto repair shop.After inspection, the mechanic told methat the breakdown was a major one, andthat repair work would take two days.As I sat down and made a recollectionof the days past, it dawned on me thatGod mus t have done His par t inpreventing unnecessary expenses andsaved me so much inconvenience.

Praising God (Psalms 150)As I went through last Wednesday’s

reading, I got reminded that my prayerof thanksgiving is not enough. Thereshould be some kind of activity that isp leas ing to God. I fee l tha t i t i scharacteristic of the Father to be praisedand glorified - an acknowledgement ofHis greatness and goodness, as well asputting Him above everything else.There is no more sincere act of praisethan the antics of the child that bringgreat joy to the father. I think each oneof us has his own way of offeringgratitude to God.

When I was a kid of seven years, Iasked my mother why people weredancing and shout ing “Pi t Señor”during the celebration of the Sto. Niñode Cebu. “Ang Sto. Niño mao angba tang Hesukr i s to nga gus to ugmalipayon kaayo nga makaki ta ughudyaka. Sa ingon nga paagi, kita ngamga anak sa Ginoo makapasidungogKaniya . Nga S iya lang angmakagagahum,” my mother replied.(“Sto. Niño is the Child Jesus who likesto watch and en joy th i s k ind ofmerrymaking. In this way, as childrenof God, we are able to praise Him. He isthe Almighty.”) This is one occasionwhere the church and local governmentare one in praising God. There aregroups tha t h ighl ight the i r prayeract ivi ty with praises to God. Thecharismatic movement is one of them.There is no doubt that Gawad Kalinga,whose mission to give dignity to thepoor, brings much glorification to God.Big or small, we can do acts of praisesto God. My way i s to share anexper ience wi th Him through th iscolumn.

Love. Love. Love.By Zarah Gagatiga, Mt. Olivet BCGG

It’s February so let’s talk about love.I don’t know about you, but for me, love

is not easy to define. Perhaps it’s not meantto be. It’s just there. Like what Hugh Grantnarrated at the start of the movie, LoveActually, love is simply all around. And soit goes that when we realize its presence inour lives, we are moved to do greater thingsbeyond our known capacity.

In our all too human eyes, the ordinarybecomes extraordinary. A painful experiencetransforms into something beautiful. Theold is seen as fresh and new, even ageless.With love, time and space do not matter atall. In love, we’re diminished but we surfacemore enriched and fulfilled. When we love

we become fearless. We endure. Wepersevere. We change. We grow. Ah, amiracle indeed!

But, thinking about it, to love and to beloved is a gift. It is God’s gift to you; to me;and to all of creation. In this month of hearts,it would be good to think about God’s loveand our response to His loving ways. I’mpositive that you would remember the manytimes in your life when God made manifestHis eternal love for you, your family, friendsand the community at large. If you couldcount with your fingers the miracles andblessings that God has given you out oflove, yours and His, then you have reasonto be grateful. If you could count with your

fingers, toes and more, then it’s a gracerevealed.

To provoke you further in thought ofGod’s love and His presence, here’s anotheridea. While God revels and reveals Himselfto us in times of joy and consolation, He islikewise most present in our moments ofdeep sorrow and desolation.

2008 had been a tumultuous year forme. God, however, made sure that I recognizeHis face and eternal love. I found Him insome unlikely places and in the simple yetfamiliar routines of family and married life.Best of all, I rediscovered his great love forme in the scriptures.

Mark 2:13-17 resonates so strongly.It’s February so let’s think of God and

His magnanimous love for it is, actually, allaround.


SPIRITUAL TIDBITS AND HUMORBy: Rey Mella, Cana BCGG

Love is a Many-SplendoredLove is a Many-SplendoredLove is a Many-SplendoredLove is a Many-SplendoredLove is a Many-SplendoredThingThingThingThingThing

February is love month. I loved to writelove letters when I was younger. But, talkingor writing about love is something moredifficult for me to do. While many people,especially artists, write beautiful literaturelike poems on love, compose songs on love,I lack the creativity and the depth to writeabout it. Love is something that has so manydimensions.

I do know how to love and how toexpress it. I kiss my kids practically everyday, when I come home, when they arrive,before I leave for the office or before theyleave the house. I hug them at everyopportunity. I give them material thingswhen there’s an occasion. I talk to them. Iinspire them. I guide them. I am silent whenI need to, still to demonstrate my respectand love for them. I play and horseplay withthem. I joke and laugh with them. I scoldthem when needed, as a sign of my love. Idisplease them when I don’t allow them todo things and activities which I thoughtare not safe, or wholesome or productive,again, to tell them implicitly how much Icare for them.

