Inspiring You To Live A Fantastic Life YG E R M K A
No. 304 Vol. 26 OCTOBER 2015 Strengthen your faith with sabbath. reflect on god's word more deeply as explained by catholic priests who have spent their lives studying the bible and striving to live out god's teachings. a call to families: PROTECT YOUR home FROM FALLING APART DISCOVER HOW to draw your family closer together 3Fs TO STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS AT HOME
A FAMILY’S TALE OF FAITH, LOVE AND SERVICE GAY DOCTOR COMES to grips with the catholic teaching on homosexuality QUASH YOUR SMOKING HABIT FOR GOOD
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Sabbath Fullpage.indd 1 8/24/15 5:53 PM Strengthen your faith with sabbath. reflect on god's word more deeply as explained by catholic priests who have spent their lives studying the bible and striving to live out god's teachings.
YG E R M K A
For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 - 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com
Sabbath Fullpage.indd 1 8/24/15 5:53 PM find out how god works through the youth as young catholics share their Find out God's message for you in didache as He speaks through the testimonies of fellow Catholics who experienced God's love personal experiences and faithfulness in their own lives. of his love and faithfulness.
Didache (dee-da-ke), the Greek word for teaching, is a Catholic daily Bible reflection guide written by ordinary people who seek to live out the Gospel in their everyday
life. This reflection guide hopes to encourage the use of DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS FOR CATHOLICS FOR REFLECTIONS BIBLE DAILY
Sacred Scriptures among Catholics. DIDACHE
This year’s
Didache includes reflections from: 2016 For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 - 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.comdecember - january
YG E R M K A For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 - 108 DIDACHEDAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS FOR CATHOLICS www.kerygmabooks.com or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com january - december 2016
DDK2016 ad.indd 1 8/25/15 5:31 PM DDK Youth ad 2015 Full page.indd 1 8/25/15 6:01 PM find out how god works through the youth as young catholics share their personal experiences of his love and faithfulness.
For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 - 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com
DDK Youth ad 2015 Full page.indd 1 8/25/15 6:01 PM the Boss By Bo Sanchez “Help me, Bo. I’m falling in love with my boss.” I’ve known Lucy for some time now and her silliness betrays a deep spiritual maturity in this married woman. “Tell me about it,” I said solemnly. “Oh, Bo, he’s gorgeous. He’s a cute American and I get red all Congratulations, over whenever I’m in front of him.” “Brad Pitt lookalike?” “He’s got a tall nose and you know my husband’s pango” (flat- nosed). ’ “Let me guess. Your husband’s probably Filipino.” “And you should hear my boss talk. He speaks English so You re fluently.” “Hmm, I wonder why…” “Oh, Bo, what should I do?” I smiled and said, “First of all, congratulations.” “For what? I feel dirty. Sinful. Evil to the bone. I don’t like feeling this way. Bo, I’m a married woman!” Human! “Congratulations, because you’re human. Do you think married women don’t get attracted to men other than their husbands?” “Well, I thought it wouldn’t happen to me.” “Let me ask you a few questions. First, do you see your boss in private places?” “Of course not! I don’t even dare ride in the same car with him, even if it’s a business trip. I just pop up wherever the meeting is!” “Good girl. Do you fantasize about him?” “No. I’d like to… but I’ve been able to get rid of thoughts like that so far.” “Fantastic. Next question: When you dress up in the morning, do you find yourself dressing better, putting on more makeup for Mr. Brad Pitt?” “Oh, why do you know my torments?” Generation shirt courtesy of Worship Bo’s “It’s my job.” “Honestly, I get tempted to do that. When I open my closet, I want to pick the sharpest dress with a great matching scarf when I know I’ll be in a meeting with him. But I simply say no.” “Lucy, can I congratulate your husband right now? He’s one lucky chap.” She smiled and hugged me. “Thanks. I knew you’d say that.” “OK, I’ve got a few recommendations.” “I’m writing it down here,” she pointed to her brain. “Do you have a picture of Mr. Pango on your table?” “ Yes.” “Good. Enlarge it. About five meters by nine meters.” She laughed. “Next?” “Can your husband sometimes pick you up for lunch?” “I think he can squeeze that in.” “When he does, be sure that you kiss each other on the lips in front of everyone else for not less than 25 minutes. Tell the world — and your boss — that you’re a happily married woman!” Lucy left happy that day. And so did I. Because of her, I knew there was hope for humanity. There is hope for the family.
May your dreams come true,
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 1 mailroom
My heartfelt thanks to Kerygma magazine, Now I feel that I have to pay it forward which really touched my life and and give a gift subscription to a friend enlightened my mind. who’s going through some depression. To the people behind this inspirational May Kerygma last for many more magazine, thank you and more power to all years so it can continue to bless more of you. God bless. people.
Elsa S. Carpizo Theresa Ramos Pagadian City Valenzuela, Bulacan
I’ve been a fanatic reader of Kerygma I am a work-at-home mom and have a lot when I was still in college. Sometimes I of reading materials in my home office. I feel at a loss if I can’t buy a copy. Now I am am blessed because I can spend a lot of the librarian-in-charge of General Santos time reading. Kerygma is one particular Academy and I have my Kerygma collection mag that I love to read. here. I enjoy reading Rosanne Your magazine has been my guidance Romero’s column, “Kitchen Scribbles.” counselor. Thank you! Unfortunately I have not read it in the past several issues. I hope she will write Elnie Asuncion Carisma again soon. Polomok, South Cotabato Thank you and God bless your magazine.
Elizabeth A. Dulay A friend gave me a gift subscription of Kerygma. I can’t thank her enough for Paranaque City introducing your magazine to me. I’ve been thoroughly blessed by it.
Kerygma exists because of you
S end us your stories. Give us your feedback. Email: [email protected] Website: www.kerygmabooks.com Mobile: 0923-378-4941 Landline: 725-9999; 470-4091 and 881-3082 (Production Department) Mail: 60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City 1109 Facebook Pages: Kerygma Magazine and Shepherd’s Voice Publications Twitter: @SVPOfficial
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2 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA just breathe Living by Grace
By Rissa Singson Kawpeng The Powe r of Small Things
Let’s rethink “small”
One day, I went to the clubhouse and Today, CDO is a weekly Feast held in investing from your salary, no matter how the color of the pool water was visibly SM Cinema with an attendance of 250 little, grows exponentially over time. off. I swam just two days before and adults and 40 kids. They are also financially Quick replies to your client, on-time the water was pristine blue. Now it was self-sufficient. By the time you read this, delivery and friendly service win you life- greenish, especially compared to the they may already have two sessions. long customers. kiddie pool beside it. Rudy told me how powerful the I’m beginning to think there are no I asked Elmer, the caretaker, what LST model is. Others would say that it “small things” in life. The big time, the big happened. He said that they had both could be covered in a day with a seminar, shot, the big bucks — all these are what pumps fixed the day before, so the water but he argues that they miss the point. you call daily habits performed over time. wasn’t filtered all day. Community planting is about building So, Lord, make us sensitive to the I was surprised at how fast the water relationships, which the LST achieves with small opportunities that open big doors became dirty. In a day, microscopic algae seven weeks of discussions and sharing, as in our lives. had begun to grow, turning the water opposed to a one-day seminar. greenish. The sides of the pool also had Feast CDO’s story and what happened Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes grown black gunk. to our pool is a proof of the power of that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that It made me reflect how fast sin and small things. The Kingdom of God is like are in bloom. (Song of Songs 2:15) sloth can cling to our souls when we a mustard seed, Jesus taught. Small acts, neglect to maintain our spiritual health a daily habit, a seemingly insignificant Email me at [email protected], follow by prayer, the sacraments and other routine can steer your life to something me on Facebook or visit my website www. devotions that keep us under the grace catastrophic or something great. rissasingsonkawpeng.com. of the God. A lustful look escalates into an Yesterday, I was editing Kerygma adulterous relationship. What to Expect: magazine and read the story of The Spending beyond your means soon Feast Cagayan de Oro. They started with has you neck-deep in debt. The annual Kerygma Conference 2015 a group of 10 to 12 persons who met Late-night gimmicks will happen on November 19 to 22 at weekly to discuss and share the Love cascade to tardiness the SMX and MOA Arena. No need Someone Today (LST) booklet. at work, poor job to hard sell this event. The growing This morning, I verified this with performance and, following and number of changed lives Rudy Mallari, who’s their mentor. He told ultimately, getting testify to God’s power at work in the me they were not a video Feast but just fired. biggest Catholic learning event of the met for seven weeks covering the LST. The opposite year. Buy your tickets online at www. kerygmaconference.com. They ran LST for another two rounds after works, too. that, and by then, the group had grown Dating your to 40 people. Then they would praise spouse weekly and worship before the discussion and deepens your sharing. love for each From then on, the CDO group held other and yields monthly live Feasts where preachers like a strong, happy Vic Español, Jan Silan, JPaul Hernandez, marriage. Jing Sto. Domingo and others would take Disciplined turns to fly in and speak. saving and
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 3 SUBSCRIBE KERYGMA MISSION PARTNER 2015 NOW! 25th ANNIVERSARY RAFFLE PROMO Trip To HoLY LAND By being a Kerygma Mission Partner, you will not just subscribe to our highly inspiring magazine. You will also contribute to all our ministries and be a blessing to Anawim – our home for the aged; He Cares and Tahanan ng Pagmamahal – our ministry for street children and orphans; Grace to Be Born – a halfway house for unwed mothers and their babies and Shepherd’s Voice Radio and Television, Inc. – our media ministry. GRAND PRIZE: Tel Aviv • Jaffa • Nazareth • Mount Carmel • Cana • Mount Tabor Grand Prize for Silver, Gold and Platinum Sea of Galilee • Capernaum • Mt. of Beatitudes • Tabgha Jordan River Jericho Bethlehem • Jerusalem • Ein Karem • Genesis – Trip to Holy LandOthER PRIZES: Land Qumran • Dead Sea• Emmaus
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KMP 2015 Promo-Subs Form REV.indd 1 4/7/15 11:57 AM SUBSCRIBE KERYGMA MISSION PARTNER 2015 NOW! 25th ANNIVERSARY RAFFLE PROMO
