A Day in October

Oct 12, 2011
The Visit

October morn dawns a saga
of relatives from Canada.

From far away they came.

Do you recall when you mention
that you were looking for us;
that you have no information
but finally, you found us.

And you came with your smile
sweet as young coconut's water;
your laughter could be heard a mile
to comfort souls that suffer.

Pictures stream down memory lanes:
Zamboanga, Cebu, Manila, airplanes.

The tears, the laughter,
the song of the birds,
the rain, the thunder.

You saw us on our visit
and your yearning keeps
burning on love's undying ember.

Your persistence carried you
through uncharted terrain
of Germany, the Middle East,
London, Canada, and America.

Your precious physical presence,
was more than gold, and valuable
as life itself.

You came with your sister's family
and was gladly welcome in the house
that wholeheartedly awaited
your coming.

Did you remember, dear relatives,
of our first meeting in town?
The soil felt our feet so active;

the summer of smiles and the frown,
the laughter, the tears and we lived
to love all that was around.


And you came with all your heart,
with all your hugs,

with all your dreams,
with all your hopes,
with all your pains.

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall.
The leaves fell. And as they dropped
to the ground, our names were written on them

because we liked the trees,
we loved mother nature's garden
whose flowers filled our lives
with their beauty and fragrance.

Yes, dear relatives, you are roses,
giving our lives with joy and kisses.

(Dedicated to Babylane Rueles & Son, her sister Rosseni & husband Dan Tiongson and her daughter, Monica & husband Percy Madella with son Dj & daughter on their surprise visit to the windy city)

The Invitation

Sunday, Oct 9, 2011
1st Reading: Is 25:6-10a, @nd Reading: Phil 4:12-14, 19-20
Gospel: Mt 22:1-14 (or Mt 22:1-10)

All are invited ...

The everlasting love of God is a delight for the soul that abides in His presence. Indeed, all are invited to live and partake of His endless bounty to cherish eternal peace that flows from the Almighty. Although the invitation is open for all, a free response is paramount to enter God's Kingdom. Therefore, a joyful soul sings aloud, "It is better for me to be in the Lord's Court for one day than to live a thousand years elsewhere." Are you ready to respond to the call of God?

The empirical experience tells us that because of our ego and pride, not many desire to live in the Court of the Lord. During the time of the prophet Isaiah, people had abandoned the invitation of the Lord and chose to dwell elsewhere. Subsequently, their lives turned pathetic and wretched, hope dwindled, and sorrow engulfed them. At such a juncture, prophet Isaiah reminds them of the invitation of the Lord for a sumptuous banquet on the mountain of the Lord.

Leaving God out of public life has crumbled our institutions. Such a stance, in time, has vitiated the atmosphere to affecting the private lives of the individuals to live in godliness. More and more people choose to dwell elsewhere than to live in the Court of the Lord. It is a tragedy and a poison for our soul. Presently the society is reaping the fruits of alienation, segregation, depression, abortion, violence, hunger, mistrust, hopelessness, and all the evils that have infected our lives.

The celebration of the Eucharist is the remedy for our soul. God became food to satisfy our hunger and thirst. Therefore, there is no other source better than the Body and Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ - the celebration of the Eucharist with the faith community, to fill our lives with love, peace, and eternal healing from our Creator. It is imperative for the disciples of Jesus to pay heed to the invitation of the Lord. We have to come before the banquet table of the Lord with thanksgiving and faith as one of Christ. There is no substitute for the celebration.

All are invited... but only a few have responded. What can I do to invite my family, friends, and neighbors? God wants us to be His voice, as prophet Isaiah became His voice to the people of Israel. Let us dress well for the celebration, to enter into the halls of God's Kingdom with mercy and forgiveness, love, faith and hope.

(by:Fr. Peter Fernandes, sfx )

Endearment

Beloved

If you part from me my sweet love
and you'll travel another path
I'll be but a misguided dove;
you'll be eating the grapes of wrath.

If you will run away from me
like a rose you'll wither and die;
stay with me to whatever be,
and you'll have no reason to cry.

The minutes and the hours are sweet;
the moon and the stars above are lit;
our sorrows are our joy to greet

the beauty of our blessed life
that lead to the river of grit
in this our world without the strife.

The Ponderable of Life (No Other But You)

The Ponderable of Life

Together we will walk in stride 

amidst the din and drabness of life.     

Come with knives of hatred.

Come with the coldness of the snow.

Come with your nagging in tow.
Come with complaints between
your forehead and your toe.

Come like a summer dawn
to greet the day to sing
the hopes and  dreams that the morrow
with happiness may bring.

Send them all:
   your concerns,
     your regrets,
        your sorrows,
I'll be there for you.
with my undying love.

We are engaged on a life's journey;
we are always one
I, the link, you: the missing link.
We shall always be: you and I
on this planet where we live and die.

Life is a bitter melon

and a sweet onion
It is sunshine and rain
It is laughter and pain.

 

Here's a gift ribboned with gratefulness.

(An ode penned for Evangeline Rueles Caermare Trabanca's

birthday - the 3rd day of March.)

Commentary: 

"I can't compete with those words! Your eloquence in writing, Uncle Greg, is beyond... Your poetic prowess is admirable." ( Luvis Adaza Barja - Lim)

The Question?

Sons' Query?

As kids, you may ask a question
On the lovely place, we came from
You may seek for information
Of Paradise's Eve and Adam.

