My Thirsts

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Spirit Moments

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I have been thirsting all my life and I do not want my thirst to go away.

I thirst for beauty and would want to see it in everything around me:
the first blooms of spring, the singing of the birds, the setting and rising of the sun,
the rhythmic waves and the pounding surf, the sweet smell of the flowers,
hands clasped together in reassurances, a loving embraces,
a tear of joy and appreciation, a peal of laughter in the happy moment,
in the human form, in the happy turn of events, in the unfolding of the universe.

In my younger days, I have always thirsted for knowledge and information.
I was always curious and wanted to know the what, the how and the why of things.
I read a lot. I asked a lot of questions and I tried many different things.
Even today, I am still curious, still read a lot, still asking many questions
Still trying many different things, trying to find the wisdom to understand
the meaning and the underlying truth of everything happening and coming into my life.

I always had an insatiable thirst for human companionship.
I love the company of other people.
I loved it when Ima would take me along to visit her friends and our family.
I must have gotten this mirthful joy in the company of others from her.
I thirst for deep friendships and I want to keep all my friends forever.
In loud and boisterous laughter, or in simple and reassuring presence,
I hold on to the friendships and loves in my life.

There are many times I also thirst for silence and solitude.
From someone who loves to flit like a butterfly among my loved ones and friends,
I can easily withdraw into a cocoon of solitude and silence
To relish the joys of my life, to feel the pains that make me grow,
To learn the lessons that transform me, to be alone with my God.
In the silence, I get to know myself better, to count and appreciate my blessings,
and to drink from the well whose water does not quench my thirst
but rather make me thirst for those things that complete my life
and bring me to its fullness.

My prayer has always been that I will not thirst for wealth, power or fame
In their various forms and manifestations.
I will not thirst for self-gratifications or selfish indulgence.
I will not thirst for my good and well-being alone.
I will not thirst for my selfish pleasures or self-seeking accomplishments.
Instead, I will thirst only for those things that come from
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Jesus answered and said to her,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water.”
John 4:13-15

Posted in Family, Friendship, Nature, Photography, Presence, Relationships | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Murphy’s Law and the Prodigal Son

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Spirit Moments

I have always found Murphy’s Law fascinating if not fanciful. And it has been expressed in many slightly different ways: “If anything can go wrong, it will.” or “ Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” or “If there are two or more ways to do something, and one of those ways can result in a catastrophe, then someone will do it.” It is a fanciful and funny way of expressing in popular language the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the Law of Entropy, the reality that everything eventually breaks down.

Murphy’s Law and the Law of Entropy keep coming back to my mind as I am reading the story of the prodigal son. Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong in this story. Here is a father with two wonderful son, settling down into a comfortable life style to enjoy the fruits of his labors in his old age. Then, the younger son tells the father to give him his share of the inheritance for he wanted to venture out on his own. The father accedes and the son gets up and goes. He enjoys the time of his life, living it up. Then, he wakes up one day to realize he has squandered all this fortune. Then, a famine strikes. Then, he cannot find a job. Then, he lives a life like the pigs he was tending. Things are all going wrong around him. He decides to get up and go back to his father and ask for forgiveness. The father welcomes him back with great joy and orders a feast to celebrate the return of his son. His dreams for his old age might yet come true. But, no! Then, the other son gets mad over the feast the father has thrown to celebrate the return of his prodigal younger son. Then, the other son sulks and wouldn’t even enter the house until his prodigal brother is thrown out. The father then asks the other son to share in his joy instead of sulking.

Murphy’s Law and the Law of Entropy describe the natural run of things. In the story of the prodigal son, everything that can go wrong went wrong. And that is real life. I have seen it happen in mine too. But in the life of the Spirit, grace trumps the laws of nature – everytime. Greed is the natural way things are run. But the grace of the Father’s boundless generosity will trump that greed anytime. He respects each person’s freedom to choose his path in life.

Sorrow and pain, difficulties and challenges will necessarily come into the lives of men just as naturally as rains must fall. But grace trumps all sorrow and pain, all difficulties and challenges. The Father’s unconditional love will always provide a shelter and a refuge for all in pain and sorrow, for those beset by difficulties and challenges.

