Paraclete december 2014

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The little paper that feeds on prayer P ARACLETE Vol. 7, No. 4 Issue Parish of the Holy Spirit, BF Homes, Quezon City December 2014 Kristong Hari II: Q & A with Bishop Tobias WHILE I WAS mulling on the cover story for the September Issue of the Paraclete, which Kuya Noel “insisted” to be about the Kristong Hari Diocesan Shrine for the Youth, I was also looking at the calendar, the days of which were slowly severing themselves off September. It was already the middle of it. And my follow-up with Kuya Jhuly was nowhere in the neighborhood of promising. Until Ate Tess, Fr. Lando Jaluag’s Secretary, called with the information that there are two RCBN circulars that I could consult as regards my article. I lost no time in delving into the church files and as quickly wrote what would only be the first part of the story. On September 30, a Tuesday, the mailman delivered, along with Fr. Bobot’s mail, one from the chancery, addressed to me. It was Bishop Tobias’ response to my 5 questions on the subject, dated September 16 and post-marked September 24. I could not possibly not share his Most Reverend’s insights on the matter, for reasons self-explanatory as well as significant. Here’s the sequel to that cover. Q: When did you envision this dream? A: is is not a dream one gets in sleep or one that is up there in the sky. e dream is actually the vision I have in life. I don’t want to build a Church that will remind people of me but a Church that everyone will have his/her share in building because Christ is the King of everyone. at is the way we build the Church of Jesus Christ, His Mystical Body, only for his glory! When that church is built because everyone has put something of himself in it, Christ reigns in the hearts of all in this Diocese. is will be the last Church I spearhead to put up on my retiring years like the one and Continued on page 2 By Dr. Ivan Concepcion e Rush to the stores has begun. at seems to be the most memorable image of the season, every time. But shouldn’t we be rushing to the nativity scene instead, offering ourselves to the Child who is destined to save our lives? Advent Reflection Continued on page 3 AFTER ESTABLISHING CHRIST as a shepherding King at the end of the liturgical year, the end of the world scenario continues to highlight the readings into the Advent season as we are urged to intensify our preparations and remain vigilant to meet our glorious King at the end of time. Are these eschatological scenes contradictory to the serene and hopeful images of Christmas? Are we welcoming the end of the world or are we welcoming the birth of the Child Jesus, our Savior? Why is the warning being issued to be awake and be ready for the end of time when we are into the season of hope and salvation? We are reminded repeatedly that in this world we are servants-in-waiting, entrusted with specific talents and responsibilities not for our own benefit but in consonance with the most important commandment that Christ himself Maligayang Pasko at Mapayapang Bagong Taon The

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Transcript of Paraclete december 2014

The little paper that feeds on prayer

PARACLETEVol. 7, No. 4 Issue Parish of the Holy Spirit, BF Homes, Quezon City December 2014

Kristong Hari II: Q & A with

Bishop TobiasWHILE I WAS mulling on the cover story for the September Issue of the Paraclete, which Kuya Noel “insisted” to be about the Kristong Hari Diocesan Shrine for the Youth, I was also looking at the calendar, the days of which were slowly severing themselves off September. It was already the middle of it. And my follow-up with Kuya Jhuly was nowhere in the neighborhood of promising. Until Ate Tess, Fr. Lando Jaluag’s Secretary, called with the information that there are two RCBN circulars that I could consult as regards my article. I lost no time in delving into the church files and as quickly wrote what would only be the first part of the story. On September 30, a Tuesday, the mailman delivered, along with Fr. Bobot’s mail, one from the chancery, addressed to me. It was Bishop Tobias’ response to my 5 questions on the subject, dated September 16 and post-marked September 24. I could not possibly not share his Most Reverend’s insights on the matter, for reasons self-explanatory as well as significant. Here’s the sequel to that cover.

Q: When did you envision this dream?