YG Trip To HoLY LAND E R M K A By being a Kerygma Mission Partner, you will not just subscribe to our highly inspiring magazine. You will also contribute to all our ministries and be a blessing to Anawim – our home for the aged; He Cares and Tahanan ng Pagmamahal – our ministry for street children and orphans; Grace to Be Born – a halfway house for unwed mothers and their babies and Shepherd’s Voice Radio and Television, Inc. – our media ministry. GRAND PRIZE: Tel Aviv • Jaffa • Nazareth • Mount Carmel • Cana • Mount Tabor Grand Prize for Silver, Gold and Platinum Sea of Galilee • Capernaum • Mt. of Beatitudes • Tabgha The Bo Files Special Section Jordan River Jericho Bethlehem • Jerusalem • Ein Karem • Genesis – Trip to Holy LandOthER PRIZES: Land Qumran • Dead Sea• Emmaus The Boss About the Cover Introduction Back in college, June Ann was KERYGMA Amount FREEBIES Congratulations, You’re trip to Coron, Palawan for 2 1 a call to families 23 a courtside reporter while Human! 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Ø 8 Habits of the Happy Millionaire small things Ø How to Live a Life of Miracles 14 Ø Seasons How Your Words Can Change Your World Feast Snapshots Ø Ten raffle entries SEE POStERS AND PRINt ADS FOR DEtAILS MERCY AND 41 Bigger home, bigger faith: HOMOSEXUALITY The ‘A’ story of the Feast For International Subscriptions: P3, 000.00 / Year – No Freebie 17 Catholic Soul Bellevue For provIncIal reGular SuBScrIptIonS: THE REAL 43 Option 1: Snail Mail. NO ADDITIONAL Fee- Sent monthly via Post Office unregistered mail. It Happened PRESENCE Option 2: COURIeR plus 300 /year– sent every two issues 19 Dancing with God Given by: K Preacher 45 SUBSCRIBING IS EASY! B-day: Smoke-Free • By Mail: Return this form with your payment Zip code: 47 One Last Story Living (PMO or check payable to Shepherd’s Voice) Date Sent: The Seed That Grows to 60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City Referred by with Prayer OCTOBER 2015 P. O. Box #1331 Quezon City Central Post Office Start of subscription Signature 1153 Quezon City, Philippines q CHARGe Me: q CASH/COD q CHeCK/PMO q DIReCT BANK DROP Contact Nos.: 725-9999 local 105 411-7874 (Direct Line) Bank Deposit thru Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc. BDO S/A No. 397-000070-4 or BPI S/A No. 0123-4832-94, Allied Bank S/A No. 3160-00255-7, Metrobank S/A No. 3-2655-0807-4 (validated deposit slip enclosed) Email: [email protected] I am authorizing Equitable Card Network to charge my Visa/Mastercard in the amount of P Mobile: 0922-8147031 Sponsored by founder and publisher BO SANCHEZ • editor-in-chief RISSA SINGSON KAWPENG • managing editor TESS V. ATIENZA • creative director MIKE CORTES • assistant layout artist LEAH KIM RECTO • graphics director Cardholder’s Name: REY DE GUZMAN • assistant graphics artist JAP TARECTECAN • staff writers MAYMAY SALVOSA, MARJORIE ANN DUTERTE, KARREN RENZ SEñA, DINA PECAñA • contributing writers BELLA ESTRELLA, Card No. LELLA SANTIAGO, ELEANORE LEE-TEO • photographers DANIEL SORIANO, DAVE APALLA • columnists DR. RYAN CAPITULO, JPAUL HERNANDEZ, EDGARDO DE VERA • production assistant ANGIE ESPUERTA Expiry Date: chairman of the board and CEO BO SANCHEZ • president HERMIE R. MORELOS • vice-president for corporate services WENG CEQUEÑA • assistant vice-president for production RISSA KAWPENG • production manager TESS V. ATIENZA • sales and marketing manager JOSEPH MARTINEZ Signature: Kerygma. A Greek word meaning “Proclamation of the Gospel.” It is a Catholic inspirational magazine. It aims to be an evangelistic tool for all nations, providing Scriptural, practical and orthodox teachings to Catholics, particularly those in the Catholic Renewal, as an alternative to present-day magazines. It is also committed to fostering the renewal and unity of the whole Christian people. Philippine copyright Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc. 2015. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. Published monthly by Shepherd’s Voice Please allow three weeks delivery time for your first issue, together with your free items. Publications, Inc., whose editorial and business offices are located at 60 Chicago St., Cubao, 1109 Quezon City. Tel.: (632) 725-9999, 411-7874, 725-1190, 470-4091 and 881-3082 (Production Department). Fax: 727-5615. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.kerygmabooks.com thIS ServeS aS a raFFle coupon per DtI-ncr permit no. 9473 Series of 2015.
KMP 2015 Promo-Subs Form REV.indd 1 4/7/15 11:57 AM daily pause with Pope Francis 1 2 3
“Indeed, a Christian who prays “Let us think about how is a Christian who is protected, “Earth is essentially a shared many times the Lord has guarded and sustained, and inheritance, whose fruits are heard our prayer and sent above all, who is never alone.” meant to benefit everyone.” us an angel. An angel who unexpectedly comes to pull us out of a difficult situation.” 7 8 9
“God does not take His children “Prayer is the encounter with “Everything passes, only out of the world or away from God — with God who never God remains.” lets us down; with God who is evil but He does grant them faithful to His word; with God strength to prevail.” who does not abandon His children.” 13 14 15
“Teach prayer by praying, “And the closeness of God “Love binds, but binds in announce the faith by is tenderness like this: He freedom; it binds while believing; offer witness by has taught me how to walk. leaving you the space to living!” Without Him I wouldn’t know respond with love.” how to walk in the Spirit.”
19 20 21
“Lord, seize us with Your “The emptier a person’s “Believers must feel power and light, help us to heart is, the more he or challenged to live in a protect all life, to prepare for she needs to buy, own and way consonant with a better future.” consume.” their faith.”
25 26 27 “The Church is a mother with “Every creature is the object “In confession, Jesus an open heart, ready to help of the Father’s tenderness, welcomes us with all all people, especially those who gives it its place in the our sinfulness, to give us who try the hardest.” world.” a new heart, capable of loving as He loves.”
6 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 4 5 6 “No Christian community “The world we have received “Having a home has much can go forward without also belongs to who will follow to do with a sense of being supported by us.” personal dignity and the persistent prayer!” growth of families.”
10 11 12 “In the name of Christ, “‘Creation’ has a broader “A Church or a Christian believers have raised the meaning than ‘nature’; it who does not give dead; they have healed the has to do with God’s loving witness is sterile; like a sick; they have loved their plans.” dead person who thinks persecutors; they have shown he is alive.” how there is no power capable of defeating the one who has the power of faith!” 16 17 18 “How wonderful it is to “For indigenous “God’s compassion proclaim to everyone the communities, land is not a is kindled, this warm love of God which saves us commodity, but a gift from compassion: He alone and gives meaning to our God, a sacred space.” is capable of warm lives!” compassion.”
22 23 24
“Leaving an inhabitable “Scientific and technological “Today the Church is a planet to future generation progress cannot be equated Church of martyrs, so many is, first and foremost, up to with the progress of heroic witnesses. May we us.” humanity and history.” learn from their courage.”
30/ 28 29 31 “There is no room for the “To blame population “God’s love is free. He asks globalization of indifference.” for nothing in return; all He growth, and not an extreme consumerism on the part wants is for His love to be “We have to hear both the cry of some, is one way of accepted.” of the earth and the cry of the refusing to face the issues.” poor.”
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 7 May Your Dreams Come True
Friend, what are your dreams? Those dreams you have in your heart of hearts? God has placed them in the very fiber of your being. His plan for your life is connected to your deepest desires.
Here’s the truth: God wants to make your dreams come true. But He needs your help. He has already equipped you with the gifts, talents and resources you need to accomplish the beautiful dreams He has for your life.
But why is it that your dream still remains a dream? There are some important principles you need to learn and apply, like what to do when your dreams are bigger than your resources, how to marry your purpose and hire your strategy, and find God’s solution when you encounter obstacles that stop you from fulfilling your dream.
You may be on the verge of giving up or may have abandoned all hope. This book will inspire you, motivate you and bring your dreams back to life!
Yes, your dreams don’t have to remain just dreams. Learn how to achieve your God-ordained destiny by following these seven crucial steps:
Step 1: Conceive Step 2: Receive Step 3: Achieve Step 4: Adjust Step 5: Supply Step 6: Solutions Step 7: Significance
What are you waiting for? It’s time to make your dreams come true. This book will change your life.
PUBLICATIONS, INC. For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 to 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com to buy digital or paperback versions.
8 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA
Life Manual 101 LONG AD.indd 1 7/24/15 10:06 AM new you Tips for Personal Development
THE Gift of stop Procrastinating Forgiveness How to Act Right Now A t some point, we all have reasons to hate, resent and get mad at other people. It’s not always easy to do, but to forgive is an act that frees the forgiver more than the offender. The one who pardons benefits more than the pardoned. Let’s see how:
1. Health help. Anger operates as a chronic stressor. When you refuse to forgive and remember the offense, Merriam Webster defines procrastination as “to delay your brain stimulates cortisol or doing something until a later time because you do not stress hormones. Scientists dubbed want to do it.” It is the habit of postponing our tasks for cortisol as “Public Health Enemy several reasons including laziness, lack of interest and No. 1.” It lowers immune function absence of motivation. Whatever the reason is though, and affects blood pressure, bone you still have to carry out your responsibilities at the end density, memory, and many others. of the day. You can save yourself from all these It’s time to turn the tables and start suspending what problems if you choose to do the suspends you. right thing. 2. Strengthens relationships. 1. Break it down. A study conducted by Pennsylvania Research shows that couples who State University says that most people tend to don’t forgive get competitive and rush their tasks for completion’s sake. Researchers focused on “being right” and winning called it “pre-crastination.” People gain a sense of arguments, rather than working accomplishment once they execute something as together in a cooperative way. soon as possible. To boost your motivation then, Committed couples, however, forgive break down your goal into easy steps. Clean a each other because they take those particular area of your room. Focus on a specific opportunities as a way to grow more period of your report. Then keep moving. Complete and to understand each other better. your task, one step at a time. 3. Happiness and freedom. Once 2. Have a quick self-check. Ask yourself, “Why am I you choose to forgive, you feel a procrastinating?” Unless you name the source, you sense of freedom from within. It cannot solve the problem. If the reason is skill, look is not dependent on whether the for mentors. If it is interest (in studying or working), other person apologized or not. In look at the brighter side. Unless you push yourself some cases, there is still a need to to do it, you will just stress yourself the whole time. render punishment to the one who Delaying the task doesn’t help you succeed either. committed a mistake. It doesn’t mean 3. Prioritize and plot. Identify your most important though, that we don’t love him/her tasks every day. Schedule them and decide how anymore. We just know that it’s the you are going to accomplish them. Have a back-up best thing to do. plan. This way, you can still keep on going if anything unexpected happens. Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Quick Health Tip
Canistel or chesa is often called as “egg fruit” because its flesh looks like a boiled egg yolk. It is sweet and can be eaten raw. Canistel is a good source of Vitamin C, niacin, protein, fiber, and iron. It is best enjoyed with salt or mayonnaise, and can also be mixed in shakes or other desserts.
