What is my Business?

            WHAT IS MY BUSINESS?  This is a question I asked myself after conducting a survey in our barangay (Centro 07) wherein the majority (65.02%) of the respondents are businessmen. It  dawned on me that like them I should also have a business of my own.  During one of my visits to Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament I got an answer which I believe is an inspiration from the Holy Spirit: “Your business is to make Jesus Christ known, loved and served in your community. And for this purpose you have to invest your whole life.”

            Meditating on this answer I recall what Jesus Christ Himself said to His parents when they found Him at the Temple of Jerusalem: “Do you not know that I must be about my Father’s business.” (Lk 2:49)

             I further asked myself: “How shall I make Jesus Christ known, loved and served in my community? 

            Three means came to my mind which could saw the seeds for a personal relationship with Christ.

            The first is BIBLE ENTHRONEMENT. Enthroning a Bible in a home or work place would make Jesus Christ alive, if the Word of God is read, reflected upon and lived.  This should be a commitment for those who enthrone the Bible and put it in a place of honor.

            The second is BIBLE SHARING.  This would involve a group of people who come together to read, reflect on the Word of God and share their insights with one another.  One’s viewpoint would then be enriched by listening to what others share.

            The third is PREX (Parish Renewal Experience) SEMINAR.  This is a two and a half days seminar which could make the participants have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and make them feel the reality of His loving presence. Tuguegarao, in the parish of St. Peter’s Cathedral, more than 5,000  have already participated in this seminar since it was introduced in 1994.  Through PREX many  will come to experience God’s loving presence.

            The above mentioned means will require a wholehearted willingness to invest one’s time, talents and treasures so as to meet the problems or difficulties that are to be faced in the course of carrying them out.  It is said, however, that “If there is a Will, there is a Way”  Hence, with the grace of God, I shall strive to make this my business: “ TO MAKE JESUS CHRIST KNOWN, LOVED AND SERVED IN MY COMMUNITY.”

by: Buddy Cagurangan

Oct. 27, 2013 

Life is for Itself

            “LIFE IS FOR ITSELF AND NOT FOR A SPECTACLE.”  This is a statement of a great German philosopher who I recall is called ‘Immanuel Kant’.   Lately I was reflecting on the wisdom of this statement.

            I looked at what is happening during a Celebration of Holy Mass.  I observed how the people behave during the celebration.  It then dawned on me that, indeed, there are in general three kinds of people’s behavior which another philosopher has categorized in an article I read several years ago, namely:
            

1.    The Indifferent – those who do not care what is happening.

2.    The spectators – those who see what is happening but do not do anything.

3.    The participants – those who are involved in one way or another on what is happening.

  

            During the Eucharistic Celebration, there are people who are there present,  but do not care at all on what is happening.  Most of them stay outside the church and just sit or stand and attend to whatever may please them.  They are simply indifferent.

            There are those who just look at what is happening, but do not join the congregation in their songs or responses.  They are just spectators.

            There are those, however, who are actively involved in serving on a particular ministry or who join the congregation in singing and responding to the liturgical prayers.

            This observation makes me realize the value of getting involved in what is happening in the community where we live as well as in the world at large.  Our life here on earth must have a significant contribution in one way or another to make this world a better place to live in.  Hence, one should not be a mere spectator in life,  but should give a meaning to his life by doing something worthwhile which could enhance the parameters for a decent life here on earth.

            Life, indeed, is a Gift from the Supreme Being in this world.   It is a priceless treasure which should not be wasted for one’s own selfish interests, but should be used in worthwhile endeavors that will redound to the common good of all. 

            In short, our life on earth should not be like a program just to be seen or appreciated by others, but should have a definite objective that will make it significant in the overall plan of God in creating this world.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

Oct. 13,2013

God's Methods

            “GOD’S METHODS ARE PEOPLE.”   Several years ago this statement which I read in an article kept me wandering what it really means.  Lately I experienced a feeling that gave me an insight into what it means.  When our parish priest, Rev. Fr. Gerard Ariston P. Perez, congratulated me for the publication of a parish newsletter, saying: ‘MAKASTA’, I felt happy that  God used me as an instrument in assembling the articles to be published in the said newsletter.

            In addition, in the introduction of the SAMBUHAY, a missalette  published by St. Paul’s Media Pastoral Ministry, dated October 6, 2013, I read: “If we believe that God is the one in control and that our achievements are his, the more we become productive in our Christian life. For it is in weakness and humility that God’s greatness shines.”

            Reviewing my past life shows that, indeed, God’s methods are people.  On many occasions when I was in need of some help, financially or otherwise, there were people who responded to give me what I needed.  Just to mention a few:

1.When I was out of job, a priest, Rev. Fr. George Willmann, SJ, offered me a position as Office Manager in the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines.