A: This is not a dream one gets in sleep or one that is up there in the sky. The dream is actually the vision I have in life. I don’t want to build a Church that will remind people of me but a Church that everyone will have his/her share in building because Christ is the King of everyone. That is the way we build the Church of Jesus Christ, His Mystical Body, only for his glory! When that church is built because everyone has put something of himself in it, Christ reigns in the hearts of all in this Diocese. This will be the last Church I spearhead to put up on my retiring years like the one and

Continued on page 2

By Dr. Ivan Concepcion

The Rush to the stores has begun. That seems to be the most memorable image of the season, every time. But shouldn’t we be rushing to the nativity scene instead, offering ourselves to the Child who is destined to save our lives?

Advent Reflection

Continued on page 3

AFTER ESTABLISHING CHRIST as a shepherding King at the end of the liturgical year, the end of the world scenario continues to highlight the readings into the Advent season as we are urged to intensify our preparations and remain vigilant to meet our glorious King at the end of time. Are these eschatological scenes contradictory to the serene and hopeful images of Christmas? Are we welcoming the end of the world or are we welcoming the birth of the Child Jesus, our Savior? Why is the warning being issued to be awake and be ready for the end of time when we are into the season of hope and salvation? We are reminded repeatedly that in this world we are servants-in-waiting, entrusted with specific talents and responsibilities not for our own benefit but in consonance with the most important commandment that Christ himself

Maligayang Pasko at Mapayapang Bagong TaonThe

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only Church in Greenmeadows I spearheaded as a young Parish Priest in 1982. Both were for Christ the King.

Q: It is greatly appreciated that you had the youth as the beneficiary of this gift. Why them?

A: Why the youth? I want the Youth early in their life to be linked to the King already. Shrines in Novaliches, if you notice, have a nuanced beneficiary. Good Shepherd for those who shepherd people one way or the other. St. Peter which used to be the center of activism especially for the leaders not only in politics but those who somehow lead in society as well as in life. St. Vincent de Paul is a sanctuary for the poor and the marginalized. Kristong Hari caters to the youth who early in life learn to use their talents and put them to good use for their King.

Q: It is evident this will entail great cost. How much do you foresee would it take to build this project? And how long?

A: The building is estimated to cost P350-M if built now in 2014, but it will cost more when you consider depreciation/appreciation of our economy. How long will it take to realize it? In my dream, within the next three years if everyone cooperates in building it up including all our 67 parishes and every one of means from these parishes all over our Diocese plus our 21-M Filipinos abroad in diaspora. So roughly from 3 to 10 years is the timeline most churches are built.

Q: Aside from the love (envelope) offerings, how else do you go about raising the funds for this project?

A: Fr. Lando, the Parish Priest in the Project Site, has a whole array of fund-raising events – big and small – from concerts of known local artists to simple ukay-ukay garage sale. On my part, I will try to convince every Parish Priest what I, as Bishop, will do in the Diocese to give up/surrender for the Project what savings there are from the last ten years and every year for the next 3 years which will be my last years in this Diocese before I retire. It is not only the parishes I will tap but also those of means in the villages, especially in our high-end gated villages; I will ask each of them what they can spare for Christ the King on their birthdays and their important anniversaries like weddings, yes, even in wakes of our beloved dead to campaign to omit flowers but instead to donate for the construction of Kristong Hari. (This was spearheaded by the bereaved of the late Kuya Regulo Fernandez.) On my part, as I near the end of my tour of duty and retire, I will start to give back to my King everything I have accumulated as unnecessary for my final journey to my God – to divest myself of everything and “sell on auction” whatever there is I can call my own to build that Church for our King.

Q: The perspective is impressive. Who is the architect (and contractor) commissioned for the endeavor?

A: The Architects are a married couple, Mrs. Yolanda Reyes and her husband, Molly. Yolly used to be the Dean of the UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts. The contractors to be commissioned I leave to the Construction Committee to be still set up where we hope to invite known engineers and contractors and even big material manufacturers or hardware owners sympathetic to this cause but will give their best and only their best for Christ the King.

