Live Your Faith

                           “LIVE YOUR FAITH.”   This is a challenge that came to my mind when I was hesitant to bring Holy Communion to a sick person every Wednesday and Saturday.   The hesitation is due to a physical illness that entails some difficulty in walking.   Hence, I reasoned out that once a week would be enough instead of twice a week in bringing her the Sacred Host.

            Reflecting, however, on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (Matt. 25:45) I then overcame my hesitation and continued my ministry, enlightened by my faith that, indeed,  I was serving the Lord Himself in the person of this sick person.

         To live one’s faith is, indeed, a constant challenge in my everyday life.  Since faith is a conviction and not a certainty, it requires a commitment to something that is beyond my full understanding, it being a mystery which only God can comprehend.  Hence,  it poses a challenge of trust on a reality that is still an enigma.

            One tenet of our Christian Faith is that “GOD IS OUR FATHER”.  Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught this when He taught His apostles on how to pray, beginning with the words: “OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN…”(Matt.6:9)  This means that we are all His children, brothers and sisters to one another.  How to live this faith in  everyday life is to me a constant challenge.

            Everyday I meet people from different walks of life.  Some are desirable, others undesirable or even offensive.  Jesus, however said in Matthew 5: 44-48 “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;… For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only what do you do more than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

           I recall the witnessing of Sister Theresa of Calcutta who ministered to the sick, the weak the aged and the dying, serving them with her whole heart despite all the hardships and problems that she had to undergo.  She is a perfect example to me who took the challenge of Christ, and became a servant to everyone in need of her help, seeing in each of them the person of Christ. 

           Right now in our barangay, Centro 07, Tuguegarao City, I am faced with a constant challenge on how I could serve everyone.  I pray for enlightenment on how to go about doing good to those in need of my help so as to truly live my faith of seeing the person of Christ in each of them.  I pray that the Holy Spirit, the Divine Helper, will always help me.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

November 25, 2012

No Longer I

            “IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME.” (Gal. 2:20)  This  statement of St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians had for some time caused me to ask myself how I could let Christ live in me, so that I would no longer live as I used to.  Reflecting on the scripture verse, I got a simple answer on the word: “ATTITUDE”.

            To let Christ live in me I must have His  ATTITUDE, namely:

1.    An Attitude of Humility:  I recall this verse in Philippians 2:5-7: “Let what was seen in Christ Jesus be seen in you.  Though being, divine in nature, he did not claim in fact equality with God, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant, made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a man.”   I must, therefore, be always aware of my status as a human being, fully dependent on God as my Creator.

2.    An Attitude of Service:  In Matthew 20: 28 Christ said: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”.  To live this statement in my relationship with people I must put myself in the service of others rather than being served by them.

3.    An Attitude of Obedience:  In John 6:38 Christ vividly declared: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”   To have such obedience I have actually  prayed  time and again:  “Lord, here I am, I come to do Your will”,   trusting that God will constantly give me the grace to  attune myself to whatever He wants me to do.

4.    An Attitude of Availability:  From the Acts of the Apostles I am guided with Peter’s words: “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.”  This clarified to me that Jesus did not wait for people to come to Him, but He went out to meet and help them in whatever way He can.  In like manner I should strive to make myself available by taking advantage of opportunities to meet people and offer whatever help I could extend to them.

            With Jesus’ examples  of humility, service, obedience and availability, I hope I could progressively emulate His attitudes  and thus succeed in making Him live in me.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

November 11, 2012

See You In Heaven

               “SEE YOU IN HEAVEN!”  These were the last words of a priest after his talk to us in a PREX Convention at Biñan, Laguna in the year 2006.  While reading a book entitled ‘Treasured Moments’ by Rev. Fr. Jerry M. Orbos, the same words were repeated by him in one of his articles.

  Fr. Orbos says: “As you remember a departed loved one, remember him/her telling you, Don’t worry about me.  I am with the Father in this Kingdom where there are no more tears, no more pain, no more sorrow.  Thank you for your love and your prayers.  Love each other as I have loved you.  SEE YOU IN HEAVEN.”

Reflecting on our life here on earth, these words pose a challenge for me.  It is a challenge to overcome all kinds of trials, temptations, problems and difficulties that I encounter as I journey from day to day on this earth.  It is a challenge to leave  footprints that could possibly guide others on how God’s Commandment of Love  can be manifested  without expecting anything in return.  It is a challenge each day to focus on my eternal destiny – a life in union with God, the Supreme Being, who is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End of everything in this world.

