Characteristics of Faith

            The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II)  names seven Characteristics of Faith according to Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr. in his book ‘Faith and New Evangelization’.  I would like to share these characteristics in a nutshell.

1.    Personal:  Faith must be a personal conviction based on God’s loving presence in one’s own life.

2.    Informed:  It must know something of what Christ has taught.

3.    Communitarian:   It must be united with others of the same faith.

4.    Growing:  It must strive to have a more and more deeper understanding         of the mysteries of life.

5.    Loving:   It must be manifested by love of God and love of others.

6.    Missionary:  It  must be shared with others.

7.    Inculturated:  It must be understood in one’s own way of thinking, speaking and perceiving thru signs and symbols.

According to Bishop Bacani these are the characteristics of faith that we should seek to spread and foster in the Philippines.  With  this kind of faith we shall transform the Philippines and win the rest of Asia for Christ.

Of the above mentioned characteristics, I consider the first – PERSONAL – as the most fundamental.  Based on my own personal experience,  it was  when I had a personal experience of God’s loving presence in my life that my faith deepened and my personal conviction of the reality of God was firmly grounded.  From then on, I strove to learn more and more about the tenets of the Christian Faith. These I tried to  manifest in my love of God and neighbors according to the circumstances of my life. I shared my insights with others and continued to have a deeper understanding of the mysteries of life as propounded by the Christian Faith.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

July 14, 2013

Evangelize Like Jesus

            “EVANGELIZE LIKE JESUS”  This is the title of Chapter 22 in the book entitled “FAITH and NEW EVANGELIZATION”  by Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr.  After reading it,  I thought of making a condensed version of what he expounded  in my own way of writing.

            Evangelization is the work of Jesus and He wants the Church to continue His work.  Since  the Church embraces all who were baptized as Christians, everyone (clergy and laity) is mandated by Christ to evangelize.  How are we to evangelize?  Bishop Bacani says that Jesus Christ Himself showed us how to evangelize during His historical life here on earth.  The following are the different steps:

1. Be present.   Be one with the people and bring the Presence of God.  This is  the mystery of Incarnation – Christ becoming Man to be with us.

2. Proclaim the Kingdom of God.  What we say should be conformed with what we do.  Christ went about preaching and doing good.

3. Pray for light and strength.  Take time to commune with God.  Christ always made time  to  pray no matter how busy He was.

4. Collaborate.   Work with others, undergo and give  formation.   Christ chose to have collaborators –  the  apostles   and    many other disciples.  He taught  and  formed them.

5. Sacrifice.  Be willing and determined to face with equanimity  all kinds of difficulties or problems that may come our way, trusting in God’s overflowing graces.   Christ said: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matt. 16:24)

6. Be empowered by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the Principal       Evangelizer.     He  empowers the evangelizer and also  opens the hearts of hearers to accept the Good News.    Hence, evangelizers should always begin their mission  invoking the Holy Spirit.

Bishop Bacani said: “These were the steps of Jesus evangelizing work.  But it is important to remember that He took every step of the way in the spirit of humility, obedience and love.  It is in this same spirit that the evangelizer must bring the Good News to others.”

by: Buddy Cagurangan

July 7, 2013

God in Action

            “GOD IN ACTION.”    The Mystery of God’s presence in this world has long been a question that my mind has been laboring on.  Recently, what made me dwell more deeply on the question is the greeting of the priest presider at  Holy Mass: “THE LORD BE WITH YOU” and the people’s response now is: “AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.”   This greeting emphasizes a phenomenon of God’s presence in the assembly attending the Mass.  Hence, it may be inferred that during the Eucharistic celebration GOD is PRESENT  in ACTION.

            In a Spiritual Reflection by Blessed John Paul II, published by the ANAWIM WAY booklet  he says: “The image of God is mirrored in every human being.  This is the deepest truth about man that can never be ignored or violated.”   Since God is in me, should I not develop a CONSCIOUSNESS OF HIS PRESENCE IN ME?   This question is a great challenge to me in the way I should live.

            How should I live so that I would be constantly conscious of God’s presence in me?    This is simply answered by the letter of St. Paul  in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “PRAY WITHOUT CEASING”.  The ANAWIM WAY booklet, however, says: “PRAYER BEGINS WITH ALLOWING GOD TO BE IN CONTROL”.

            To allow God to be in control is, indeed, for me the key to a constant consciousness of His presence in me.  This requires me to be humble, acknowledging my unworthiness of God’s presence, and my sincere desire to surrender myself to whatever is God’s Holy Will.   This is an attitude which I will strive  to develop more and more with God’s grace.