His Most Reverend’s parting shot was a hope that he has satisfied my curious queries. Then he blessed and thanked me. TP

Q & A with Bishop Tobias

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Continued from page 1

Advent Reflectionestablished which is: to love our neighbors as we love God. It therefore puts a premium on loving the least of our neighbors who are cloaked by God’s favor and love. He shepherds us back into the fold from the dark or from being lost, and into gates of the kingdom where He has reserved a place for us. The greater returns are expected from those whom He left behind with more talents or abilities, as He expects them to deliver more acts of goodness, kindness and love to everyone around them. And we are accountable not only some of the time or when we feel we are ready, but all the time! That is the very reason why He warns us to be alert and watchful always - to get rid of complacency and idleness in our acts of kindness, our expressions of love and in our prayer life.  Sometimes we lazily act on our responsibilities because we are certain that God will act kindly and forgive our failures if we just show repentance and sorrow. We bury our talents in the ground by idly acting on our acts of mercy and love and choose only those we prefer to give it to or only if it is

easy and comfortable. We go by the belief that “we can do better tomorrow, but for now, this is what I am willing to do.” We see Christmas as merely a recurring event with all its materialistic trappings, and so we lose the meaning and the theme for which it is being celebrated. In the movie “Edge of Tomorrow”, we saw the character of Tom Cruise engaged in a “time loop”: he dies repeatedly going through the same scene but he learns and improves his skills and knowledge every time he goes through the event, so ultimately, he survived! Are we given the same chance in our own lives:  to die each time we fall in sin but live again every time we ask to be forgiven? Or do we resolve to change or improve our ways so that in the end we are able to save our life? Truth is, we may not be given the chance to do it over and over again and the one time we are asked to perform may be our last- and God may account us for that single task. 

Advent may well be our “time loop” – our preparation and our practice to once again enliven the meaning of Christmas in our lives and that is, rushing to meet Jesus in the nativity scene and expressing our gratefulness for His goodness and love for us. TP

By Dr. Ivan Concepcion

JUST A FEW weeks ago, I was witness to a most tearful and emotional farewell of a family to a baby who, sadly, just “chanced on life” for only a day. It was truly heart-breaking to see the sadness and pain emanating from the brave efforts of everyone to comfort their loss. But while it is easy to understand how grief and sadness can follow the death of a life lived “fully” or “lengthily”, whether the end came abruptly or expectedly, it is interesting to figure out where and how the sadness can be felt for a life that virtually just came and left – like a blink of an eye. Such a scene may well give credence to the pro-lifers’ empathic contention that life is already instilled in the womb of the mother at the moment of conception; and at that in-stant, the feeling of belonging and emotional attachment becomes very real without a doubt. And for the next nine months, the memories, emotions and promise come into fruition with every experience, attention and care the mother bestows on the child growing in her womb. For most, the anticipation is just in the culmination of the joyous birth of the child – it seems like we put em-phasis to the end event rather than putting importance on the process that the mother goes through in caring and nurturing the life in her womb. It is truly a personal

Saying Hello and Goodbye to a Childjourney and a profound awakening towards the fulfill-ment of a responsibility, a role and a time-honored task. That mothering defines a woman, may be taken to task by some as enslaving and demeaning, but it may be wise for us to remember that the greatest model of womanhood, Mary, acceded to the power of God in her and willingly surrendered to the task without question: “Be it done to me, according to Thy word.” Everything that transpires and the choices made from then on become a journey, a commitment, and a sacrifice. Be it in giving up a lifestyle of total freedom and abandon to one of restraint and dis-cipline; be it in the food you eat, the drinks you ingest, are made towards the benefit of the child that feeds on those choices. And be it in the emotions you express, the attitude and behavior you maintain are reflected in the child’s actions and disposition. The mother somehow nurtures, molds and shapes the child that grows to full-ness. It is the oneness that is created, the bond that links them which identifies the child. If we were to take all these considerations in the event I just witnessed, then it is understandable that the death of an infant at birth can truly trigger the deepest emotions of loss and sad-ness. There is no easy answer to why a life is claimed too early. But it may comfort us to know that a “life” is

Continued on page 8

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A(l)-lel-(u)-i-(ah!)Aleli Francis S. Rivera

