AN AUDIENCE WITH GOD

“AN AUDIENCE WITH GOD” is how I would define PRAYER.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Prayer as “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God”. It also further describes Christian Prayer as “the personal and living relationship of the children of God with their Father, who is infinitely good, with the Son, Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit who dwells in their hearts”.

From the definition above, I recall a personal experience of having been given an opportunity to meet the late President Corazon Aquino in a formal audience which was arranged by Mrs. Henrietta T. De Villa, who was then the President of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines. That was way back in 1990 almost twenty years ago, but up to now whenever I recall the event, I could not but relive in my memory how excited I was then, and how I prepared myself physically as well as mentally in order to put my best foot forward in meeting the Highest Official of our country.

With that experience it dawned on me the reality that when I pray I am actually having an AUDIENCE with GOD, the Lord of Lords the Supreme Being in the whole universe. It is GOD with whom I am conversing and so, I must prepare all the more physically and mentally. Since then, I would usually start praying by putting myself “in the presence of God”.

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From that realization, I deduced that the way we see things in life makes a difference in the way we behave. When with the eyes of Faith, we see GOD Himself when we pray, we certainly are excited, filled with awesome wonder at the immense greatness of a Being, who is all knowing, all loving and all powerful whom we call GOD. Focused on God, on the great Mystery of His Presence in us, our prayer becomes God-centered and it makes a big difference in the way one prays. When on the other hand our dialogue with God is focused on one’s self and on what one wants, it is self-centered.

Hence, to be GOD-centered in prayer, I conclude that I should endeavor to treat Prayer as an AUDIENCE with GOD. wherebyI should always try to be still and really put myself in His HOLY PRESENCE, and in the silence of my heart allow Him to speak.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan

January 11, 2010

MARY, OUR MODEL OF FAITH

On New Year’s Day, January 1, 2010, we celebrated the SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD. In the SAMBUHAY Fr. James H. Kroeger, M.M., describes the FAITH of MARY, with three words: FIAT, STABAT, MAGNIFICAT, thus making her the MODEL of FAITH.

I would like to share my personal reflections on these three words which describe Mary’s Faith.

1. FIAT – means “Let it be done”. This is a COMMITMENT of surrender to God’s Holy Will. It is a manifestation of TRUST in the Goodness and INFINITE POWER of an ALMIGHTY and LOVING GOD. Hence, it is telling God that as His creature our pleasure is to be His instrument in doing whatever He wills.

2. STABAT – means “She stood”. It is narrated in John 19:14 that “Near the cross of Jesus, stood his mother…”. Mary stood faithful to her Son despite all the atrocities, false accusations, and cruelties that sinful men heaped upon him, denying his divinity as the Son of God.

3. MAGNIFICAT – means “My soul proclaims the Goodness of the Lord”. These were the first words uttered by Mary when her cousin Elizabeth praised her for having been chosen to be the Mother of the Lord God. (Lk.1:41-45). She, in other words, immediately attributed to God whatever blessings she has received, praising Him for His goodness.

For me, Faith in God should have these threefold characteristics.

First, it is a Faith that puts complete trust in the Goodness of God. God’s Will should always be my focus in life. Hence, my concern is that in every decision I make it must always be in accordance with the Holy Will of God. My constant prayer therefore is: “Not my will, but Your Will be done, Oh Lord God”.

Second, ,it is a Faith that remains steadfast despite all the problems and difficulties that I may encounter in daily life. Like Mary, I try to stand firm in my commitment to do God’s Will, regardless of the trials that come my way.

Third, it is a Faith that praises God for His goodness. Deep in my heart I should always try to acknowledge that the Source of all that I am and all that I have is GOD. Everything comes from Him. There is nothing that I own except my sinfulness. Hence, it is but proper that I give to GOD all praises that come from the lips of men.

