What the people have been telling me after the WWE Manila Tour

Well... there are alot of reactions from my friends and from my brothers in the church.

They say...

"You spent your money on that 3600 pesos ticket just to see people who are fighting in the ring. A scripted foolishness"

"Alot of hungry people are not eating and you just spent your money on wrestling"

"Now you have the guts posting on your blog about spending money, yet you dont practice it" (he's reffering to the post with a title "Spending Money")

Let me first verify that I did not spent anything on that show. The WWE Manila Tour was my parents' birthday gift for me. I just woke up in the morning with a ticket in my table.

You might think that instead to going I could just wanna sell the ticket. Knowing my parents, it would hurt them if they knew I was going to sell the ticket to somebody else. And my friend Jacob will be alone in the Araneta Colisseum if ever i would not go.

I know that I said before, "spending your money on luxury or lavishness is a sin".... but please understand that it was not my money used to buy those tickets.

For the people who gave me the reason to post it here in my blog... comment if you still have something that bothers you regarding me watching the WWE Manila Tour.

Reflection for sunday (February 26, 2006)

When you receive a love letter, this high, happy feeling fills you. Because you feel loved and special. And you are aware that someone loves you.

In today's reading, St. Paul said, "you are the letter, Christs letter. Written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God." -2Corinthians 3

We are all books, letter, and notes with the same Author or Writer. A writer in life values his creation or books. The same goes with the Writer of our lives, our Author values us and loves us... but the question is, are we loving Him back? are we foll0wing Him?

Look at your life as God's very own love letter.

What can you read?
What can you see?
What does it say?

God is writer and we are the book, and each book has a very unique story. We must ride on to the story God has written for us.

WWE Manila Tour

Me and my friend Jacob (whom I treated as my brother for years) watched the WWE Raw Manila Tour. That was the first time I watched a wrestling live!! I was so excited to see some of my favorite wrestlers. The good thing is that I got a chance to see them. We were seated at the upper box in the Araneta Colisseum. It's not that far from the ring. In fact, we can see the faces of the superstars. Man, I was so happy.

I know that you might think that I'm a stupid fool who believes that wrestling is real. But think again, I am fully aware that wrestling is fake and just a scripted drama. But hey, they're good actors dont you think?

So anyway, everytime you watch a wrestling match in the TV, you see the fakeness of wrestling. But as I watch the program, the fakeness became more obvious. But its ok, it is really entertaining. They say that they'll be back here in the Philippines by October, but this time, its smackdown. I am looking forward to that event to come.

Everything they sell are all cost 500Php. The magazines, caps, t-shirt and all that stuff are worth 500... but I did not buy anything...

That's all for now. I still need to read the readings for tomorrow.

Reach Out...

"God knows that our dealing with you isn't Yes and No, just as the Son of God Christ Jesus wasn't Yes and No, with him it was simply Yes"


-1Corinthians 1:18


To live in Jesus is to make a choice and take a stand. We can select only what satisfies us. We have a choice to make, we can say yes to God or no. If you choose to say yes, then good. But if you say no, well.. its up to you.

How can your life be simply marked by his yes?

God is always reaching out His hand to all of us. Even to those who don not love him. Reach your hands too... and God will pull you up

Another post regarding saints...

A saint is the one who puts others before himself. That doesn't mean doing extra-ordinary acts or dying a bloody death.

It simply means giving way to another at the grocery counter, leaving the best piece of meat for others at mealtime, or taking the job that nobody wants. We can be saints everyday if we want to. Because saints are not the one doing extraordinary or great things for the Lord, they are the people who did simple yet holy things for the Lord.

But Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, "Holiness does not consist in doing extraordinary things. It consists in accepting, with a smile, what Jesus sends us. It consists of accepting and following the will of God."

But in my school, Don Bosco Technical College, has a different perspective. According to what I have learned in my school, To be holy, you must do your ordinary duties extra-ordinary. Now, whom will I follow? Mother Teresa? or St. John Bosco? For me, it will be either of the two. Because they served the same God. From the words of St. Agustine of Hippo,"God made us without ourselves but He will not save us without ourselves."

You don't need to be a martyr to become a saint.

You don't need to die in a violent way to become a saint.

You don't need to heal a sick person to become a saint.