Only God knows when I have to bid goodbye to my loved ones in this world.   I pray, however, that when that time comes, I can utter these words to those I shall leave behind: “SEE YOU IN HEAVEN!”. 

For me these words are full of hope.  It means that my life here on earth shall be a success in accordance with the Will of God.  It means that I shall, indeed, see God ‘face to face’, enjoying His loving Presence without end.  And as I shall utter those words to those I shall leave behind, it is full of hope that they too shall attain their eternal destiny, so that we shall all be together, living in God’s loving  presence,  enjoying without end His Beatific Vision.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

November 5, 2012 

Our Presence is a Blessing

            Our Presence on earth is a Blessing.  This is the thought that kept lingering in my mind as we celebrate today, November 2, the Feast of all Souls.  In the Sambuhay Fr. Victor S. Nicdao says that this feast day is a “Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed … people who have gone before us who have influenced our lives, in ways more than one”.

            On further reflection I was inspired by an insight that, indeed,  our presence in this world is a Gift of God – that our presence is a manifestation of God’s love.   Hence, our presence in this world should be a blessing to people we meet or encounter.

            This insight gives me the courage and joy of doing a ‘Survey’ in our barangay, Centro 07.  This task requires a lot of leg work, patience and perseverance.  However,  the enlightenment that I get helps me to overcome all kinds of obstacles or hardships. 

            When I  think of my presence as a blessing to others, I am filled with a desire to bring this blessing to the people whom I will interview to accomplish and complete the Barangay survey.   I realize that this task gives me the opportunity  to manifest God’s love.

            Looking back at my past life,  I now see the great blessings I received from God through people who in one way or another made their presence felt in my life.   I recall how my loved ones, who are now enjoying the next life hereafter, have made their presence a  source of blessings to me.  Countless, indeed, are these blessings.  However, I would like to mention just one of them which has deeply touched my heart and has served as an example of what love really means.  Having passed the entrance test for admission to First Year High School at the Cagayan National High School, I was listed among those who were to be admitted in Section A.   I was then filled with joy.  But there was a financial problem.  We did not have enough money to pay the enrollment fees.   My mother, Toribia, who is fondly called ‘Ibay’,  then went to a relative by affinity and pawned her sewing machine for twenty five pesos.  It was a very valuable equipment for her but in her desire to let me pursue my studies she gave it up. The sacrifice she made on my behalf is truly an act of love, which remains deep in my heart and memory.

            Life in this world is, indeed, temporary.  Sooner or later we will have to meet our Creator ‘face to face’.  Our presence now, being  God’s gift,  should therefore be used as a source and channel of God’s blessings as we encounter people in our day to day life and in whatever way we can under the concrete circumstances.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

November 2, 2012       

The Truth Divides

               In the Gospel of today, Oct. 25, 2012, (Luke 12:49-53),  Jesus said: “I have come for division.”  My first reaction to this statement is that it is a contradiction to what Jesus had been telling.  In Matthew 6:44, He said: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  In John 14:27 he said: “Peace I leave with you.  My Peace I give to you, not as the world gives, do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”   In Isaiah 9:6- we read a prophecy about Jesus Christ: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us…His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”  Hence, I wondered on what Jesus Christ really meant when He said: “I have come for division.”

            In the Anawim Way Booklet I found an explanation which says: “The peace Jesus came to give is not that of simply getting along with everyone.  His peace comes with fire.  The truth often divides.  It is not enough to simply tolerate one another in peaceful co-existence.  Jesus came for division that is based on the purity of the truth and love of God.”

    “The Truth Divides!”   In John 14:6 Jesus said: “I am the Way, and the Truth,  and the Life;  no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” During the historical life of Jesus in Israel the Jews were divided on who He was and so they crucified Him.  Today there are those who question His divinity and even make fun of His personality.  However, there are millions from all nations who believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the World, the Son of the Living God.  Just last Oct. 21, 2012, a Filipino, Pedro Calungsod, was canonized a Saint for giving up his life for his faith in Christ and died as a martyr. The world today is, indeed, divided on who Jesus is.