This is what I believe that I must develop this kind of Faith and follow the example of Blessed Mother Mary. It is certainly not easy to achieve. It takes a life-long process. Everyday of my life is an opportunity to grow in my Faith. Hence, I should welcome everyday anything that may challenge my Faith in the Goodness and Loving Presence of God in this world. I am sure that there is a God Who knows everything and can do anything towards what is best for me, and this I believe is true for all of us, His children.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan

January 1, 2010

THE MYSTERY OF CHRISTMAS

One of the greatest events in the history of mankind is the Mystery of GOD BECOMING MAN, which theologians call “INCARNATION”. This is the event we celebrate during the CHRISTMAS season.

The whole world during this time of the year is engaged in multifarious activities which in one way or another is a manifestation of the so-called “spirit of Christmas”.

The question that bothers me and of which I would like to dwell on is: “Is the world really celebrating CHRISTMAS in its true meaning, that is the celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ?

In my observation it seems that in some aspect Christmas is being celebrated without the real HERO in mind. This we can see in the word – X’MAS, which makes CHRIST the UNKNOWN. Hence, any celebration without CHRIST becomes purely worldly and is bereft of the true significance of Christmas.

To make our celebrations meaningful, there is a need to reflect on this great mystery of GOD’S LOVE for the WORLD; that the reason of Christmas is embodied in John 3:16 which reads: “GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM MAY NOT BE LOST, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE” GOD’S LOVE, therefore, is the HEART of CHRISTMAS. In His great love for us He, who is invisible, made Himself visible by letting His only Son become Man like us. And so, CHRIST was born and lived historically for 33 years in this world. How He lived, what He did, what He said are written in books which we call the ‘GOSPELS’. To summarize His life Peter said: “…He went about doing good…” (Acts 10:38)

The mystery of Christ becoming Man, did not end with His death on the Cross. He rose from His death and just before His Ascension to heaven said: “I am with you always until the end of the world”(Matt.28:20). Therefore, our rejoicing during Christmas, should be grounded not only by CHRIST’S becoming MAN, though He is God, but also by His continued PRESENCE in our midst. and in our hearts. CHRIST, Who is GOD’S MANIFESTATION OF LOVE, is here with us, ALIVE and still GOING ABOUT DOING GOOD. in and through each one of us if we welcome His presence to abide in us.

Indeed, “GOD’S PRESENCE WITH AND IN US IS HIS GREATEST PRESENT TO US” This is the mystery that should fill us with joy and which should be the sole reason for all our celebrations during this Holy Season of Christma.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan

Dec. 18, 2009

MARTIAL LAW IN MAGUINDANAO

The imposition of Martial Law by Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines, shortly after the gruesome ‘Maguindanao Massacre’ last November 23, 2009, has been and is still being hotly contested by public officials and private individuals.

I would like to share my own personal viewpoint on this matter.

The basis of the contentions is the provision in our Philippine Constitution which reads: “In case of invasion or rebellion, when public safety requires it, he may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law” (Art. VII, Sec. 18).

The legalists contend that based on this provision of our Constitution the imposition of Martial Law in this particular case is illegal. On the other hand,others view the imposition as a necessity under the circumstances, and therefore, is morally right. Hence, there are differences in opinion between those who strictly stick to the provision of the Law and those who see things from the viewpoint of morality.

At this juncture, I recall the axiom that what is legally wrong may be morally right and vice versa, what is legally right may be morally wrong.

In the Gospel of Mark 2:27, Jesus said: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” He said this when He cured a paralyzed man on a Sabbath which according to the Law of the Pharisees should not have been done. Then in Matthew 12:3-5 we also read: “ Jesus answered: ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his men were hungry? He went into the house of God, and ate the bread offered to God, although neither he nor his men had the right to eat it, but only the priests. And have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath rest, yet they are not guilty?’”.

From the foregoing statements of our Lord Jesus Christ, laws are made for man and not man for the laws. This means that the good or welfare of man should prevail over whatever may be a prescription of the law. And the good of man is the objective of the law of love which according to Christ is the greatest commandment, next to the Love of God. (Mk. 12:29-31).