Across the ocean, we told you
Where quails and mayas were happy;
And we were free to hope, to dream
On the land of milk and honey.

From San Pedro's Davao city;
The nights had no shadow of male,
She burned midnight candles to stay,
To be a Florence Nightingale.

That's how we came into this world
Across the rough sea of the bold

Where he trekked from town to city
From courses to ending a course
Learning the truth and the beauty
Seeking the great Almighty Source.


That's how we came into this place
Where not even time can efface.

From tears of the tropical rain
And from Mindanao's fertile soil
Where hopes and dreams were not in vain
Where our courage to journey boil

Towards the two of us
From the wonderful love
That has united us
That in you our hearts throb
What you'll say to us both
You knew more of the world you sought
About the world to you we brought.

And like an earthquake
We shook the earth
That gave you birth
Where the tree of life appears
And you sing the poem of love
In the highest branch without fears
We fly to reach you like a dove.

The Missionary from Goa

The Missionary from Goa

You have left when she needed you.
You have wounded her and hurt her.
But open your eyes to earth's view;
Your service to God forever.

You finally face each other
In the Bread and Wine you have found;
No one can put you asunder
Of your love, so sweet, so profound.

You held on to your dear promise
Etched in the smithy of your being
In your world, the sun will surely rise
To make boys: men of God keep burning.

Someday you will come back to her-
The native land that nurtured you
To weave your story fair and square
For faith, hope, love, and charity to grow.

(By Greg In Trabanca, a parishioner of St. Timothy Church.)

The last Eucharistic celebration at St. Timothy church was presided by Bishop Mark Bartosic with Fr. Jose' Baptista, s.f.x. at 11 a.m. on Jan 31, 2021.  St. Timothy church and St. Henry church merged with St. Margaret Mary which is now the Holy Child Jesus Parish. The Pastoral Staff: Fr. Phi H. Nguyen, pastor, Fr. Arthur Bautista, associate pastor. Meanwhile, Fr Jose' Baptista,s.f.x. is awaiting his assignment.  

What Do I Reap

What do I reap? Fr. Peter Fernandes, sfx
1st Reading: Is 5:1-7, 2nd Reading: Phil 4: 6-9
Gospel: Mt 21:33-43

What do I reap? A vital question to ponder and to be answered several times during our life journey, which will give a focus for a life well-lived. Deviation from a purposeful life bears the repercussion of a bitter outcome that creates ripple effects in society. Therefore, we have to ask ourselves, what is the goal for my life? What legacy would I like to leave behind for the benefit of posterity? Each person has something to offer to make this world a better place. Am I doing my part?

If we take a serious glance at the world, we are baffled with reality. It seems evil has the upper hand, and the world is headed in the wrong direction. Hence, we should ask a question. Where have we missed the calling? The precious life not respected, the family unit is threatened, and trust betrayed, justice trampled, love, mocked upon, and mercy and forgiveness is devalued. With such a scenario of the world, what do we reap? On the other hand, what have we sown, to reap?

Despite a gloomy picture of the world, there is a ray of hope and a brighter future. Ultimately, God is in control of the whole universe, and in His time, purification will take place. Meantime, He has assigned the task to His chosen people to light up the world with faithfulness and righteousness, This group of people is a tiny minority, and their task is enormous. The Israelites were called to live in faithfulness to God and live a righteous life by observing His commandments, and benevolence towards the most vulnerable in the society. The Lord complains, "Why do I reap the bitter grapes from my vineyard?"

Today, the Catholic Church is the new Israel. The new people of God have been entrusted with the same task but greater responsibility. The fulfillment of God's promise to the world was unfolded in the death and resurrection of Jesus, His Son. The Church bears witness to this great mystery of our faith. This mystery encompasses the totality of our existence, in which, faithfulness and righteousness, should lead to the life of charity. The Catholic Church is a tiny minority, which continues to be a voice of conscience to the world that devalues the laws of God.

What do I reap? Indeed, those who live the life of God in the Church will certainly bear good fruits of faith, hope, and charity. However, those who live on their own account, and continue to support anti-Church policies, disrespect for life from conception to natural death devalue the marriage as a sacrament between a man and a woman, will also fail to live a life of charity. What kind of grapes will you reap?

Living is Difficult

Obedience ... to God
( Fr. Peter Fernandes, sfx )

9/25/11 1st Reading: Ezk 18:25-28
2nd Reading: Phil 2:1-11 (or Phil 2:1-5)

Living is difficult. However, living under obedience is extremely difficult. Only those who can perceive things through the eyes of faith and discern the will of God in every circumstance are able to conduct their lives in obedience. Such living demands great courage, humility, and faith. For most people, it is a struggle to live a life of obedience because of the ego, pride, and selfishness. The resulting disobedience in many cases comes about because those who hold the office of authority abuse their power for similar reasons.

Obedience to God should have been the most natural outcome of our existence. Nevertheless, it is not the case. Why? Is God unjust? could it be that He exercises His authority with partiality and selfish motive? Such an assumption is far from reality. Our disobedience is the direct outcome of our sin of pride and selfishness. The human soul is overshadowed with false hopes and endless possibilities, which causes us to disobey the righteous one.

To end the blame game, Jesus the eternal Son of God, took our form in total obedience to God and even accepted a gruesome death on the cross. Such living baffles the human mind but it is also the cause of our true living. In fact, the command for a life lived in obedience is, "Take up your cross daily and follow me." Should we decide to follow the Lord, we cannot ignore His way of life and at the same time live by His command.