Christ came not to be served, but to serve. Like Christ, we must serve others. We must serve not only the people who are in need, but also the people who doesnt need help.

Where our trust should be...

During the 9/11 accident, the first casualty was Mychal Judge, a franciscan friar. He went along with the fire department to annoint the dying. But sad to say a chunk of falling debris killed him.

At that time, he said a short prayer. That prayer can be ours too.

"Lord take me where you want me to go. Let me meet who you want me to meet"


We must be like Mychal Judge. He placed his trust on God alone, and not on other people. Sometimes we people put our trusts on fortune tellers or sometimes we rely on witchcraft. But as a Catholic, we must not believe in those things. Because if we rely too much on witchcraft or fortune tellers, it may give us an addicted habit, and everytime we got a big problem, we will be compelled to go to them again and again. And a possibility of giving us an addictive habit. We will always be caught in the illusion of easy and instant blessing.

Let us be like Mychal Judge. We must put our trusts in God alone.

Sorry...

Sorry but I might not be posting everyday, not like the usual. I have been very busy in my studies and I need to prioritize it.

So to the people who regularly visits my blog, my post will no longer be everyday. But i'll try my best to post my reflections...

The posts in this blog reached more than 12o... so I suggest that you read them all from the very beggining up to this post...

Sorry again

Spending Money...

What's up with people spending their money on things that they dont need?

Dont they realize that there are poor people in this world that needs help? Yes, we may help them spiritually (its effective) but the best thing for them is to help them financially. It's what they need though. I'm not saying that we must give them money and just go away. I'm saying that instead of spending your money on lavishness or unnecessary things, why not spend them on things with a cause?

Spending your money on luxuries is sinful.

Luxury is a relative term but it could be defined as spending on unnecessary or expensive things. Necessary things also becomes a luxury when you can satisfy the same need at a substantially lesser cost.

Let me Give you examples...

• Suppose you want to satisfy your need in buying a cellephone. You saw a cellephone with a cost of 1,000 pesos, but you spent 10,000 pesos for a sophisticated one. This is what I may call Luxury.
• Suppose you want to have a vacation worth 500,000 pesos. But your friend or relative needs money to renovate his old house, or needs money for an expensive but necessary operation for his old sick mother. If you pursue to your vacation, that is luxury and therefore sinful. Because the money for your vacation could solve the basic needs of the people around you.
• Suppose that you spent your money in a very expensive car worth millions and a house also worth millions. These spending, for me are very serious mortal sins because the money used to buy the car and a house could lessen poverty. And when you are in a society with big unemployment, the money spent could help make jobs.

As a catholic, we must spend our money with necessity. Pope John XXIII said, "it is the compelling duty of a Christian to calculate what is superfluous by the measure of the needs of others"

Living a simple life is good...

Having a simple car
Having a simple house
Having a simple cellphone

and Having a simple life...

Christ Himself is just a simple guy even during his public ministry. Even if He is famous during that time for making extra-ordinary things, He was still just a simple guy.

We must imitate Christ and have a simple life.

The Right Profession

Not all nurses and doctors choose their careers because they want to go abroad or get rich.

Not all politicians want to earn a position to steal money or to corrupt for their own needs.

Not all rich people keep their money for themeselves.


Many sacrifice tempting and good offers to serve.

to serve in the hospitals
to serve in the depressed areas
to serve people without reapying them back

and sometimes it is often beyond the call of their duty.

After reading this, say a short prayer. A prayer thanking God for these kind of people. So that all of them may be inspired to inspire others.

True friends with faith (reflection for February 19, 2006)

In the Gospel, 4 friends with a paralyzed guy or friend was brought to Jesus, but because of the crowd, listening to Jesus, it was quite impossible for the friends to come near to Jesus. So they opened up the roof so that they could enter.

Ang Gospel ngayon ay isang magandang halimbawa ng isang magandang pagkakaibigan. Tinulungan nila ang isang kaibigan na paralyzed. Dinala nila ito kay Kristo at pinagaling.

Sa buhay natin, lagi tayo pumupunta kay Kristo kung sakali na gusto natin magpagaling o kaya may hinihingi tayo.

We are always paralyzed when it comes to the Love of God. kaya merong mga tao na andyan para mailapit tayo sa Diyos. So that when everytime that we are paralyzed, they would come and bring us to Christ. Kaya nga mahalaga ang magkaron ng kaibigan.