To love is to seek the neighbor’s welfare. It entails making a decision which must be omnified, taking everything into account, and optimific, doing what is best under the circumstances. In making such a decision one has to be guided not so much by what the law says but by what one’s conscience dictates. This is where morality comes in guided by a kind of inner voice, called “conscience” which makes someone conscious of the goodness or blameworthiness of his conduct together with a feeling of obligation to do what is right or good.

One’s decision, however, has always to consider the concrete circumstances of any situation. For as President Barack Obama says: “Each historical moment is different. You never step into the same river twice”.

To my mind, the decision made by Her Excellency President Gloria M. Aroyo in imposing Martial Law in order to restore peace and order in Maguindanao may be legally wrong, but is morally right.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
Dec. 13, 2009

EVOLUTION

EVOLUTION is the theory propounded by Rev. Fr. Teilhard de Chardin, SJ, in his book entitled: The Phenomenon of Man. He sees the whole world in evolution and states that the Church itself is in evolution. He describes four stages of evolution, namely:
1. Cosmogenesis - the Birth of the world
2. Biogenesis - the Birth of Life
3. Noogenesis - the Birth of Thought (Man)
4. Christogenesis - the Birth of CHRIST.

Fr. Teilhard says that “With man, a new world is born. It is the world of intelligence and love. Because he is a reflective center, man is a person, an ego. He engages in personal activity and in gathering up the whole universe in himself as a center, he personalizes the whole world. … The socialization of community is truly the crucial phase in the whole evolutive process.”

I would like to dwell on what he says as the crucial phase in the whole evolutive process, namely: “The SOCIALIZATION OF COMMUNITY”

To my mind, socialization is the coming together of people to know, love and serve each other. With this end in view, countless institutions, organizations and movements have been born and have influenced people to join them in their ranks. In practically all of these, however, the problem of unity has posed a challenge. The fundamental cause of this problem is the differences in viewpoints. People see things from different standpoints and thus, have different viewpoints. Truth, however, is the whole of reality, and only God has the capability to know the whole of reality. Hence, an open mind is needed to listen to the viewpoints of others so as to have a better understanding of whatever may be the issue. In other words, there is a need for a REAL DIALOGUE – where the objective is not to insist on WHO is right but to find out WHAT is right.

A real dialogue calls for a respect of every person’s dignity and opinion. One must be humble enough to realize that he does not know everything, that as they say “no one has a monopoly of the Holy Spirit”. This is an attitude that one can have if he is imbued with the virtue of love. Fr. Teilhard says “Love is the only strength which can make people one without destroying them”.

“Christogenesis” I believe is precisely the stage of evolution wherein Christ Himself, the Son of the Living God, became Man so as to give an example of how men should love another in order to become united. We read in John 17:21 that Christ prayed on the night before His crucifixion “May they all be one as you Father are in Me and I am in You. May they be one in us; so the world may believe that You have sent Me.” Towards the attainment of this goal Christ said: “Now I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34-35)

Christ’s love for all men is wholehearted and unconditional. This is the kind of love that can unite all men without destroying them. This is the ultimate goal of “Christogenesis” -the Unification of Men with Christ as the Center through the bond of love.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
December 6, 2009

The Greatest Story Ever Told

“The Greatest Story Ever Told” is the title of a book I read several years ago. It is actually the story of JESUS CHRIST, the SON OF THE LIVING GOD.

Yesterday I came across a book written by Brother Roger Louis Schutz-Marsauche of Taize entitled “GOD IS LOVE ALONE”. I was struck by what Brother Roger said when he was asked: “What is the most beautiful thing in your life?” His answer was: “When I am talking with someone alone, to perceive the whole human being, marked by a tragedy or by being torn apart within, and at the same time by the irreplaceable gifts through which the life of God in that person is able to bring everything to fulfillment.”

I have been pondering on this answer of Brother Roger and I realize that, indeed, every person in this world has his own story to tell. When we seriously listen to a person’s life story we cannot but perceive the life of God in him as he was showered with irreplaceable gifts. Hence, I believe that listening to a person’s story is actually listening to God Himself as manifested by His loving presence in every human being.

