Allow me to express here my sincerest appreciation and gratitude to all of you brother-Sacramentinos for the efforts you have given in this period of crisis. I know how much time, energy and countless creativities you offered in order to respond to the longing of our faithful to at least join virtually in our celebrations of the Holy Eucharist and adoration to the Blessed Sacrament exposed. This is above all our work in this rise of pandemic when the only hope and consolation of the people come from knowing that the Church constantly offers the Eucharistic Sacrifice for world healing. Thank you very much!
I know also that in your own communities and parishes you do not want to stay comfortable at home while the rest around your place are in need of care, for assurances of food, personal protectives, medicines and others. I praise you for the initiatives that make your communities and parishes become agents of promoting care and accompanying our brothers and sisters in their fears and uncertainties. Thank you very much!
Let our contentment to serve in this trying time not come from knowing how great are our contributions, but just how much love we put in every humble giving we do. I admire and salute everyone for everything that is motivated in you to bring the consoling presence of Jesus Christ through the forms of charity you share to the people in this time of pandemic. Thank you very much!
My prayers for everybody. This is our time also as Religious in each community to strengthen every opportunity we have while set in lockdown to increase our sense of understanding, acceptance, generous affirmations, quality sharing of thoughts, charitable intentions and fraternal sincerities for one another. Let us persevere in holiness so that we may commit ourselves to the service of Christ and our fellow human beings.
From pieces of information we derived from news, social media, and personal stories, there are lots of things being said about the COVID-19 pandemic. With these, all of us experience tensions in our lives – that is, tension in our families, tension in our communities, and tension within our conversations about other people, politics, and current events. However, as good-hearted people, we carry those tensions with patience, respect, graciousness, and forbearance by God’s grace.
Thus, we never grow weary of doing what is right. As St. Paul says, “Let us not become weary in doing good; for at the proper, time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatian 6:9)
As Sacramentinos, to pray before the Blessed Sacrament is paramount in every circumstance of our lives, whether they are good or bad. However, in spite of our instinct’s call to just kneel and pray silently inside our chapels or rooms and plead for divine interventions for those who are suffering, still we cannot calm ourselves and remain unaffected and undisturbed. Our religious confreres, particularly those who are based in parishes here and abroad, are enthused to go out and to find means where they can be of help to others in whatever way they can albeit the amount or quantity of assistance they can provide to them. Certainly, what is important is the realization that everyone should lift a hand and participate in mitigating the unfavorable consequences caused by the COVID-19 havoc.
Our communities and parishes have their creative ways in responding to this crisis, being faithful to our Rule of Life on mission and social involvement that “attentive to the cry of the poor and their distress, we discover in every instance of injustice a call of Christ to share in his mission…” (ROL, 37). These are indeed manifestations of how God uses our hands to reveal His love and compassion to people.
In the first letter of St. Peter it reads: “to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it—not for sordid gain but eagerly” (1 Peter 5:2). We strongly believe that this is our call at the moment – to become servants as exemplified by Jesus’ life at our own means and capacity. Right now, the Provincialate house provides for some needs of the ten (10) individuals who were working previously in the construction of POLA building. They were stranded with us when the government declared on March 16, 2020 that the National Capital Region (NCR) will be under enhanced community quarantine, restricting the movement of the population though with some exemptions, in response to the growing pandemic of COVID-19. Likewise, our employees, both regular and contractual, are also under our care and responsibility despite the very limited inflow of fund to the province because of the economic imbalance where many of our benefactors are also at the disadvantaged point. Nonetheless, we continue to give praise and thanks to God for the unexpected providence to make our lives sustainable making us able to cope with the present situation despite various constraints. There is hope. There is strength and courage with the Lord at our side. If Jesus was fruitful in His ministry, it was because He never worked alone. He was always one with the Father, and so we are. Adveniat Regnum Tuum Eucharisticum!
The beginning of this year 2020 has not been favored with fortunate turns of events. A series of tragic setups unfolded and they continue to make us feel sad, unsafe and threatened. Early on came the giant fire which welcomed the 2020 of Australia. Then here locally, we have just been recovering from the painful blows of the Taal volcanic eruption. Then not long after but sooner the world is saddened by the tragic loss of a basketball superstar in a plane crush. Then came the most heartbreaking attack of the invisibles, the traumatic rise of the novel corona virus disease swiftly turning to pandemic. Many suffered and painfully recovered, while many as well died. No one is sure who is healthy enough to outlast this horrendous battle of life. Alarming the whole world to severe paranoias and fears, pulling to the lockdown of the cities, and turning many people to be unfortunately distrustful rather than becoming more charitable. We have not gone half a year yet and it can trouble us a lot now thinking about what more is there to happen in the next days of our life.