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 9 10 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA real stuff CBCP President Serves His second Term
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) reelected Archbishop Socrates “Soc” Villegas as its president in July 2015. Elected CBCP officials have two years of tenure. Archbishop Soc’s term will commence on Lingayen-Dagupan.org December 1, 2015 and end on November 30, money in the weeds 2017. Aside from Archbishop Soc, other officials who will retain their positions are Archbishop Romulo Valles, vice-president; Archbishop John Du, treasurer; and Fr. Marvin Mejia, Eichhornia crassipes, commonly called as water hyacinth, is known to secretary-general. be an aquatic pest. Water hyacinth clogs lakes, rivers and other irrigation The elected CBCP Permanent Council channels. This affects the amount of water, sunlight and oxygen received members include Bishops Rodolfo Beltran, by other marine plants. Australian scientists even designated water Ruperto Santos, Gilbert Garcera, Bernardino hyacinth as the “world’s worst aquatic weed.” Cortez, and Reynaldo Evangelista for Luzon; The Department of Science and Technology–Forest Products Bishops Crispin Varquez and Narciso Abellana Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI), however, found a for Visayas; and Bishops Jose Cabantan and way to turn this pester into a means of livelihood. Angelito Lampon for Mindanao. FPRDI came up with a Water Hyacinth Dryer. From almost a week, it Bishop Soc is also the current Archbishop now takes only a few hours to dry up the water hyacinth stems. Dried- of Lingayen-Dagupan, CBCP Chairman of the up stems are used to produce superior wall coverings exported to Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and 45 countries. A number of livelihood cooperatives and families along Catholic Education, and President of the Asia- Laguna Lake take part in this project as their source of income. Oceania Mariological Society. Source: http://www.philstar.com/business Source: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph
Saints-at-a-Glance
St. Francois-Isidore Gagelin Birth: 1799 Death: 1833 Feast Day: October 17
St. Francois-Isidore Gagelin was born in Montperreux, Doubs. He joined the Society of Foreign Missions in Paris. He went to Vietnam in 1822 where he was ordained. In 1833, Emperor Minh Mang ordered all churches in the country to be destroyed. October of the same year, Gagelin was captured. He was persecuted and killed by strangulation. St. John Paul II, then Pope, canonized Gagelin in 1988.
Source: http://www.catholic.org IT’S TIME TO COME HOME. I love coming home. There is no feeling like it in the world. Not that I don’t like going out of the house. I do. I love FEEL LOVED. adventure. I love going to mountaintops FEEL HOPE. and beaches. I love traveling to various parts of the world to preach and serve God’s people. But there’s nothing like that amazing feeling of being at home. I just love walking through the door of my home. And sinking into my worn-out coach. And propping up my feet on the table (and seeing my lovely wife from at me–because I might topple her vase). And drinking my favorite buko juice from my own FEEL NOURISHED. FEEL COMFORTABLE. glass. FEEL And getting a hug from the two most handsome CONFIDENT. boys in the universe. Ahhh… Yes, there’s nothing like being at home. My friend, this is what happens when you join KerygmaConference2015: Coming Home. I want you to come home! First of all, I want you to come home to God. Let Him embrace you. Let Him bless you, anoint you, heal you, love you on those special 4 days we’ll be together at the Conference. FEEL Second, I want you to come home to your spiritual family. We’re your family. And we’re proud and happy to call you our family, too. HAPPY. The Conference will be God’s big family to you. FEEL HIGH. Join me for 4-Days of incredible miracles. November 19 to 22 at MOA Arena and SMX. I promise you, it’s going to be an outrageous, November 19 – 22 out-of-this-world event whose impact will remain with you forever. SMX CONVENTION CENTER + MOA ARENA Get your tickets at the Lobby now. Discounts available for Early Bird participants. See you at our Homecoming. FEEL AT HOME. May your dreams come true, BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW! WWW.KERYGMACONFERENCE.COM FACEBOOK.COM/KERYGMACONFERENCEOFFICIAL
12 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA
KCON 2015 spread AD.indd 2-3 8/26/15 2:01 PM IT’S TIME TO COME HOME. I love coming home. There is no feeling like it in the world. Not that I don’t like going out of the house. I do. I love FEEL LOVED. adventure. I love going to mountaintops FEEL HOPE. and beaches. I love traveling to various parts of the world to preach and serve God’s people. But there’s nothing like that amazing feeling of being at home. I just love walking through the door of my home. And sinking into my worn-out coach. And propping up my feet on the table (and seeing my lovely wife from at me–because I might topple her vase). And drinking my favorite buko juice from my own FEEL NOURISHED. FEEL COMFORTABLE. glass. FEEL And getting a hug from the two most handsome CONFIDENT. boys in the universe. Ahhh… Yes, there’s nothing like being at home. My friend, this is what happens when you join KerygmaConference2015: Coming Home. I want you to come home! First of all, I want you to come home to God. Let Him embrace you. Let Him bless you, anoint you, heal you, love you on those special 4 days we’ll be together at the Conference. FEEL Second, I want you to come home to your spiritual family. We’re your family. And we’re proud and happy to call you our family, too. HAPPY. The Conference will be God’s big family to you. FEEL HIGH. Join me for 4-Days of incredible miracles. November 19 to 22 at MOA Arena and SMX. I promise you, it’s going to be an outrageous, November 19 – 22 out-of-this-world event whose impact will remain with you forever. SMX CONVENTION CENTER + MOA ARENA Get your tickets at the Lobby now. Discounts available for Early Bird participants. See you at our Homecoming. FEEL AT HOME. May your dreams come true, BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW! WWW.KERYGMACONFERENCE.COM FACEBOOK.COM/KERYGMACONFERENCEOFFICIAL
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 13
KCON 2015 spread AD.indd 2-3 8/26/15 2:01 PM dear K always the odd one out
I have always worn a tough mask Dear Boy in the Shadows, to hide my inferiority whenever I The positive thing I can get from your letter is your desire to get out of your am with other people. I never had situation — and improve and grow. There’s so much I want to ask you to a true friend who sticks by my understand you better, but as this is a correspondence counseling, I don’t side. I had friends, but usually after have that option. Anyway, I’ll try my best from the inputs you gave. a year, I would be left out while I’ll start with your relationship issues. Friendships develop after they stayed together. Whenever spending time with each other and learning to accept who you really are. I was with them, I never felt that I When you wrote that you’re looking for a friend who “sticks by my side” or belong. Even in my own family, I from a group where you feel you belong, I felt that probably you were not am the odd one out. My relatives communicating yourself enough or maybe, not knowing yourself fully well, are achievers and successful in you were sending mixed signals to the people you relate with. Thus, you their endeavors. My parents are don’t get the acceptance that you need. I don’t know if you were sheltered, disappointed in me because I am being an only child, and therefore have not developed your social skills, but their only child but I am not living this is one area you have to work on. Don’t clam up because you can’t find a up to their expectations. Whenever friend but instead work on your weakness. For instance, you can start joining I try to stand out, I end up making a Christian groups like the Light Groups at The Feast. fool of myself. I’ve never achieved Your other issue is achievement. You feel so much a failure because you anything great and my attempts have not achieved something great, the major decisions you made were always fail. Everyone criticizes me flops, and you don’t feel you’re living up to the expectations of your parents. It for being wrong always. I make is difficult to live life alone with no one to seek advice or opinion about your terrible major decisions in my life. undertakings. It helps a lot to hear several views before plunging into a major I’ve always been alone with no one decision. to truly connect with. Please help Honestly, I think personal counseling can help you a lot. You can contact me. I want to break out of this shell. the Light of Jesus Pastoral Care Center or, if you like, you can reach me through Shepherd’s Voice. Boy in the Shadows I’ll pray for you.
Cristy Galang
Cristy Galang has been serving San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish for many years, building Basic Ecclesial Communities in the parish and doing catechetical work. She is a licensed guidance counselor and a certified counseling psychologist. She was one of the pioneers of the Light of Jesus Pastoral Care Center. Email her at [email protected].
Email your questions to [email protected]. Or if you need to talk to someone, call (632) 726-4709 or 726-6728 to contact a Light of Jesus Pastoral Care Center counselor. Pastoral counseling by telephone is 24 hours from Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Face-to-face pastoral counseling is by appointment. For correspondence pastoral counseling, email [email protected] or go to www.kerygmafamily.com.
Or Call (632) 725-9999 Pregnant? Confused? Abortion is not the answer. Contact Grace to Be Born at 654-1377. You may also contact Pro-life Philippines at (632) 733-7027.
14 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA Betrayed by the One I Love
I was brokenhearted just recently Dear Chacha, because of the infidelity of my It hurts a lot when someone we trust betrays us, especially one who has ex-boyfriend. Before our second professed to love us exclusively. anniversary, he confessed that I know of women who’ve been in your shoes and the hurt has he had a one-night stand with paralyzed them for years. They keep reliving the painful memories and, another woman few months instead of learning from the experience to become better people, they back. The woman got pregnant. I become bitter. They put themselves in a self-made prison that they can’t asked him if I knew who the girl get out of. Then they wonder why no one else comes along. Don’t let this was but he said no. happen to you. Later on, I found out from I read about a concept called post-traumatic growth syndrome, some of our friends that he lied — I where people see the opportunity in a negative event to become better. knew the girl and they had been Instead of allowing a life-altering incident to damage you, you use it as a dating for a long time already. springboard to a more abundant life. They are now preparing for Thanking God that He revealed your ex’s true character before you their wedding. He asked for my married him is a start. Forgive your ex, not for his sake, but for yours. I forgiveness but I couldn’t feel his know it’s hard but focusing on forgiving will set you free while holding sincerity. I couldn’t forgive him. I on to your anger will just poison you. thought he was kind and true but Finally, pray. Don’t underestimate the grace that God gives to it turned out that he faked it all overcome your pain. along. I wish he’d just let me know Rissa Kawpeng that he didn’t love me anymore. How do I move on? Please pray for my healing.
Chacha
Rissa Singson Kawpeng has been proclaiming God’s Word through radio, TV and print media for over two decades. She has served extensively in youth and singles ministries and is an inspiration to many in living godly lives. Rissa has written four books, the latest of which is Audience of One (Visit www.kerygmabooks.com for orders).
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 15
Feast snapshots
Bigger home, “Bulilit, bulilit, sanay sa masikip. was exhorted to believe that God had Kung kumilos, kumilos, ang liit-liit.” foreseen this day when He would pitch By the end of the then-famous bigger faith: His tent of victory, when His children housing developer TV commercial, would no longer be cramped in a small the little girl (the main character) had The ‘A’ story space and they could finally stretch. finally loosened up, realizing that she’s no longer in a small house but of the Feast Bigger Faith was now in a bigger and brand-new And stretch was what Arun had home. The first Sunday of July saw encouraged everyone to do. He spoke the regular attendees of The Feast Bellevue of the two powers fighting within each Alabang turn into that little girl. aBy Osy Eric of us: one that wants to stretch and the other, to settle. The power that we Photos by the Feast Bellevue feed will decide our success. Unless we Bigger Home Media Ministry On July 5, the morning sessions have the attitude that good enough is of The Feast Alabang moved to a not good enough, we will not achieve beautiful, bigger and brand-new fullness of life. God created us to excel venue: the Bellevue Hotel. Its and to live in abundance. He will do 1,500-seater ballroom has been what we cannot do when we have done the site of splendid weddings, all that we can. extravagant parties and momentous Liking it to students working hard gatherings, but this is the grandest to get a grade of A, Arun said that what celebration yet, because at The Feast God asks of us is to not settle for C Bellevue, we celebrate God. but to stretch for A. He continued on, The celebration began with sharing his own C story as he faced a an enthronement ceremony led healing crisis, but he stretched out his by Saturday Feast Alabang builder faith to reach A. As a result, he came James Nicolas and wife, Jinky, and up with a new book despite his illness. Feast Bellevue builder Arun Gogna “Just because you gave up on a dream and wife, Lalaine. Emcee Ralph Kim doesn’t mean God has given up on Paguio then welcomed everyone yours,” he said. We are called to believe to their new home and introduced in God, trust and stretch. Niko Capucion, Lyra Lim-Isidoro, Stretch to reach for your heart’s Manny Protacio and Lalaine Gogna, desires at your new home: The Feast who led the crowd in worship with Bellevue, where miracles happen, songs of victory and faith. As the where A stories are told and where worship session ended, everyone grace abounds. OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 17
it Happened
Joy discovers that dancing to the beat of God’s grace is the best choreography she ever made.