The degradation of the moral fiber of society is the effect of people living directly in contrast to the will of God. The growing number of abortions, same-sex marriages is an abomination that reflects the sick society, which prides itself on opposing the will of God. We, the disciples of Jesus, should awaken from our slumber, and seek to do the will of God in total obedience, which is the true wisdom and fullness of life.

**************************************************************************8
Lectio
* He humbled himself by being obedient to death, death on the cross.
Meditatio
* We are witnesses to the tremendous love of God in Jesus. We have to witness His humility, sacrifice, and total self-giving to others as well.
Oratio
* Let us contemplate the cross - the ultimate sign of God's loving sacrifice.
Actio
* We witness to the cross of Christ if we choose the lowest post or to make a meaningful sacrifice.

Ode To Fr. D

Ode To Fr. D 
(The man with a mission )

In your village, there's a mountain.
In the state, they need love's fountain.

Goa, a place people want to tour;

A small state yet has a unique hold

From the rest: whose customs and culture

Are influenced by the western world.

 

Neon signs brighten a foreign land

Thirst of knowledge from the ocean.

 Come, come back and you will agree.

That this place with coastlines stretching

Along the deep Arabian sea

Gives comfort to their heart's craving.

Come, come back to them.

These people who hunger and thirst

You know them as they call your name
They cry and say, "We need to be nursed!"
And this is not a guessing game.

"Come, come, we need you!

And they say to you, "Your people,
To nourish their body, mind, and soul 

Whom you love so true and noble;

And this is their ultimate goal.

Come, come back to them.

Your people who task to do the search

Are worthy of admiration

Who preserved the century-old churches

And the tropical spice plantations.

Yes, you are the one they desire
With wisdom and knowledge afire;

The people: the heart of your story.

The land with its lovely cashew tree
The taste of the famous Maddi 

Of the swaying coconut tree.

Once a Portuguese colony.

Come and be with them, anyway.

(N.B.) A dedication penned for our friend, Fr. Peter D'Mello, s.f.x. from Goa, an unassuming, versatile man of God with an aura of sanctity. (Greg & Tom Llorente) 09/10/2011) Rev. D'Mello was with Fr. Peter Fernandes, s.f.x. formerly a pastor of St. Timothy Church for some time when he took up his Masteral degree in Administration in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is back on his native soil in obedience to his Order to make boys men of God.

Holy Blood of Christ

Solemnity of the Most Holy Blood of Christ (6/26/11) Fr. Peter Fernandes,sfx

"I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever." In a unique mode, Jesus wished to live in our midst, to be our nourishment and encouragement on our journey to the Kingdom of God. Through the mystery of the Eucharist, the God of surprises continues to battle the mortals. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" "This is the bread come down from heaven; not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live forever."

This bread was offered on the altar of the Cross. Indeed, the mystery of the Eucharist is the gift of God to His children - the church. It is the memorial of the Lord's Passover. Therefore, the Eucharist is to be celebrated with faith and thanksgiving.

"All creatures depend on you to feed them through the year: you provide the food they eat, with a generous hand you satisfy their hunger." (Ps. 104,27-28). Without a doubt, God our loving Father takes care of His entire creation, and even more so of men, whom He created in His own image and likeness. It was only right that God would share His very own life with us to restore our fallen image and likeness having been trapped in the pit of sin and disgrace, once again to grace and holiness.

Jesus, who is Christ the Lord, offers Himself as food to us in three ways. We cannot reach the Promised Land without nourishing ourselves with the food that Jesus offers. Jesus comes to us as food through faith; through His word and in the form of bread and wine, which transforms into His own Body and Blood. Therefore our response should be, "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life and we believe; we know that You are the Holy One of God."

Let the Eucharist truly transforms us into the Body of Christ! For when we partake of one bread and one cup, we form one Body of Christ. Let us truly believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist with proper worship and adoration.

Visit: www.therealpresence.org

ZAMNAI Bunker Hill Picnic

Bunker Hill Forest Preserve Remembered

On a crisp, sunny Sunday of the last day of July a large crowd thronged Grove 4 of the Bunker Hill forest preserve in a plethora of activities. It was a record-breaking attendance. It's Hudyaka Illinois 2011, an annual festive celebration of the people from the province of Zamboanga del Norte on the island of Mindanao, Philippines here in Illinois. It is a yearly jovial camaraderie, fellowship, get-together, reunion, chit-chat, and picnic session. And picnic tents dotted the mowed park of Grove 4.

This yearly summer gathering is vital to these province mates to showcase their talents and skills. Friendly competitions emerged in games of volleyball, tennis, bowling, and dart throwing. And also in dancing and sungka, a hometown game with similarity to dama (a prisoner's favorite) or Chinese checker. In the game of Sungka, players use marbles or pebbles and whoever has the last marble or pebble wins the game. It is fun and like chess, your mind must be as nimble as your hands move. These games were participated by organizations of the towns, of the schools, of the youth and business groups within the coastal province of Zamboanga del Norte known in the e-world as ZANORTE and the Zamboanga del Norte Association in Illinois as ZAMNAI.

The ballroom dancing contest and sungka staged on the shed sent standing ovations while wows and aahs filled the air. However, the crowd changed their attention when Volleyball was played under the blistering heat of July sun.