This loving presence of God in every human being is unique, in the sense that every human being has a unique story in his life here on earth. We may say that it begins at the time of his conception and ends at the time of his death. The Story of Jesus Christ on earth, however, while it started at the time of His conception in the womb of His Blessed Mother Mary has not ended with His death but continues till the end of time. He Himself has said: “I am with you always until the end of this world.” (Matt.28:20) This, I believe is what makes the Life of Christ the Greatest Story ever told.

We are fond of reading or viewing the life stories of people as told in books we call novels. We spend a lot of time engaged in this activity to the extent of sometimes foregoing other activities which may even be more important. Novels, however, are creations of one’s imagination though based on some life realities. On the other hand, the story of every person is a real mystery which reflects God’s love. Of all the stories that can be told, the Story of Jesus Christ stands as the Greatest Mystery of God’s love for men.

To my mind, while it is good to entertain ourselves with these so-called novels, we should also give more time to listening to the real life stories of our own fellowmen. Above all, I testify that to invest a significant portion of our time everyday to meditate on the Greatest Mystery of God’s love for us as manifested in the Greatest Story Every Told – the Story of JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD, is a real great avenue of many blessings.

By: Salvador "Buddy" Cagurangan

Date: Nov. 29, 2009

THE VISION OF THE CHURCH

“THE CHURCH SHOULD BE LIKE GOD”. This was the opening statement of Rev. Fr. Catalino G. Arevalo, SJ when he gave a talk on the “Vision of the Church” at the 2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines held at San Carlos Pastoral Formation Complex, Makati City, Metro Manila, from January 20 to February 17, 1991.

He then elaborated on the word GOD which in Latin is D E U S.

D – stands for DIVERSITY. In God there is a Diversity of Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, each different from the others. To God the Father is attributed the Work of Creation, to God the Son the Work of Redemption, and to God the Holy Spirit the Work of Sanctification.
E – stands for EQUALITY. Each Person is equal to the others in dignity. They are all God.
U – stands for UNITY. There is, however, only ONE GOD. This is the great Mystery of the Blessed Trinity wherein in ONE GOD there are three DIVINE PERSONS.
S – stands for SHARING. God is Love. Out of love they share their whole being with each other.

“In like manner”, Fr. Arevalo says: “we as a Church should be like God, where there is diversity, equality, unity and sharing”

There is DIVERSITY OF FUNCTIONS in the Church. The Pope, the Bishops, the Priests, the Religious, the Laity, differ from each other in their functions in the life of the Church.
There is EQUALITY IN DIGNITY. All are CHILDREN of GOD. Therefore, we have only one and the same dignity.
There should be UNITY in the Church. As children of God we should love one another. True love binds us together and makes us ONE.
There should be a SHARING of RESOURCES. To love means to give of oneself to others. Hence, out of love we, the children of God, should share our time, talents and treasures to each other.

This is what the Church should be.

Looking at what we, the Church in the Philippines, are actually doing, this Vision of the Church is still very much a dream.

One of the obstacles that has been hindering the attainment of this vision is the lack of active participation of the laity in the life of the Church. In the Acts and Decrees of PCP II, it says: “In the Philippines, participation largely means enabling the laity to participate more fully in the life of the Church and in its task of mission. That life and task have been, for too long, looked at almost exclusively as the special responsibility of the appointed pastors, the priests and bishops of the Church. This narrow understanding has effectively reduced the laity to being mere objects of pastoral care, passive and compliant recipients of the clergy’s evangelizing effort. In truth, the lay faithful are, by right, subjects of evangelization, active workers of the Gospel, tasked with basically the same mission as the Church’s pastors.” (PCP II, Part II, No. 99).