Revenge and retribution is the natural tendency against those who have hurt us. But grace trumps this naturally tendency. The grace of the Father’s limitless compassion and capacity to forgive will transform the ill feelings seeking revenge and retribution into loving acceptance and welcoming forgiveness.

I have often been like the prodigal son, seeking only what is best for me and ending up squandering my opportunities. I have also been like the other son, looking enviously at the blessings of others and complaining “Where is my share of the inheritance?” But thanks to the grace of the Father, I have also experienced His boundless generosity, His unconditional love and His limitless compassion.

The Lord is kind and merciful and abounding in love.

“Then the father said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’“
Luke 15:31-32

Posted in Encounter, Life, Nature | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The First Day Of Spring

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Spirit Moments

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It is a beautiful morning, the first day of Spring.
As I relish this moment, I am grateful for a number of things.
The beauty that surrounds me is springing forth everywhere.
Even the air is fresher and it’s got a wonderful smell.
My heart is thrilled by the wonder and the beauty of it all.
For what is unfolding right now has gotten me enthralled.
The same hand that fashioned this awesomeness I see
Has etched the same ineffable beauty deep within me.

The truth is that I am here and that is no delusion.
I may doubt many things but my life is no illusion.
“I think, therefore I am.” the famous Descartes once said.
As long as I see this truth, I know I am not dead.
Yet, I often wonder why is it that I am here.
I never asked to be born into this earthly sphere.
Who is it that brought me forth to enjoy the pleasures of life,
And who has taught me lessons through challenges and strife?

My life has been a gift, a present too wonderful to refuse.
I know I have been given talents and time for me to use.
I have been blessed with beauty and enlightened by the truth.
I have been aware of these even early in my youth.
It is this consciousness that truly makes me aware
That there is a Spirit here that guides me everywhere
The goodness and beauty I see and enjoy around me
Are but a faint glimpse of this Infinite Reality.

Today, I will remember the marvels the Lord has done.

Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?‘

Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.
Matthew 21:33-43 & 45-46

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It is wonderful world and life is beautiful. But there is also a lot to make one sad. Like, billions of people live on but a dollar a day while a few have billions and still want more. There is more than enough food for everyone yet there are millions dying from hunger and malnutrition. After all these years, man should already have learned the horrors of war and yet wars are continuously being waged against the weak. And in many places people are still being enslaved and trafficked, being sold and bought like they were just personal properties. And everywhere, people are discriminated against just because they are different.

It is a wonderful world and life is beautiful. If people would just open their eyes, they will see the utter beauty there is in nature: the flowers and the trees, the lakes and the seas, the skies and the wind. But we often end up thrashing and destroying nature. If people would just open their ears, they will be able to listen to the songs of the birds and the wind, the laughter and glee of children, the wisdom and love of those around them.

I will open my eyes and my heart so that I will see those whose only sustenance are the crumbs that fall from the rich man’s table. I will open my ears and my hands to reach out to those who have no one to care for them but dogs who would lick their sores. I will not wait for someone to come back from the dead to tell me what the Lord wants for me to do in my life.

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.’“
Luke 16:19-31

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Spirit Moments | Comments Off on Being Open to Goodness and Beauty

God’s Mysterious Ways

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Spirit Moments

The fall of Constantinople in 1453 signaled the end of an era. The last vestiges of the powerful Holy Roman Empire finally succumbed to the onslaughts of the Ottoman Empire. In its heyday, the Holy Roman Empire which existed for more than 1,500 years rules over most of Europe. And mighty was its fall. And yet, its fall also augured the dawn of a new and glorious beginning. With the fall of the great city, the philosophers, mathematicians, artists, intellectuals and the cream of Byzantine society fled the city. Most of them moved to Italy and there started the unfolding of the Renaissance.

A man finds out his betrothed to be with child and the child is not even his. Any self-respecting man would have wanted to call off the wedding and put aside the betrothal. A truly upright man would do all of this quietly. And yet, Joseph heeding the words of the angel who visited him in his sleep took her anyway as his wife and the greatest story ever was allowed to unfold.