I met a buddy who was an erstwhile bank manager and now one of the owners of a home health care outfit. He told me that he still can't forget about my remark concerning his nasty smoking habit. He was glad about it and his children reminded him too on that. So, he did his best to stop smoking but he said, he can't even if he tried hard to do so. Well, I told him, how about, with my right fingers pointing skyward... prayer? Oh yes, I am doing my morning prayer..."Oh, Jesus through the immaculate heart of Mary, I offer"...That's good, I answered but try harder, praying the Rosary and at this point, telling him of my devotional prayer to the *Lord of Pardon which was my shield against the devil that's always waiting on our every corner and another weapon, the rosary bead hidden in my pocket. By the way, don't leave home without it.

Before we part ways, I dug from my pant's left rear pocket my wallet and took the chaplet of the Divine Mercy. There was that unique smile that enveloped his grateful countenance. Yes, a little thing can make a gigantic reward that will last a lifetime.

Note:
*This Lord of Pardon devotion consists of the daily praying of 15 Our Father's, 15 Hail Mary's, and invoking the almighty power and blessings of God, the Father humbly admitting your sinfulness being a sinner then asking the Most Holy VirginMary to intercede for you to her Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Then, ask pardon for your sin and protection from your enemies and that eternal glory be granted to you. Say, "Pardon, oh my God, Pardon me, my offenses, Pardon, Lord, grant me"

Stranger at Lowe's Home Improvement Store

8/17/2011, Wed

A Glow at Lowe's

The crossing of the path

I was looking for a bi-fold door for our apartment one Wednesday afternoon at Lowe's Home Improvement Store in Lincolnwood, Illinois when I stumbled on this Asian-looking lady. She was on something for her home or domicile I figured because she drifted her gaze on an item on the shelf. My direction was geared for some cleaning items for our house. This woman's right hand picked up a baking soda with a tag price of $0.88 cents for her old refrigerator. My intuition prodded me to politely tell this woman that baking soda in the  Aldi food store cost only half of that price. And I opened the idea of savings to her that there is a cheap way to clean our kidneys and parsley can do it. Then a Lowe's salesperson passed by and I asked him if he is familiar with this parsley herb of which he positively and confidently said that it is true. He knew it as he was in the Orient for a number of years. And that herbs are very good for our health; even going to the extent of giving the address where herbal medicines are sold. ( Parsley is a herb with crinkled green leaves. )

Parsley for cleaning your kidney.

On a clean pot filled with potable water boil the parsley for ten minutes. Let it cool before transferring the boiled water of parsley to a bottled container and put it in the refrigerator. To clean your kidney you have to drink a glass of that boiled parsley water daily. With that routine, you'll experience a totally different physical world. Being a slave to good habits leads you to the road of healthy success. And healthy success is what you eat or drink or think which is supplied by Mother Nature and not provided by drug stores. Today is the propitious time to like and love the abundance that Mother Nature avails.

Place matters not

As familiarity took hold of the moment's meeting, this woman said that she is a Thai and she sure recognized me where I came from. Was that, she stammered... Manila? I replied, no but I came from the second largest island, Mindanao near Borneo. Manila is on the largest island, Luzon. Anyway, its in the Philippines.

Matter doesn't age

The conversation continued and touched a delicate subject which is about the numbers of stay on this planet. I told her that I was retired for a number of years. She almost fainted. She looked for a place to sit. How did you do it, came the question? Looking at my head, she noticed something that caught her attention. Ah, yes- the big ears which are a sign of long life. "Well", I said, "that depends entirely on you. Habits, attitude, gratitude, prayer." Oh, she replied, Hail Mary... I knew that as I went to a Catholic school because it has a very good education. The subject matters trickled into scholastic performance. She mentioned her masters and doctorate degrees. That she has also taken journalism in her country. She asked me what highest scholastic attainment I have achieved. Humbly, I told her I have taken master subjects too and hang out with press and radio people but what I did not reveal is of my being a "sum-suman san laude" graduate of the University of Hard Knocks and a member of the defunct " Toastmo-naut club." Remember- astronaut, cosmonaut?

An Epilogue

Somebody has said:
" Happiness keeps you sweet; trials keep you strong. Sorrows keep you human; failures keep you humble. Success keeps you glowing but only God keeps you going!"

Until we meet again. Have a wonderful day!

Love is God's free gift

Aug. 17, 2011, Wednesday
1st Reading: Jdg 9:6-15 Gospel:Mt 20: 1-16

"So will it be: the last will be the first, the first will be last."

Jesus tells us that justice is granted to those that deserve it while love is given with unmerited generosity. In today's world, nothing is free. Things have prices. You can have them if you are willing to pay for the charges. You have to earn them.

God is a God of love. And essentially His ultimate value is love manifested in generosity. He is also a God with pure and overflowing generosity.

Despite our flaws and demerits, God loves us. He continues to bless us, to guide us, to help us. We don't realize that what we are enjoying are things that we really don't deserve. Let us then turn to God as He gives us things guaranteed free of charge and not to what we hear over the airwaves, read in the newspapers or the internet.

People and the word of God

 The Parable of the Sower (Matt 13:1-23)

The gospel of Matthew about the parable of the Sower is relevant to us in our everyday life. During the time of this gospel writer, the community understood the seed as the word of God that yields harvest according to the situation of the one who hears the word being proclaimed.