Dancing with God By Joy Cancio as told to Lella M. Santiago Photos by Harry Danao
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 19 it Happened
Joy finds her place in God’s dance floor as a member of The Feast Alabang Dance Ministry.
“Isn’t that a deception? You’re a Christian but you’re managing the Sex Bomb dine at the Philippine Club. My hard work Dancers.” These harsh words, uttered by one of the country’s well-known divas paid off and I bought my dream house in and a co-member in the community I used to belong to, made me cringe. I felt upscale Ayala Alabang. that being a dancer was not proper in their eyes. At that time, I gave our marriage another shot but the distance killed Prepping at the Barre our chances. The desire to settle down That really hurt because dancing has been my childhood dream. When I was a remained in me. When I fell in love with a little girl, I said, “Someday, I’ll dance on TV.” Japanese guy, I started a family with him. I guess it’s true that adversity prepares us for our destiny. At 16, I looked for We had two kids. But home beckoned and a job because of financial struggles in our family. I auditioned as a Vicor Music I used my house as collateral for him to dancer. They were so happy with my performance, I got accepted. But my mom start a business here. The trouble was, he wouldn’t let me join. That didn’t close the doors for me though. In fourth year had affairs left and right. Plus, he didn’t pay high school, the house choreographer of A & W Recording Company saw me the loan which put my house in jeopardy. perform with the Far Eastern University Dance Troupe. She asked my mom That ended our relationship. to allow me to join their funky dance group. This time, I got her blessing. That With my world shaken, I left for Japan started my career. again. Fortunately, I was able to save right away. I went home because my three kids Twists and Turns needed me. Perfectly timed was an offer Being in the entertainment business kept me out late at night and my mom to join another group, Danz Focus, as a would get mad. In my mind, she was being unreasonably strict. I thought partner. I became the booking manager marriage would be my escape. At 19, I got married and was soon pregnant. and arranged for the group to dance in Eat The marriage didn’t last long. To support my son, I went with the Vicor Bulaga (EB), a popular noontime show. I Dancers to Japan. I worked two jobs so I could save money. Aside from working also got projects from different recording in a Japanese club as an entertainer, I got commissions for bringing guests to companies. We were blessed, but there
20 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA it Happened were also huge challenges in getting regular slots. community. But something was still missing. There came a point when I no longer understood Drop and Recover my purpose in life. I said, “All this time, I’ve been Eventually, I made two important deals that changed the thinking of other people’s future and I didn’t even get a group’s status: one with BMG Recording Co. (where I heard thank you.” I rebelled. This time, I used my money for the “Sex Bomb” song) and a semi-regular slot with EB. I myself. I got into gambling, which was also my escape. also became EB’s house choreographer. I didn’t demand My eldest son forced me to reconcile with his father. for a higher talent fee, but instead asked for Danz Focus to Although we didn’t share the same bed, I just wanted to become regulars. be out till my husband was asleep. Instead of using my In 1999, a game segment in EB needed a girl group. wealth for God, I squandered my money on gambling. I They picked from Danz Focus. We used the “Sex Bomb” realized now that we are blessed so we can bless others. song for dance portions. The move became phenomenal Then jobs became scarce. I spent so many sleepless and everybody called them by that name. I thought nights that, on December 2013, I accidentally overdosed of organizing this all-female sub-group. I invested a lot on sleeping pills. I had spent the previous night and the in enhancing their skills with jazz, voice and acting whole day working on bookings and schedules. When I workshops. I never gave a thought on how much I will earn got to my room, my daughter accused me that I was not or if they would become famous. I just wanted to make working. I just wanted to shut the world out. their lives better because they were out-of-school youths. I vividly remember one incident which I shared during Spotting God The Feast Alabang’s Holy Week Recollection. To practice My dizzying life continued until last year when my the girls’ dancing prowess, I booked them with a Japanese sister, Lani, invited me to attend two retreats by Feast entertainment club in Makati. There, I encountered a Alabang. The first was for solo parents and the other mother who wanted her 14-year-old daughter to be a guest was for WOW (Women of Worth). That’s when I felt relations officer (GRO). I told her, “Don’t make her a GRO. accepted for who I was as a dancer. They valued my Entrust her to me and I will train her as a dancer.” worth. Training was not an easy task though. It took about a At The Feast, I got the guidance and support I was year because some got pregnant and others just vanished. looking for. Instead of getting raised eyebrows for Sex We kept going back to step 1. Aside from the training, my Bomb, I got a loving and gentle suggestion to tweak work load as choreographer was crippling. But I kept at the brand name — something which I already told my it despite the difficulties. Maybe my desire to save these daughter, Jara, who now manages them. young girls was pleasing to the Lord. We were blessed with There’s also been a restoration — with my many shows. immediate family and my sister. Although not yet fully In February 2002, we signed an advertisement contract healed, my relationship with my husband is friendlier. with Petron and a recording deal with BMG for the original Before, I said there was no love anymore, but when you song “Bakit Papa.” But before it launched, we were laughed get to know God, you learn the meaning of “marriage at and bullied. Added to that, my partner was killed in a covenant.” It’s not just about your feelings and desires robbery, and P700,000 for salaries was taken from him. I but about having a godly relationship. didn’t know where to get the money so I cried to the Lord My kids and I now have meaningful conversations every day. He answered by touching my sister, Maricar, to unlike before when I was always too tired and busy give me a loan. to talk. Because of that, I was able to encourage my Things turned around in June with the launch of the daughter to attend The Feast with me and my youngest record and the Petron ads. After a week, “Bakit Papa” was to join our youth camp, the Camp Calye. awarded gold. The dance move swept the country. Offers My prayer for a financial breakthrough has not yet poured in and I was able to pay off my sister. been answered, but I believe it’s only because God is still In 2003, I hocked all my properties to produce a tele- preparing me for something. Maybe if He gives it to me drama for the Sex Bomb. It was another difficult time — we now, I might lose control again. What’s important is I’m could only collect after four months from airing. The learning to simplify my life, to let go of my fondness for stress took a toll on me. I had bleeding that seemed like a expensive things, like my collection of signature bags. precursor to cancer. I’ve learned to spot God, to keep my eyes on Him through the twists and turns. I realized that God still The Pivot listens to me and grants my dreams in spite of the many I have always been a prayerful person. I’d call on God when sins I’ve committed. He’s always there to forgive me. I had problems. But I’d forget about Him when I was happy. Today, my self-confidence has been restored as I’m Maybe God allowed my troubles so I’d try to draw closer invited to lead dance worship at several Feasts. At The to Him. When we leftEB in 2006, I entered a Christian Feast, I joyfully dance with God.
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 21 read God's Word and understand it better. Companion compiles the Mass readings of the day in a handy book that you can bring with you wherever you go.
YG E R M K A
For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 - 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com
Companion.indd 1 8/25/15 5:34 PM special section | Introduction
read God's Word and understand it better. a call to families: Companion compiles the Mass readings of Protect Your Home from Falling Apart the day in a handy book that you can bring with you wherever you go. By Bo Sanchez
By Bo Sanchez
nce upon a time, there were three little pigs. mother said, “Little Lechon, always put a towel on your I know this story very well. Because back.” The second mother said, “Little Liempo, always when I was a kid, there were no Plants vs. drink your vitamins.” And the third mother said, “Little Zombies and Angry Birds. We had no iPad or Longganisa, always read your Bible.” iPod or iPhone — so to occupy our time, we The three little pigs bought their plane tickets YG E R M K A Ohad fairy tales. online, rode a budget airline, and when they landed, They left their town in search of their fortunes. When they texted their mothers, “Landed. Mwah.” they bid farewell from their respective mothers, the first They liked the town and built their homes there. For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 - 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 23
Companion.indd 1 8/25/15 5:34 PM The first little pig wanted things quickly and easily. T he Stick House Falls in 20 Seconds He built his house made of straw. In no time, it was But the two big, bad wolves were so big, they were still finished and he went inside, sat on a chair and played hungry. Temple Run on his iPad. That was when they saw a stick house, and The second pig built his house made of sticks. It took when they peeked through the window, they said, him a little longer, but it was still easy and quick, and he “Liempo!” They knocked on the door of the stick house also went inside his house to play Scrabble online with and called out, “Little pig, little pig, let us in!” his friends from Canada. The pig answered, “No, no, no, not by the hair of my The third pig took the longest time and the most chinny chin chin.” effort because he wanted something that would last for The wolves answered, “Then we’ll huff and we’ll puff a long time. So he built his house made of stones. He and blow your house down!” worked on his house night and day, carefully and slowly And the two wolves blew — and it took a little bit building his stone house one brick at a time. Finally, longer — about 20 seconds — but the stick house crashed when it was finished, the little pig went inside, knelt down as well. And because of the wolves’ bad breath, the down to say his evening prayer, and collapsed in bed to second pig died of chemical warfare. And the wolves ate sleep. Liempo that day. Suddenly, two big, bad, hungry wolves appeared. The Stone House Didn’t Fall at All The Straw House Falls in Two Seconds But the wolves’ stomachs had room for more. That was They saw a straw house, peeked through the window when they saw a stone house, and when they peeked and said, “Lechon!” So the two wolves knocked on the through the window, they said, “Longganisa!” They door of the straw house and called out, “Little pig, little knocked on the door of the stone house and called out, pig, let us in!” “Little pig, little pig, let us in!” The first pig answered, “No, no, no, not by the hair of The pig answered, “No, no, no, not by the Name of the my chinny chin chin.” King of kings!” He then prayed Psalm 91 and Psalm 23. The wolves answered, “Then we’ll huff and we’ll puff “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High and abides and blow your house down!” in the shade of the Almighty, say to the Lord, ‘My refuge, And the wolves blew, and in two seconds flat, the my stronghold, my God in whom I trust.’” house crashed down. And because of the wolves’ bad The wolves answered, “Then we’ll huff and we’ll puff breath, the pig died of air poisoning. And that day, the and blow your house down!” wolves ate Lechon. And the wolves blew, and blew, and blew — and after blowing for 20 minutes straight — nothing happened.