We all feared and never wanted this worst of COVID-19 in the Philippines. But it came to us just when we are rallying prayers against its spread. Not only life and health were threatened by the terrors of this disease, but also relationships, personal interactions up to Church affairs and events of faith. This tiny virus had gone far and wide and it continues to frighten us as there are no assurances now for definite cure and control. No one knows what can possibly come next, but just praying the worst is over.
Then what God is doing in the pandemic? Reflections and realizations coming from the perspective of faith were drawn systematically from Churchmen, theologian-philosophers, spiritual masters – and they all share valuable thoughts pointing to the truth of God’s absolute goodness. But in seeing altogether the goodness of God, some would not like to think that our crisis is God’s form of punishment, while others are of theological precision that God’s goodness does not exclude terms of punishment. On a personal note however, whether or not this crisis involves punishment from God, that does not change the fact that God cares in many ways we possibly cannot accept or understand. Point of saying that in God everything is grace. Not all needs to be smooth and pleasant to say that God cares. Plenty in worst instances of human suffering, God is usually unfolding new levels of meaning to human existence. And if my reading of the situation is right, COVID-19 is a product of human error out of ambitious terms, then God is here to remind us that we are suffering a disaster made of human pride. And this can always happen when man disregards what in principle is Godly to every human endeavor. A positive consequence however, many now begin to rethink of God, finding their way back to God, and surrendering everything to God. Pope Francis, in his urbi et orbi reflection stressed that from what we are suffering now, God is calling us to weigh which things are truly necessary in life. This must be a timely reminder that it is not wise to only work for material sufficiency, but more importantly to be sufficient with trust in God and in His ways.
This crisis proved enough the limitations of human capacities in fields of science, medicine and technology, even to rich and powerful nations like China, Italy and the United States. When man finds sooner or later the categorical premise to link the cause and the cure for COVID-19, let us not exalt human genius detached from recognizing God’s goodness above everything.
Does God really care that we suffer pandemic? Of course, God cares! And there is much that God is doing more than we can see, feel and believe at the peak of crisis. Our business is to never lose faith in God; this is our best share in this time of pandemic more than anything else. While it is normal to worry and to fear in these say tragic turns of events, this is the best time however to conform ourselves to what is good, truthful and beautiful. Let us not be overtaken by our fears of trials, sufferings or difficulties, for if we keep in us the lively sentiments of faith to God, hope in God and love for God, all our trying times in life can actually be occasions for real greater blessings. Let us not lose faith to the truth that God will never strike us a blow beyond the strength He has given us to endure. In this time of pandemic, God never fails to care. He made us, and will never destroy what His own hands have made.
SHARING LOCKDOWN THOUGHTS
(From the Sacramentino Scholastics – Eymard Formation Center)
BR. DANE NACAR, sss. Empty roads, deserted public places, face-masked peoples, militaries at the checkpoints, police cars patrolling, ambulances’ sirens wailing…. for two months, these have been the usual setup outside the seminary’s perimeter. A lot of things have changed, drastic and miserable. Though curious about what is really going on outside we need to stay home for our common safety. True enough, we are so blessed to be housed in a decent and safe place, with foods secured and comforts assured. Yet the thought of others who are extremely suffering is but excruciating. And we can only pray, ceaselessly and tirelessly for God to accompany them in all their suffering. The One God who never abandons is our only true consolation in this time of melancholy.
Our intensified life of prayer helps us to reflect on this crisis in the light of God’s purifying and sanctifying graces. I believe that all these happen for a greater reason that all of us ought to realize and embrace. This has something to teach us; a great illumination to our blindfolded sights.
After this, I hope to wholly imbibe the virtues I learned during this time, especially in seeing and appreciating the presence of all those around me. For now, I know the feeling of deep longing and missing, of regrets and wanting, with all those things, peoples, and places that I neglected when everything was in its right place. We may be locked down, but the path to learn from all these experiences and grow solidly in faith, is always wide open for us.
