A Preventable Shooting Tragedy

Almost real life graphics on computer games, videos, and movies of killings or slaughtering people using various weapons, cutting the heads off of a zombie or vampire, or people being tortured and cut into pieces by a psycho or monster, showing every single details clearly to viewers all state of the art technology of fictional violence.  Gone were the days of pixelation or blurring and hiding of gruesome scenes and images.  Cool?  Exactly...

The infamous Connecticut shooting tragedy that claimed many innocent lives.

We knew that it far improved the quality of films and television series proved by the increased number of viewers worldwide.  And all might be earning millions in cold cash.  Though it was recognizable how our video graphics improved throughout the years, but these visual effects might be giving our young ones the wrong notion of associating cruel acts to coolness.  What’s worse, it’s giving them ideas on how to commit crimes, though fictional, still it indirectly teaches them everything about it.  Money and fame or our social responsibility?  Well, whatever we choose, we face the consequences of our actions.

Those who were at fault might be sentenced and face justice, but we can never be sure that there are still people around having same deranged motives and way of thinking.  No one had predicted nor even thought that a person could take such innocent lives simply because we can’t read minds and we can’t see intentions.  So we just don’t have a choice but to react when a tragedy happens.

The acts of children is the result of how their parents or guardians raised them.  True enough, it is the responsibility of the parents to guide their children, spend time with them, being there to answer their questions, and if possible, looking at the things they do to be able to guide them.  But that isn't always the case, there are always those unattended ones, and parents can't always be with them 24/7.  And of course, other factors such as too much freedom, being liberated, to loose in possessing guns and deadly weapons and internet access to violence and adult sites to name a few.  We adults made it all possible for them.  All our actions, do have consequences.  But then again, life gives us chances to correct things.  It's just waiting for us to make a move.

Again, we must all take responsibility for what happens around us because we didn’t do anything to prevent it, we just allow it to happen.  No matter how we ostracize ourselves from everyone, we can’t change the fact that we are part of it.  My point is, everything is a product of the decisions we make in our lives, whether we choose to stay quiet or do something.  No matter how small a voice is, if a good idea is shared, it can make a significant change.  We can definitely prevent violence from happening and help save innocent lives, if only we choose what is right and good for the majority.  May the Lord guide us all.  Yahweh bless.

What Would You Do This Christmas?

Luke 3:10-14

¹⁰ “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
¹³ “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

The pastor threw this question to the congregation, "What would you do this Christmas?".  He told us, the answer might be very easy for us... but how about for those who were badly affected by Typhoon Pablo?  The answer wouldn't be as easy...

For those typhoon victims that were left homeless, jobless and worse, who lost their family members, what would Christmas be for them?  Would they even have the time to pause and think about it, when they don't even have food to eat, a warm place to stay, and a family to return to.  But through the effort of various sectors to help them, there might be some spark of the Christmas spirit, though little, can bring back hope to one's heart.

But that's just the least we can do for them, that would temporarily aid their burden.  More we can help prevent such awful disaster from happening again if we just do our part and be responsible to our environment and fellow countrymen.  We can't stop typhoons but we can definitely lessen it's effect.  With hundreds of lives sacrificed, hundreds more still missing and thousands injured and affected, it wouldn't take someone from Compostela Valley to see what caused the devastation that worsen the effect of typhoon Pablo.  Flash flood with mud, rocks and huge piles of logs rushed down from the mountains, even the best swimmer would not survive that. 

bagged bodies recovered from debris brought by the typhoon.
(photo taken from zimbio.com)

What's done is done.  Hope we learned from what had happened.  Now, even areas not known to be visited by typhoons are no longer safe.  Worst, our mountains had lost their capability to hold and lessen the force of ravaging flood and mud brought by the typhoon.  The rampant logging, deforestation and mining, we all brought it to ourselves.  It's not too late and it's not irreversible.  But the government cannot fix this problem alone, the cooperation of our citizen is needed.  We still can log but not to the extent that we clear our forest, we just take what is enough and needed.  Then we replace what we cut and let the forest recover.  We still can mine, but not too long and extensive in one place.  The mountains also need to recover.  Just picture this out, what do you think would happen if a mountain with cut-down trees and bombarded with holes would be poured with huge amount of water?  It would definitely spell "disaster".