Let's pause for a while and consider ourselves as the farmer. As a farmer's son and grew on a farm, I am familiar with farming the natural way using the wooden and steel plow, the harrow, the carabao or water buffalo, and lots of prayers for rain and a bountiful harvest. Farmers at that time don't use fertilizers, chemicals, or machines. Everything runs on its smooth course as Mother Nature intended it to be, unadulterated. Farms teemed with mudfish, catfish, other freshwater species of fish, edible snails, and diet-friendly farm frogs. Myriads of kangkong (comparable to spinach ) dotted the sunlight ricefields, quails swarmed in droves, and mayas (small crimson-colored rice bird) flowered the rice fields with their lovely presence. Herons or carabao egrets and kingfishers were familiar visitors. And at that time, harvests were in abundance because we sow in abundance. In fact, we have a small rice granary to store the rice and corn seeds.

In this high-tech world of computers and cell phones and e-cameras, how do we sow our time, our talents, and our energy? If we sow scantily, we will reap scantily. If we plant in abundance, the harvest is bountiful.

Minister of Care at Swedish Covenant Hospital

Sunday, July 24, 2011
1st Reading: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12, 2nd Reading: Rom 8:28-30
Gospel: Mt. 13:44-52
Memorable Sunday.

At 8:30 A.M. on a muggy summer Sunday morning, I was awakened by a cell phone call. Immediately, I swept the cobwebs of sleep, went to meditating moment, paused for greetings to the Great Provider, and welcomed the inevitable coming of the day. I am one of the MOCs, Minister of Care. We are lay ministers sanctioned by the Parish Pastor to minister to the sick at hospitals, nursing homes, and homes; to those people who have no luxury to be at their Sunday's best to go to the cathedral, church, or chapel. I was on a schedule that Sunday. ( either I lost my schedule or I was not sent one; this is not new to my lector-minister's lexicon. ) I told Glynda, the one who called me to bring the things needed - the host and copies of the church's bulletin. So she did and we three MOCs met at Swedish Covenant Hospital.

I was assigned to the East Wing of the hospital's 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors.
I knocked on the door and introduced myself with greetings. This male person lying on his bed was hesitant to welcome me and told his tale of woe; the reason why he had not been in the church for over ten years. There was a tragic incident in his family life; a child died. I told him I was sorry for what had happened. Then I unfolded a story of a man who migrated to America, found a decent job, got married, and realized the American dream meaning a single-family home with a big backyard and garage, loving wife, dear child, latest model car. He even bought another car for his wife's birthday gift. In a nutshell, he was successful. He made it, so to speak. He loved his job but he loved his wife and children more. His family was a frequent churchgoer. He was up to date in his church's contribution and donation. He was living a typical, happy American life until tragedy struck. His beloved wife died in a car accident. He was hurt. He saw suffering and hopelessness. His life turned upside down. He blamed and cursed God. The wheel of a fortunate, happy life screeched to a stopped.

One day while walking on his way home, a sudden strong rain fell hard that it lasted over an hour. He was cornered and nowhere to go except to find shelter while the rain was pouring vehemently. By a fluke of circumstance and beyond his control, he found himself in a Sanctuary. He found a corner pew to rest his tired body and maybe his weary soul. What he heard from the pulpit was comforting and consoling. His heart was softened; his mind enlightened. Was this the Holy Spirit's light "amidst the encircling gloom?"

He came home attired with a smile and whistling. He played his favorite songs. He totally changed the way he looked at life. His attitude is more of gratitude.

The man with his lovely young wife was now willing to take communion. And I encouraged him to always pray especially that America needs the prayer of our Lady of Fatima. That prayer is very powerful. The world witnessed how and what prayer had done for Russia and Germany. And that man was very grateful that I came.

I knocked on another patient's door. This time a lady was happy to welcome me but she told me that she cannot receive the Holy Communion because she was not married in the church. I respected her wish. I gave her the church's bulletin, anyway.

I looked at my cell phone. It's quarter to eleven and I was a scheduled lector at eleven o'clock. I drove home to get my wife for the eleven o'clock mass. We arrived in the nick of time. My wife went to the Choir side and I sat at the lector's chair. Rev. Peter Fernandes, the pastor was ready to proceed together with the acolytes to the altar to commence the celebration.

"Those whom God predestined he called, and those whom he called he makes righteous, and to those whom he makes righteous he will give glory."

The second and third verses of St. Paul's letter to the Romans have the complex concepts of foreknowledge and predestination. These concepts have been the subject of intense theological debates over the centuries. St. Paul using the language of divine foreknowledge teaches us that God has been at work even before the creation of the world. Psalm 139 clearly tells everything. We can't hide or run away from God. He knew us before we were born. He foresees our thoughts and actions...
1 "Oh Lord, you have searched me and you know me... 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord....16 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be...
Even before the beginning of time, God's plan for the redemption of the world began.

After the eleven o'clock Mass, St. Timothy's choir members gave Manny Lucero a good-bye lunch at a Chinese Buffet on Howard and Western. Fr. Peter Fernandez was present. Manny took over the music directorship temporarily when Julie Demerath, the music director passed away. He did a good job together with his pianist/singer-wife, Lorna Buenconsejo Lucero. Their last day in the choir is on Sunday, July 31, 2011, which coincided with the last mass of Fr. Peter D'Mello, SFX who is leaving for Goa, India for a new directorship position.

Lector at Transfiguration church

Friday, July 22, 2011
Reading: Song 3:1-4b (or Cor 5:14-17) Gospel: Jn 20:1-2, 11-18)

I was the scheduled lector at Transfiguration Church where there is a novena every Friday at 7:00 PM.At precisely every seven o'clock on a Friday evening, the Holy Rosary starts followed by a novena to Jesus, the Nazarene. After that, is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. (This devotion is made popular in Quiapo Church, Manila, Philippines.It had helped weary travelers and ambitious students from the provinces.)

