My blog is about my personal experiences in life, happenings and family stuffs. I’m a motorcycle rider, that would definitely be on my blog. I'm fond of sharing informative and lesson-filled emails, new things I learned from the net, gadgets, games and more. I post present problems concerning our nation and the world, with some personal insights. And finally, I write because of God and I’ll always honor Him. Yahweh bless.
John 7:37-39 - On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. As Scripture says: Rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in me.” He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
It's the 113th Independence Day of the Philippines commemorating the June 12, 1898 public reading of the Acts of the Declaration of Independence held in Kawit, Cavite. With General Emilio Aguinaldo leading the Filipino revolutionary forces, proclaimed our sovereignty and independence from the colonial rule of Spain. And I believe, these was made possible through the strength, wisdom and courage that the Holy Spirit had given these people... Yahweh being at our side and never leaving His people fighting for what was righteous at that time.
Descent of the Holy Spirit (picture taken from google.com)
Coincidentally, it is also the feast of the Pentecost (also called "Fiftieth day" or Whit Sunday) for us Christians. Celebrated 50 days after Yeshua/Jesus' resurrection (Easter Sunday) and the tenth day after Ascension Thursday. Pentecost commemorates Yahweh giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Yeshua's apostles and followers which then gave birth to our churches today.
In the priest's homily, what caught my attention was, while we symbolize the Holy Spirit as a dove, for other countries its a wild goose. For them, doves are tamed and fragile, but the wild goose is free, vibrant and spontaneous. Instead of a soft sound, the wild goose was noisy and strident... and it seemed always to be on the move in spreading the word of Yahweh, which i believe should represent our faith.
For me, we should not limit ourselves to the qualities of these representations of the Holy Spirit. It should represent all the good qualities since the Holy Spirit is one with Yahweh and Yeshua. It is the way of our Lord in reaching us... being with us... touching our mind, our heart, our spirit... our very essence. Providing us what we need most to carry out our mission in life and guiding us in fulfilling the very reason of our existence.
Our Independence falling on a Pentecost Sunday provides a very significant message, that Yahweh is showing us that everything is possible and achievable if only we do things according to his will. His Holy Spirit is just waiting for us to open our minds and our hearts... and change our ways to the way of our Lord and Savior, Yeshua.
Most proud to be a Christian Filipino... May Yahweh bless us all.
The week’s Gospel was taken from John 4:5-42. It’s quite a long one and having two children with you made it much difficult to focus and listen to the gospel and the priest’s homily. But so far, this is what I digested and my personal views, backed-up by some readings.
The Gospel shows us that Jesus does not look at a person’s status to bear witness to Him. Here, He shows us that even the people whom we looked down and we thought least important are significant for Him. He sees us all without discrimination... like the Samaritan woman.
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman picture taken from: www.eons.com
Just to show the barrier between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, Jesus is a Jew while she is a Samaritan. Due to their inter-marriage with non-Jewish people, Samaritans lost their ethnic identity. Thus, they were regarded with less respect and importance. This is still a reality nowadays, I heard of these countries that offer privileges to those who would marry their own nationality or pure breed. And those who do not, more especially women, will be stripped off of all rights and privileges they are enjoying.
More is that, Jesus is a man with high stature, a rabbi, most respected by His followers and disciples, is conversing with a woman, which is not considered proper in that time and place. Further, the woman is a cast off by her own kind, considered misfit for she had five husbands. But none of this matters to Jesus. He accepts the woman and treats her with respect by conversing with her and answering her doubts and queries.
The woman asks Jesus, who’s right in worship and where is its rightful place? Many, if not all of us have not yet resolve this issue... until now, we often fight for the answer. Maybe we are not just listening to His answer, or we’re just too shut to accept it... Jesus tells us that it does not matter where we worship God, what is important is that we worship God in Spirit and in truth.
Jesus shares with us His deepest secret, that He is the living water Whom whoever takes It would never thirst again for the truth. He is the Messiah and He shares this with us without any reservations... without any discrimination on what we are or who we are. If we truly say who we are as believers of Christ, then we must not only say what He does... but also do what He says and do. God bless.
Early this morning, former Defense and Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes took his life after visiting his mother’s tomb. He was rushed to Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City and was declared DOA.
I attended a mass last Sunday. In the priest’s sermon, everyone laugh when he said, “I heard of someone saying we have the best politician money can buy.” I laughed but I also felt sad because it reflected to us Filipinos. Have we just accepted this for a fact? Because, I haven’t heard anyone disagree or seen someone having a violent reaction. For heaven’s sake, we were the ones who put these people in the position. We voted for them, remember? And almost all of them are re-elected and been there for decades.
The death of Sec. Reyes only proves the cruel truth in our country. We accuse easily without looking at what we have done or what we are doing. In fraud, materiality does not apply. Whether you take a peso or a billion pesos, it does not make any difference. Even if, you did not take anything but TOLERATED such act, you still participated in the nationwide corruption. So, who are we to judge? Christ once said, “He who has no sin cast the first stone.”