            The statement of Christ: “I have come for division”, therefore, refers to Him as the TRUTH which has divided the world into those who believe or do not believe in Him.  This for me must have been what Christ meant when He made that statement.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

Oct. 25, 2012

The Lord Made Us

           “THE LORD MADE US, WE BELONG TO HIM.”  This is the response to the Responsorial Psalm in the Holy Mass today, Oct. 22, 2012.

            Reflecting on the said Responsorial Psalm,  I became more aware of the greatness of my being.  The fact that it is God Himself, the Supreme Being in this world, who created me and continues to sustain me in my existence through His creative power is, indeed, a great mystery for me.  Filled with awe at my own existence in this world, I asked myself the following questions:

1.    Why has God created me?

2.    How am I to relate to God, my Creator?

3.    Why am I now in this world?

4.    How shall thank God for creating me?

5.    For how long shall I be in existence?

After praying to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment,  I arrived at the following answers:

1.    God created me to manifest His LOVE.

2.    Since I am God’s creation, I should relate to Him as a creature that is fully dependent on Him.

3.    I am now in this world to become one of God’s instrument in Doing His Will.

4.    To thank God for creating me,  I can think of no other better way than to simply strive to DO HIS WILL every moment of my life with all the love that I can give.

5.    My existence is in the hands of God.  My faith, however, tells me that I shall live forever in union with God.

I still cannot fully comprehend the great mystery of my existence in this world, but my reflections serve as BASIC GUIDELINES for me to live a meaningful life in this world.  I trust that as in all sincerity,  I try to live according to these guidelines God in His infinite wisdom has countless blessings in store for me.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

October 22, 2012

Act with Confidence

            “ACT WITH CONFIDENCE”.  This is the insight that came to me as I asked the question:  “How should I imitate the Lord Jesus Christ in my daily life?” 

            Reflecting on how Jesus Christ behaved whenever he was confronted by those who wanted to trap him with questions that seem to be double bladed or controversial,  he always answered in a way that made the people spell bound with his wisdom,  authority and power.

            In Matthew 22:15-22, the Pharisees wanted to trap him by asking the question: “Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar,  or not?”  Jesus answered: “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the poll tax.”  And they brought Him a denarius.  And He said to them,  “Whose image and inscription is this?”  They said to Him, “Caesar’s” Then He said to them: “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s”.  And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away.

            Also in Matthew 12:10-15 we read: “There was a man with a withered hand.  And they questioned Him saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they might accuse Him.  And He said to them: “What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it, and lift it out?  Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep!  So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”  Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!”  And he stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.  But the Pharisees went out, and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.”

               In Luke 10:29-37 when a lawyer wishing to justify himself asked Jesus: “And who is my neighbor?”,  Jesus answered with a parable of the Good Samaritan.

            In John 18:19-21 when the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching He answered: “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.  Why do you question Me?  Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; behold, these know what I said.”

              

               In all these instances Jesus behaved with equanimity without any fear and full of confidence in the righteousness of His words.   This is the behavior that I admire most in our Lord Jesus whenever He was confronted by people who wanted to put Him down.  Hence, this is the trait of our Lord Jesus Christ that I would like to imitate as I relate with people in my daily life.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

September 23, 2012

Here and Now

               While reading the book “Rediscover Catholicism” by Matthew Kelly, I pondered for quite a time on what he wrote which reads as follows:

            “It is for you now to find your place in the history of humanity.  Nobody can do it for you.  It is a work that will be left undone unless you do it yourself.  The world doesn’t need another Mother Teresa.  The Church doesn’t need another Francis of Assisi.  The world needs you.  Mother Teresa had a role to play in God’s plan and she played it.  Francis had a mission to fulfill in God’s plan and he fulfilled it.   Now it falls to you to find your role, your place.  Who will be next? You.  You will be next if you make yourself available to God. Find your place in salvation history.  Be a saint.  Be yourself.  Perfectly yourself.”

            One conviction that I have been sharing with others is that “everyone is unique.  In every person God has endowed on him something unique which makes him different from any other person.”

            It follows that if every person is unique then there must be something which he and he alone could do.  Reflecting on what Mr. Kelly has written, it dawns on me that this uniqueness of every person finds its fulfillment at the time and place of his existence in this world – in the HERE and NOW of his life.  Where a person is at this particular time in his life no one else can take his place.  He and he alone can respond to the particular situation where he is and at that moment in time.