Real friends dont just automatically come into your life. You earn them to be your friends.

an hour to live

What will you do if you have less than an hour to live?

I asked these questions to some people and this are their answers:

Rey: magcoconfession ako. I will tell to the priest the sins that I have done.

Kuya Dave: I will go to confession and pray.

Robert Layco: magpapaalam at magsosori ako sa lahat ng tao at magpapasalamat sa kanilang lahat

Jorel Albano: una magpapasalamat sa mga friendz parents sa lahat then kay Tatay ('Tatay' by the way is God)

Sheela Bautista: kakausapin ko lahat ng friends k0.. haha

There are 3 kinds of persons who answered this question:

The first one said that he will find a priest to confess his sins. The second one said that he'll call up all of his loved ones and say goodbye. But the last guy was different, he said, "talaga? mamamatay ako? ok! I'll wait"

Sa tingin nyo... sino ang tama sa tatlong yan? marahil baka masabi nyo yung nagconfess, or yung nagpaalam sa loved ones...

Pero sa totoo lang, ang tama dyan, yung walang ginawa.

Bakit?

He was ready to die, all of the things he should do have already been accomplished and now he is ready to die. That's why he said that he'll wait for that hour to come because he is ready to die.

In life, we dont know when or how we are going to die. Sometimes death just happen and you'll never know it. That's why we must always be ready. Dapat boyscout, 'laging handa.'

Sori kung di na ako nakakapag post everyday, I have been busy kase e.

Expected ko na nga pala kung madami ang magerereact sa post na ito. so kung may 'negative side' kayo... feel free to comment.... tnx...

Love

The spiritual meaning of love is measured by what it can do.

Love is meant to heal
Love is meant to renew
Love is meant to bring us closer to God.


- D.K. Chopra


The Bible is God's truth revealed to your soul. Listen to Godly messages that will recharge your soul.

Poverty (reflection for February 12, 2006)

In todays Gospel, a leper came in to Jesus an asked Jesus, "if you want to, make me clean" Jesus was full of pity and He touched the leper and the leper was made clean from the skin diesese

In todays world, we are witnesses to the poor begging for food and money. We see them but we dont help them. Few days ago, tumatawid ako ng EDSA through a overpass. In the overpass, there were children selling sampaguitas. One approached me and said, "kuya bili na po kayo, pangkain lang po"

They are hungry
They are dirty
They are tired

but why not help them? yes there are charities who are helping them, but charities only helps partially. Charities cant do this alone.

Sabi nga ni St. Meriadoc... "poverty is a remover of cares and the mother of holiness"

I remember when I was a small kid, an old blind man knocked at the window of our car, begging for money. I have a 5 peso coin in my pocket. I opened the window and gave it to the beggar.

My mom scolded me for giving money to the poor, she said "di mo dapat binigyan yon, sindikato yon e" I did not speak. Inisip ko nalng yung sinabi nya... back at home, I asked my dad the meaning of the word "sindikato" (i was a small kid back then, i asked my dad everytime i encounter unusual words kase) He asked me, "san mo nakuha yang salitang yan?" and i answered, "kay momi po". Kinwento ko sakanya kung ano nangyari, then he agreed to my mom na dapat di ko binigyan.

But at my age right now, I come to realize na it doesnt matter kung sindikato yano hindi.

The poor will not beg if they dont really need it.

The Secret to a Holy Life

Prayer should never be understood primarily in terms of power, but rather as relating God who is the source of all power.


Prayer is the secret to a Holy Life. Listen and let the double blessings of prayer change your life and make you holy.

Trust...

Trust in yourself and you are doomed to disappointment; but trust in God, and you are never to be confounded in time or eternity.


-Dwight L. Moody


Wisdom begins at the end. Listen and discover words of wisdom to enlighten your soul.

Presence of God

Jesus came for the sinners not the righteous as the physician came for the sick. Allow the Lord Jesus to touch you today.


Believe in the awsome presence of the Lord God. Listen to what He has to say to you. You will believe Him.

Birthday message...

Thanks for those who remembered....