Bukas Palad Sings for Bohol Churches

Ev-Angeli-umAngeli Francis S. Rivera

A YEAR AGO, Bohol, Fr. Bobot’s home province, was shaken by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. Scores of casualties reached an inestimable count. Lives, flora and fauna, ventures and dreams crumbled along with the vivid elegance of the two regions’ historical edifices. Immediately, generous parishioners of the Holy Spirit Parish raised funds which Fr. Bobot took to Bohol for much-needed relief work. Then, just before the anniversary of the earthquake, through the initiative of Fr. Bobot and the PPC, a fund-raising concert by the Bukas Palad Music Ministry was organized, the proceeds of which would help in the reconstruction of Bohol’s devastated churches. Parishioner Roy Tolentino, a Bukas Palad member, was among the organizers.

Faithful, generous donors from BF found similarly sympathetic patrons from the outside who are either friends of the PPC or fans of the singing group enthusiastic enough to watch them

up close. On September 27, 2014, these people of good will enjoyed an almost three-hour show. The ministry’s recital was divided into two parts, with Mr. Noel Cabangon, a Holy Spirit Parishioner from the New Intramuros’ Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel,

strategically squeezed in while Bukas Palad exited for costume change. Our very own Junior Legionaries, Norman Inofre and Angeli Rivera hosted the night’s event and made proud their praesidium, the Tower of Ivory. The Bukas Palad songs were inspired and carefully thought of, mirroring indefinitely the qualities of our perfect God. Not only will the songs make us look back to the goodness of the Lord our Savior, but His acts that inspire the people to put something into action will remain etched in many a musical memory.

Noel Cabangon’s part in the concert did not disappoint as it brought back his memorable hits along with an ever-reliable guitar which guaranteed the audience songs inspired by social action. Mr. Cabangon is a singer-songwriter whose songs really

Justice Rodolfo Ponferrada with generous donor-friends spouses Armando and Car-men San Juan and Henry Villarica

Noel Cabangon easily winning the heart of the crowd

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inspire to do something out of goodness, as what the objective of the concert instilled in us from the start. As if the night were too young, the crowd clamored for more as the music-makers wowed every single audience who kept

glued to their seats until the last strains of the singers’ stock. The proceeds exceeded the modest goal. The endeavor proved to be a sum of cooperative parts and attested once more to the generous spirit of the parishioners of the Holy Spirit Parish. TP

Eternal, Endless Summer

(+ Kuya Regulo “Reg” Fernandez)

Continued on page 7

Kuya Reg during the groundbreaking of another pet project, the Pentecost Chapel, and at its blessing with his wife, Ate Finny, Bishop Tobias, Fr. Jigs Rosalinda and spouses Arch. Salvador and Ching Arevalo

By Fr. Jigs Rosalinda

SEPTEMBER TWENTY-THIRD, the day Kuya Reg died, was declared the official start of autumn. Summer ended the day before. Now, the sun loses some of its warmth and gives way to the gentle morning breeze. For some it may be the beginning of cold and darkness. The sunshine perches more softly on one’s skin than it does on sunny days. The cliché goes that, like the seasons, life passes from one to the next. Sometimes, it does from bright to gloom. We hardly notice here the change of seasons unlike in places where people see the green leaves turn into orange then to gold, and finally to brown, a signal of the end of a cycle. One by one leaves take their careful turn, rushing down from their branches unto the growth beneath. Until it is too heavy and dry to hold on to the branches they snap from them, if I may say, at a perfectly timed moment. We’ve seen leaves fall like they were merrily dancing with the wind that carried them to where the cycle of life and eternity brings each of them next. It was like an intricately

choreographed dance, as if an invisible hand guided each one in ways that revealed their harmony and reason. And if we push the analogy further, it can only be unmistakably attributed to a loving God, who governs nature. I deeply believe that He is at the helm of all these changes in life and of seasons. He has perfected the elements of time and, in His mysterious design, fits every event right into a loving plan that covers all of us, yet remains uniquely personal. Kuya Reg died at the start of fall, we may say. The book of Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot...” (Eccl. 3:1-3). His life was like a long summer of happiness and success, love and fruitfulness – truly a summer well spent in the company of devoted family and faithful friends. He basked in the rays of God’s love and was never far from it. No shadow of regret could possibly take that away from him. In God’s vineyard, he sowed the seeds of good deeds through hard labor and perseverance, cultivated them and saw them grow into full