            Often, specially for these past few days I have been saying a prayer in my heart: “Lord God, what is it that You want me to do NOW?”  This is  based on my belief  that ‘GOD WANTS TO DO SOMETHING NOW’, using me as His instrument.  Hence, I have to be attuned to HIS HOLY WILL by sincerely asking for enlightenment from the HOLY SPIRIT.  After listening in my heart what God wants me to do now at a particular instance, I simply have to ACT accordingly.

Thus, GOD then is IN ACTION thru me.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

June 29, 2013

The Bible is Christ

            “The WORD OF GOD is primarily JESUS CHRIST.”   This is a line from Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr. in his book ‘Faith and New Evangelization’ (Chapter 17, p. 62). This statement made me ponder more deeply for some moments what the Bible is.

            Externally the Bible is just like any other book with several printed pages bound together and covered with  hard-board or leather.  For families who enthrone the Bible in their homes, it is put in a place of honor.  As it is, it is lifeless.  It can remain lifeless unless someone takes it, reads it, reflects on it, and lives it.  Only then can it become alive. Hence, it becomes actually a Living Person – JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF  - the WORD OF GOD.   We read this in the Gospel of John Chapter 1: 1,14: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”  

            To me the Bible could  be compared to a computer with an internet.  Left to itself the computer would be just like any other material object that is inanimate.  But when one opens it and uses it’s keyboard, then it provides a multitude of information or accomplishes a lot of activities that has been programmed into.   One, however, has to be computer-literate in order to use a computer.  So it is that there is a need to learn how to make the Bible the LIVING WORD OF GOD – JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.

            First of all, one has to have FAITH that God is, indeed, speaking to mankind through the Bible. 

            Secondly, one has to study and reflect on what the Words mean to him.  Although they are Words of God, they were written by men in their own language and according to their own circumstances.  Hence, there is a need to uncover the meaning of these words as they apply to one’s own situation. 

            Thirdly, one has to sincerely desire and live his life in accordance with whatever he understands to be  God’s Holy Will.

            To consider the Bible as CHRIST HIMSELF speaking to us, one has to take time to read it, reflect on it, and live it.   This requires a firm commitment to spare some period of time everyday to dwell on some Words of God in a quiet atmosphere where listening to God would be undisturbed.  Then, and only then can CHRIST be truly present in the Bible as the WORD OF GOD.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

June 24, 2013

I Am Nothing

            “I AM NOTHING.”  This is the thought which occupied my mind in the past two days and was further reinforced in the Concluding Prayer  in the Liturgy of the Hours this morning  which reads: “Our very existence is a gift from you, oh Lord; to you we offer all that we have and are.”

            This made me realize more fully my “NOTHINGNESS” … that without God I would simply be nothing.  This, I believe, must be the basic reason for the virtue of humility.  This also should be the basic reason to enflesh the virtue of forgiveness.

            If I am nothing; how can I be hurt?  The one who really gets hurt is God Himself, because He is my Creator, the Source of my existence.  Hence, forgiveness rests on God.

            What then should I do if and when someone hurts me?  I believe that I simply have to lift up to God whoever hurts me and pray that God would extend to him the grace of forgiveness.

            This full realization of my nothingness makes me acknowledge further my complete dependence on God.  Since I owe everything to Him, my life should be a constant act of thanksgiving, praising and glorifying God.            Everything I do must be according to God’s Holy Will and for His glory.  In other words, I should always be GOD-ORIENTED and not SELF-ORIENTED.

            This is an attitude which I should strive to develop by the grace of God, so that together with St. Paul I could say: “It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

by: Buddy Cagurangan

June 15, 2013

God's Image In Man

            “RECOGNIZE AND HONOR GOD’S IMAGE IN EVERY HUMAN BEING!”  This is the concluding statement of Blessed John Paul II, in his Spiritual Reflection on the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity whose Feast is celebrated today, May 26, 2013.  As many spiritual writers state, the Blessed Trinity is the most central faith mystery of all, because the Holy Trinity is the Mystery of God Himself. 

            God is, indeed, the greatest of all mysteries which no one can ever fathom.    One aspect of God’s Mystery which poses a very great challenge to me is His PRESENCE  everywhere.  His presence is manifested in all of creation.  In a very special way, however, it is manifested in man, for it is said in Genesis 1:27 “God created man in His own image.” Blessed John Paul II says: “This is the true greatness of man, this is the root of his indestructible dignity.  The image of God is mirrored in every human being.  This is the deepest truth about man that can never be ignored or violated.  In short, every violation by man turns out to be a violation against his Creator, who loves him with the love of a Father.”

            The challenge for me thus, is: “ How am I to recognize God’s image in every human being?” 