It is further stated in PCP II, Part II, Nos.100-101: “Therefore we need to emphasize today the insights of Vatican II on co-responsibility, shared responsibility in the mission of the entire Church. The movement must henceforth be towards the actual and active sharing of responsibilities among pope and bishops, clergy and religious, lay men and women. And if heavier emphasis is laid on the laity now, it is not to set them against the hierarchical part of the Church nor to form them into a so-called “Church of the People”, understood as having no place for hierarchical authority and office. It is rather to restore their neglected role of evangelizers, to enable them to exercise that role more fully and efficaciously for the spread of Christ’s Kingdom. When we participatively share charism and ministry for the one mission, we become a Church of Communion in truth and in deed. It is a veritably new way, at least for us of this century, of being Church.”

May we all heed this admonition of PCP II so as to become a Church like God.

by Salvador "Buddy" Cagurangan
Date: Nov. 22, 2009

DESTINY – A CHOICE

“DESTINY – A CHOICE, NOT A MATTER OF CHANCE”. These words struck me when I went to the Office of RBC Cable Master System at Luna St., Tuguegarao City to pay my bill.

I pondered on the truthfulness of this statement and would like to share my viewpoints.

Destiny, I believe is a Vision of one’s reason for living. As Christians we believe that we have been created to live with God forever as His adopted children. To attain this destiny we have to attune our way of life so as to make it pleasing in the eyes of God. In other words, we have to live a life of holiness and become saints, living in union with God.

One of the greatest gifts that man has received from God is the Gift of Freedom. With this gift man is given the capability to make decisions that would bring about what is good for him and for others. Used properly it will certainly enable man to attain his true destiny. But if it is abused and considered like a license to do whatever one wants, then it can cause his destruction and ultimate ruin. Hence, one has to know how to use this Gift of Freedom properly.

First of all, one has to know and be convinced that he has been created and destined to live with God forever. Secondly, this conviction should be manifested in the way one lives. And whatever may be the difficulties, problems and trials in carrying out this conviction, one must have the courage and perseverance to stick to it.

“He who has a WHY for living can bear with almost any HOW”, says Mr. Victor Frank in a book written by him. In that book he narrates how people who were physically frail were able to survive the rigors of prison life rather than those of a stronger built. This shows that the will to live due to a reason for living can enable one to withstand the hardships or difficulties of life.

Life in this world, however, is full of temptations, trails and problems which oftentimes make it difficult for us to do what our conscience would consider as the Will of God and thus succumb to following what is more pleasing to oneself. This is where the strength of our Faith is tested. This is where our “Why” for living would come out strong enough to overcome whatever trials there may be.

As Christians we have been given a Vision that spells out our Destiny. It is a Destiny that gives meaning to our existence here on earth. It is a Destiny that tells us that we come from a Creator, called God, Who created us out of love, and we are expected to go back to Him as we use our gift of freedom to respond to His love with our love.

It is then, a matter of Choice on our part, if we decide to reach the Destiny that God has planned for us. This decision, however, has to be carried out despite all the trials that may come our way in our everyday life. It must be a decision to respond to the Love of God by loving Him with all our mind, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength.

Indeed, our Destiny is a matter of Choice, and not a matter of Chance.

By: Salvador "Buddy" Cagurangan
Nov. 15, 2009

THE MYSTERY OF THE RESURRECTION

On the Feasts of All Saints (Nov. 1) and All Souls (Nov.2), our cemeteries are filled with people visiting their beloved dead in their graves. For many, what fills their minds and hearts are the fond memories they had with those who had gone ahead. Hardly are there those who envision the glorious resurrection of their dead when this is one of the tenets of our Christian Faith which should fill us with joy. Such faith we profess every time we pray the “Apostles Creed” and proclaim “the resurrection of the dead”. How and when shall this happen?

Rev. Fr. Manuel V. Francisco, S.J. in his column- “God’s Word Today”, Philippine Star, Nov. 1, 2009, gives us some enlightening thoughts on this matter. He says: “Beyond all human logic, beyond the conjectures of science, we believe that on the Last Day, God will reunite our personhood with our transformed bodies. How this glorified body will look like, we can only speculate. Nonetheless our belief is not spiritual illusion, but rather, religious faith and conviction grounded on the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. How do we know that what God the Father has done for Jesus, He will do for us? The assumption of Mary, body and soul, into heaven is the icon of our universal destiny.”