The Paraclete December 20146

Of Saints and SaintlinessLilia F. Antonio

Dalangin Para sa Pag-edad na May DignidadPANGINOON, HIGIT MONG  batid  na ako’y nagkaka-edad   at balang araw ay magiging matanda na. Ilayo mo ako sa di-kanais-nais na ugaling makisabad sa bawat paksa at usapan. Palayain Mo ako sa paghahangad na maisa-ayos ang buhay ng iba.  Gawin Mo akong palaisip pero hindi sumpungin; matulungin pero hindi pala-utos. Sayang na hindi ko magamit ang kaban ng aking karunungan; pero, batid mo, O Diyos, na sa huli’y nais kong magkaroon ng ilang kaibigan. Palayain Mo ang aking isip sa pagsasalaysay ng walang katapusang detalye; bigyan mo ako ng pakpak para marating agad ang dulo ng gustong sabihin.  Itikom Mo ang aking mga labi sa mga lumbay at sakit; patuloy silang dumarami, at ang hangad na maipahayag   sila ay lalong tumitindi sa pagdaan ng mga araw. Hindi ko hinihiling na mapatalas pa ang aking memorya, bagkus ay magkaroon ng kababaang-loob at huwag maging magagalitin kung ang alaala ko’y salungat sa iba. Ituro Mo sa akin ang mahalagang aral na kung minsa’y nagkakamali rin ako. Gawin Mo akong magiliwin, dahil ang masungit na may edad ay isa sa mahuhusay na likha ng demonyo. Bigyan Mo ako ng kakayahang makakita ng mabubuting bagay sa di-inaasahang mga lugar at talino sa di-inaasahang mga tao at ipagkaloob Mo, O Diyos, ang biyayang maipahayag sa kanila ang mga ito, Amen.

Paalala sa mga Kaibigan ng mga May-edad (ni Esther Mary Walker)

Mapalad silang naka-uunawa sa nanghihina kong hakbang at nanginginig na kamay.Mapalad silang nakaka-alam na ang mga tenga ko ngayon ay nahihirapan sa pagdinig sa mga gusto nilang sabihin.Mapalad silang nakababatid na ang mga mata ko’y nanlalabo at talas ng isip ay  pumupurol.Mapalad silang inilalayo ang tingin kapag ang kape ko’y naliligwak sa mesa.Mapalad silang may matamis na ngiti.At tumitigil kahit sandali. Para bumati.Mapalad silang hindi kailanman sinasabing    “Dalawang beses mo na ‘yang naikuwento a.”Mapalad silang nakaka-alam kung paano mapanunumbalik ang mga alaala ng nakaraan.Mapalad silang naipadarama na ako’y minamahal, iginagalang at hindi nag-iisa.Mapalad silang nakaka-intindi na hindi ko batid kung paano humanap ng lakas sa pagpasan sa Krus.Mapalad silang pinagiginhawa ang aking mga araw sa kanilang mapag-arugang paraan sa aking paglalakbay pabalik sa Tahanan.Malayang salin sa Filipino ni  Lilia F. Antonio; Mula sa koleksyon ni Aida I. Villarama TP

SOME PEOPLE HAVE a job in the church. Others invite themselves into a ministry. What’s the difference? If you are doing it just be-cause no one else will, it’s a job. If you are doing it to serve the Lord, it’s a ministry.

If you quit because somebody criti-cized you, it’s a job.

If you keep on serving no matter the challenges and difficulties, it’s a minis-try.

If you’ll do it as long as it does not interfere with your other activities, it’s a job. If you are committed to stay with it even if it means letting go of other con-cerns, it’s a ministry. If you quit because no one praised or thanked you, it’s a job. If you stay with it even if nobody rec-ognizes your efforts, it’s a ministry.