BR. NEPTALIE REYES, sss. It has been almost two months since we were on lockdown in Eymard Formation Center (EFC) because of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). All of a sudden, plans of having a memorable Holy Week exposure, the excitement to participate on the annual retreat, and the relaxing 15-day vacation was all but a dream thinking of the reality that for now, this will be what so-called the “new normal”. ECQ leads me to a handful of realizations that this circumstance happened at the middle of LENTEN season where quarantine is tantamount to literally mean 40 days of confinement and for us religious, this is an opportune time to deepen our relationship to suffering Jesus (which I hope I was able to achieve). Looking at a deeper aspect, we believe through Jesus, that life does not culminate in suffering and death but hopes to rise again. Being confined indeed is like dying. Due to the pandemic, we were deprived of some privileges we used to enjoy, it is an offering so to speak. I strongly believe that death comes resurrection, no one experiences rising to new life without having to die, without having to suffer. It is good to think that after this experience, we will be reunited with our loved ones and friends bringing with us the takeaways from this pandemic which is mainly HOPE that at the end of DARKNESS comes LIGHT that embraces our being. Moreover, in any situation like this, we must not forget the lessons amid tough and difficult times where we are asked to be stronger and more persevering in life. Finally, amidst this pandemic, is the hand of God who is in control. As such, we have all the good reasons to hope and to live.
BR. EMMANUEL BYARUHANGA, sss. Today we have realized like never before that we are all citizens of a global village, where the pressing threats of one country if neglected can easily become a worldwide panic. Lockdown is never an external constraint enforced by the government but rather a personal self-preservative obligation of each citizen and yet by so doing we respond also to civil obedience. At this time whoever is not part of the solution is surely a problem, for any serious fight against a common enemy is undertaken by all. We cannot all be front liners, volunteers, doctors, nurses or soldiers, and yet our prayers and direct collaborations is the best we can offer now. We have come to realize that humanity is reminded of its fragility and need to turn in hope and trust in God.
We decry the appalling situation created by lockdown experiences which consequently has hit so gravely the least of our society, changed all the routines of life, and above all paralyzed the global economy at large. Doubtlessly other worst consequential tragedies like famine, trauma, anxiety and loneliness, among others are yet to befall us. On this tough road of hardships, Africans in one of their proverbs says that “a calamity that makes you remember God is better than a blessing that makes you forget God.” This lockdown is a precious moment of rediscovery of humanity’s sense of faith in God. We pray that we may never let the darkness life offers us today cast shadow over tomorrow’s glory by uniting our suffering with Christ Jesus who remains our only hope of glory.
BR. RECHARDSON L. EBCAS, sss. An emergency measure or condition in which people are temporarily prevented from entering or leaving a restricted area or building (such as a seminary) during a threat of danger, is called “lockdown.” This lockdown was declared just before the time for Holy week. Personally, exposure into the parish during holy week is what excites me most, but call it a twist in the story when this lockdown came ahead. The government orders the people to stay at home in order to stem the transmission of the deadly pandemic – COVID-19.
Feeling blessed that despite the lockdown, there is enough food during our meals; good enough to keep ourselves healthy and fit. We make the most out of this lockdown to immerse ourselves into silent prayers in solidarity with the sufferings of the world. Prayer for me is now meal-like; three times a day! We have the Eucharist in the morning, integrated with lauds; one-and-a-half-hour Eucharistic adoration at midday with integrated office of the reading and rosary; vespers (evening prayer); then another rosary prayer after dinner. Our souls are fed as our prayers are filled with thoughts of the suffering and agony of the people during this pandemic. Lockdown as in the experience of the frightened apostles inside a locked room (Jn. 20:19) after the Lord’s crucifixion, must be our moment also when the assurance of Christ’s peace will come to console all our fears and anxieties in this pandemic. This lockdown is not a hopeless one, we have our peace assured in the Risen One!
BR. EPHEGE BALOULA, sss. From quarantine, we have moved on to lockdown. This change arouses my attention and my curiosity. To help myself to understand more about what I am going to experience, I decided to translate the English word “lockdown” to French. Thus, the result was surprising. The French word of Lockdown is “confinement” and “Cadenas.” Cadenas means padlock in English. I was a little bit confused and scared. I could not imagine how those days will be like. However, day after day, I noticed things started to become Chronos and Kairos at the same time. Chronos, because we had one activity after another done in a routine. It is like a second novitiate, where everything is regularized according to time and space. Despite those multiple activities, I have learned a lot. It was a time of breaking away from my former patterns of living. In making equilibrium in every activity, which is prayer, sport, studies… time commenced to become meaningful than before. Here I realized that: “to become successful, persistence is the key” hence the sense of Kairos.