24 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA The stone house was like a rock, In this issue, we’ll teach you how My married friend said, “Before standing solid as ever. to build your relationships that will the wedding, you get an engagement In their extreme exhaustion, the last forever (all the way to heaven). ring. During the wedding, you get a two wolves had an asthma attack — Imagine all your relationships wedding ring. After the wedding, you get and both of them dropped dead on (your marriage, or your parent-child suffering.” Most marriages don’t break the spot. relationship, or your sibling-to-sibling up because of adultery, but because of And the third pig stepped out of relationship, or your friendships) adversity. his stone house and sang, “I can do all built on rock. When there are no problems, it’s things through Christ, I can move the That rock is none other than easy to have a happy relationship. mountains if You are the strength of Jesus. When you marry someone, you’re my life.” Enduring relationships are not looking for an ideal partner. You’re And that day, the little pig had wolf built on enduring values. If you looking for a cross. steaks for dinner. want your relationships to flourish, Yes, my wife is my cross. Because your relationships have to be built loving her isn’t convenient. If I wanted Built on Rock on timeless, eternal, old-fashioned to remain comfortable, I should have Have you noticed? Everything dies. values. remained single. But I don’t want to We die. People die. Organizations Just like in the story of the remain comfortable. I want to remain die. Institutions die. Three Little Pigs, we can compare committed. Everything comes to an end, relationships to houses. Some are Yes, my wife is my cross. My except for one thing. The Bible says weak and some are strong. Some beautiful, lovely, glorious cross. Because that anything built on God’s Word will collapse quickly and some stand she has brought me closer to God and last forever. forever. enlarged my capacity to love. But it’s not just listening, or So does my family. And yours, to reading, or memorizing the Word, but Protect Your Families from the you. obeying the Word. Jesus said, “But Two Wolves Don’t lose hope. anyone who hears My teaching and So save your family from the wolves Have you decided to save your doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person of temptations and trials. family from wolves? who builds a house on sand. When Relationships are destroyed by I pray that each page of this issue the rains and floods come and the sin. Sins such as selfishness, greed, will help you rebuild your homes with winds beat against that house, it temper, envy, jealousy, lying, stealing, faith. With hope. With love. will collapse with a mighty crash” hatred, unforgiveness, lust…. Now. (Matthew 7:24-27).
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 25 special section feel at home draw your family closer together By Bo Sanchez
26 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA fter one of my talks, a very anxious mother approached me and asked, “Bo, can you help me? I have a problem with my 18-year-old daughter. She’s like a bed spacer in our house. She goes home only to sleep. She’s always with feel at home her friends.” I had little time to talk to her so I took my best shot. I asked her, “Is Athere happiness at home?” draw your family closer Here’s my belief. I believe kids will love to go home if there’s love in the home. Have you heard that great old song form 1964? (For your information, I didn’t hear the together original version. I heard this song in a revival on American Idol.)
A chair is still a chair Even when there’s no one sittin’ there But a chair is not a house And a house is not a home When there’s no one there to hold you tight And no one there you can kiss goodnight.
Friend, is there happiness in your home? I’ve noticed that the happiest relationships have a rhythm of celebration. In other words, they throw parties. I don’t mean a party with balloons and clowns (though that would be great, too), but putting a “party spirit” in your relationship. I have four fantastic suggestions.
1. Make the Family Meal a Party Let me share with you a dining scenario. The father turns to his eldest son, Jack, and asks, “Pass the rice. By the way, how was your exam this morning?” He doesn’t allow him to answer. He answered for him, “I won’t be surprised if you got a zero. The good news is that we can save money because we can sell your school books next year as brand new.” He then turns to his daughter, Jill, “Pass the gravy. By the way, where were you last night? With your ugly boyfriend again? Can you tell me what planet he comes from?” He then turns to his youngest daughter, Hill. (You know, Jack and Jill went up the hill!) “Pass the salt. And you, were you born with a telephone in your hand? You were already with your obnoxious friends in school, why do you have to spend three more hours talking to them on the phone?” And finally, it’s the youngest son’s turn, Pail. (OK, they really like this nursery rhyme.) “Pass the cake. And you, what did you do today aside from wasting your time playing those crappy video games? And are you deaf? Your music is either very loud or extremely loud!” No wonder the family meal is an endangered species. Parents, please. Make your meals happy! Here’s a rule you should write on stone: Ban all sermons when you’re around the table. Instead, feed your children with dishes of laughter, platefuls of inspiration and trays of encouragement. Make every family meal a joyful occasion.
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 27 2. Hold a Family Night Each Week My kids love family nights. If they had it their way, we’ll do it every night. Sometimes, we watch a movie at home with a barrel of popcorn. (According to my son, Bene, a movie without popcorn is a horrific crime.) Sometimes, we play all video games together. Obviously, the kids always win and the parents lose. But that’s OK. Instead of banning video games from our kids, we enter into their digital worlds. Doing so enables us to guide them against violent games. Sometimes, we go to a bookstore and eat ice cream afterwards. I believe the weekly family night is a mini-party that you should never miss. Believe me, when you’re old and grey (or old and bald), you’ll look back at these times and thank God you had them!
3. Weekly Dates with Each Family Member I date my wife each week. I consider that a mini-party, too. Years ago, we had very little money. So we had dates in our garage. Sometimes, we took a quiet walk in our neighborhood. One day, I thought of something crazy. We ate at home, dressed up really well then went to a five-star hotel. We entered the hotel like we were millionaires. No one knew we had very little money in our pockets. And confidently, I ordered a glass of Coke. And for two solid hours, we enjoyed the violin music and beautiful ambiance all the while sipping our Coke very slowly. I date my kids each week, too. Those are mini-parties. Sometimes, it’s just donuts. Other times, we walk around a mall. Other times, we play a game together. The key is to make fun. When Mom was still alive, I also dated her every other week. It was such a simple thing but it meant the world to her. One last suggestion…
4. Annual Family Celebrations Create your own family’s “liturgical calendar.” Sit down and block off the most important dates of the year. For example, plan everyone’s birthdays. Mark off also your wedding anniversary, Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Grandparent’s Day. One Valentine’s day, I did something I cherish to this day. I set up two chairs and a little wooden table in our backyard. I scattered candles all over the grass, dressed in a coat and tie and brought out my CD player to play romantic Kenny G music. I then ordered pizza. Finally, I got my guitar and sang an original song I wrote for my wife that day… Ikaw ang awit ng buhay, ang tinig ng langit. (You are the song of life, heaven’s tune.) Ikaw ang himig at kulay, ng pusong nagmamahal sa iyo. (You are melody and color to the heart that loves you.) Refrain: Biyayang galing sa taas, anghel sa lupa’y naglalakad. (Heaven’s blessing, angel who walks on earth.) Ikaw ang awit ng puso ko! (You are the song of my heart!) That happened a long time ago, but I still remember my wife’s tears that special night.
28 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA The Gift of Gratitude I can hear you now, “Bo, it’s hard! Let’s face it, we’ve got other things to do. We get tired. We get mad.” But are you going to wait for your relationship to drift apart before taking action? Husbands and wives, stop comparing. Parents, stop criticizing. Children, stop complaining. As Oprah Winfrey said, “What you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it.” Instead of highlighting what you hate about your family, appreciate them. Thank your wife for the small things she does for you. Thank your husband for going to work every day. Thank your mother for the way she serves you. Thank your child for being a wonderful kid. I promise: Gratitude will be like oil in the engine of your relationship. Your relationship, especially your family, will function on a whole new level. Choose to be grateful. And loving. Because your physiology affects your psychology. Your feelings follow your action.
Love at Home Love means giving practical help. If you’re a mother, I’m sure there are days when you’re feeling blue and you don’t want to move. But 15 minutes later, you’re already in the kitchen because some people will get hungry. You don’t feel like doing it. But you do it anyway. That’s love. Love means praying for your loved ones. Perhaps your father was a horrible man. But you decide to pray for him. You pray whether you like it or not. That’s love. Love means spending time together. Not just physically being together, but also being emotionally together. There’ll be times when you won’t feel like bonding together. But you do it anyway. That’s love. Love means physical affection. People aren’t machines. They need to be touched. Holding hands, pats on the back, shoulder rubs, hugs and kisses nourish and heal people more than you can possibly imagine. Again, there’ll be days when you don’t feel like doing it, but you do it anyway. That’s love. Love means verbal or written expressions. When was the last time you affirmed your spouse or any family member? You might argue with me and say, “Bo, I don’t want to be a hypocrite. When I say it, I should feel it.” Here’s my question: Are you just your emotions? Or are you also your spirit, your soul, your mind, your imagination, your will? Love means giving tokens as symbols of love. It may mean nothing to you, but a gift from you could mean the world to another person. Love means respecting the boundaries of the other. It means giving space to the other and letting her grow on her own. Friends, home is defined by love! Wherever you are, create your home now. Work on yourself. Work on your family. Work on your relationships. And feel at home.
Email me at [email protected].
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 29 special section Testimonial
The family that worships, laughs and eats together (L-R): Moriel, Velden, Everett, Veia, Reggie, Daisy, Vernon, Lyra and Oying. THE LIM FAMILY: A Tale of Faith, Love and Service As told to Tess V. Atienza and Maymay R. Salvosa
nce upon a time, there lived a young couple named Reggie and Daisy. Right after their wedding, they stayed with Reggie’s parents. They were forbidden from moving out of the parental house unless they have their own house. Owned, not rented, Reggie’s parents stressed. O Reggie, a civil engineer, worked hard to provide for his young family — and, of course, to have a house of their own someday. Daisy, for her part, stopped working so she could be hands-on in raising their children. Coming from a broken family, Daisy saw in her parents-in-law a good model of raising a family. Her mother-in-law did not work and instead gave her all in to take care of Reggie and his six siblings.