It’s hard to get excited about a job.

It’s almost impossible not to be ex-cited about a ministry. If your concern is faithfulness, it’s a ministry. An average church is filled with people doing jobs. A great and growing church is filled with people involved in a ministry.

Where do we fit in? If God calls you to a ministry, don’t treat it like a job. TP

Is it a Job or a Ministry?

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Eternal, Endless Summerblown trees right before his eyes, namely: his only love – a person with the name “Finny,” highly successful children and equally brilliant grandchildren to be truly proud of, career in government (Public Works) that spans productive years as an Engineer, membership into the Franciscan tertiary that pledges simplicity and generosity inspired by its holy founder, as well as extended and committed service into parishes where he belonged, the Holy Spirit Parish included, where he gave his gifts, expertise and availability at their disposal. I’m sure there are many other things that a friend like I, who knew him only towards the last seven years of his life, do not and cannot really see or measure. But from these fortunate years of knowing him, the pattern of success is clear and predictable. His disposition towards his life’s work becomes a memory of an eternal summer for us who will long enjoy what he had accomplished, even after this season of fall and even though the harshest tempest may come around. Family and friends will never forget Kuya Reg. We will repeat our stories about him. We will continue to see him in our hearts. He had that sunshine that will be fondly remembered and sadly missed. My summer memories of Kuya Reg bring me to my years in the parish, so recently that they seemed like they had not yet ended. He has influenced me in many ways and, as a pastor, helped me deal with the physical needs of the parish. His expertise and talents rubbed off on me that I considered myself mentored

by him. What was accomplished during my term is due largely to his vision and contribution to achieve it. He practically made into a hobby his loving concern for our church, by coming there daily as one reported for work. The parish, he said, was his office. He was the first person I saw when I inspected the parish before I transferred. It was, incidentally, in the summer of 2007. At that time, he was already working on and supervising some repairs in the Church. He really was, in his own way, a tireless workhorse in spite of his age, even with bouts of occasional sickness usual for workaholics like him. But, he was not a man who would take credit for everything. No, he would not feel comfortable being on the spotlight, in front of the flashbulbs as happens on seed-planting photo ops. He might have said these words of Joyce Kilmer “...but only God can make a tree.” He disappeared into the background, as was his wont, and made me take credit for the projects he has inspired and worked on. If spectators were keen enough, they would see him in those edifices that he had completed: from the foundation to the finishing touches. It was truly his workmanship. We, his partners, were there to behold a laborer in the Lord’s vineyard, planting that we would later harvest. I think he calculated too well that with God’s generous sunlight, we could reap abundantly what we sowed generously (cfr. 2 Cor. 9:6b). Officially, as we have it in the church records, one can still see Kuya Reg’s unblemished accuracy and impeccable organization by the reports of all the projects undertaken and the expenses incurred for each of them. He painstakingly noted down every necessary detail that questions were hardly needed. And

he did all that with his handsome penmanship that would shame many of us who still possess steady hands. Now that summer is at an end, and fall comes upon Kuya Reg, these documents become the testimonies and proof of this tribute. Autumn is when leaves fall as the laws of nature dictate. As appealing and beautiful as that analogy may be, I think we can refuse that for something better. Perhaps, it is only we who feel with our senses the chill of autumn; Kuya Reg now feels and possesses what St. Paul described as the unimaginable when he said, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Believers of Jesus, true Christians, like Kuya Reg, are never at the mercy of pointless change and blind circumstance. The God of seasons has something in store for him who believes. The life of a Christian does not end in cold and darkness. When the Holy Spirit came, He was like a strong driving wind (cfr. Acts 2;2). Remember how that Pentecost event changed everything? The world becomes new, and the life bursts forth with the definite sign of the resurrection. There is life because of the Spirit. When the wind of the Spirit blows upon our life, the leaves of our lives tumble and fly so high. I think that, after all, they never really go down, and they reach for the sky. They would not fall and refuse to. They pierce through the dark clouds and get closer to the sun. They touch its rays and bathe in its warmth. They simply disappear from our sight too lofty for us to see. They belong there, in the sky, and become one with the Son. This was what I imagined took place on the day Kuya Reg died. He belongs there in heaven. It was not really autumn, but the beginning of an eternal, endless summer. TP