Out of love, we have family activitieswhich the kids do not necessarily want todo. Kids hate waking up early, but someSundays, we get up early, drive to thememorial park, walk for an hour and laterenjoy a picnic breakfast on the grass. Theylove sitting in front of the computer or watchTV or play with the Playstation. They hatelong drives. But, recently, we went to Ilocosand drove for hours, stopped at oldchurches in Paoay, Sta. Maria, Bantay andVigan, at the Malacanang in the North,the Marcos Museum in Batac, at thelighthouse in Burgos, the windmill farm inBanguid, the view in Pagudpud, a resortin Curimao. We took a lot of pictures. Ithought the kids had fun anyway. I love myfamily and I want us to have great memories.

Intel manufactures microprocessorsand memories for personal computers andlaptops, mobile phones, toys, PDA’s andother electronic equipment and gadgets. Atone time in my life in Intel, we had T-shirtsmade for employees which said, “Memories

are made at Intel…” How true. I had greattraining, travel and built my career there,made many friends. I met my “ex-girlfriend”there who later became my wife. It must havebeen part of God’s plan for me to find mytrue love there.

Last week, I brought my team to ateambuilding and planning session inSonya’s Garden in Tagaytay. The sessionwas pretty light with relationship-buildingand simply being together as theunderlying objectives. The restaurant fedus with some great organic natural food –salad from the Garden and pasta withorganically prepared sauce, juice andTaragon tea. Half the team must havecomplained silently about the food butwere just smiling as we broke breadtogether. I offered no apologies for the foodas I want them all to be healthy and to seetheir great grandchildren. I love my team.

***

We were asked to manage the PraxisMinistry this year. The praxis ministry issomething we have not much knowledgeand no experience whatsoever, moreso tobe its overseer as new council members.The council leadership however, decidedthat it would be great if we accepted itanyway. With a lot of hesitation, we did. Weare lucky to have the presence and supportof all the Sector Heads: Anchit-Sally ChuaChiaco of South Sector, Tony-BambiNarciso of Central Sector and finally Mon-Alice Go have generously accepted ourinvitation to head the North Sector. We lovethe community and show it in ouracceptance of any assignment thrown ourway.

We can do no great things; only smallthings with great love. – Mother Teresa

My dad did not become wealthy in hislifetime and did not leave us with any inheritanceor some real estate. But, a few months back, Ifound something in my own bedroom that mydad left behind. It has always been there sincewe came home from Canada in 2003 afterattending their golden wedding anniversary. It’stheir giveaway gift from that beautiful event, 6months before he died. It’s a replica of a house –

with a quote from the bible handwritten on it. It’sfrom Hebrews 24 – “As for me and my house, wewill serve the Lord.” If anything, my dad was agreat role model for love and service to the Lord.He did not just go to church, he also served at theprinting press of the archdiocese which was theonly job he did and knew, printing the weekly (orwas it monthly) newsletter, Veritas, of the CatholicChurch in Jaro, Iloilo. He also sent two of mybrothers to the seminary with the fervent hopethey would become priests. While they never did,I look up to these two brothers for their spiritualityand examples. My father loved his children.

As they say, there are no shortcuts toreal success in life, or, perhaps, there areno shortcuts to anything that is good. Ittakes time to build relationships. Naturalhealth is a long process and a lifetimeinvestment in doing the right thing. Greatfood, not instant noodles and fast food, aregreat because it takes time to prepare andto cook. I would also add, from my personalexperience, there’s also no shortcut tospirituality. I say, God loves us so much; Hewants us to truly experience His love beforewe eventually become real Christians andHis committed followers.

“God speaks to those who take timeto listen and He listens to those who taketime to pray.”

Muldoon lived alone in the Irishcountryside with only a pet dog for company.One day, the dog died, and Muldoon went to theparish priest and asked, “Father, me dog is dead.Could ya’ be sayin’ a mass for the poorcreature?” Father Patrick replied, “I’m afraidnot; we can’t have services for an animal in thechurch. But there are some Baptists down thelane, and there’s no tellin’ what they believe.Maybe they’ll do something for the creature.”

Muldoon said, “I’ll go right away, Father.Do ya’ think $5,000 is enough to donate to themfor the service?” Father Patrick exclaimed,“Sweet Mary, Mother of Jesus! Why didn’t yatell me the dog was Catholic?”

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Mella family in front of the Church of St.Agustine also known as Paoay Church, Dec. 30,2008, family road trip to Ilocos


FOUR STAGES OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN HELPINGTHE POOR: 2nd Stage

By Fr. Albert Nolan, OP

A Christian’s spiritual development is tiedto serving the poor. In this spiritualdevelopment one goes through stages inmuch the same way as one goes through stagesin other aspects of living - for example, prayingor loving. I have identified four stages, eachcharacterized not only by a heightenedspiritual awareness but also by a moreeffective way of actually serving the poor.

