Spirit Moments | From minutes to moments . . . .

Seeing the Signs and Wonders

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Spirit Moments

Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.’
~ John 4:48

A painter needs a canvas to portray the beauty he sees around him. A poet needs paper to write about the emotions he is feeling in his heart. A musician needs his instrument to express the melody singing inside him. They need the space and time to give expression to the stirrings in their souls.

And the strange this is I can look at the painting and see the beauty the painter has captured. I can read the poem and feel the emotions of the poet. I can listen to the song and soon be singing the melody of the musician. You can now take away the canvass and the beauty is still in my spirit. You can take away the paper and the emotions are still in my heart. You can take away the instrument and the music would still be playing in my soul.

That to me is a glimpse of God, a sign of His Presence. I exist in the here and now. I have been given a share of time and space. My time is ticking out and my space will soon run out. But somewhere and sometime, there will be a sacred space and an endless time where I have been destined to live forever.

Posted in Encounter, Presence, Spirituality | Tagged Beginnings, Eternity | Comments Off

Prodigal

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Spirit Moments

While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
~ Luke 15:20

prodigal |ˈprädigəl|
adjective
1 spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant: prodigal habits die hard.
2 having or giving something on a lavish scale: the dessert was crunchy with brown sugar and prodigal with whipped cream.

This popular Gospel story is often read as a story about the son – how he squandered his inheritance in dissolute living. But a closer reading it is as much the story of a prodigal father who was wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift, profligate in showing his love for his son. It is the story of God’s love for us.

I see God’s prodigal love often in nature. See the flowers of the fields. They do not spin nor work. And yet, when spring comes, they bloom in wild profusion. Imagine the life and beauty there is in a pride of lions, a colony of rabbits, a pack of wolves, a herd of giraffes, an exaltation of larks, a bevy of deers, a streak of tigers or a shiver of sharks. Just look up into the heavens. Imagine the billions of stars out there. Did God really have to create so many stars and meteors and planets and galaxies and black holes? Even now, star factories across the universe are churning our new stars by the billions everyday. Imagine all this prodigious and prodigal outpouring of creative love.

The ways of men are like those of the prodigal son. We squandered our share of the inheritance in a life of dissipation. Only to realize we are not in control. A famine breaks out. Disaster strikes. Disease catches up with us. We fall on hard times. We are glad just to be alive and we long for our father’s home.

The ways of God are like the nature we see around us: abundant, life-giving, prolific, boundless, limitless, and yes, prodigal. Our God is the God of second chances. He does not tire of waiting for us to come back home. And when we do muster the courage to come home, there are no words of recrimination nor of judgement, only a loving kiss and a tight embrace.

I only need to come to my senses, get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.”

Posted in Encounter, Photography, Relationships | Tagged Grace | Comments Off

A Humble Prayer

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Spirit Moments

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
~ Luke 18:13-14

Yesterday, I joined my brothers in their regular monthly visit to the the retired priests of Pampanga at their retirement house, the Domus Pastorum.

In my advanced age, I still sometimes find myself longing for the glory day of my youth: when I was an accomplished and respected executive, not like other people – thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector; when I would impress people with my devotion and dedication, working long hours, putting in great effort, being seen in social functions and events; when I would lead companies to earn millions and be generous in contribution to worthy causes.

That was all absent when we gathered yesterday. Instead, I felt the genuine care and affection of my brothers for the retired priests, many of whom were our formators, who molded us in our youth into the persons we are today. There was a continuous outpouring of gratitude for all they have done for us. There was humble acknowledgement that we could never thank them enough for what they have done for us.

There was Fr. Greg who shared with us his reflections during the homily. His insights grow deeper and hit closer to home even as he advances in age.

There was Fr. Rex who has been incapacitated by stroke. His child-like simplicity and humor still shines through even as he finds it difficult but still manages to communicate and interact with us.

There was Fr. Tix who was our music teacher imbuing in us a true appreciation of sacred music. He was most expressive of their appreciation of the monthly visits by his former students.

Then, there was Apu Ceto, our retired Archbishop. We all look like prodigal sons of the ever caring father. But the truth is, he has been the one prodigal in his limitless and unbounded love and forgiveness for us, his often wayward sons.

Filled with the feelings of the day – joy, gratitude, humility, generosity, love and care – and coupled with a lot of laughter, reminiscing and remembrances; I can only join the publican in humble prayer, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

Posted in Discipleship, Friendship | Tagged Grace, Gratitude, Prayer | Comments Off

Challenge and Change

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Spirit Moments

Poem 8

Eighth of 33 Poems by Fr. Carlos H. Abesamis.

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:28-31

Posted in Change, Photography, Spirituality | Tagged Poetry | Comments Off

A Gathering Of Insights

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Spirit Moments

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
~ Luke 11:14-23

I often wonder who did and how the algorithm for the posts on my timeline on Facebook was designed. One can almost tell the personality of someone by just looking at and scanning through the ‘stream of consciousness’ that his/her timeline is. A person interested in style and fashion will often get the latest in what is the latest chic. A sports-minded person will get a continuous feed on sporting events and data. I get a lot of postings about religion and spirituality, nature and the outdoors, the arts and philosophy. I also get to meet people I like and love and to read about their daily activities.

So it is in life. What I do very often, I become and I am. If I persist in my writing, I find my writing skills becoming better and my thoughts clearer and more nuanced. If I keep on giving, even when it hurts or there seems nothing more to give, I become and am a more generous person. When I indulge my senses, I become more sensual and even too pleasure-seeking. When I give it to anger and hating, I start becoming more short-tempered and even violent.

What I am, it is what I do. I have come to love nature and her treasures. And wherever I am, I seek her out. One of the gladsome discoveries of our trip to the Philippines this time is finding the La Mesa Nature Reserve, a green haven for nature-lovers just at the immediate outskirts of a dirty and grimy city. There is enough sadness and sorrow in the world for me to still add to it. Instead, I do little things to relieve or take away even just a little of that pain. Anabelle and I have been visiting old and sickly friends and relatives, spending time with those to whom life may have been unfair, calling on children with chronic and terminal illnesses, seeing long-lost friends and relatives.

In the process, we have seen beauty even in the midst of pain and suffering. We have learned the true meaning of life even in the tiny fingers of a new-born. We have seen goodness even in the most squalid of surroundings. We gather in all that beauty and truth and goodness and scatter it anew in the fertile ground of living, loving and laughing hearts of people who are dear to us.