BR. NATHANIEL JUAN OBAL, sss. The Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) gave me a lot of realizations. First, it enabled me to see what is essential to a Sacramentino: God, community and prayer. Since no apostolate and other activities, we’ve got no one but God and each other in the community. More time to pray, to celebrate the Eucharist, to intercede for others who are in need of our prayers. Eucharistic Adoration became our apostolate and prayer at the same time. The ECQ occasioned opportunities of fraternal reconciliation and quality time again to enjoy longer hours in conversations during meals. Simply put, the ECQ made me appreciate the gift of each other’s presence. Second, the ECQ reminded me that life has no control over everything and that there is greater than all our plans. I was thinking that anything is possible in this pandemic. Who knows? I might be infected with Covid19? Or will this pandemic ever end? When will it end? How about our plans? Our studies? How are our families? Nobody can answer. Nothing is certain. Here I learned to place everything in the hands of God, even the future. It is in time of uncertainty that I realize that only God is certain. At this moment, we can do only 2 things, to keep safe and to trust and have confidence in God. And since nothing is sure, I feel that I am challenged to do the good that I do and to make the best out of what we have for every “gising” is a blessing.
BR. RAY-AN SARMIENTO, sss. Sad, dismayed and confused. These feelings have rallied over my heart wanting to get rid of the COVID 19, “ASAP!” and wishing that everything be back to normal. This virus caused severe inconveniences, disorientations, pains, and most of all depressions to most people, making our lives cope with utter difficulties. These make the COVID-19 a wounding sword to all. I could say also on the other hand that COVID has its other edge that makes everything better. That though we feel secured within the walls of the formation house, we feel the need likewise to help in our own little way. We have doubled our prayers and we observed simpler lifestyle. It created so much room for creativity, communication and collaboration between brothers here in the house. House help were impossible so we did some chores by ourselves. I felt the heavy load but it made me appreciate life and people that I sometimes take for granted as well as the good relationships, encounters and many little things. It created a deeper awareness on what matters the most for me in this life and created a healthier space for myself and for others.
BR. FREDRICK BUGEMBE, sss. Since March, the country went into a lockdown; movement restricted and everyone was asked to remain home. This period of staying home though it was not welcomed by many as it comes with some difficulties, I personally in my community have been able to appreciate this time and learn many things. This quarantine experience helped me to divert my attention to prayer for the whole world that is disturbed by this virus. It came to my realization that the purpose of life is not only to attain happiness but also to obtain life that is meaningful. And just thinking right, my life can be meaningful if I bring everyone into my prayers, create and live a quality bonding with my brothers in the community, and to appreciate the presence of everyone. All these I find taking place in the period of lockdown. So, I pray with Mary’s protection may we be for our world sentinels of the dawn, contemplating the true face of Jesus the savior, resplendent at Easter.
BR. DANIEL WALKER, sss. The two-month period of lockdown or stay-at-home was almost the global call where everyone had to cooperate. In the community, the schedule of adoration was changed from daily one hour, to daily four hours, twice a day prayer of the Holy Rosary and Office of the Readings. True enough the prolonged prayer seems in the beginning a burden. My thoughts in the prayer: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mk. 14:8). These words of Jesus when contextualized, would give a new interpretation such as, “stay at home, pray and you will live.” Our whole community stayed at home and our prayers united for all the entire world’s front-liners and people infected with the COVID-19. This duration was not easy but we are saved not merely by staying at home, but by “staying at home in prayer.” In the phase of this pandemic we received the grace. Our cooperation to the call for lockdown/enhanced community quarantine has definitely boosted our immune system by sleeping well, playing sports every day, eating good meal, praying meditatively and by being one as a community.
BR. CETI CESAIRE BANSIMBA MOUKANZA, sss. As many did, I also hoped this quarantine would have been lifted as soonest. Sadly, this is not the case. Thanks God, our classes in MST despite the ECQ assured us to cope via email and Facebook groups. I therefore make good use of this time with the community life, online academics, and sports. We lift our trust only in God who is good all the time!
A LETTER TO THE FRONTLINERS
Br. Eugene L. Maoy, sss
Hello courageous people, how are you doing today? Surely you all are tired and distressed while others already fell ill and infected, yet praying still everyone is getting fine. Wish there’s something I could but don’t know even how to help you. I am no medical literate, not even a public servant I could be nor an independent volunteer working to support your causes.
