The Good Samaritan

“The Good Samaritan” is a parable narrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when a certain lawyer asked Him: “And who is my neighbor”. We read this parable in Luke 10:25-37.

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This is a story of how we are supposed to manifest our love.

Our Lord praised the lawyer for answering correctly his own question: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”. His answer was to love God and to love one’s neighbor. But he further asked: “who is my neighbor?” Our Lord then narrated the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

I would like to share my reflection on this parable.

The parable tells us “whom” to love and “how” to love.

“Whom” to love is our neighbor. Who is our neighbor? Our neighbor is one in need of help. This someone is actually anyone we encounter in life, regardless of who he is, whether a friend, a stranger, or an enemy. It means, therefore, that we cannot choose whom to love. We have to love anyone who comes our way who is in need of help. It means we cannot love in a vacuum. We have to love in a concrete situation. We cannot love people who have already gone ahead of us, or people who will come after us. We can only love those we are living with here and now.

“How” to love? Love is a decision. To enable us to make a decision God gave us the gift of “Freedom”. Freedom is a power which one has to exercise to choose what is good and avoid what it evil. It is not a license to do whatever one wants to do, regardless of the consequences. It is a gift that enables us to love. For love is something that can be done or given only with a free will. When one loves, he has to make a decision to do what he believes is good under the circumstances, taking into account whatever resources he has and what the particular person is in need of.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the person in need of help was actually a stranger or even an enemy. Two persons, a priest and a Levite, who saw the person lying half dead just passed by without doing anything. The Samaritan, however, “moved by compassion, went over to him, treated his wounds with oil and wine and wrapped them with bandages. Then he put him on his own animal and brought him to an inn where he took care of him.” The next day as he had to leave, “he gave two silver coins to the inn-keeper and said to him: ‘Take care of him and whatever you spend on him, I will repay when I come back’.

After narrating this story, our Lord then asked the lawyer: “Which of the three, do you think, made himself neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” “The teacher of the Law answered: ‘the one who had mercy on him’. And Jesus said: “Go then and do the same.”

This parable reminds me of the importance of loving everyone in need who comes my way, without making any discrimination, and that the way to love is to use whatever resources I have to help the person in his particular need. This, indeed, is a tall order. It requires an all-out giving of time, talents and treasures to help the one in need who comes our way. This, I believe, is how God wants us to love in order to “become as perfect as He is” (Matt.5:48)

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Caguranganb

March 21, 2010

GOOD FRIDAY

“GOOD FRIDAY” commemorates the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus Christ.

The question I would like to dwell on is “WHY IS THIS DAY CALLED GOOD?”

From a human viewpoint the event commemorated on this day is a very horrible crime – crucifying and putting to death an innocent man. All the four Gospels in the New Testament tell us that JESUS CHRIST, did nothing wrong, and yet he was sentenced to death, simply because he claimed to be the SON OF GOD.

For the Jews, this claim of Jesus Christ was considered a blasphemy. They actually challenged him to prove his divinity by some miraculous power. Since, Jesus did not respond according to their expectations, they simply ignored his statement and thus, had him condemned to death by Pilate, the procurator of Judea.

Our Christian Faith tells us that Jesus Christ, indeed, proved his divinity by rising glorious on the third day of his death. This was also narrated in the four Gospels. For forty days after his resurrection he appeared to several people, particularly to the twelve apostles, in His glorious body. For many of the Jews, however, up to this day, this resurrection event is still unacceptable.

That the day of Christ’s crucifixion is called GOOD is based on what Christians consider to be the Mystery of Man’s Salvation. This is a mystery which men can never fully understand.. It is a mystery of God’s unconditional love for men. In John 3:16 it we read: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that all those who believe in Him shall not perish but shall have life everlasting”.

This Salvation mystery is based on some basic assumptions, namely: that mankind as a whole has separated himself from God due to disobedience to His commandment of love. To bring about a reconciliation between God and man, there is a need for a Redeemer, to represent mankind and gain for him the grace of forgiveness and thus be accepted again into a friendly relationship with God. This Representative of man has to be of equal dignity as God Himself, because God, an infinite being, can only be assuaged by another infinite being. Hence, it can only be Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who could be man’s Redeemer.

The mystery further involves the mystery of Incarnation, whereby the Son of God becomes Man, in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus has assumed the humanity of men and thru this humanity brought about the necessary sacrifice to reconcile men to God – that is the sacrifice of dying on a Cross out of love for men. The crucifixion and death of Christ on the Cross was then actually the event that brought about men’s salvation – his reconciliation with God. This must be the reason for considering the Friday on which Christ died as “Good Friday”.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan

March 14, 2010

GOD IS ALIVE

“GOD IS ALIVE”. This is a reality that may be taken for granted but not interiorized by a lot of people.