The Paraclete December 20148

theParacleteOfficial Newsletter published bimonthly by the Parish

Pastoral Council, Parish of the Holy Spirit, Nepomuceno Street,

BF Homes, Quezon City Tels. 931-3995; 430-6311

Editor-in-Chief Abraham M. de la Torre Contributors Angeli Francis S. Rivera Aleli Francis S. Rivera Adviser Rev. Fr. Bobot Clemen

Continued from page 5

defined by how it touched the lives around it, and going by the emotions that flowed freely for this child, the “angelic visit” may well have prov-en its worth to everyone, but more significantly on the loving mother. We are about to welcome a child in our midst this Christmas. We are burdened with anticipation and fear for what the future will bring to the new mother and her child, but we are also laden with gladness to the new life that will brighten our home. It is always fascinating to hear a child’s first cry – in most, it is a sound that is seemingly adamant and indignant to the birthing event. It is as if the child is demanding to be kept “in the dark” where it was peacefully nursed and protected for nine months. The pro-cess of extraction from such total dependence is known to most as a normal spontaneous delivery (NSD),

Saying Hello and Goodbye to a Child

but nothing in the event seems to be normal and spontaneous – the pain is excruciatingly untenable, to say the least, and the wait to freedom fol-lows wails and cries of desperation and sometimes surrender. What pur-portedly is normal and spontaneous is really forced and “unnatural”- that it is a “labor” by every description, is, in truth, accurate. More so when NSD becomes impossible, by whatever indication or simply due to the fail-ure of the labor to progress, then the more “unnatural” surgical caesarian section (CS) becomes imperative. Who can then blame the child for re-fusing to be exposed to such a grue-some complicated event or becom-ing witness to the prelude to what life awaits one in the outside world. We will only have one prayer to lift to the heavens as we look forward to the child: that their lives will be full of love and hope. That is also the message that is brought to the fore when we remember that our Lord Jesus Christ was heavenly conceived but was cared for by the Blessed

Virgin Mary into the world, in her womb, like any other mother. He could have just come in majesty from the heavens with throngs of angels paving his way and God proclaim-ing: “This is my Son, worship Him!” It would have put to rest any doubt as to who He truly is and the salva-tion He brings to everyone. And by the power and greatness He wields, there will be no reason for a crucifix-ion and resurrection to show proof of the goodness and mercy of God. But, that would have been too easy and uneventful. We need the beauty and the glory of the birth of a child to put the salvation of man in its proper perspective – that, the beginning of life brings to light the wonderment of creation but at the same time the loss of innocence. From hence, Jesus, as man, lived a life that was not de-tached from earthly concerns and human weaknesses but His mission and commitment was clear: to open the eyes of everyone to the love of God. TP

Quotes “Joy is Jesus, the Others and You.”Fr. Victor Emmanuel Clemen, as a prelude to his Talk # 1 in PREX 37

“We are so fearful to lose our positions and possessions we forget who they all came from.”Fr. Artemio Tuyco Jr., in his homily of Oct. 18, 2014

“Ang pinakadakilang ginawa ni Maria ay dalhin si Hesus sa sinapupunan niya.” Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr., in his talk during the Liturgical Congress

Announcements1. The Parish of the Holy Spirit will have its Christmas Party on Saturday, December 13, 2014, at the Parish grounds starting at 7 PM. The theme of the party is “Wild Wild West” and everyone is enjoined to come in proper costume. Please contact your Ministries for further details. Coinciding with this joyous celebration are the a) Culmination of the Year of the Laity; b) Launch of the Year of the Poor and c) Community Fellowship. 2. This issue of The Paraclete comes with an insert from the Stewardship Ministry containing principally an accounting of its receipts.