            First of all, I am used to categorize people into those who are good and lovable and those who are not good and unlovable.  For the former I would have no difficulty in recognizing God’s presence in them, but for the latter, this is where I have to buckle down and strive to seek for a reason to love.

            Reflecting on the statement of Blessed John Paul II I find an answer to my query, namely, that the root of man’s indestructible dignity is his being ‘created in the image of God’.  Hence, whether a sinner or a saint, every man bears within him the Image of God.  In other words, God is truly present in a very special way in every man, regardless of how he relates with God. 

            For me, therefore, what matters most is not the goodness that I may see in a man but in the wisdom of God in creating him in His own  image, which is indestructible.  This wisdom of God is beyond man’s comprehension.  Hence, I have to bow down and accept God’s wisdom and recognize the dignity of every man, saint or sinner, and strive to love every one according to God’s Holy Will.

            This, indeed, is a great challenge, but trusting in God’s grace I believe I can overcome all difficulties and see God’s special presence in every man He has created.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

May 26, 2013 

A Celebration of God's Love

            The HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS  is a CELEBRATION OF GOD’S LOVE.  This is an insight that came to me as I participated in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass today, May 23, 2013.

            In my studies and in Eucharistic seminars and congresses I have participated in I have learned several descriptions of what the Holy Mass is, such as the following:  That it is a Meal, a Memorial,  a Sacrifice.  This insight that it is a Celebration of God’s Love, however, made me aware that it is also GOD’S LOVE FOR MAN that is being celebrated.  The celebration to my mind is composed of two phases: a Preparation phase and an Execution phase.

            The Preparation Phase is what is commonly called “Liturgy of the Word”, and the Execution Phase is called “Liturgy of the Eucharist”.   In a layman’s language, however, the terms ‘preparation’ and ‘execution’ may be more understandable. 

            The central figure in this celebration is, of course, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

The preparation phase consists of man’s humble acknowledgment of the Presence of Jesus Christ, asking forgiveness for his sinfulness and listening to God’s Word through the prophets, through Christ Himself and through the interpretation of a homilist.  This phase concludes with some petitions of the faithful.

   The execution phase begins with a humble gesture of the faithful’s desire to unite themselves with the LOVE OFFERING of CHRIST HIMSELF.  It culminates with a RE-ENACTMENT of the SUPREME SACRIFICE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS, which though unbloody is still as real as when it occurred on GOOD FRIDAY, more than 2,000 years ago.  This is  actually what is being celebrated during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass – CHRIST OFFERING HIMSELF TO GOD TO REDEEM MANKIND FROM HIS SINFULNESS. 

As a consequence of this Supreme Sacrifice of Christ, the Graces of Redemption can now be availed of by mankind especially through the Sacraments instituted by Christ.  Hence, the execution phase ends with an opportunity for all the faithful to receive JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF under the appearances of Bread and Wine or the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

With this insight of mine that the Holy Mass is a Celebration of God’s Love for Man,  I am greatly motivated to participate in it, if possible, daily, so as to manifest my deep gratitude to God for His Love.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

May 23, 2013

God In Control

            “GOD IS IN CONTROL.”   This is a personal viewpoint that came to my mind after reflecting on the following words of the ANAWIM WAY with reference to what happened to Paul in the custody of the Roman procurator Festus.(Acts 25:13-21)

            “Without Festus knowing it, God is using him, and the whole Roman system of government, for the sake of spreading the gospel.  This is an example of what the Church calls ‘unconscious collaborators with God’s will’ (CCC 307).  We are reminded once again that God is indeed in charge of the world and the unfolding of history.  Though men are free, and often act without concern for the will of God – and can even act against God through sin – nothing happens that is completely outside of God’s providence.  He can make use of secular authorities and unbelievers.  He can use what strikes us as quite contradictory, even evil, for the sake of spreading the gospel of salvation.  We cannot expect the secular world to understand the ways of God, or to understand us who strive to serve God.  But we at least must trust that God is in charge of all things.”

            Pondering on the foregoing words, I asked myself the following questions:

1.    How did this world begin and how will it end?

2.    How is this world being maintained in its existence?

3.    Who is the Grand Architect who conceived this world and keeps it going?

On the first question, there is no one yet who can tell with certainty

 how this world began and how it will end.

            On the second question, history is filled with the lives of human beings, great and small, who in one way or another had a significant existence in this world, but all of them have passed away, except one who claimed to be the Son of the Living God, JESUS CHRIST.  Hence, no one can exist by his own power and nothing in this world can last forever by its power.  There must be SOMEONE  who has the power to create and keep this world in its existence.