For now, victims are crying for any help they can get, that too much hunger and thirst even let them forget to mourn for their lost loved ones.  I know we will continue to help them and someday they will be back on their feet again.  But then, what will stop a similar tragedy from happening again?  Not unless we do something significant about it.  We might be looking for a miracle, but nothing is impossible... May the Lord guide us all.  Yahweh bless.

After the Tragic Flood of Pangi River

A destructive trail of the flood...

It was a Wednesday morning of June 29, 2011 when I encountered a heavy traffic in an intersection just before the Pangi Bridge.  During a stop, I asked a local resident of what seemed to be the problem.  He just had one answer “baha (flood)”.  I then realized as I passed by the ruins left by the flood that the Pangi River overflowed.  For the Pangi River to overflow there must had been a massive amount of water considering the length and height of the bridge from the river.  And it would spell disaster...

Upon reaching the office, I searched the net for any news of the incident and my suspicion was confirmed, a flashflood hit the villages in Matina Crossing and Matina Pangi Tuesday night, more or less at 11 o’clock  in the evening, leaving a couple of people dead which were mostly children.  I just can’t imagine the horror, a flood came rushing at a moment when everyone’s asleep, with total darkness (since the power was shutdown and rainclouds covering the skies)... and everyone was in shock, nothing of this happened as far as I remember being here in Davao.  It would be not that easy to say, don’t panic or have a presence of mind... though definitely, your instincts will come in to work... but you just can only do so much.

It’s been days since the tragedy happened.  As I passed again by the bridge, I see people slowly returning to their usual activities and rebuilding their houses.  A great thing about a disaster is after it, you’ll see people helping the affected ones.  Institutions and groups facilitate fund raising activities and accumulate donations for those who suffered losses and in need.

The Pangi River runs calmly now but the ruins it created is evident around the place.

There was also this incident where a local public official was reported punching a sheriff a couple of times in the face for not granting her request to delay a court order.  We can understand that there are government officials who are in a lot of stress especially with the problem faced by the city due to the flooding and they might had every right to be angry with their employees or colleagues for not following them (considering their authority or jurisdiction) or not doing good or did something wrong in the performance of their job, but with due respect, it does not give them the right to hurt and humiliate anyone.  If the person made a mistake, then he must be reprimanded of what was due to him.

It’s a tough time, and the least we need is being carried away by our emotions.  Let’s stretch our patience and understanding.  Easy for me to say, yes, it’s not easy, but it’s the proper thing to do.  People must concentrate in rebuilding their homes and accepting what was lost... Even more, we need to focus in helping those greatly affected.  Christian as we are, we should follow the ways of our Savior as humanly possible, not just in the time of crisis but in our daily lives.  May Yahweh always bless us with the strength to do so.

Who Can Really See?

The Gospel this Sunday is taken from John 9:1-41.  The bible tells of the blind man miraculously healed by Jesus.  But instead of praising Jesus for the healing, the Pharisees doubted this and believed it was just a trick, but they were proven wrong for the man was born blind and his parents testified.  Since they couldn't find any evidence that the miracle Jesus did was fake, they went looking for something else, they questioned Him for healing on Sabbath Day.

Jesus healing the blind man
Courtesy of photobucket

In the priest's homily, he mentioned about the experience of his missionary friend in Japan.  It was about a Japanese child waiting in line for food ration.  The missionary, pitying the child, gave his coat and share of food.  The child thanked him for his kindness, walked to the front line and offered the food to the first person in line.  The missionary was stunned.  He asked the child why did he do that... the child answered him that there might be someone in front more in need.

The priest compared it with his experience in the Philippines.  They were giving relief goods and what he observed was people were all rushing to get ahead of another.  Others were even taking advantage to get more than one... And majority of us are Christian Catholics.

Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

Jesus came to earth to let people see the true meaning of being the children of God.  Yes, we do worship God but our action is very opposite to His teachings.  And there are those who see, but interpret and use God's word for their own benefit and selfish intentions... while some are so hypocrite that they pray and preach the gospel in public emphasizing how righteous they are and how sinful others are...