Suffering people are continuously increasing and so you do. You are so brave, and there is no doubt about that, but that doesn’t mean you are not afraid. You are frightened and worried too, stressed physically and emotionally. Our human nature is vulnerable and limited yet constantly you are fighting unseen enemy. Despite these, nothing stops you serving and doing your job the best way you can.
Framing myself to safety can save me in this pandemic and that is best I know to help you. At least or at best I would not be a burden to add the many that you already have. I have guilt as it sounds selfish as I am surrounded by walls, living in a comfortable house with the people I love and provided with foods and all necessities and even receiving spiritual needs. But all I can offer is my prayer, a much more intense one. Remembering all of you, lifting up all your intentions, from morning until night.To all the front liners who died, I am witness to your self-sacrifice. Your lives are taken as costly tokens of your heroism and will be remembered gratefully, forever. I believe you know the risks but courageously you stepped forward to this perilous job. May your beautiful souls all rest in heaven. I don’t have ideas about what you saw in your fight, neither can I guess how you felt encountering the infected and the dying, nor can I size up the fears and uncertainties you owned when thinking that you can die next to any patient anytime of your service. The care for life at its finest is the wisdom of your heroism. You are all warriors; you ALL are my heroes.
SIMPLE ACT OF GOODNESS
Br. Victor Clemence Posadas, sss
Never I felt before the whole world pressed in fear securing all means to be safe from this pandemic. COVID-19 has infected practically almost the whole world and the rich countries proved their sophisticated advancements are not enough to handle this virus. There is fear all over the world! In the Philippines, the confirmed cases of COVID 19 are increasing every day – thus home quarantine and lockdown period continue to extend indefinitely for fear of getting more Filipinos infected.
This is a difficult situation. While lockdown is taken to protect the populace, the poor ones who earn just the minimum for daily survival are experiencing a doubled fear and suffering. They can get sick if they go to work, but they also starve because there’s no work from which they could earn money for food. How they think they can survive? This is suffering beyond the imagination of the comfortable ones. I can sympathize but what more can be done aside from pity? How can we help people?
We have two laundry women who since lockdown never came back for work in the seminary. Just thinking, that the little pay they get is even put on hold, because it’s “no work no pay.” But call it simple act of goodness, that the seminary gives something out of its little blessings. What we gave is not one to satisfy but true to what goodness is all about. In this trying time of the pandemic, we should not be tempted to feel that we have too little to share for the needy.
What we think to be small can actually make the difference between life and death. Miracles of God happen in each initiative of goodness no matter how great or small. Mother Theresa can inspire us here when she said: “it is not how much you can give, but how much love you put on the giving.” If many have little to share in this trying time, let us believe that God is acting grandly through the little of the many. This is how God’s miracle can happen also in our life today. By the small acts of goodness that each is willing to share, God certainly will make His way so that we can be healed as one. Amen
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a consequence of quarantine is how to appreciate the little things in life and look at the bright side of it. It’s good to be able to anticipate also the new normal that we are all facing. Being under quarantine has forced everyone to return to a simpler life, similar to how people in the early 1900’s must have lived. Fortunately, even in this Pandemic we are still free and have access in many flat forms of social media like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Messenger, Viber, Instagram, Twitter and Tik Tok in our cellphone, laptop and other mobile gadgets. But with all places of social gathering shut down, the bulk of our day is spent in our homes or in a community. The slowed pace of life has given us all a chance to catch our breath and have the time to pay closer attention to what is very essential especially for us religious into our prayer life, community life and lifestyle. As simple and previously unappreciated things can now actually the highlight of everyone’s everyday being.
All of us are challenged to self-isolate. Jesus instructed us “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). During the Ash Wednesday service, we heard God clearly say that we must remember: “You are dust and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). This verse will be repeated when our mortal remains are put in the ground. Dust should remind us that we are vulnerable and fragile as we have witnessed thousands of people succumbing to this emergency. If we do not self-isolate or keep a safe social distance, we will become dust sooner than later.
Life as we have known it is completely changed as the whole nation, along with the rest of the world, wage war against an invisible but deadly enemy, Coronavirus, or COVID-19. We may have already been self-isolating; the “Lock Down” extends that directive to nearly everyone. We are a person of faith and as a Religious, prayer is very important part of our life. Worship normally engages us with others and with large gatherings banned, church services, along with school activities, family events and large social celebrations, cannot be held. Prayer in a time of isolation offers a spiritual bond that will remove loneliness from the time alone and strengthen our appreciation of togetherness when we return.