            On the third question,  all men of all ages, even the so-called ‘atheists’,  could not but look up to some SUPREME BEING, who must be the MASTER MIND of everything that exists in this world.  It is this same SUPREME BEING who keeps this world going.

            With all these reflections I am convinced that GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THIS WORLD.   Hence,  I have to acknowledge my complete dependence on God and strive to live every day according to HIS HOLY WILL.

by: Buddy Cagurangan 

May 19, 2013

Life is a Decision

            LIFE IS A DECISION.   This is a personal viewpoint as I reflected on how I was Iiving in the past few days.  Day in and day out, I go through various activities, many of them are routine but necessary to keep myself alive.  A question came to my mind: “What am I living for?”  To answer this question I further asked myself: “Am I free to make decisions on why and how I should live?

            Of all the creatures in this world I have observed that the  “Gift of Freedom” has been bestowed only on human beings.  All other creatures live according to their natural instincts.  Only we, human beings, are free to live as each one decides.  Hence, life for us depends on how we use the Gift of Freedom to make decisions.

            As I ponder further on this gift of freedom, I have categorized the decisions made based on one fundamental question: “For whom am I living?”  The answer to this question demands an awareness of the Mystery of Life.

 

            Life is, indeed, a great mystery.  But there are two basic realities which are obvious to me.  The first is that a Supreme Being is the Source of all life on earth, and the second,  that no human being can exist and continue to exist by his own power.  Every human being is completely dependent on the Supreme Being for his existence.   Consequently, in making decisions one has either to acknowledge his complete dependence on God, the Supreme Being,  and live in accordance with His Holy Will, or simply disregard Him and live as he pleases.

            In my life I have fully placed my dependence on God.  Thus, I strive to allow God to direct all my activities to please Him and consequently make Him the subject and center of all my activities.

            This decision would  spell the difference in the significance of my  life.   Hence, for me “ LIFE IS A DECISION”.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

May 12, 2013

The Faith of Millions

             The Christian Faith is the Faith of Millions.  Like a small seed it started with a group of people called ‘Apostles’ (12 of them).  Hence, it is called the ‘Apostles’ Creed.’  After more than 2,000 years, this Faith has grown into a big tree sheltering about 1/3 of the world’s population, numbering more than two billion adherents.

            Since time immemorial men have been searching for answers to some basic questions of life here on earth.  Up to this time the following questions remain unanswered:

1.     When and how did this world begin?

2.     When and how will it end?

         Some theories have been propounded, such as the Theory of Evolution by Rev. Fr. Teilhard de Chardin, SJ.  No theory, however, has been universally accepted by men.

            On man’s existence here on earth, the universal search has narrowed down to his origin, purpose and destiny. Some so-called prophets have deigned to share their insights on these questions.  Among them was a Man called JESUS CHRIST, who claimed to be the Begotten Son of the Living God.  He said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) He lived here on earth for only 33 years.  His words and deeds became the foundation for what men consider the CHRISTIAN FAITH.

            How come that I am now one of the more than two billion believers of the Christian Faith?   There are two reasons for my decision to embrace the CHRISTIAN FAITH.

          First, is the Witnessing of countless Christian Believers on this foundation of the Christian Religion, 2000 years ago.  Many of them gave up their life and died as martyrs for this Faith.  The most recent who was canonized a Saint is a Filipino, Pedro Calungsod.  Many, too, who were gifted with outstanding intelligence, such as St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Rev. Fr. Teilhard de Chardin, were adherents of this Christian Faith.

            Second, is my own personal experience.  At first, my Christian Faith consisted of simply believing certain Christian Doctrines taught by my parents, priests and friends.  On January 31, 1977, however, I had a personal experience of God’s loving mercy for me during a celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at St. Paul University, Tuguegarao.  Life for me then was meaningless. But somehow as I was sharing my insight on the Gospel of that day I felt a loving touch of Our Lord Jesus Christ which brought me back to my senses and made me spiritually alive.  It was a special grace bestowed on me during a ‘Life in the Spirit Seminar’ (LSS) conducted by a Charismatic Group of 24 members headed by a Catholic priest, who came to Tuguegarao all the way from New York, USA.   This  personal experience is for me the fundamental reason for my Faith in the Reality of JESUS CHRIST as the Begotten Son of the Living God, the Savior of Mankind.

          Today, I am one of the more than two billion believers of JESUS CHRIST, one third of the world’s population.  I believe, however, that the time will come when the whole world will eventually become united with CHRIST in His Mystical Body – the Unification of Men which Rev. Fr. Teilhard de Chardin in his book ‘The Phenomenon of Man’ has called “CHRISTOGENESIS”.

by: Buddy Cagurangan
April 25, 2013