The first stage of our commitment to thepoor is characterized by compassion. (Fordetails on the First Stage see the June 2008Magis issue.)

The second stage begins with the gradualdiscovery that poverty is a structuralproblem. Poverty in the world today is notsimply misfortune, bad luck, inevitable, dueto laziness or ignorance or a lack ofdevelopment. Poverty today is the direct resultof the political and economic policies ofgovernments, parties, and big business. Inother words, the poverty we have today is notaccidental. It has been created; it has been,one almost wants to say, manufactured, byparticular policies and systems. This meansthat poverty is a political problem, a matter ofinjustice and oppression.

We have seen that the discovery of thedepth and breadth of poverty in the worldleads to feelings of compassion. So now thediscovery that his poverty is being imposedupon people by unjust structures and policiesleads to feelings of indignation and anger. Wefind ourselves getting angry with the rich, withpoliticians and with governments. We accuseand blame them for their callousness andinhuman policies.

But our Christian upbringing makes usfeel somewhat uncomfortable with anger. Wefeel a little guilty when we get angry withsomeone. Is it not sinful to be angry? Shouldwe not be more loving toward the rich? Shouldwe not be forgiving the politicians their sins -seventy times seven times? For those of uswho want to continue to follow Christ, ouranger and indignation can lead us to a deepspiritual crisis.

The way forward and beyond this crisisis bound up with the discovery of the spiritualimportance of God’s anger. We all know thatthere is a great deal about God’s anger in theBible, and not only in the Old Testament. We

tend to find this aspect of the Bible ratherembarrassing and by no means helpful to ourspiritual lives. But maybe it is just here that wehave something to learn.

There are two kinds of anger andindignation. One is an expression of hatredand selfishness. The other is an expression oflove and compassion. God’s anger, indeed hiswrath, is an expression of his love for the poorand for the rich, for the oppressed and for theoppressor. How can that be?

All of us have experienced this kind ofanger. When my heart goes out in compassiontoward those who suffer, I cannot help feelingangry with those who make them suffer. Thedeeper my compassion for the poor, thestronger my anger for the rich. The twoemotions go together as two sides of the samecoin. In fact, I cannot experience the onewithout the other once I know that the richexploit the poor. And if I have no feelings ofanger, or only very little, then my compassionis simply not serious. My anger is an indicationof the seriousness of this concern for the poor.Unless I can experience something of God’swrath toward oppressors my love and serviceof the poor will not grow and develop.

And yet God’s anger does not mean thathe has no love for the rich as persons. Weknow from experience that we can get angrywith the people we love. In fact our anger canbe an expression of the seriousness of ourlove for them. A mother who discovers herchild playing with matches and about to burndown the house must get angry with the child.Not because she hates the child but preciselybecause she loves the child so much. Her angeris an expression of the seriousness of whatthe child has done and her concern for thechild.

Traditionally, we distinguish betweenlove of the sinner and hatred of the sin. This isa notoriously difficult thing to do, but, themore we understand that the problem is unjuststructures rather than individuals who can beheld personally responsible for poverty, theeasier it is to forgive the individual and hatethe system. Individuals are only marginallyguilty because they are only vaguely aware, ifat all, of what they are doing - like the childplaying with matches.

We are all more or less pawns or victimsof an unjust system. In South Africa, for

example, it is extremely important to recognizethat the wickedness of what is happeningcannot be blamed upon individuals like P.W.Botha. If he were to be converted, the systemand therefore the suffering would continue. Ifwe get angry with P.W. Botha it is because ofthe system he represents rather than becausewe are able to judge just how guilty he himselfmight be.

As we grow to share more of God’s anger,we find our anger directed more at the unjustsystems than at persons, even if this issometimes expressed as anger toward thosewho represent and perpetuate these systems.

That does not mean that our angerbecomes weaker. Our compassion can onlydevelop and mature as we learn to takesuffering and oppression seriously enoughto get really angry about it.

During this second stage, while we aregrappling with the structure and systems thatcreate poverty and while we are learning toshare God’s anger about them; our actionswill be somewhat different from the actionswe engaged in during the first stage. We willwant to change the system. We will want toengage in certain activities that are calculatedto bring about social and political change.Relief work deals with symptoms rather thancauses. Relief work is like curative medicine asopposed to preventive medicine. What is thepoint of trying to relieve suffering while thestructures that perpetuate the suffering are leftuntouched?

Preventive action is political action. Andso we find ourselves participating in socialactions, supporting campaigns againstgovernments and generally getting involvedin politics. This has its own tensions andconstraints. But how else can one serve thepoor? Relief work is necessary, but what aboutpreventive work?