30 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA special section | Testimonial
Reggie and Daisy dreamt of having “a normal, happy family: loving, obedient children who are good in school, D aisy: I was really hungry for the Word of God, as I perhaps also in basketball and music; their teenage never had a formal Catholic education. I wanted to years without the usual parents’ nightmare of vices and raise our children with God at the center of our family. troubles.” I thought the JW ladies were right. Reggie and I started The years were long and the Lim family went through quarreling because I did not want to stop meeting with a lot of challenges, including a major health crisis for the missionaries. Reggie. But one thing is for sure, God was with them all The Lord is really good and His timing is perfect. throughout — even if, at the outset, they didn’t have any One of Reggie’s regular drinking buddies invited him real relationship with Him. They didn’t even attend Mass to a breakfast meeting of the Brotherhood of Christian regularly. For them, as long as they did nothing wrong, they Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) at Ayala were OK. Alabang Country Club. We got hooked. But life that’s “just OK” isn’t what God wanted for them. Married for 32 years now, Reggie and Daisy couldn’t Reggie: Eventually, we became active servants at the ask for anything more. Their dream for their family was BCBP. I served as keyboardist and music ministry head, fulfilled way beyond their expectations. and Daisy was one of my lead singers. Later on, we All their children are happily serving God in different became unit leaders. capacities. Lyra, the eldest, serves as discipleship pillar I remember an event in 1995 when I was invited head of Feast Bicutan and music ministry head of Feast Alabang. She is also pursuing her passion for music as a freelance vocal coach. She and her husband, Oying Isidoro, manage their own preschool. Velden, eldest son, is the builder and preacher of Feast Bicutan. He is married to Moriel de Dios, who likewise serves with him. Veia, the third and middle child, is a professional host and singer. She is the worship team head of The Feast Alabang Town Center where Mike Viñas, her fiancé, is the builder-preacher. Vernon, the fourth child, is an architect and a musician. He serves as the musical director of The Feast Bicutan. Everett, the youngest, is a fourth year Psychology student and joins his brood in serving God as one of the youth leaders in Light of Jesus. How did all this come about? The Lims share their story. The Lims leading worship at The Feast
It’s rare that an entire family serves the Lord. How did you start serving God? to serve as guest keyboardist in a Family Encounter Weekend Retreat of the Bukas Loob sa Diyos (BLD) Reggie: I went to a Catholic school until Grade 7. However, Community because their keyboardist could not make when I was in high school, my parents worked abroad it. I was amazed at how a young man, probably in his and I lived with my aunt and grandmother. My aunt took late teens, could actually bring one to the presence me with her to church and I ended up being baptized as of God through worship. It was so spirit-filled that, a Mormon, just like her. It didn’t last, though. I joined the right then and there, I uttered a prayer — more of a New Age persuasion in college. I rarely attended Catholic wish really — that the Lord might also bless one of our Masses after that, except for my wedding and the baptism children to lead worship like him. The young worship of our children. leader’s name? George Tolentino Gabriel. Sometime after moving to our new home, I found Fast forward to many years later, God blessed us out that Daisy was receiving doctrinal instructions from not just with one but all of our five children equally Jehovah’s Witness (JW) missionaries. I cautioned her good at leading worship. I cannot express how much against believing whatever they taught her. She insisted joy I feel to see us all worshiping the Lord together. that nothing was wrong with their teachings. But to have some peace, she challenged me to find the “right” Bible Lyra: Our parents first showed the way. By their study group or community that will teach her the truth. example, I joined the children’s choir of our parish and
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 31 attended the Youth renovation, which Catholic Life in the we were finishing Spirit Seminar (CLSS). I at that time. then became one of the youth ministry leaders. Veia: Our family I gave the prime of my business hasn’t youth in serving Him been doing very because I found true well for several joy in doing so. My years now. Because siblings also joined of that, our finances later, then we were led spiraled down, too. to The Feast, where we It’s challenging now serve in various because I know this R egie, the dad Daisy, the mom ministries. is just a phase and There are times that this too shall when I’d feel so tired pass. However, after a day of service. But at the end of the day, it is all worth when it’s been years, sometimes it’s hard to believe it. God is always worthy to be served and praised! Now that that a brighter day will still come. But as a family, we I am married, I am blessed to have a husband who shares still believe and pray that things will soon be better, the same passion and love for God. What my parents have little by little, through God’s grace. started, we will also do the same when we soon have children. This is our vision: “As for me and my house, we will Vernon: We had tough times due to our financial serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). crisis. Of course, our parents, as the main provider of our family, were at the forefront of our struggle. It is Velden: At first, I didn’t want to join a Charismatic hard to see them go through that struggle. I can really community. Until one day, my crush invited me to a CLSS. I feel their pain every time they are in need of money ended up falling in love with Jesus. I could not imagine my for our payables. life without serving God. With everything that the Lord has done in my life and in our family, too, how could I not serve Everett: When Dad had a heart attack, I was not even Him? But it’s funny because when we go home, our topic is aware of it. I learned about it only three days later. I still about The Feast and our service. So sometimes, we need thought he was just out with my mother, serving in his to remind ourselves to talk about other stuff. old community. It was challenging and sad for me because I was Veia, Vernon and Everett: Because of the example that we about to receive my first communion the following saw in our parents and older siblings, service has become month. I was the one tasked to sing the Responsorial a way of life for us. Our shared experiences has brought us Psalm and, of course, I wanted my dad to witness me closer to each other and to God. sing and receive Jesus in the Holy Communion for the first time. I thought he would not be there because of You seem to be a fun family, always with a ready smile his health condition, and I was already fine with it. But and a joke or two. But for sure, you have your own Dad still went even though he just had his surgery a challenges, too. Can you share your most challenging few weeks earlier. and saddest moments? Your responses show how open you are with Reggie: For me, the most challenging time in our family life each other about what confronts you, and that’s was when we were starting our family and still living with my a strength that a family needs to weather its own parents. Adjusting and storms. But of being unable to decide course having for our own family was happy times is difficult. important, too. The saddest was These give the when I had a heart family members attack and needed a something to heart bypass in January look back on, 2005. We needed especially during money — lots of it — for hard times. Can the surgery but we did you share with us not have any. All our your happiest and savings had just been most rewarding spent for our house moments? Everett, the youngest Vernon, the fourth child
32 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA R eggie: What If you were to describe I consider the your family in one word, happiest moment is what would it be? whenever we serve as a family at The Reggie: Super blessed! To Feast, especially have your family know when we lead God is already a great worship together. It blessing; to have them is most rewarding dedicate their lives to to see our children living for God is a super loving others blessing — a blessing through their beyond expectations! service to God. Velden, the second child Veia, the middle child Daisy: Rocky — because Daisy: One of my we’ve gone through so happiest moments many trials. The trials in life was when we moved to our new house after made us stronger until God made us feel like a rock. We draw living with my in-laws for almost eight years. I had our strength from Him ⎯ the Rock of our salvation. No one and mixed emotions — fear that we might not be able to nothing can destroy our family because nothing can separate afford living on our own, and happy because I could us from the love of God. now decide on my own. Lyra: Wacky. I believe I have the craziest but most loving Lyra: We have a lot of happy moments in the bunch in the world. We are fun-loving individuals who choose family and I treasure them all. They could be as to laugh at each other’s — and even our own — mistakes. We extravagant as the time when we traveled almost also fight every now and then (as every normal family would) every year within the country and in various Asian but we forgive each other easily. countries, or as simple as having a meaningful dinner every Sunday when we are all complete Velden: Crazy! (Joke!) Open — we’re open with one another. and would just spend the time having fun together in our living room. I’m sure my siblings share this Veia: Matakaw! (We love to eat! Ha, ha!) I’d say we’re real and happiness with me. transparent. I can be who I am when I am with them. No holds barred. No standards to meet. No molds to fit into. No Velden: I was happiest when the whole family judgment. Just a group of human beings bonded by love and started serving at The Feast. We were all part definitely by food. of other communities before, but it was only at The Feast that we were able to find a common Vernon: Wonderful. community that we all love attending together. Today, we lead ministries in the different Feasts in Everett: Unique. I believe that we are unique because you the Alabang District. Truly, a family that serves the seldom see a whole family that serves God and is forever in Lord together stays together forever! awe of His love, miracles and surprises.
Veia: I will never forget the moment we had our first brand-new car. We were hard up growing up. We Sunday nights are special to the had a run-down Nissan sedan and a Volkswagen Lims as they eat dinner and bond van, to name a few of our old cars. When the together after service at The Feast. whole family started tithing, our finances got better. I will never forget the time our parents surprised us with that brand- new family car. That, for me, is rewarding because of how God blessed our family.
L yra, the eldest
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 33 special section
Flourish 3Fs to strengthen Your Family
ne day, a teenage boy approached me and said, Poor kid. He didn’t know what was coming that “Brother Bo, can you please tell my father to stop day. He didn’t realize he was attending a multi-track having dates with me? I think he got the idea from conference. you.” After their meal, the father told him, “Son, I I later learned what his father did last week. enjoyed our date. Let’s do this weekly!” OFirst, he invited his son to have a burger. But the moment His son must have had an epileptic seizure right they sat down in the restaurant, the father said, “Son, I want to there. Can you imagine going through this torture for talk to you about your poor grades.” the rest of his teenage life? That’s when the boy asked After a mini-sermon on “study well because I work so hard me to rescue him from a life of purgatory. to pay for your studies,” the father jumps to another sensitive So I called the father and said, “Parental sermons, topic. “Your music tastes are terrible,” he said to the lad, “It’s loud, homilies, lectures, and full-scale multi-track noisy, and disgusting. I think you should listen more to classical conferences are banned from your dates.” music.” “Why?” the father asked. The father goes on to other topics, such as the length of his “Because the date isn’t for you,” I said. “It’s for your hair, the late night phone call, and the obscene amount of time he son. You don’t have to enjoy it as long as he does.” I spends playing computer games. told him, “Play billiards. Play bowling. Go fishing. Ride
34 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA special section
By Bo Sanchez
Flourish 3Fs to strengthen Your Family
bikes together. Anything your boy wants to do.” Do something fun with your kids. Life is about Let me explain why this is essential. moments. And believe me, your grown-up kids will never When you have a close relationship, kids listen. Their forget these special bonding moments as a family. It hearts are supple and open. will be their anchor. It will be their source of emotional So the first goal is to bring your hearts close to each stability. That amidst the sea of change around them, other. they know there are just some things in life that don’t How? Through friendship, forgiveness and faithfulness. change. Like the memories of being together as family. 1. BeFriend Your Family Members Another way of being a friend to them is by listening. I once saw a quote that says, “Home is where you treat your I’ve been happily married for 17 years. And the key to friends like family and your family like your friends.” my happy marriage is listening well. This is true. To be a good husband, keep your mouth closed and Parents, listen to me, you’ve got to be cool Mom and your ears open. (My friend said, “I have better advice. To Dad even if you’re not. Remember, you are not just your be a good husband, keep your mouth closed and your emotions. wallet open.”)
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 35 “But I don’t want to pray for him!” the young man shouted. At that moment, the phone rang. “Excuse me, son,” Fr. Chris said, “let me answer this call and I’ll get back to you right away.” He left the room. John found himself alone, staring at the photo of a man he despised with his entire being. Seething with rage, he saw a knife on the kitchen counter. On impulse, he grabbed it and ran back to the photo of his father. “I hate you!” he screamed, and stabbed the photo many, many times. That was when Fr. Chris ran back. “Oh, my God,” the priest said, as he Do you want to help, inspire and impact a loved one to change his life? Listen looked in horror. before you speak. Before another person’s presence, don’t have an agenda. Your His energy spent, John thrust the only agenda is to serve their agenda. knife into the photo one last time. No judgments. Accept each person, as is, where is. He took one step backward, panting. “John, I have other photos there,” Fr. 2. Forgive Your Family Members Chris said. Imagine a room of 10 people. “What?” The young man looked at And one person there stepped on poop. (Sorry, my article is really gross. But the priest. bitterness is gross.) Slowly, everyone in the room smells the awful stench. Only one Fr. Chris walked to the wall and person has the poop but everyone is affected by it. removed the damaged photo. Bitterness is like that. John couldn’t believe his eyes. It wounds everyone. Your family. Your friends. Because underneath it was John’s Bitterness is an evil spirit and people feel it. They smell the poison. They sense photo. Also punctured. it. They want to run away. The priest explained. “After praying Sometimes, when I enter a home filled with conflicts, I feel the collective for your father, I wanted to pray for you, wound of the family. You cannot breathe. John.” But when a person forgives, it’s like opening a window in a smelly room where The young man looked at his one person stepped on poop. Fresh air comes in. If bitterness wounds everyone, damaged photo. His face was torn, forgiveness heals everyone, too. punctured by the same stabbing he Let me share with you a story that I created, adapted from other sources: himself made. “Hi John,” the priest greeted his favorite nephew. Tears rolled down his cheeks. “Fr. Chris,” the young man said, his voice betraying his troubled soul. But even as his vision blurred, John The cleric felt so much pity for the teen. “I heard you’re having problems with noticed that there was something else your father.” behind his torn photo. A frown formed on John’s face. “You know, he’s impossible to deal with. He’s so He pulled it off the wall. selfish. He’s so cruel…” The young man fought back his tears. Underneath his photo was the “Tell you what, son,” the priest tried to sound encouraging, “let’s pray for him.” picture of Jesus, His face, also torn, also He stood up and pinned the photo of the boy’s father on the wall. wounded. “What’s that?” John asked. The sight of his father’s face stung him. He clenched John collapsed on his knees and his fists. wept for a long time. The priest said, “It’s just a way to help us pray for him. It’ll be our visual This is the ultimate reason why connection to your father.” we forgive: Because even if we sin against God, He still forgives us. We don’t deserve His love, but He loves us anyway. Heal yourself, my friend. Forgive anyone, especially a family member, who has wronged you.