            I recall the story of a little boy who saw a little hole from which water was flowing out from a dam into the city.  To stop the leakage he decided to cover the hole with his hand.  Night time came and no else was in sight to inform the authorities about this leakage.  So, he stayed put throughout the whole night with his hand covering the hole.  No one then was there to save the city from the flood waters coming from the dam.  He and he alone could have done it.

            This story makes me realize that, indeed, for everyone in this world, there is a time and place for him to respond to a particular challenge at a particular situation he is in.  His response could be from a motive of selfish interest or from an unselfish love for others.

            I do believe that God has created everyone out of love and that He expects everyone to manifest the goodness that was bestowed on him also out of love.  To love means to give of what we have for the sake of others.  It is other-oriented and not self-oriented.

            Hence, everyone’s uniqueness is tested in the HERE and NOW, at the time and place of one’s life in this world where there is no one else but “YOU” to respond to a particular challenge.

By: Buddy Cagurangan

September 16, 2012

The Significance of an Action

            “What makes an action significant?”  This is a question that has been lingering in my mind for quite a time.

            The answer came to me as I read the meditation in the Anawim Way booklet on September 8, 2012, the Birthday of our Blessed Mother Mary.  I reflected on the following statements:

            “Today is a wonderful day for us to entrust ourselves anew to Mary as her beloved children, and allow her to lead us in her way of total confidence in God, as he works also in our lives in all of his hidden, mysterious ways.  Even if it seems small and insignificant, each present moment is of immense importance.  God is working in each moment, and we can cooperate with him in each moment, no matter how ordinary or unimportant the moment seems.”

            After reading the abovementioned statements, I was enlightened and my mind zeroed in on the “WILL OF GOD” as what makes any action significant.  I then recall the examples of two great saints who simply lived a life according to the Will of God.

            The first is St. Aloysius of Gonzaga.  It is narrated in his biography that one day while he was playing billiard, someone asked him: “Suppose you were told that you would die in a short while, what would you do?”  Aloysius answered: “ I will just continue playing billiard.”   For him that was what God wanted him to do at that moment, and so he would just continue playing.

            The second is St. Therese of the Child Jesus.  St. Therese lived for about nine years only as a Carmelite nun, entering at the age of 15 and dying at age 24.  During her life at the nunnery she simply did the ordinary household duties – sweeping the floor, washing the dishes, cooking the food, watering the plants, etc. Doing all this menial work with much love she offered everything to the Lord for the sake of the missionaries.  Hence, she was made the Patroness of Missionaries.

            The examples of these two saints made me realize that what matters in doing anything is not how important or how great it is, but whether or not it is in accordance with the Will of God. 

            Hence, everyday as I tackle anything, be it small or great, I ask myself: “Is this what God wants me to do now?”  When I am convinced of a positive answer, I then strive to do it in the best way I can and with all the love I can give.

By: Buddy Cagurangan

September 9, 2012

Honesty with God

HONESTY WITH GOD

Buddy Cagurangan

               “HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY”  is an adage that is universally accepted.   I would like, however, to deepen and refine this adage by saying: “HONESTY WITH GOD IS THE BEST POLICY”. 

            I have been groping in my reflections for words that would simplify my attitude towards God.  I got enlightened by the word “HONESTY”.   I reflected that “TO BE HONEST WITH GOD” would be the best attitude I should have in my personal relationship with God.

            What does it mean to be honest with God?

            For me it means:

1.To be humble:  to acknowledge the truth that without God I am nothing

and can do nothing.  I depend completely on Him for my existence, for everything that I am and have.

2. To be repentant:  to acknowledge my sinfulness and thus beg God’s

 forgiveness  for all my wrongdoings.

3. To be trustful:  to acknowledge God’s infinite Goodness and trust in His

providential care in bestowing on me all the graces I need to become what He wants me to be.

4. To be grateful:  to acknowledge with deep gratitude all the blessings

that God has bestowed on me and will continue to bestow on me because of His love.

5. To be useful:   to acknowledge God’s Holy Will in creating me and thus

make myself available to Him, so He could use me for whatever He wants to do in this world.

HONESTY WITH GOD is therefore,  for me,  the best attitude I

should have in responding to God’s love creating me.

By: Buddy Cagurangan

August 26, 2012