Many times, things have not worked out the way I would have wanted them to. But trusting in the presence of God in my life, everything has worked out in ways I could not have imagined possible. My life has been a great present due to His abiding Presence. I prayed for a beautiful and a loving partner in life. He gave me an angel for a wife. I wished for two wonderful sons. He gave me three off-springs who have kept wondering all these years how I have come to deserve such blessings. I prayed for sufficiency of material possessions and resources. He filled my cup with blessings, up to the brim, shaken and overflowing.

God writes straight with crooked lines. He is able to draw water from a rock. From dust, He fashioned man. But not before He has prepared a fitting dwelling place for him.

“Your promises, Oh LORD, I will sing forever. Through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.”

When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke,he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24

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Miron

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Spirit Moments

Miron is the Filipino equivalent of ‘kibitzer’. It probably has its roots in mirar, Spanish for ‘to look, to see, to watch’. No player in any game ever wins against a miron, who always will know better and always has something to say. A miron is an expert in strategy, in defense, in executing plays and in knowledge of the opponent. There have been many instances when players – even among pros – have been piqued, as in pikon, by the heckling by mirons. But when asked to actually play, mirons fail miserably.

Life is not meant to be lived from the stands. In real life, everyone is a player. One has to come down from the stands and get into the game. Mirons are usually the worst players. They love to tell others what to do but could not or would not do what they they tell others. Life is about getting my feet wet, my hands dirtied, my brow being covered with sweat and grime. Life is about getting hurt and feeling the pain, before basking in success and victory.

Life is exciting but it is not easy. Sometimes, it is going with the flow; at other times, it is swimming against the currents. There are times for effort and exertion. There are times for rest and recreation. There are times I need to follow. There are times I am asked to lead. And when I lead, I pray that I lead like the Person I have been seeking to follow.

“Lord, lead me along the right path and show me your salvation.”

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.”
Matthew 23:1-12

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My God Is An Awesome God

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Spirit Moments

We live today in a throw-away and disposable society, born out of an environment steeped in consumerism and crass materialism. When something is damaged, it is no longer repaired but rather thrown away and replaced. Most things have an expiry date and when they are expired, they are easily disposed of. Many things are made with planned obsolescence. Cars and appliances come in model-years. Computers and apps come in versions.  So that when they become obsolete, they are discarded and changed. And somehow, this mentality and attitude flow over into our human relationships. When a relationship becomes damaged or frayed, it is not mended nor repaired but rather discarded. And we see a lot of divorces among couples, break-ups between friends, splinters among communities, secessions among nations. The ultimate manifestation of this is the tendency to also dispose of people who are either defective or have reached their expiry dates. Euthanasia should be unthinkable and yet it is now legal and justifiable in some places and societies.

God does not make junk. Everything and everyone that comes from Him is good. In the prodigious abundance in nature, even the smallest grain of sand is good and has a purpose. In God’s marvelous plan, everyone of us has a calling that no other else can do. And the universe’s unfolding would grind to a halt unless everyone heeds to that call. But looking around, there is a lot of imperfection and things in need of repair. Indeed, but God had shown us that in the unfolding of the universe, pain and suffering – while not to be desired nor prayed for – are essential steps for us to move up to the next level. Even man’s greatest fear – death – is not an end but a portal to the beginning of a new and everlasting life.

God is patient as the unfolding of His universe happens. He is full of mercy and compassion for our failing and shortcomings. He dispels the darkness and brings in His light. He overcomes chaos and coax life out of it. He has all of us in the palm of His hands. He heals all wounds and bruises. He changes us without discarding or disposing of us.  He transforms our weaknesses and failures into gladsome things. With Him, nothing and no one is ever wasted but he makes everything new and beautiful. My God is an awesome God.

Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”
Luke 6:36-38

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Transfigured!

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Spirit Moments

ImageA little girl on a mountain peak shouts out with joy:
“Thank you God for the beauty and wonder of your creation!”
Another day has just broken and she proclaims:
“Thank you God for another wonderful day!”
Spring is about to burst forth and she enthuses:
“Welcome Spring and let us sing praise to God!”