For the complete article on the First Stage, seepage 15 of the June 2008 Magis Newsletter.Third and fourth stages to be continued…Reprinted with permission of PrayingP.O. Box 419335, Kansas City, MO 64141

MagisMagisMagisMagisMagis1616161616

1 Tony Arevalo BeatitudesHelen Chua Sirach

2 Royce Remorca ME Class 89Puring Santos ME Class 89

3 Sheila Tumaliwan Mustard SeedJhune Talla ME Class 86

4 Anna Pili EmmanuelAbe Awit ME Class 89Anne Hanapin ME Class 92

6 Tony Tuviera CIA/Wisdom8 Aileen Melaya ME Class 919 Ferdie Joson Sirach11 Edison Guzman Beatitudes

Gary Canoso MagnificatPearly Braga ME Class 91

13 Norma Cordero PhilippiansCathy Rafael Agnus DeiAnnie Baldo Emmanuel

15 Melit Faderguya ME Class 9216 Danny Mendoza ME Class 8717 Mike Magpayo Sirach18 Domeng Gagatiga Mount Olivet

Jo Bello ME Class 9220 Bing Arkoncel Isaiah 6625 Vicky Mendoza ME Class 8727 Glo Alli Kapatiran Kay

KristoAtoy Apo ME Class 87

28 Jun Ahyong ME Class 83

BIRTHDAY CELEBRANTS FORTHE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2009

ISSUE NO. 37

MAGIS DEO COMMUNITY CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIESFOR THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY – APRIL 2009

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIESFOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2009

February03 Sector & Ministry Heads Meeting-1 Magis Deo Office Magis Deo 426-719106 Community Celebration San Carlos Lay Formation Center (MPH)M.E.M/ Agnus Dei & CIA/WisdomCENTRAL SECTOR11 Council Meeting Magis Deo Office Magis Deo 426-719113-15 ME-2 – P3,000/couple St. Scholastica’s, Tagaytay MEFP 426-420613-15 MEW (ME Class 96) – P3,000/couple La Verna, Tagaytay Ike/Josie Llamas 821-0639

(Fr. Allan Abuan)21 Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) God’s Love Catholic Prayer Community Clyde/Patchot Abapo New Manila 838-8553/0922-8098768MarchMarchMarchMarchMarch03 Shepherds & Ministry Heads Meeting 1 Sanctuario de San Antonio Parish Office Magis Deo 426-719106 or 07 Community Celebration San Carlos Lay Formation Center (MPH) NORTH SECTOR 11

Council Meeting Magis Deo Office Magis Deo 426-719113-15 AIR (Annual Ignatian Retreat) Sacred Heart Novitiate Joy Uy-Tioco 0917-816674514-15 Shepherding Seminar-1 (Free) CEFAM MEFP 426-420628-29 Shepherding Seminar-2 (Free) CEFAM MEFP 426-420631 Sector & Ministry Heads Meeting-2 Magis Deo Office Magis Deo 426-7191

April03 or 04 Community Celebration San Carlos Lay Formation Center (MPH)CENTRAL SECTOR08 Council Meeting Magis Deo Office Magis Deo 426-719109 Lenten Recollection FP Theater, Camp Aguinaldo MEFP 426-4206

7 Bing & Tes Dela Paz ME Class 918 Benz & Vina Dimanalata Genesis10 Danny & Charito Dimayuga Sirach

Frank & Fe+ Reyes PhilippiansBen & Linda Gareza ME Class 84

14 Leony & Mia Parada Psalm 46-SamaritansJun & Vivian Ahyong ME Class 83Percy & Chit Garcia Mount Olivet

15 Ciso & Laura Cayabyab Philippians16 Dindo & Aileen Melaya ME Class 9121 Bong & Bing Arkoncel Isaiah 66

William & Olive Ng ME Class 8623 Leo & Grace Moselina Mustard Seed25 Egay+ & Djarn Pestaño Sirach27 Tony & Mads Tuviera CIA/Wisdom

BCGG Interface Feb-Apr 2009

NORTHSector Head: Mon and Alice GoAgnus Dei — Mustard SeedArchangel Gabriel — Isaiah 66Beatitudes — Magnificat

CENTRALSector Head: Tony and Bambi NarcisoCIA/Wisdom — Sirach

Corinthians — Psalm 46/SamaritansMicah 6:8 — Thessalonians SOUTHSector Head: Anchit and Sally ChuaChiacoKKK — EmmanuelJohn — Genesis/House of DavidPhilippians — Mount OlivetCana — Jeremiah

magis deo newsletter february 2009magisdeo.org/mdnl/2009_feb_highres.pdf · 2011. 1. 29. ·...

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