The first reading was on Song 3:1-4b. "On my bed, at night I looked for the one I love, I sought him without finding him; I called him and he did not answer. I will arise and go about the city, through the streets and the squares; I will seek the love of my heart... I sought him without finding him, the watchmen came upon me, those who patrol the city."

"Have you seen the love of my heart?" As soon as I left them,I found the love of my heart. I held him and I would not let him go till I have brought him to my mother's house, to the room of her who conceived me."

Love's recognition is unfolded in the encounter of Jesus and Magdalene. A name when uttered makes one feel something as did Mary come to her senses. Magdalene's eyes were opened seeing her beloved, Jesus. Likewise, our acknowledgment of God's presence will be awakened when in the sanctum of our hearts we intensely missed Him. When our whole being is geared and focused on that obsessed encounter with the Lord, we will truly know and love Him. And that love for the Lord comforts us to that enduring wait for Him.

Jesus (addressing to Mary Magdalene) said, "Touch me not, for I have not yet returned to my Father."

The gospel of John, particularly verse 17, reminded me of Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal's title to his controversial and immortal novel, Noli Me Tangere (Touch me not). Rizal was shot at Bagumbayan now the Luneta because of the prevalence practices of those in power like social cancer that was plaguing the country. And today, the Palace has not found a cure to that social cancer of graft and corruption that spread throughout every bureau, private and government offices, and business enterprises. Politics' strong tentacles are powerful.
The rich are powerful; the poor are pitiful.

(Note: Jose P. Rizal is the Philippines' national hero. He is a doctor, linguist, surveyor, writer, novelist, poet, lover, and patriot.

Sonnet

 On Wisdom, A Sonnet
(Dedicated to Msgr. Salvador Mora)


Remember the music, the dance.
The meeting of the minds, the touch,
Of medicine, the legal parlance,
Of Tanduay rum, fisherman's fresh catch?

That words turned to action uttered
Were not written in the white sand
But fully engaged to be heard;
Was a profound message of the land.

The distractions of today's world
Lead us to hostile disregard
For the great Treasure unexplored

Have found no place in our innards
Yet hidden in the everyday strength
Is the power of the greatest of Bards.

N.B.  (This poem is about the memorable moments of my bachelor's days in the Philippines with Msgr. Salvador Mora. We were able to befriend non- Catholics and also non - Christians. Msgr. Mora ( an honorary title) is not a bishop but a non-ivory tower priest and a good friend. He is a San Jose' Seminary, Manila, Phil graduate run by the Jesuits. I, once upon a time, have been a part of the campus of that Seminary along Highway 54 at (EDSA ) Epifanio de los Santos Ave., Metro Manila where the historic People Power Revolutions of Feb.22-25, 1986 (3 days) took place that leads to the unbloody replacement of a nation's top leader; paving the way to a woman's occupancy.

 

Greg In. Trabanca  

(07/19/2011)

Met Fr. Rodrigo "Eric" Zafra & some Labasonians

July 14,2011, Thursday

Not An Ordinary Day...

Met town-mates and high-school-days friends after over a score plus years and of course that "those were golden memories" permeated the air. You'll figure these are people of the retired level mark in life. And you'll readily recognize the physical changes- the slow gait, the missing-tooth smile, the composed way of talking as these are grandparents who came to be with their grandchildren to do their "apostolic mission." (apo in the local lingo means grandchild). But they are immigrants. In the birth country, a mother is always a source of perpetual succor. Then, the "very long-time hugs", together with smooches; meantime the e-cameras kept on ticking.

They were our townmates and schoolmates who are daughters of the town's pioneers- Norma Cabading Balais and Linda Galea Valeros, whose children are nurses and doctors. We are proud to be born and raised in the coastal town of Labason, Zamboanga del Norte. Labason, ZDN is the only town during the '40s that has two citadels of higher learning. It has one private Catholic high school, Ferrer High School with a tinge of a secondary Jesuit education when a San Jose' Seminary diocesan priest, Fr. Anacleto Pellano, took over the directorship but left and turned it over to the RVM sisters. It has also one private Protestant college, Southern Philippines College with a western touch as manifested in its gala Founder's Day celebration, a replica of California's annual parade of roses. The founder-director was a Col. Leodegario Orendain, who sojourned in America during the sacada era wave of immigration.

Labason, Zamboanga del Norte with a mark of many diverse professionals, has produced 28 priests to date, which is truly a record. The Catholic church is now sporting a new look; it's bigger and wider. Thanks to the generous donors and combined ideas of priests who had ministered to the sanctuary. The town proper has a wide area and well-planned roads and streets. Thanks to its first mayor, Mr. Gil Sanchez.

And now the memorable moment came. The background music was subdued; the forks and spoons were stilled. The conversations commenced interspersed with guffaws and "what we all need" laughter. Yarns of good old days and the high-tech world were woven to blanket the atmosphere.