While we are all experiencing quarantine differently, without God we are all most likely trying to do it on our own. When we take time away from the entertainment which distracts us, we can hear God through his word, and we can respond. In the silence he can then break through our difficulty and reveal Himself. He reveals Himself as our Father, as God who is good, as one who has a plan for us, and one who’s been with us the whole time. Through prayer, we demonstrate our resolve not to flee the dangerous virus and hide at home, but to turn those homes into monastic cells that actively call for God’s salvation to find its way to the ends of the earth.
These are prayers not just for our family, our community, and our neighbors, but for the world. The whole world needs our prayers for holy intervention today.
If we stay in prayer long enough, we will find the vision we need that today is not the end of the story because a savior is at work. The God who was so clearly faithful in our past is going to be faithful today, tomorrow, and through eternity. And then we are led to humility in gratitude that God is with us. Amen.
Jesus is our light in the darkness
Br. Eddienel Villa, sss
It seems the world is enveloped with darkness because of the pandemic called COVID-19. We see through news updates the increasing number of cases that grow exponentially every day. We hear stories of deaths including the front liners who work in the medical field against COVID-19. Government leaders have acted to protect the citizens and formulated measures on how to prevent the spread of the virus. Nations shut their doors against nations and state of emergencies are declared.
Lockdown and enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) among cities, towns, and provinces are observed. Businesses stopped temporarily. The poor Filipinos relying on their daily wage to provide basic necessities of the family suffer greatly. Regulations of lockdown and ECQ prevented them to work. Their daily wage is needed for their family to barely survive.
Churches are closed. We are prevented to gather together physically as a Church to partake the body of Christ in the Eucharist. Inasmuch as we are eager to receive God’s grace through the Sacraments in the Church, we are not able to do because of the threat of the pandemic. The Church has just celebrated Easter. But some start asking, “Has Jesus Christ really resurrected? Why God seems absent? Where is He in the midst of our battle against Covid-19?”
We remember during the Easter Vigil, at the beginning of the celebration, there is darkness, we bless the fire, and we light the Paschal Candle that symbolizes Jesus being true light in the darkness. Holding our candles, this light is distributed to us in our procession towards the Church, and we hear the Exsultet: “our Lord has truly risen.” In the darkness of the night, we see the flickering light from the Paschal Candle, and the whole Church is illuminated by our lighted candles in our hands. It is indeed, the Lord has risen and he is truly alive giving light in the darkness.
He is alive and present in our front liners, those who take the risk in performing their duties in the hospitals, supermarkets, and in the government agencies. He is alive in the hearts of men and moves each one to help the people in need. He is alive in every home, he is acting and moving each member of the family to pray together and to spend quality time together, sharing the love of a family. He is alive as we hear his Word in every livestreaming in the social media. He is alive and present in every tabernacle and in every exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in parishes and religious houses. He never ceases to be present in every Eucharist that is celebrated daily. Though we cannot celebrate together physically, he is present to those who desire to receive Him in Holy Communion.
No amount of darkness—ECQ, lockdown, or pandemic—can prevent us to experience the light of Christ. This experience makes our hearts burn with passion to find ways how to share this light with our neighbors. Amidst this pandemic, we believe that our Lord is truly alive, he has truly risen, he is the Emmanuel, the God-with-us, he is with us in this battle, and he never ceases to give light in our darkness.
A CALL TO WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD
Br. Tedley T. Villanueva, sss
Pope Francis makes a clear appeal that: “each one of us has to respond, as best we can, to the Lord’s call to build up his Body, the Church not only the Catholics but all.” His appeal calls us in fact, to recognize commonality and co-responsibility. This involves the decision to be a constructive member of the family of God and to work for the common good especially in these trying times of the pandemic. This means that we are called to do the best we can wherever and whenever we find ourselves to make our communities as friendly and welcoming in whatever help we can give. We all are agents for the spread of charity in many different forms. While front liners and medical practitioners and staffs do their job in the face of this health crisis, all others are equally relevant in their help today. Financial capacity is not the standard to make a helping hand, it is rather willingness to care according to the means God has given us in life. And finally, the clergy, the religious and the seminarians are front liners for the healing of spirits, strengthening of faith and renewing hopes of the people. We do not compete with the social workers; we rather complete the gear of this fight by flooding heavens with our petitions for the mercy of God to come into our aid amidst this battle.