There are some who even say that “God is dead”. The Charismatic Movement, however, have strongly contradicted this with a song: “God is not dead, He is alive… I can feel Him everywhere… I can feel Him all over me.”

Spiritual writers say that God’s love or presence cannot be explained; it can only be experienced. Personally I have experienced God’s presence in my life several times, and I would like to share some of them.

1. In a crisis of Faith. On January 31, 1977, I was going thru a Crisis of Faith and was actually entertaining the thought of committing suicide. On that very day, however, there was a group of 25 Charismatic Members headed by a priest coming from New York, U.S.A., who arrived at St. Paul University of Tuguegarao. Upon their arrival they invited us to a ‘Life in the Spirit Seminar’ (LSS). I immediately declined the invitation. However, when I was out in the road thinking of going to the Cagayan river and drown myself, there was another thought telling me to ‘Go and attend the LSS –This may be the last straw for you’. I felt as if someone was dragging my legs and before I knew it I found myself inside the Social Hall of SPU, listening to the talks. After the last talk we were asked to form small groups of ten. Our facilitator then asked the question: ‘What is the meaning of life?’ Without hesitation I answered: ‘Life has no meaning.’ The facilitator, however, did not say a word to contradict me. Then after the group sharing, the priest invited us to celebrate Holy Mass with him. Although I have not been attending Mass for quite a time, I joined the community. The priest presider, after reading the Gospel, did not give a homily. Instead he invited anyone from the community to share his insights on the Gospel. Two Americans stood up and shared their insights. Then I felt a very strong urge to also stand and share something. When I reached the lectern I said: ‘The Gospel just read tells us the story of a dead young man, the son of a widow from Naim, who was being brought to the cemetery to be buried. When Jesus met him on the way, Jesus touched him and made him alive again.’ Then I said: ‘I see myself like that dead young man for I am spiritually dead. However, I feel that right now the Lord Jesus is also touching me to make me alive again.’ After saying these words I felt some warmth on my shoulders as if someone was embracing me. With that experience I made a complete turn-around in my faith and surrendered my whole being to Jesus, acknowledging Him as truly my Savior and my Lord. That marked my CONVERSION which up to this day has enabled me to nourish a personal relationship with Christ, as thru His grace I become more and more enlightened on the great mystery of His love.

2. In a Car Accident. In the year 1986 I figured in a car accident, where two children got killed, and one of us in the car had a broken leg. Since I was the last one to board the car, I offered to the one seated at the middle of the front seat if he would prefer to sit by the window to have more fresh air. Immediately he accepted the offer and we exchanged places. When the driver decided to have the car bump a big tree along the road to evade hitting a child, the impact of the collision was on the window where I should have been seated Unfortunately the one who exchanged place with me was the one hit with a broken leg. This is an experience wherein I felt the special protection of God for a reason only God knows.

These foregoing personal experiences have certainly strengthened my Faith in God’s LOVING PRESENCE in this world. Hence, I am fully convinced that GOD IS ALIVE.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
March 7, 2010

Kinds of Love

It is said that “LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING”.

Reflecting on this statement, I would like to share my viewpoints on its significance.

Love, indeed, can be categorized based on one’s relationship with people, as follows:.

1. AGAPEIC LOVE - This is the universal love for all men based on one’s relationship with every human being as having been “created in the image and likeness of God”. Since every human being is a creature of God, it behooves that he be respected and treated well according to God’s will.

2. EROTIC LOVE - This love is based on a feeling of attraction of
one to another human being. There is a desire to be united in one way or another with the loved one.
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3. FILIAL LOVE - This love is based on one’s personal relationship with siblings, offsprings, relatives and friends. Thru consanguinity, affinity, or mere acquaintance they constitute one’s inner circle of love.

4. PARENTAL LOVE - This love is one’s relationship with his parents. This is the love first experienced by a child. It is a love that acknowledges parents as God’s instruments in bringing a child into existence and providing for his needs especially in the early years of his life

5. CONJUGAL LOVE - This love is exclusively a spouse to spouse relationship. It is a love between two persons “until death” for in the Sacrament of Matrimony God joins them to become one as life-partners . This love is the most intimate relationship that one can ever experience. It is a love that unites two people physically, emotionally and spiritually.