I am a firm believer in love at first sight, to animate or inanimate objects, persons, or panoramas. I met a person whose visage is familiar. It turned out that he is a man in the Roman collar sans the collar. He nonchalantly introduced himself as Fr. Rodrigo Zafra. Fr. Eric, that is. We talked about schools. We glimpsed of those seminary moments. My short-lived seminary days. My linkage of that ilk- seminarians, nuns, and priests. We talked of his uncle, the first Bishop of Dipolog, ZDN., the late Msgr. Felix S. Zafra, our good friend. And also of my students of Ferrer High School, who are now priests "sowing the seed" of Catholicism in the snowy ground of the East Coast, Fr. Faron and Fr. Edito Amora who is I presumed at Davao, Mindanao, Philippines.

Thoughts of priests and religious and nuns cascaded intermittently, in my mind. What was this priest's mission? Is he a roaming pilgrim priest, an itinerant preacher or just want to break the solitude of being a parish priest to find meaning and definition on the unfolding will of God? Is he on a mission appeal, on a vacation seeking for the "aha" moment or the feeling of Eureka?

In the priest to a layperson talk, I bared out what his Bishop's uncle intimated to me that the binding force of priesthood and the pillars of Christian faith are the Rosary and the Holy Eucharist. That a priest who is negligent in saying the Mass and the Rosary is prone to the temptation of leaving the robe. And that the seed of spirituality finds fertile soil in the silence of the sanctuary.

We parted. I said goodbye. And when his sight was swallowed by the balmy Chicago summer night, I silently muttered to myself "til we meet again Fr. Eric."

An addendum - On July 27, 2011, Wednesday afternoon, Fr. Eric called on his way to Baltimore, Md. for "thanks for that memorable chat."  Truly, I muttered to myself this young priest had in mind that "gratefulness, is the heart of prayer." And, there was the spark of joy. He made my day.  Brother David Steindl-Rast-O.S.B. wrote "Joy is that extraordinary happiness that is independent of what happens to us. Good luck can make us happy, but it cannot give us lasting joy. The root of joy is gratefulness. Yet even bad luck will give joy to those who manage to be grateful for it. We hold the key to lasting happiness in our own hands. For it is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful."

June 26, 2011 Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Reading 1 Deut: 8:2-3, 14b-16a Read 11 1 Cor 10:16-17

Moses addressed his people as they approached the Promised Land after wandering in the desert for 40 years, reminding them with encouragement what the Lord has truly done for them. That going with out food and drink humbled them. Their only sustenance was: manna from heaven and water that flowed from the rock which leads them Israelites to know God's love and care; that every word that comes from the Lord's mouth provides sustenance.

There is a connection here to the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. The manna is linked to the bread of the Eucharist and the water to the wine. In addition, it also relates to the deeper liturgical truth that it is the one table of the Word and Eucharist from which we partake every time we participate in the Mass. (Dei Verbum, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, 21)

Being a lector on this Sunday, I came face to face with the reality concerning all the Lord has done for me and my family. And as I prepare to proclaim this reading memories flood my mind like when I felt I have been tested, when my preparations were not enough, when I sensed being criticized, or when I felt alone sans God's presence. Yet, recalling those moments brought me to my knees in humility, especially some sincere feedbacks from the assembly. Then I think of how great and good God is, how He fed me and enabled me to go on the task of proclaiming His Words that feeds and gives life to the congregation.

" I am the living bread which has come from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever."

Jesus gives Himself to us totally, not only to sustain us day by day but for us to attain the fullness of life. Then the question, What do we really need in life? Pause, ponder and be silent for a moment. Search in the deepest center of your being.

Forget self and focus on what you can share with others that would really satisfy the greatest desire of their hearts.

June 19,2011
Reading 1 Exodus 34:4b-6,8-9. Reading II 2 Cor 13:11-13.
Gospel John 3:16-18

June 19, 2011 is the 150th birth anniversary of the Philippines' national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. He is the spark that blazed the road for our (the Filipinos') independence due to his brilliant ideas and martyrdom. He is the father of the Philippines and his birthday anniversary coincides with the Father's Day celebration in the United States.

The gospel today is also my favorite bible verse- the love of the Father that sent His only Son to die in His thirties to save the world from sin. Rizal came back to his native land unafraid to give his life. He died too in his thirties so his country will eventually be free and independent.

In the backyard, Father's Day was celebrated with grilled meat and fish and steamed rice over bottles of beer and cans of coke by two fathers and their wives. The gathering was unplanned and in a flash of the moment.

That moment made marriage alien to divorce as the conversation floated from birth to wanderlust,to new found country, the pains and the laughter, the agony and the glory. Nerves were restored to normalcy and a perfect respite from the day's doldrums.

Indeed, that was a Father's day to remember.

Tribute to Msgr. Salvador Mora, a friend

06/17/2011
Tribute to a Friend in Roman Collar

All of the things that you rained on me
Are manna for my soul in plight;
They are dewdrops in my pale dawn,
Beacon light in my gloomy night.

A rudderless boat on the sea;
Without direction but held on
To its destination with glee
You appeared- I was not alone.

From rugged Visayan terrain
To Zamboanga's shore, you came
To ease the penury and pain
In your humility to proclaim.

We sang the melody of love,
Of sharing and of forgiving
Of humanity's hearts that throb
With a rhythm of life worth living.

( The poem is a grateful dedication to Msgr. Salvador Mora. a diocesan priest;

an alumnus of San Jose' Seminary, Manila-, Philippines. With

his friendship. I drank the wisdom of loving God and neighbor

and beheld the beauty of humility. He instilled in me prudence on critical subjects but conversant on agreeable matters. He is a typical down-to-earth, non-ivory tower priest in his human secular capabiltiy.