3. Stay Faithful I read a beautiful article by Jenn Giroux. She said that in the small town of Siroki- Brijeg in Croatia (Population: 13,000 people), not one single divorce has been recorded.
36 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA Why? Personally, I believe it’s because the “old fashioned” values are still part of their life and culture. And a powerful expression of these old fashioned values is a beautiful twist in their wedding ritual. (If your wedding is near, read carefully. You may want to include this in your wedding rites.) In our present wedding ceremony, the priest says at the end of the rites, “You may kiss the bride.” But in the town of Siroki-Brijeg, the priest says, “You may kiss the cross.” And both of them kiss Jesus in a crucifix. Let me backtrack a bit to the start of the ceremony. When the bride and groom enter the church, they already carry a crucifix. Commitment. Decision. Faithfulness. The first thing the priest does is to bless If you commit to love, no matter what happens, you will love. You will keep it. And as the man and the woman say that vow. their vows, they are holding on the cross You don’t run away and find the easiest way out. — with the priest’s stole draped on top of You trust that the love in your relationship will overcome. their hands. (Note: the stole is the long You trust that God, who sits at the center of your home, will overcome. That piece of cloth around the priest’s neck.) He has plans to bless your family. That He cares for your family’s concerns. After the vows are said, they won’t Like the Siroki-Brijeg families, you will keep your faith at the Man on the kiss each other. They will kiss the cross. cross. As one couple. As one family. The newly wed couple will then Stay faithful. Because your God is. bring home the crucifix and set it on the family altar. Around it, they will establish God Is Your Parent daily family prayer. That daily family Right now, you may be overwhelmed by your family’s situation. prayer says that Jesus is the center of Let me share with you a passage from Jeremiah, “But the jar he was making their family life. When they are blessed, did not turn out as he had hoped for, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again they sing their gratitude around Jesus. and started over” (v. 18:4). When they are in trouble, they kneel Friend, God is your parent. at the foot of the cross. When they are And He is your potter. fighting, they look at His kindness, His He will never give up on you. forgiveness, and His selflessness as an Sometimes, He will allow you to get crushed so that you can start all over example of what they should do. again. Life changes. Stuff happens. Which is what you can also do for your family. Being a spouse is not always about Don’t give up. romantic, lovely nights when you can Go to the fire of God’s love and let Him mold you to be what He wants you to just cuddle and whisper sweet nothings be: a person of love. It’s never too late to be a friend, to forgive, and to recommit to each other. Challenges will definitely with your faithfulness to your family. arise. Flourish. And enjoy the growth. Being a parent is not always about your cute, charming kids who dance and Email me at [email protected]. sing whenever you want them to. Soon, they’d grow up and have a their own world. Being a son or daughter is not always about persuading your parents to do as you please. Discipline and responsibility will take place. Being a sibling is not always about sharing common thoughts about your parents or childhood friends. Time will come when you’ll discover different interests. But amidst these trials and changes, you know what can keep the family intact?
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 37 special section Testimonial
After almost 38 years of being civilly married, Protacio and Corazon finally received the sacrament of matrimony.
MARRIED in their SENIOR YEARS: THE ELDEST AMONG 101 COUPLES IN A MASS WEDDING By Corazon Sy-Napoles as told to Bella Estrella Photos by Ando Garcia
“Why did you still think of being wed in church at your age?” The most precious gift we received in our 38 asked the radio and TV reporters. years of married life was that grand mass wedding Protacio answered, “For the many years we’ve been officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal together, I have always loved her, and so I am marrying her in Tagle, together with our then parish priest, Fr. Tony church.” Navarette, Jr., and other priests on April 11, 2015. It was My heart was touched to the core by his reply. I was in tears specially set on the golden anniversary of our San and said, “Age does not matter. Anytime you want to receive Juan Nepomuceno Parish in Malibay, Pasay City. God’s blessing in your marriage, you can have it. Our civil Protacio is 62 and I am 59. We journeyed for almost marriage has been strong enough, but this mass wedding is an four decades of ups and downs before finally receiving opportunity given by the Lord, and we grabbed it without any the Sacrament. And now that we’re married in church, more delay. Our marriage will become even sweeter with God’s the more graces we have in living our day-to-day life. blessing.”
38 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA special section | Testimonial
houses our residence and store plus two apartments, two studio-type units, three houses, and four rooms that we are renting out. This is a milestone that we could not have achieved on our own.
Swindled In 2009, I invested a total of P750,000 in a pyramid scheme. I expected to get my money back on December 8, 2009 with a big interest. Part of that amount was money I borrowed from a money lender, but instead of using it for my business, I invested it. To my disappointment, the person I entrusted with my money disappeared. My world crumbled. How could I face my creditor? Deeply perturbed, I lost the will to live. I attempted to jump from a store building along EDSA to end my life and my humiliation. I was looking down on the pavement when I heard the voice of my son, “Ma! Let’s go home! Your Protacio and Corazon with the other couples, together with their problem will not end that way!” As if awakened from a marriage officiant, His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle bad dream, I got back to my senses. My son read the journal where I wrote everything that Our Civil Marriage happened to me every day. He told me, “Ma, that is just We are simple and lowly money. You still earn from your apartment rentals. Your people. We both reached debt is not even P200,000. Just tell your creditor that we elementary grade only. At will pay her little by little.” 15, I sold eggs and assorted Angelina and Renato supported us by taking care items in a variety store in of the bills in the house, while I paid my debt from the Malibay while Protacio apartment rentals. In one year, I settled my obligation. I have stopped selling fish since then. I just stayed cooked cassava cakes and Protacio and Corazon exchanging vows. rice cakes just across our home and cooked for my family. house. We saw each other Turning to God every day and he courted me eventually. He was handsome and kind. Renato’s call was like a call from an angel — it saved me. In June 1976, he became my boyfriend. It was not difficult for me to From then on, I vowed that I would start going to Mass. love Protacio. I introduced him to my parents, but my mother did not And I did. On Sundays, I hear Mass at our parish and I say like him because of his drinking problem. my Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran On January 15, 1977, we eloped to Pampanga. After two months, every Wednesday. my aunt found me and she took me back to my parents with Protacio. After the swindling incident, Protacio asked, “When I told them, “We want to get married. I’m already 21, and I already want will we get married in church?” I replied, “Time will come to have a family of my own.” My mother reluctantly consented. for that. God Himself will lead us.” On May 4 of the same year, we got married in civil rites. In December 2014, the mass wedding for the golden anniversary of our parish was announced during the Road to Prosperity Sunday Masses. That was the chance we were waiting During our early years together, Protacio earned P24 daily as a for. We became the oldest among the 101 couples who carpenter, but it was not enough because we already had two successfully completed the requirements. children, Angelina and Renato. I thought of selling fresh fish. I started After receiving the sacrament of matrimony, I have with two buckets. Two buckets became six, then 10, until I was already become more grateful to God for every day that I wake up selling 30 kilos. As time went on, this multiplied and I became known and for the many good things that have come our way. in Malibay as “Corang Mag-iisda” (Cora, the Fish Vendor). I had plenty Protacio drinks very little now, especially when we of customers. had our first grandson by Sarah, who now has a stable All our three children earned college degrees from what we saved family. His relationship with my mother has been healed. in selling fish. Angelina finished Bachelor of Secondary Education, Angelina now holds a position of higher responsibility in a Renato finished B.S. in Industrial Engineering, and Sarah, Hotel and call center. Renato, who now works in the Middle East, has Restaurant Management. This was already a feat for us. been promoted three times. Another is the acquisition of a P3.5-million property which now I thank God for all these blessings and for keeping us safe every day. I entrust our whole life to Him.
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 39 This is the book for the everyday guy. For the guy who has a hangover. A Young For the guy who is currently high. For the guy who just watched pornography. For the guy who can’t commit to relationships. Man’s Manual For the guy who is angry at life. to a This book is for the everyday guy who needs to remember his real worth as a man. Successful A Young Man’s Manual to a Successful Life shares the principles and tools needed by men to Life become who God designed them to be. In straightforward man-talk, with real-life stories from the author’s experiences, this book helps young men find their way to greatness.
Learn about what great men do and what mistakes to avoid to help you become a better man. Discover the habits of real men, how men need other men, and the importance of mentors. It’s a manual every young man should have in his backpack.
For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 to 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com
Young Man's… long ad revise2.indd 1 8/24/15 5:13 PM seasons
me rcy and homosexuality By Dr. Ryan Capitulo
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will please the Lord? Thankfully, the Church has an answer not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be to my dilemma: “They must be accepted with respect, deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, discrimination in their regard should be avoided. nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter I used to ignore this Scripture passage. Actually, I denied its from their condition” (Catechism of the Catholic Church existence for a long time. When I was still a practicing homosexual and 2358). a nominal Catholic a few years back, I couldn’t believe there were Bible verses as offensive and harsh as these. I thought, “How can a loving God’s Mercy and My Forever and merciful God utter such hateful words towards homosexuals like Until now, I struggle with homosexuality. But by His me? How can the Lord put me in the same category as idolaters and grace, I am living a chaste and fulfilled life of single adulterers and drunkards and swindlers?” blessedness in obedience to the Church’s challenge: So I dealt with it the best way I knew how: denial. I ignored it and “Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the went about my happy and gay life, convinced that I had as much right as virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, straight people do to fall in love with my “forever.” at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and Knowing Jesus, Finding Answers should gradually and resolutely approach Christian But I got to know Jesus in a deeper and more personal way. When perfection” (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2359). I reflected on this same exhortation of St. Paul in light of Church The recent global events in support of “gay teachings, every word convicted me to abandon my old lifestyle and marriage” (referendum in Ireland amending its live in the light of truth. After all, we are supposed to “work out our constitution to allow same-sex “marriage,” Supreme salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), right? Court ruling in the United States on marriage I became a serious student of my faith. In my confusion on how to “equality”) compelled me to revisit the commitment I be a man of God despite my struggle, the Catholic Church has this to say: made to God. And I thank the Lord for His infinite love, “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as mercy and providence. For it is by grace alone that I acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual found joy in a life of celibacy, that I found intimacy in acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary to the natural law. Christ’s embrace, that I found my “forever” in Jesus! They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a I can only pray that my fellow strugglers will find genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances solace in the continuation of St. Paul’s “harsh” words: can they be approved” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 2357). “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you It was clear that intimacy with another man is out of the question. were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of As for homosexual intercourse contradicting natural law and closing the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” the sexual act to the gift of life... well. You don’t need a medical degree to (1 Corinthians 6:11). know this to be true, although I do have a medical degree. This was the more pressing question: Do I have to be straight to Email Doc Ryan at [email protected].