In the letter of Paul to the Philippians (3:20) he says: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

From the foregoing, as we remember the earthly life of our dear dead, it would be very heartening also to focus on the great mystery of their resurrection as foretold in the following Scripture passages: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. And the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17) and in 2 Peter 3:13, “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

Rev. Fr. Francisco further states: “The ultimate end of humanity and the world is divinization, a participation in the divine life of God: ‘we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is’. This is our faith. It is indeed too good to be true. And yet, assured us by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Based on the premise that the God Who created this world is all-knowing and all-powerful, it is my conviction that the whole of creation will definitely have a happy ending. Hence, despite all the inevitable trials, hardships and/or sufferings that we encounter in this world, let us put all our trust in God, our Creator, Who knows what is best for each of us and in His time He will make all things beautiful.

By: Salvador "Buddy" Cagurangan

Date: Nov. 8, 2009

WHAT IS A PILGRIMAGE?

In an interview with Most Rev. Socrates Villegas, Archbishop Elect of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, as published in the Philippine Star of Oct. 25, 2009, this question was posed to him. “What is the significance of a pilgrimage to modern-day Filipinos?”

The answer he gave has further deepened my understanding of this religious activity. And so I quote: “A pilgrimage is actually a departure from the self to God. Sometimes it is a departure from comfort to a moment of sacrifice, like the pilgrimage of the Way of the Cross. The important thing to keep in mind is that God is walking with us and God will be our destiny. For me, however, the most important pilgrimage that we need to make is not to the holy sights, but the pilgrimage to Jesus in our midst. In other words, we don’t need money to make a pilgrimage. What is important is for you to have love. So from your house, you can make a pilgrimage to a government hospital to visit a sick person, or someone who has been forgotten by his loved ones. Or to an orphanage, or to a home for the aged. That is also a pilgrimage.”

Reflecting on the answer of Archbishop Socrates there are four important points that further enlightened me and broadened my concept of a pilgrimage.

1. It is a departure of self to God.
2. God is walking with us and He is our destiny.
3. The most important pilgrimage is to Jesus in our midst.
4. Love is what we must have to make a pilgrimage.

The first point stresses an attitude of unselfishness, of dying to oneself. This I believe is what our Lord Jesus Christ meant when He said: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (Jn.12:24) In my understanding one has to give up any vestige of selfishness and make a complete surrender of oneself to the Will of God. To partly fulfill the call of dying to oneself, I have made it a habit to pray every time I visit the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament so that with His grace I can heartily say: “Here I am Lord, I come to do Your Will.” and then go out of my way to be of help to whoever God sends my way.

The second point makes me aware that God, indeed, is with us. He is travelling with us and is our final destination. It means that we are never alone, because God in His infinite goodness is ever ready to help us. This reminds me of the story of a man in the “Footprints on the Sand”. Given the privilege of looking back at his past life and seeing two pairs of footprints he was told that the other pair of footprints belongs to the Lord. Then he noticed that when he was in great trouble there was only one pair of footprints. So he questioned: Why, Lord, have You abandoned me when I needed You most? The Lord answered: “When you were in great trouble it was then that I carried you in my arms.” Verily, God never abandons anyone.

The third point makes me realize that Jesus Christ is very much alive in this world, for He said: “I am with you always until the end of this world.”(Mt.28:20) By the power of the Holy Spirit He lives in us and therefore He should be the Center of our life. Like St. Paul we can strive to say: “It is no longer I that live but Christ Who lives and reigns in me.”(Gal. 2:20)

The fourth point which is love gives the very reason for our existence. We were created out of love and our life can only be meaningful if we love. The essence of love is unselfishness which is actually the opposite of sin, the essence of which is selfishness. This brings us back to the first point which requires a departure of self to God.

In a nutshell, a pilgrimage is a journey towards our permanent address- HEAVEN, where we shall live with God forever.

By: Salvador "Buddy" Cagurangan

Date: Nov. 1, 2009