Thanks.....

for the people who said, "happy birthday a!"
for the people who said, "14 ka na"
for the people who said, "we wish you for many birthdays to come"

Thanks ng madami talaga...


minsan sa buhay... pag birthday... nagcecelebrate tayo... nagcecelebrate kase birthday... may it be through party, inuman, lasingan, tongits, pusoy, pagddclare ng holiday, day off.. at kung ano ano pa... ok lang naman ang ganyan e... go ahead enjoy your day!!!


pero di nyo ba napapansin na kung kelan birthday mo, dun ka pa less na nagdadasal... sa sobrang excited sa regalo, sa bisita, at kung ano ano pa, nakakalimutan ang pagdadasal... di na natin naiisip na kung di dahil kay Kristo, wala yang birthday birthday na yan...


ang tatay ko, nung nag birthday sya nung January, ayaw nya ng bisita, ayaw nyang regalo, ayaw nya ng may handa, ayaw nya ng may parti... kinausap ko sya... tinanong ko kung bakit ayaw nya magpakasaya sa birthday nya.... ang sbi nya... "i want this day to be simple, magsisimba ako mamayang umaga then i'll do what i usually do"

my father wanted his day to be offered to God, he wanted to pray the whole day, and as he said, he did what he would usually do...


Di ko masasabi kung kelan ang huling birthday ko... marahil eto na ang huli... si St. Dominic Savio ay 14 nung namatay... masaya sya nung namatay... at sana pag namatay ako, masaya din ako... tulad ni Savio...

Kung ito man ang huling birthday ko...nais kong magpasalamat sa mga taong sumuporta sakin... lalo na sa mga tao na umaway sakin at hinila ako pababa...

eto nga rin pala ang unang anniversary ng blog na ito, at nagpapasalamat ako dahil meron akong isang lugar na kung saan ko nailalagay ang aking mga nararamdaman at naiisip...

thanks to those who remembered

Healing... (my reflection for february 5)

We can see that in the Gospel, Jesus showed His public ministry... He cured the mother-in-law of Simon... the next thing she knew that she was cured by Jesus...

Makikita din natin na si Kristo ay pumunta sa ibat ibang lugar para magpagaling ng mga tao na may sakit o kaya naman napapasukan ng Demonyo...

Ngyayon, sa panahon natin, meron ng simbahan... meron ding mga pari... at sinasabi nila na kahit sinong pari ay may karapatan na magpagaling...

Sa ibang relehiyon naman, meron ding mga nagpapagaling... merong yung mga hinahawakan ng mangangaral tapos hihimatayin!!! meron namang itutulak tapos malalaglag tapos iiyak... tapos sasabihin nila, "magaling na ako!"

dati nanood ako ng TV, sa kakalipat ko ng channel, napadaan ako sa channel na kung saan merong mangangaral na nagsasalita about the Gospel, ang mangangaral daw na ito ay nagpapagaling ng kahit anong sakit, gumagawa daw sya ng mga miracles... nakita ko sa tabi bg stage ay may mga tao na nakapila... pagakyat ng tao sa stage, hinawakan ni mangangaral ang tao sa ulo at biglang itinulak mula sa stage hanggang sa sahig... nagulat ako... at tinanong ko sa sarili ko..."ano yun? ang taas non a.. wala manlang na sumalo?" at mmya mya merong isang bata na nakawheel chair, may cast ang bata na ito sa paa, at lumapit ang mangangaral at hinawakan ang cast na ito at inalog... habang nagdadasal.. again, tinanong ko sa sarili ko, "ano yon? pilay na nga, inalog pa ang paa? sakit non a!"

then few moments later, kinlose up sa camera yung babae na tinulak ng mangangaral mula sa stage hanggang sa lupa... umiiyak ang babaeng ito... nagulat ako sa mga napanood ko... pero ang tatay ko ay tumabi sakin at sinabi, "alam mo ba kung bakit umiiyak sya?" sumagot ako ng, "bakit nga ba?"... sabi nya, "ikaw ba naman itulak ko sa stage na ganon ka taas, di ka ba naman umiyak?".... tumawa nlng kme ng dad ko.....

then nagreflect ako... narealize ko na kung ang Holy Spirit ay nasa sayo... di ka masasaktan, saksakin ka man, pero pag ang Holy Spirit ay nsa saiyo, wala kang mararamdaman...

pain will not be felt if God is with you