Sometimes those who we think to be followers are the real backsliders... I believe that the real blind are those who are claiming to be righteous yet their lifestyle shows otherwise. Although I'm not speaking in general, Japan is not a Christian country but their discipline and concern for others are so opposite what we see around us here in the Philippines.... 

For me, blindness constitutes not seeing God according to Jesus' teachings.  True Christianity can be shown more in deeds and action.  Let us not merely say we are Christians... but let us stand to what our religion is all about... Let us strive until one day we can finally say we are no longer blind... that we are true Christians. God bless.

What Matters Most

Jesus said to his disciples, “Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full. If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.”

“When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you. When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret will reward you.” (Mt 6:1-6.16-18)

It’s Ash Wednesday for us Catholics, the start of Lent towards Easter.  Today, I had seen a lot of people wearing crossed ashes on their foreheads.  I haven’t had one yet.  The ashes simply remind us of where we came from and where we’ll be going... that we are simply passing by in this earth.  We are again reminded that everything here is temporary and what is more important is the eternal life with God.

My personal understanding of the gospel is that, we are forbidden to use God or even His Name to show others how godly and what sacrifices we had made to honor and glorify Him.  We are not told that good deeds should be hidden, it can never be concealed specially to the person you’re doing it to, but what the gospel is emphasizing is that we should not think or expect that we should be praised by doing it.  Maybe, the question we must ask ourselves is who do we impress?  Isn’t it more important what God thinks of us rather than what others might think?  And we cannot deceive our God; He knows what we think and what we feel... He sees our hearts... He knows everything.  If we think, that by making an impact on others with the things we sacrificed for Him will impress our God... think again.

I believed that fasting is having to endure something that is hard for you to do without .  And it is not only limited to the abstinence in food and water consumption.  But this also includes our favorite activities, pastimes, and habits like playing computer games, drinking beverages, smoking, watching and listening to our favorite show and music icons, using our electronic devices and a lot more things we love to do.  The question is can you abstain from all these worldly things as an offering to God.  And if you do, can that only be between you and God alone.  That is not to brag or show others how much you suffer doing it, but how you truly mean doing it..Remember God sees our intentions inside out.

Also, in my point of view, it is better that you do goodness and be righteous even if no one sees you nor acknowledges your deed... than to put up a show in which you might fool others but not God.  What is important in helping is how you helped and what intentions did you have, it is noble if it’s heartily given and not expecting for any in return.  Events and symbols are mere reminders to all of us, because humans as we are, we tend to forget.  Remember that we will not be judged for the sacrifices we made or for the good things we did during the Lenten season or on particular events or on special days... rather we will be judged according to all our deeds during our lifetime.  It is not important as to when we did something to glorify God, every single thing we do in our lives matters to Him and He remembers it all.

It is not the ash in your forehead... nor is it the fasting you made.  What matters most is that the deed we do is in accordance to His will and we do it to glorify His name... and to impress Him and Him alone.  A HOLY DAY to us all.

Building Your House on Solid Rock

Listening to the priest’s homily, we were again reminded by Jesus about what’s important about our faith... it is our faith’s foundation.  Some were compared to a sensible man who builds his house deeply founded on solid rock.  And there were those compared to a stupid man who builds his house on sand.

The funny thing is many of us choose to build on sand.  We like things to be easier and we like shortcuts.  I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but not with our faith.  There are a lot of charismatic leaders, heads and persons with authority who we hear speak on the good things we must do in order to become a better student, son, employee, or spouse... a better person and a good follower of Jesus.  But their actions do not represent anything they speak of.  We see them, living abundantly while their members suffer in nothingness... We hear them telling us provisions and policies yet they eat their own words.  Good in words... but not in action.

I ain’t no saint... but clearly in His words... 

When the day comes many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?" Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, all evil doers!

God does not like us to be like this.

Listening and sharing His words is easy... putting His words into action is the challenge to all of us.  Building a house on a rock... building our FAITH in JESUS... is not a simple thing to do.  Choosing the path according to the will of the Lord might be hard... but the rewards are everlasting and nothing beyond compare... God bless.