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 41
catholic soul
By Ed de Vera
THE REAL PRESENCE
A Muslim student at a Catholic university told his when a fresh batch was brought in as replacement for the week. Christian classmate, “If what you call the Eucharist Jesus makes a reference to this bread in Matthew 12:3-4. is really God’s real presence, then I wouldn’t know The Bread of Presence was also called Show Bread. Interestingly, how I would ever be able to get off my knees before the Hebrew panim — for presence — also translates to “face,” thus it were I a Christian.” “Bread of the Face.” Need we ask, “Whose face?” It was a custom, Throughout centuries, all of Christendom once a year at Passover, to expose the Bread of the Presence for believed in the Real Presence. Jesus promised to all to see. Veiled in linen cloth, it was brought out of the sanctuary be with us till the end of time and the Eucharist is and elevated before the Jews gathered in the Temple court, while that reality. Nobody questioned the doctrine — not the High Priest proclaimed, “Behold God’s love for you.” We see until the free thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment its fulfillment at Mass when the Eucharist is elevated prior to ridiculed the Church for it. The disbelief became communion with the words, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes widespread among dissenters and caught on with away the sin of the world…” Jesus is God’s love for us, substantially Luther and his ilk in the Reformation, when the present — body, blood, soul and divinity — in the New Covenant Eucharistic Real Presence came to be regarded perpetual offering. by Protestants as being merely symbolic. Over The loaves were veiled with a linen cloth (Numbers 4:7) when time, this heresy influenced even some Catholics, taken out of the sanctuary, much like the corporal and cope for that surveys show today that a good number of Eucharistic Holy Hour Adoration or Benediction sans the faithful harbor that belief. Others simply pay monstrance and when transferred to the Altar of lip service to the Real Presence, which explains Reposition. the lack of reverence one often sees at liturgical Christ had prepared His disciples for His Real celebrations. Presence in His “Bread of Life” discourse, following His It may come as a surprise to many that the miracle of loaves with 12 baskets left over. He fulfilled Real Presence is the fulfilled reality of what Elisha’s multiplication of loaves, the preordained had foreshadowed it in the Old Covenant. Jews Feasts of Unleavened Bread and Paschal Lamb, Bread believed God’s presence in the Lehem ha of Presence, Seder Meal of bread and wine of Hebrew Panim — the Bread of Presence: 12 Liturgy — from the Torah and attendant Temple loaves of unleavened bread on the rites — in His institution of Eucharist (“This is My Golden Table in the sanctuary body”) at the Last Supper through to Calvary. of the Jerusalem Temple A ancient rabbinic dictum from the contained in the chamber Midrash states that in the Messianic times, of Holies together with the the Bread of Presence would look like white Menorah — the Sanctuary wafers and taste like honey. In Sacred Lamp. These loaves were Scripture the taste of honey signifies God’s mandated to a perpetual nourishing presence. offering (Exodus 25:30; Leveticus 24:5-9) and eaten Email Ed at [email protected]. only by priests every Sabbath,
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 43 YG E R M K A
For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 - 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com
gabay fullpage.indd 1 8/24/15 5:26 PM K preacher
Smoke-Free Living By JPaul Hernandez
It was 4:00 p.m. I was in my school uniform lives, but I couldn’t do that if I wasn’t strong. and had something between my index and I need healthy stomach and lungs so I could middle fingers — a cigarette stick that I lit up, communicate better. Another thought came to me: “How puffed and smoked for the first-time. can I help people start living better if I didn’t take care of Growing up, I saw a lot of relatives smoke in front of me. my own body?”
Getting Hooked 2. Big WHY When I inhaled the smoke into my lungs, my body rejected it A father once told me that he takes better care of his immediately. It was like inhaling diesel smoke from cars. It was health because he wanted to escort his daughter to the terrible. But I kept on smoking until my body learned to like it. It altar on her wedding, and he wants to take care of his was an acquired taste for me. After smoking a number of times, I future grandchildren. began to love it. His big why was love. According to Neuro-Linguistic Programming, our Yes, we need fuel to get to our dreams. That’s where subconscious mind cannot determine what is bad for us. It’s like the “big why” comes in. It is the energy drink that we take a hard disk that accepts any file written on it. If we do something when we feel like caving in or giving up in our promise to over and over again, our subconscious mind will stop rejecting be healthy. what it initially thought was bad for us. In 2006, I got the scare of my life when my grandfather died 3. Big MOVE of lung cancer and emphysema. He was a heavy smoker. He only According to research, people who go cold turkey to stop stopped in 1996 after he had a triple heart bypass. their smoking have a higher success rate than those who I thought that the fear of dying from sickness would stop me, stop their smoking habit slowly. but it didn’t. The fear lasted only for a few weeks. My smoking habit My suggestion is to change your habit. Whenever you was stronger than my fear of dying. have the urge to smoke, redirect the urge. You could do push-ups, drink water or anything that would interrupt Steps Towards Change the pattern of smoking in your subconscious. Three years later, I heard about Bo Sanchez and The Feast. It’s a way to trick your mind from the urge of smoking Through his talks, Bo taught me the power of dreams. I discovered — and soon you’ll no longer look for a cigarette stick. the power of why. My whole life changed when I found out that hope and love are much stronger than fear. I am happier and healthier now. I have more energy Today, I have been smoke-free for five powerful years already. to do what I want and need to do. I hope you take on the It’s a weird journey for me. There are days when I totally despise challenge of taking better care of yourself. the idea of a cigarette, but there are also days when I imagine that it What’s your BIG DREAM? was as good as a candy. What’s your BIG WHY? Let me share with you three powerful moves that kept me What’s the BIG MOVE that you’ll do? from smoking again, hoping that it can help you, too. You have what it takes to be happier and healthier!
1. Big DREAM Check out other articles of JPaul at www.jpaulhernandez.com. His I was so inspired by Bo Sanchez that I wanted to be like him. I first book, A Young Man’s Manual to a Successful Life, is now out. Available at www.kerygmabooks.com and in major bookstores wanted to do public speaking and help a lot of people live better nationwide. OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 45
one last Story
By Jed and Lorena Velarde Jed and Lorena with Vera Grace, the biggest sign of As told to Eleanore Teo God’s faithfulness to them.
They say that the true strength of a relationship is measured not by the good times but by how well you support each other through trials and adversity. Our marriage was born of faith and mutual respect for one another. We had the same influences and interests and the same yearning to have children. However, our journey to conceive was a long and difficult one.
Facing the Challenges We discovered that we both had reproductive concerns. We lost our first child to a miscarriage three years after undergoing treatment. The doctors told us that we had a slim chance of getting pregnant. We refused to give up and went through multiple intrauterine insemination (IUI), procedures which were all unsuccessful. We stopped and reverted to natural methods of conception again. The exhaustion, the physical agony and the expenses took its toll on us and we finally decided to just leave it up to God. We made a resolve that with or without children, we would stay happy together and that our failure to conceive would never define us.
Faith and Grace The Seed That Grows Thankfully, our beautiful daughter came as a surprising gift after more than five years of trying. She did not come easy, with Prayer though. During one of our early ultrasounds, we discovered that our baby had a congenital heart disease called truncus arteriosis. Our doctor explained that if she did not receive in the recovery area where we were only allowed brief visits. It heart surgery within her first few months, she would most was an upsetting sight. Our little girl was strapped down to the likely never make it to her first birthday. The initial surgery bed and had multiple tubes connected to her body, including a would only suffice temporarily; she still had to undergo the feeding tube inserted down her throat. Her eyes showed her fear. complete corrective medical procedure to repair her heart She gazed at us as if asking, “Why?” when she reached four years of age. Out of the three cases Two nights after her operation, she almost died. Her blood of truncus arteriosis documented in the Philippines, only pressure dropped to a critical level and doctors worked hard to one survived the corrective surgery. revive her. We thank God that Vera was a fighter. After more than We were heartbroken at the news but it did not change four weeks of confinement in the hospital, we were eventually our love for our unborn child. We immersed ourselves in discharged. It took months of physical and speech therapy for her daily prayer and found comfort and inspiration in Zechariah to regain her ability to speak and walk, a side effect from being 8:12 which read, “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield bedridden for so long. its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew.” We placed our confidence in God The Growing Seed and in His promise that our seed would grow healthy and Today, Vera is seven years old and lives a normal life with passion strong. and enthusiasm. More importantly, she has incredible trust in the A few months later, we held our beautiful, sweet Lord. We are proud of the young lady she is growing up to be. baby girl in our arms. She was so tiny that the idea of While our journey to complete health continues, we know that what she needed to endure terrified us. But our joy was our seed is truly a resilient one, having been nourished by the overwhelming. She was perfect. We named her Vera support of family and friends. We like to believe that God gave her Grace — Vera, which was Latin for truth and Slavic for faith, to us because He knew that she is safe in our hands — that as her because we believed she was born out of faith and grace. parents, we would protect and love her unconditionally. Her first surgery at four months was a success, but her We can never predict the challenges that we will face. But as major operation when she was four years old was incredibly we watch our Vera grow in happiness, we know that we will never traumatic. After 12 hours of surgery, she stayed for 11 days give up our life with her for any other blessing in this world.
OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA 47 point of contact I Pray That You Receive Your Miracles In Jesus’ Name! I pray that God lift your trials, heal your diseases, bless your problems and direct you to the path He wants you to take. I pray that God remove your fears and give you the courage to surrender your burdens to Him. So place your hand over my hand, and let us pray with trust, together with our prayer team of intercessors praying for you right now…
This page is our Point of Contact, our spiritual connection. Say after me…
In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Lord, I surrender to You my worries and anxieties. I surrender to You my needs, my problems, my trials. I place them all in Your big hands. And I open myself to all that You want to give to me. On this day, I say yes to Your love, to Your blessings, to Your healing, to Your miracles. And Lord, specifically, I ask for the following miracles for my life... I believe that You answer my prayer in the best way possible! And I thank You in advance for the perfect answers to my prayers. I also ask for the special intercession of Mama Mary. I pray all this in the Name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
SPECIAL INTENTION FOR THIS MONTH:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for our families. Thank You for the people who have also Email your prayer requests to me become family to us. We praise You for our relationships. We have different stories and at [email protected] experiences, but we believe, Lord, that You have placed them in our lives for a purpose. or write to me at Shepherd’s Voice We glorify in the truth that You are our ever-loving Father and You always see us as Your Publications, #60 Chicago St., Cubao, beloved children. Quezon City, Philippines 1109. We pray that You bless our homes. Strengthen every couple. Unite every family member. Heal what needs restoration. Empower every connection. May we grow in love each day. In Jesus’ name, with Mama Mary’s intercession, we pray. Amen. Praying for you,
48 OCTOBER 2015 | KERYGMA