I believe that when Our Lord Jesus Christ said: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”(Lk.6:27) He meant the AGAPEIC kind of love. In essence this love wants well to everyone. Hence, even to one’s enemies one can at least pray that God will do what is best for them.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan

February 28, 2010

THE JOY OF GOD'S PRESENCE

“THE JOY OF GOD’S PRESENCE IS THE GREATEST JOY ONE CAN EVER EXPERIENCE”.

This conviction dawned on me during one of my ‘Quiet Time’ and I would like to share it with you.

A question popped up in my mind on what could be the greatest joy one can ever experience. I searched for the answer by looking at the beauty of creation and the many things that man can possibly enjoy. Yes, indeed, the whole of creation is filled with creatures that can give much pleasure and enjoyment to men. But wonderful as they may be, they are still creatures whose existence depends on the creative power of an Almighty God.

Since the question is asking for something that could give the greatest joy, I reasoned to myself that if these creatures can give me joy, then how much more joy could the CREATOR give. Hence, I concluded that the greatest joy can only be found in the Creator Himself.

How to find the Creator ,Who is invisible, is now the challenge upon anyone who earnestly desires to experience His presence.

In Colossians 1:15-17 we read: “He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominations or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” This Scripture tells me that God, the Creator, has made Himself visible thru JESUS CHRIST, His only begotten Son. Our search for God would therefore now be made possible only thru FAITH in JESUS CHRIST.

While all of creation can give a glimpse of God’s almighty power, I realize that only in JESUS CHRIST can I find a Full Manifestation of God’s PRESENCE.

Christ Himself has said: “Where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst” (Matt. 18:20). Before going up to heaven He declared: “I am with you always until the end of this world” (Matt. 28:20)

Faith tells me that in a very special way Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament under the appearances of Bread and Wine. So for me, my greatest joy is being with Christ and enjoying His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Visiting Him there and having an Audience with Him for at least one hour every week gives me joy that lasts.

With these reflections and experiences I believe that the joy I shall experience in Heaven is the joy of being in the Presence of God, the Almighty and ever Loving Father of all, when I shall see Him ‘face to face’. This is what spiritual writers call the Beatific Vision. Here on earth, while I may not yet be given the privilege of seeing God ‘face to face’, I can already enjoy to some degree His Presence as I live my Faith in Christ, following His example of focusing always in doing the Will of God the Father for His greater honor and glory.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan

February 21, 2010

SPIRITUAL ANCHOR

TO BE ROOTED IN GOD AND STAY ROOTED IN HIM DESPITE ALL THE VISICITUDES OF LIFE THERE IS A NEED FOR A SPIRITUAL ANCHOR. This is a personal conviction which I would like to share.

An anchor is a device that holds a ship firmly in place. During my ‘quiet time’ with the Lord I prayed on how I could keep my relationship with Him and the image of an “ANCHOR” came to my mind. In a nutshell this anchor would consist of four words, namely: ADORATION, DEDICATION, OBEDIENCE, and LOVE.

ADORATION – is an attitude of complete dependence on God, acknowledging Him as the source of all that I am and of all that I have.. Hence, I should adore Him by worshipping Him as my Sovereign Creator and Lord.

DEDICATION – Since I owe everything to God I should dedicate everything to Him –all that I am, all that I have, and all that I do for His greater glory.

OBEDIENCE – As His creature all that I do should be in accordance with His Holy Will. Therefore, my constant attitude should be to be ever ready to serve Him by doing whatever He wants me to do. Hence, everyday as I wake up in the morning my prayer is: “Here I am, Lord, reporting for duty. I come to do your Will.”

LOVE – God is LOVE and He created me out of LOVE. Therefore, I have to respond to God’s love by loving Him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, with all my strength, and manifest this love by serving my fellowmen. I do believe that love can be repaid by love alone.

The first letters of these four words happen to spell the nickname: A D O L .which my parents gave me. I, therefore, consider the inspiration I got as my personal SPIRITUAL ANCHOR to make me rooted in God and keep me rooted in Him despite all the hardships, problems, or trials that come my way during my earthly journey.

I do believe that everyone’s relationship with God is unique. And therefore, everyone should have his own Personal Spiritual Anchor to keep him united with God.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
February 14, 2010

INSPIRATIONS FROM A DISABLED PERSON

JOSEPH MARIE B. CAGURANGAN, fondly called JOJO, is a disabled person whose earthly journey here ended last Feb. 3, 2010 Three years ago, at the age of 37 he delivered a speech during the celebration of National Disability Prevention Week in Tuguegarao City. The speech was so inspiring that when his father, Cornelio, read it after his funeral Mass, many of us were in tears. Hence, I deem it worthwhile to share it with the public at large.