Man is the peak and acme of creation.
He alone can see the beauty and wonder of it all.
The bright shining sun. The tender glow of the moon. The marvelously twinkling stars.
The refreshing green of trees. The calming blue of the oceans. The vibrant colors covering the land.

But often man thrashes this paradise given to him and drives himself out of his own Eden.
He poisons the air and the soil and the waters and other livings things simply die away.
He builds indiscriminately anywhere and the flowers die and man has no more time and no more roses to smell.

Why can’t we see that it took billions of years for the sun, the moon and the stars
to be in their proper places so that the earth can be put in place?
Why don’t we realize it took a few more million years for the earth to be green,
the sea to be blue and the land to explode in glorious colors
before man can come to the scene?
Why can’t we appreciate that all of this need to come to pass for man
to see the glory of a loving creator, to sing His praise,
and to live his life in gratitude to love given unconditionally?

“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.” -John Dewey
The little girl on the mountain, the new daybreak, spring returning.
I reflect and I realize, God is speaking to me.
The shining white light of the sun, the moon and the stars.
I reflect and I realize, God is calling me.
The green earth, the blue skies, the radiant colors of the land.
I reflect and I realize, God is transforming me.
I go up my mountain, I reflect and all around becomes transfigured.
I realize the world and my whole life are ablaze with the grandeur of God!

Of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.

Behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
Matthew 17:1-9

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Tough Love

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Spirit Moments

It takes a lot of courage and a strong character to love and to forgive.
It is so much easier to give in to anger, hatred, revenge and violence.
When I get hurt, it is easier to throw a fist rather than extend a handshake in forgiveness.
It takes greater strength of character to turn the other cheek during such moments.
True love is also tough love.
Love that is always soft and easy is a delusion.

It is easy to love those who love us and to do good by them.
I love to be in the company of those who have been generous to me.
It takes great will power and determination on my part
to do good things for those who cannot reciprocate or pay me back in kind,
to do great things for others and do it anonymously without seeking credit,
to spend time with and care for people who are smelly or dirty or unsightly or ungainly,
to give to those in need even as I am worried about my own needs.
Love that seeks only the happily-ever-after is a fairy tale.
Love that is only about lumps in the throat and butterflies in the stomach
is nothing but childish puppy love.
True love is about giving and forgiving, accepting and not trying to change the other.
And the miracle of love is to be transformed by those things I cannot change in the other.

Giving out of my abundance and excesses is not true generosity.
The true test of generosity is when it hurts.
Giving to others, expecting something in return is not true generosity.
It is a trade, a business transaction.
Giving that does not hurt is merely getting rid of my excess baggage.
True generosity is giving what I would want to keep for myself

Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord! Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes!

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:43-48

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Mercy And Forgiveness

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Spirit Moments

It has been a year since Pope Francis became pope. And what a year it has been. He has inspired us with his words and wisdom. He has touched the world and changed many through his actions. One of his enduring messages has been his call for forgiveness for those who have hurt us and for mercy and compassion for the poor and the afflicted. he has challenged us to come down from the heights of our pride and self-righteousness to forgive and from the heights of our greed and selfishness to be compassionate and serve the poor.

Pope Francis is being the faithful witness to the message of Christ. Most people are not big-time sinners or criminals. Jesus tells his disciples that their righteousness should be more than just not killing people. Being angry at others or causing them harm is also like killing them, slowly perhaps but it is still like destroying the life in them. In the same way, Jesus warned His disciples that one commits adultery just by casting a lustful eye on a woman.

Yet, with this very demanding call for righteousness, Christ also calls for compassion and forgiveness. If we come to Him for forgiveness and mercy, He will grant these. But He challenges us to be likewise be forgiving and merciful. It is not easy. I still harbor ill feelings against some people who I feel had hurt me in the past. I now lay these feelings and leave them and forgive all those who have hurt me. I will not bear them any grudge anymore and will accept them again as my brother and sisters.

I have hurt others as well, both knowingly and unwittingly. I find it hard to come forward and say sorry. I find it hard go out of my way to seek them out and ask for forgiveness. I pray for the courage and humility to be able to do so when I meet them again.

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,  unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, . . .

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother
has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,and then come and offer your gift.”
Matthew 5:20-26

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