A friend told me, “Peace of mind is priceless.” Whatever or if ever, Sec. Reyes knew something in the irregularities of our government, I guess we will never know. Let us leave his family alone. They are in grief now. Give them peace as you want to have peace in yourselves. How would you feel if that happened to your family? And please don’t tell me that what happened to him and his family is just rightful… that’s just awful… again, who are you to judge, when you are guilty yourself.
Just a suggestion, instead of blaming everything to others, why don’t we practice a simple act righteousness starting with ourselves. Then we remind people we directly meet, whether it is our neighbor or a member of our family working in the government or private company, to uphold our law and fight graft and corruption. And maybe we could make a difference. God bless us all.
My friend, sent me this email few years ago. I guess I just can’t get over it. It might be because “I just don’t get it”, we Filipinos have the greatest mind… we are one of the most talented, gifted and innovative people. We are very religious and we are passionate with our beliefs… But, why are we the poorest country who still tolerates corruption? Is it hypocrisy to show others how we are so religious but do not practice our church’s teachings? Why do we tolerate corruption and worst, participate in it? A national officer of our armed forces just exposed how our taxes are being corrupted by some top officials and he even admitted he’s one of them. “The worse”. The money could have been new schools, better roads, more works and better healthcare for us Filipinos. We pay our taxes and this is where it goes. How funny, government officials every year ask for increase in their budget because it is not enough… It is no longer enough but some still have the guts to take money for themselves.
Here’s one of our famous lines, “they are all doing it, so I have NO CHOICE but to do it or I’m dead”. It’s only a scapegoat. Can anyone really die by refusing a bride? What if, someone offered you P500,000 per month, just to commit fraud to our country, Is it impossible to say no and tell them that you can’t do that?
The problem with our country is that people who commit corruption become too powerful that even our justice system could not punish them. Even if it’s already OBVIOUS that they are guilty still our system finds it hard to prove that they are, because of technicalities. It’s a shame how the system works here.
What about us, are we guilty of corruption? Are we guilty of the poverty in our nation? Well, do we hand money to a government or private official/employee just to get away from an offense or just to make our transaction easy or maybe so as we could ask for some favor? Or if not, do we tolerate it; up to such point that we make ourselves believe that it is acceptable? Then we are guilty as charged.
I’m not losing hope in us. I still believe we Filipinos would someday raise our heads up high. Let’s start by saying, “It’s my fault, I’ll face the consequences of my action”, “I love my country and I love my people, I will not take what is due to them”, “I will be satisfied with what I have” (more especially if I already have more than enough), “I shall not steel or take anything that is not mine, I will follow this God’s Commandment”, “I’m proud to be a Filipino, because I’m a protector of my people and I will ensure that justice will prevail”, “I’ll wait for my turn and not take due advantage of others”… I have more… if you want… You may say I’m too idealistic and this is not a perfect world. But am I asking too much? I’m just asking each one of us to exert even a little effort to fight corruption. Davao City made an ordinance for firecrackers and cigarette smoking in public… It is an effort but hey it worked. It did not totally eradicate it nor was it easily implemented, but see the significant change it made.
Please let us change our ways, you can’t use your money when you’re dead, but your legacy of righteousness will forever be remembered.
Please read this essay about us, it is written by a Korean… God bless us all!!!
MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES by: Jaeyoun Kim
Filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines. Do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines.
Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you understand my point. After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no natural resources.
Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos were very rich in Asia. We envy Filipinos. Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father & brother also died because of famine. Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heartburning with patriotism.
Koreans did not work just for themselves but also for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism.
40 years ago, President Park took over the government to reform Korea. He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investment because the economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to build a factory. They had to go through horrible experience.
In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw the President Park. They asked to him, "President, when can we be well off?" That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone works hard for Korea, and the President of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea. So, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea. He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart.
Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA came back to Korea to help developing country because they wanted their country to be well off. Though they received very small salary, they did their best for Korea. They always hoped that their children would live in well off country.
My parents always brought me to the places where poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand their life and help them. I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the army. The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that we have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my neighborhood. Have you cried for the Philippiness? I have cried for my country several times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people. I have been to the New Bilibid prison. What made me sad in the prison were the prisoners who do not have any love for their country. They go to mass and work for Church. They pray everyday.
However, they do not love the Philippines. I talked to two prisoners at the maximum-security compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines.
Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company were distributed their profit to their employees fairly so that employees could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their children.
When I was in Korea, I had a very strong faith and wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines, I completely lost my faith. I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable situations in the Philippines. Street kids always make me sad, and I see them everyday. The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, but there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has been changed.
My parents came to the Philippines last week and saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so many beggars and street kids. When we went to Pasangjan, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would fun. However, they were not happy after taking a boat. They said that they would not take the boat again because they were sympathized the boatmen, for the boatmen were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it. But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love for them.
My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was very young told me that if we just go to mass without changing ourselves, we are not Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action. She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things for them because all of us are same and have received a great love from God. I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God so that the Philippines will be well off.
I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should start from person. Love must start in everybody, in a s mall scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love. Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes.
I discover that every person is worthy to be loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and relationships. It changes the world. Please love your neighborhood and country.
Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do to Him. In the Philippines, there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love. If you have a child, teach them how to love the Philippines. Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country. You already know that God also will be very happy if you love others.
