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Friday, June 19, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
My Tribute to our Parish Pastor: Rev. Fr. Leonardo R. Bagos
In a few
days our Parish Priest whom we fondly called Fr. Nards will be leaving us to go
to his new place of assignment here in the Diocese of Imus. How time flies. It
is as if just yesterday when he first set foot in our Parish (Saint Joseph’s
Parish, Carmona Cavite) but the reality of it all is that his six years term
will be over in a few days.
I would
like to write here the many positive improvements that he instituted in the
parish. First is the positive change that is very visible and that is the
church’s edifice. When He took over the church was in the infancy stage of its
construction now it’s done already. I credit him for tirelessly thinking of
ways on how to raise funds for the church’s completion.
It seems
impossible to me that he was able to achieve it considering that nowadays money
is hard to come by due to the economic crisis. But he persisted, he never
waivered in his firm faith in God that He will be able to realize his vision of
a beautiful church.
The next
visible positive change is the very orderly process of Communion wherein
communicants would orderly fall in line per pews. He meticulously instructed
the parishioners how to fall in line and how to properly receive Christ with
respect and reverence.
There
were a lot more positive changes that he instituted to name just a few: Clean
and green church environment, inventory of the church’s properties. He put in
place an excellent sound system to ensure that the Word of God is clearly heard.
But for
me one of the few that would be forever etched in my mind is how he made sure
that proper respect and reverence is given to the Eucharistic celebration and
to the Body of Christ itself. For example during Communion whenever there’s a
communicant who does not say Amen after he says: “The Body of Christ.” He would
politely ask short and probing questions to the communicant once he finds out
that the communicants doesn’t know how sacred the Consecrated Host that they’re
about to receive. He would just place his hand over their heads and pray over
them instead of giving them the Body of Christ. Every now and then he would
also give short catechesis before he gives his final blessings and it often
focuses on the proper respect and reverence to the Body of Christ.
Just like
Jesus during His three years public ministry, Father Nards had also his own
share of persecutors in the parish. If Jesus had the Pharisees and the Scribes;
Father Nards had a few parishioners who wanted to embarrass and malign him. It
pained him I’m sure of it, however being an Alter Christus and knowing him to
have a soft and forgiving heart I am very sure that he had already forgiven
them and even prayed for them too.
Now that
you will soon leave the parish, I’d like to say that I will miss the
friendship, the occasional exchange of ideas, the discipline and the frequent
instructions for the Lay Ministers.
My
prayers will forever be with you Padre. God bless you always!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
I will be back in a few hours.
To everyone,
after two days without broadband connection I'm back again. I hope that you'll visit me again. Thanks for your patience.
God bless,
Marino
Monday, April 06, 2009
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The story of the Three Trees
"Once upon a time there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one," and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped . At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
"The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one," and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped . At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
"The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best."
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The True Meaning of Love according to Saint Paul: 1st Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not arrogant, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not harbor ill feelings over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails. If there are foresights, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is Love.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not arrogant, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not harbor ill feelings over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails. If there are foresights, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is Love.
Happy Saint Valentine’s Day to all!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
My Reflections on the first reading for January 25, Sunday Acts 22:3-16 (The Feast of Conversion of Saint Paul)
My Reflections:
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. What has Saint Paul done to merit this great favor from God? To think that he was the number one persecutor of Christians during his time. He even took an active part in the killing of Saint Stephen, the first Deacon and the first martyr of the church.
This is a puzzler to all of us, why was he chosen by God to spread the gospel among the gentiles?
While on his way to Damascus he was blinded by a light then he heard a voice saying: “'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” then Saul asked: “Who are you sir?” and Jesus said: “I am Jesus the Nazarean whom you are persecuting.”
Upon reaching a certain point on his journey God used a man named Ananias to heal the blindness of Saul. Thereafter, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and began his mission of evangelization to the pagan nations.
The conversion of Saul was not his doing it was God who converted him to be His disciple. However Saul did his part also on his story of conversion for he was a changed man when he regained his sight.
Like Saul’s conversion, we too have heard a lot of stories of transformation from bad to good, from an atheist to an ardent believer, from a hardened sinner to a Saint. Perhaps we can relate to their stories of conversion because once upon a time we were sinners too. And we heard God’s call for us to follow Him. We were swept off our feet by God and we were never the same again for we have converted for the better.
Let us therefore be an instrument of conversion for those who have not yet heard about the good news that is Jesus.
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. What has Saint Paul done to merit this great favor from God? To think that he was the number one persecutor of Christians during his time. He even took an active part in the killing of Saint Stephen, the first Deacon and the first martyr of the church.
This is a puzzler to all of us, why was he chosen by God to spread the gospel among the gentiles?
While on his way to Damascus he was blinded by a light then he heard a voice saying: “'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” then Saul asked: “Who are you sir?” and Jesus said: “I am Jesus the Nazarean whom you are persecuting.”
Upon reaching a certain point on his journey God used a man named Ananias to heal the blindness of Saul. Thereafter, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and began his mission of evangelization to the pagan nations.
The conversion of Saul was not his doing it was God who converted him to be His disciple. However Saul did his part also on his story of conversion for he was a changed man when he regained his sight.
Like Saul’s conversion, we too have heard a lot of stories of transformation from bad to good, from an atheist to an ardent believer, from a hardened sinner to a Saint. Perhaps we can relate to their stories of conversion because once upon a time we were sinners too. And we heard God’s call for us to follow Him. We were swept off our feet by God and we were never the same again for we have converted for the better.
Let us therefore be an instrument of conversion for those who have not yet heard about the good news that is Jesus.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Saturday, December 27, 2008
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