“I am very happy that our government is celebrating this National Disability Prevention Week and I am also equally happy that I, as a disabled person, have been invited to speak to you.

The theme of the celebration is “Disability Prevention”. However, I am not in a position to talk to you about disability prevention because I am an accountant by profession.

But I am here to share with you my experiences, my life as a disabled person. How I was able to survive for the past 37 years. How one lives with disability. I believe this is more important to talk about because disability is a done deal and living with disability is another deal.

When I was two or three years old, my father referred me to a specialist at the UST Hospital to diagnose my disability for possible cure. The medical term of my disability is MORQUIOS but my father did not allow any operation because I was given a 50/50 chance of survival. And the doctor said that without operation I could live up to 35 years.

So, here am I, still alive and kicking and I am already 37 years old, two years bonus from God and or which I am deeply grateful.

MY life span as a disabled person could be attributed to the following factors:
The first factor, is the care and concern of my parents, most especially our mother who died about two years ago. Without the love, care and concern of my mother, I would not be here with you now.

The second factor, is my education. I had a comparatively good education from elementary to college. I finished my BS Accountancy at St. Paul University in Tuguegarao. I took the CPA exams but unfortunately I was not able to make it.

The third factor, is my cordial relationship with my family, relatives, friends and other people that I meet. My being a friendly person.

The fourth factor, is my mental attitude and firm determination to go on living and working despite my physical disability and weakness. My sincere thanks and deep gratitude to Dr. Albert de Leon for having employed me as bookkeeper of their hospital for the past nine or ten years up to the present. Maraming salamat Doc.

The fifth factor, is my great trust in the love and care of Almighty God, the source and giver of everything. He gave me this life and I am sure he will sustain me till death. Lord, thy will be done.

These are the factors that have sustained my life up to this time. These are the factors that helped me to think, act, work and talk like any normal person.

I share these thoughts with you especially the disabled people like me so that you will not get desperate in life. Life is a wonderful gift of God. We should treasure and live it. Disability should not be a hindrance to success. On the contrary, disability should be the key or the striking force to attain our goals in life, especially to be with God forever after our earthly life.

Remember, life is temporary. Everything and all our sufferings will come to an end. What counts most is how we live with our fellowmen and to be with God forever.”

May these words of JOJO inspire us to live our life in whatever situation we may be, ever conscious that our destiny is to “be with God, our Father, forever”.

By: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
February 7, 2010

FORGIVENESS

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FORGIVE?

This is a question that has been going round and around in my mind for quite some time now. While some say that to forgive is to forget I simply cannot agree “en toto” to this statement, for I believe that forgiveness to be total goes through a process. First, to pray for self to be able to give forgiveness and also to pray for the person who has wronged me so that he will also be blessed to acknowledge his wrongdoing. Then, by God’s grace if the wrong done has been repaired then reconciliation follows and forgiveness is experienced.

During my quiet time I asked the Lord to enlighten me on this matter. The answer I got was the example of St. Peter.

We read in Matthew 27: 69-75 that Peter denied our Lord Jesus Christ three times. First to a servant girl, second to another servant girl, and third to some bystanders. When Peter, however, remembered what Jesus said to him: “Before a cock crows you will deny Me three times”, he wept bitterly.

It is also narrated in John 21:15-17 that when Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the apostles after His resurrection at a seashore, He asked Peter three times “Do you love Me”. Peter then professed his love to the Lord also three times.

This example of St. Peter tells me that to forgive means to give someone the opportunity to admit the wrong he has done and ask for forgiveness. When this is done then the wrong done can be forgiven and a reconciliation can follow suit.

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation this is what actually takes place. The penitent admits the sins he has committed, feels sorry for them and asks to be forgiven. Only then can the priest give the absolution.

Another example was the ‘good’ thief who was crucified together with our Lord Jesus Christ. Luke in 24:41-43 narrates that this thief admitted the wrong he has done and then asked the Lord for pardon when he said: “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom”. And Jesus said to him: “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

A prerequisite, therefore, for forgiveness is an Act of Contrition. One has to humbly acknowledge the wrong he has done and ask for pardon. Only then can forgiveness be given and reconciliation can take place.

With this enlightenment I now realize that when one wants to forgive he should pray for the one who hurt him that he be given an opportunity to admit his mistake and the grace to ask for pardon.