May 29,2011, Sunday 25 years of Pilipino Catholic Ministry in Chicago; Our 37th Wedding Anniversary.

My wife and I sang in the 11:00 o'clock mass as members of the St. Timothy choir and at 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon, we attended the 25th year of Pilipino Catholic Ministry at the Cathedral. I was also one of the ushers wearing my barong Tagalog,  formal wear among Filipinos comparable to the coat and tie of the western world.

After the celebration, a stomach filler was served in the cafeteria followed by a musical rendition in the Auditorium. Pilipino church choirs of different parishes and some young musical talents rendered Philippine favorite songs and medleys in the vernaculars plus the dances which were a mixture of Spanish and native influences, that sent ovations from the crowd. Even Cardinal George who was in the front row favorably remarked on the great performance.

Watching the stage renditions, flashed back home memories streaming in my mind - the crimson-colored small rice bird (maya) in the rice fields, the carabao egrets wading in the puddles, (tinikling dance), the bamboos swaying along the river, the vintas (Philippines sailboats) slashing the wavy sea, on the backdrop of the beautiful sunsets, of Romeos serenading in the tropical moonlight nights. Oh, those wonderful, lazy days and sleepless memorable nights!

May 28, 2011 Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer, Patron Saint of Dipolog City, Philippines.
Celebration of the Feast Day at Bunker Hill Forest Preserved in Chicago, Illinois was significantly attended by a record crowd. Con-celebrants of the Catholic Mass were Fr Peter Raposo and Fr Alan Lastimosa on a picnic shed surrounded by 5 tents. There was a flowering offering to the Blessed Mother Mary and dance homage to the beloved Saint Vincent Ferrer.

When Filipinos gathered in the name of God, hearts are filled with gladness, sharing, and love. It is the Filipino tradition that keeps them going in the world amidst the brewing catastrophe and pervading turbulence.

And what they have saved are offered freely as a thanksgiving for the blessings that the Great Provider has showered on them.

06/05/2011 7th Sunday of Easter
Gospel John 17:1-11a

June 02 or 05 /2011 Ascension of the Lord
June 01/2011
Gospel

05/29/2011 6th Sunday of Easter
Gospel John 14:15-21

05/05/2011-Thursday

The Lemon Tree      
By: Greg In. Trabanca

Just past midnight, I have the urge to either read The Poetry of Pablo Neruda, K.O.C's Columbia or the emails. It was the email. What caught my attention was that of all things my favorite- the lemon. In fact, one Sunday afternoon at St. Timothy's Church basement with the Choir members we were carried to unstoppable medleys of vernacular and old favorites. It's one of those moments of break time after a two Sunday mass of choir singing. And the old favs were: Lemon tree is very pretty... followed by Yellowbird, You are my sunshine, etc... and the vernacular oldies.

Indeed, the lemon tree. The email's subject is Lemon to Fight Cancer. Wow! This reminds me back home of our use of lemon in our diet especially when we have the raw food of kinilaw, sushi, or fresh fish soaked in vinegar, lemon, salt, and pepper. Or in grilled fish and pancit (noodle dish ), we use lemon.

The email said that lemon (citrus) is a miraculous product to kill cancer cells. Its 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy. That lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease of cancer. The taste is pleasant and does not produce the horrific effects of chemotherapy. The Lemon tree is known for its varieties of lemons and limes. Besides, you can eat the pulp, press it for juice, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries, etc. It produces an amazing effect on cysts and tumors. The Lemon tree is a proven remedy against cancers of all types. It is very useful in all variants of cancer. It is also considered as an anti-microbial spectrum against bacterial infections and fungi. It is effective against internal parasites and worms. It regulates blood pressure which is too high and an antidepressant, combats stress, and nervous disorders.

Source of the information is one of the world's largest drug manufacturers. That after 20 years of laboratory tests since 1970, the extracts revealed that It destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers including colon, breast, prostate, lung, and pancreas. The compounds of the lemon tree showed 10,000 times better than the product Adriamycin, a drug normally used chemotherapeutic in the world, slowing the growth of cancer cells. Even more astonishing is that this type of therapy with lemon extract only destroys malignant cancer cells and it does not affect healthy cells.
(Institute of Health Science, 819 N. LLC. Cause Street, Baltimore, MD 1201)

... in the heart of a seed...    Greg In. Trabanca

In this challenging time and changing environment, I am excited to take this opportunity to put this in my blog. I don't know who wrote this but it is very appropriate to read and to ponder.

THE SEED

A successful businessman was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young company executives together.
He said," It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you." the young executives were shocked, but the boss continued, "I am going to give each one of you a seed today - one very special seed. I want you to plant this seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

One man named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He watered, and compost and he planted the seed. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grows. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by - still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however; he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil. He wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim had told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot, but she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach. This was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful - all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor, and many of his colleagues laughed. A few felt sorry for him.

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO, "Today, one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure. Maybe he will have me fired!" When Jim got to the front of the room, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed. Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim."
Jim couldn't believe it. He hadn't even been able to grow his seed. "How could he be the new CEO?" the others murmured.

Then, the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take that seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But - I gave you all boiled seeds. They were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. therefore, he is the one who will be your new Chief Executive Officer!"

Remember - If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. If you plant goodness, you will reap friends. If you plant humility, you will reap greatness. If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment. If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective. If you plant hard work, you will reap success. If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.

So - Be careful what you plant now. It will determine what you will reap later.
what's the seed you have planted in your heart until it is manifested into action.