Airing online our Holy Masses, constant prayers and adoration are consolations enough for people who long for assurances that the Church is meeting daily the Lord, the giver of life. Pope Francis said: “I think of the people who will certainly abandon the Church, when this nightmare is over, because the Church abandoned them when they were in need. Thus, may it never be said: “I won’t go to a church that didn’t come to me when I was in need.” Opening our hearts and seeing God in each other is certainly one of the most challenging exercises we need to make. Yet, it is through this exercise that we grow in God’s mercy and become Stewards of co-creating a world filled with charity, peace, love, and justice in this pandemic that is affecting us. Thus, we form integral part of one family of humanity, closely interdependent related.
CHANGE PLAN
Br. Jessie Argoncillo
I am at the last quarter of my Pastoral exposure here at St. Jude Thaddeus Parish, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. Since my arrival in June 2019, I focused my heart and energy to prioritize and fulfill as much as I could, the pastoral demands of the parish and community over few personal desires, for this is the reason why I was sent for exposure. Month before COVID-19 hit Philippines, thinking that I am almost finished with my exposure in Pagudpud, I planned to explore the place, people and culture. This I was not able to do earlier and I don’t know what other chances can bring me back here again and for free. Other plans listed at my time table for May this year include home vacation in Capiz that comes with heading first to Divisoria to buy some cheap pasalubong for everyone when I reach home. Then came the Covid 19. A perfectly wrong timing for most of us who are prepared and excited for summer trips and vacations. It’s frustrating. It melted my excitement.
Then came silence and prayer. This year’s annual retreat in the mid- April was also cancelled due to the pandemic. But only the coming together of the Religious in one place was cancelled, our annual retreat went on by-community. This is my first time to be in this setup of annual retreat done by-community. I realized however that there is not much difference spiritual retreating this way from the usual one.
There was no feeling less nor dissatisfied nor unyielding. The twist of the experience turned to me in the opportunity of being listened to my sharing of reflections to the community. Really unusual because yearly we listen to the retreat master speak, but now it’s my turn to speak. My praying grew more intense and my longing for God is deepened. My thoughts of well-wishes did more for those who suffer and eventually I stop regretting over the petty failed plans I had. Thanks God, He helped me think with purpose and grace in this experience of crisis. The retreat though humble and simple, has truly enlightened me.
Now I realized, that I can only make plans, but there is no way I can make them definite at my own wishing. Everything happens in God’s time, and whatever plans that failed to happen simply were planned untimely, or simply not meant for us. I think, the best plans that fit today’s situation are those that work toward the common good, and those that are motivated by true charity. And they don’t need to always come with a grand package, but only with a sincere thought to bring hope in this time of pandemic. The most that I can do for now is to remember in my prayers everyone who planned to put aside their personal interests and preferred to selflessly involve themselves in finding ways to better the condition of the suffering people. These are plans that welcome the discomfort of caring and risking, far to pleasure oneself like those who planned well for trips, vacations and relaxations.
This is a wakeup call for me. I should not be afraid to sacrifice and alter what I had already planned. May we altogether learn the plan that will uplift the many, console the lonely and provide for the needy. If we could prefer them over self-planned joys, God is never selfish in His rewards for those who care the most.
UPDATE ON CURRENT STATUS OF POLA HOUSE RE-CONSTRUCTION AS OF MAY 2020
The 3-month period of demolition is completed: Sept. 16, 2019 to December 16, 2019. The extensive phase of demolition work was due to the type of project, that is reconstruction, where main interior walls of the old house are retained. Demolition was practically manual to ensure preservation to areas susceptible to damage that may be caused by machine-operated-tools. Clearing operations were completed before the 2019 Christmas break. Early this January 2020 was the transition period of work-force from labor team (demolition) to skill-workers (excavation, founding and welding). The major work of excavation for additional foundations to reinforce the existing structure was completed and was given the rite of blessing on February 29, 2020.
The declaration of the lockdown due to pandemic came during the peak of completing the tie beam structures. The work force had to stop from regular operations. Delays are expected un the development of this project since the lockdown has affected systems of cargo shipments and deliveries including construction materials. A detailed reinspection of the whole progress of work will be the immediate concern of the Architects and Engineers in order to determine available means to remedy the work backlogs. The Provincial council is requesting for the continued prayers of everybody for this project.