I also realize the wisdom of lifting up to the Lord Jesus whatever hurts one may have following His admonition in Matthew 12:28: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
January 31, 2010

BLOOM WHERE PLANTED

“BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED”. This was the message of Most Rev. Teodoro Bacani, D.D., a bishop from the Archdiocese of Manila, in a Conference of Lay People a few years ago.

He narrated a story of four people, a bishop, a priest, a catechist and a driver who figured in a car accident. All of them died and all of them were to be brought to heaven. They, however, have to stay first in a waiting station and one by one to be picked up by a vehicle. This first vehicle to arrive was a jeep and the one picked up was the priest. Then came a Ford Fiera and it took the driver. The third vehicle was an airconditioned Toyota Tamaraw and the one chosen to ride on it was the catechist. The bishop then thought to himself that perhaps the fourth vehicle will be an airconditioned Cadillac. An hour has already passed and there was no vehicle yet on sight. After more than two hours of waiting, he heard the sound of a motorcycle. Then he saw a tricycle coming. Deep in his mind he questioned why he, a bishop, was being fetched only by a tricycle.

Bishop Bacani then said: “It is not because I am a bishop that my place in heaven will be higher than any of you.” He explained further that holiness depends not on what position you hold but on how well and with how much love you have accomplished your specific responsibilities; that you may just be a mere laborer, a messenger, a tricycle driver, or a street cleaner, but if you do your job in the best way you can and with all the love you can give, then your degree of holiness can be greater than one who may be a director, a chief executive, a priest, or even a bishop.

He further cited the example of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, who as a Carmelite nun, entered the convent at an early age of 16 and died at the age of 24. She was a simple nun whose duties were confined to the ordinary household chores, like sweeping, washing clothes ,cooking and gardening, but whatever task was assigned to her she did it with all the love she could give, dedicating everything to the glory of God. The simplicity of her life style was the secret of her childlike relationship with God which obtained for her Sainthood.

Bishop Bacani then exhorted each and everyone to just “BLOOM WHERE WE ARE PLANTED”; meaning, if you are a teacher, be the best teacher that you can be, if you are a student, be the student that you can be, if you are an office worker, be the office worker that you can be, if you are the father of a family, be the best father that you can be, if you are the mother of a family be the best mother that you can be, dedicating everything that you do to the greater Glory of God, ever conscious that whatever may be the task you are undertaking, it is what God wants you to do.

By: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
Jan. 24, 2010

EMMANUEL

“EMMANUEL” is a Hebrew word which means “GOD IS WITH US”. This is the name given by the prophet Isaiah to the infant whose birth he announced when he said: “Therefore the Lord himself gives you a sign. The Virgin is with child and bears a son and calls his name Emmanuel”. (Isaiah 7:14)

In his book ‘JESUS OF NAZARETH’, Pope, Benedict XVI, asked the question: “What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity and a better world? What has he brought? The answer is very simple: GOD… He has brought GOD, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world.”

Reflecting on the answer of the Holy Father to his own question, I realize that indeed what Jesus has brought into this world is the PRESENCE OF GOD, for He is the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF THE LIVING GOD. As the song entitled: SERVICE goes: “God sent His Son to show us the way. One who shared His love every minute of the day. One who gave His life that we might live, and His Spirit to help us through the years.”

This I believe is the significance of the great mystery of the INCARNATION – GOD BECOMING MAN, so Man can become like God.

If God is present in this world, where is He? I may say that His presence can be recognized in every creature in this world, for the whole of creation can only exist through His creative power. However, it is in human beings, considered His masterpiece, that He is present in a very special way.

This special presence of God in man is recognized whenever a priest who presides in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass greets the congregation by saying: “The Lord be with you”, and vis-à-vis, the assembly replies “And also with you”.

In the Sacred Scriptures, man is considered a “Temple of God”.

In 1 Cor. 3:16 we read: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”In John 14:23 Jesus said: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and my Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.”

Word has it that a certain Rabbi has asked his students: “When do you know morning has come?” The answers given were: “When I see the sun rising in the east”; “When I hear the cock crow”; When I can distinguish a cow from a carabao”. The Rabbi, however, said that the right answer is: “When I begin to see the face of Christ in every person I meet”.

In a very special way, too, it is in the Holy Eucharist, the consecrated Bread and Wine, that our Christian Faith tells us Christ is truly present substantially as God and Man in His Risen State.

This, I believe, is the greatest phenomenon in our world – the Mystical Presence of God in our midst, our EMMANUEL.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan

January 17, 2010