           2. When I was not assured of receiving my monthly salary because of the declaration of Martial Law, another priest, Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Manaligod, SVD, came unexpectedly to my residence at San Fernando, La Union, and offered me the position of Dean of the College of Business Administration at Divine Word College in Laoag.

            3. When the salary I was receiving from a Government Office was not sufficient to meet the financial needs of my family, a Paulinian Sister, Sr. Nathaniel Rocero,spc, a  friend during World War II, came to know of my whereabouts and recommended me to the  President of St. Paul College of Tuguegarao, Sr. Benjamin Ponce,spc, for the position of Dean of the College of Business Administration, with a salary that was sufficient to  give my family a decent living. 

            As for being used by God as His instrument in doing something, I recall the following:

1.     He gave me the opportunity to help in starting an Educational Institution in Urdaneta, Pangasinan, which is now called Divine Word College of Urdaneta.

2.     He used me to open a Graduate School of Business Administration in two Tertiary Schools, namely: Divine Word College of Laoag and St. Paul College of Tuguegarao.

3.     He made use of my technical know-how to organize a Multi-Purpose Cooperative at St. Paul College of Tuguegarao.

4.     He used me to convene the descendants of our grandparents, Esteban Birung & Juana Cammayo, and inspired us all to strengthen our bond of kinship by organizing ourselves and form the  Association of Birung’s Clan (ABC).

5.     He gave me the opportunity to serve for a period of eighteen years as the Archdiocesan Catechetical Coordinator in the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao.

I realize then that the blessings I received to lift me up from  critical situations came from people whom God used in His infinite Goodness.   Likewise, I acknowledge God’s wisdom in using me as His instrument in many undertakings.

            Indeed, GOD’S METHODS ARE PEOPLE.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

Oct. 6, 2013

God is One

“God wants all men to be saved and come to know the truth.  And the truth is this: ‘GOD IS ONE’.  ONE ALSO IS THE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN,  THE MAN  CHRIST JESUS,  WHO GAVE HIMSELF AS A RANSOM FOR ALL.” (1 Tim.2:4-6)

Knowing the truth that there is only one SUPREME BEING we call GOD, WHO IS THE CREATOR OF THE WHOLE WORLD inspires me with an unwavering hope that everything in this universe will eventually redound to GOD’S ETERNAL GLORY. 

As I was reflecting on this great mystery of the ONENESS OF GOD, a song was ringing in my ears, entitled ‘ONE GOD’, whose lyrics are as follows:

Millions of stars placed in the sky  by One God.

Millions of men lift up their eyes to One God.

So many children, calling to Him by many a different name;

One Father, loving each the same.

Many the ways all of us pray to One God.

Many the paths winding their way to One God.

Walk with me brothers, there are no strangers

After His work was done.

For your God and my God are One.

We are witnessing today a lot of turmoil in many parts of the world.  Lately,  thousands of families in Zamboanga City are living in fear with inadequate resources for a decent living.  In many towns and cities of our country  people  are faced with a daily struggle to cope with the necessities of life due to the onslaught of several typhoons.  As a whole the atmosphere in our country  is besieged  with multiple problems, economically, politically, ecologically, morally  and  spiritually.

To my mind the key to the solution of all these problems is men’s acknowledgment of the existence of One Supreme Being on whom all creation is dependent, coupled with  a sincere desire and willingness to love and serve one another as brothers and sisters in one Big Family of God.  In other words, there is a need for mankind to become One in mind, heart and soul.

This must be the reason for the Priestly Prayer of Our Lord Jesus Christ just before His Passion and Crucifixion: “May they all be one as you Father are in Me, and I in You.  May they be one in us; so the world may believe that You have sent Me.” (John 17:21)

by: Buddy Cagurangan

Sept. 22, 2013  

Our Missionary Territority

“SEE YOUR DAILY LIFE AND THOSE YOU MEET EVERY DAY AS YOUR MISSIONARY TERRITORY”.  This is a statement from the ANAWIM WAY Liturgical Meditations on September 4, 2013.

I used to think of a MISSIONARY as one who goes out to a foreign land to spread the Faith.  The said statement, however, has made me reconsider my viewpoint. 

I was touched by the story in the ANAWIM WAY Booklet of a Christian woman who found work as a domestic helper in a non-Christian country.  Before starting her chores in the household, she used to offer her morning prayer before a makeshift altar she set up in her room.  One day she went into her room and was surprised to find her non-Christian employer kneeling before the altar.  When she asked her what she was doing, her boss said: “I wanted to see how kneeling before this table makes you come out peaceful and happy every morning.”  Over time, through this Christian worker’s many more simple acts of witnessing to her Christian faith, the employer found faith in Jesus and was baptized.

This story is clear evidence that by the example of our lives we can spread our faith to others.

At present I live in a community where most of the people are engaged in a business venture of one kind or another.  Time for them is mostly spent in attending to the affairs of their respective businesses.  Hence, the call of the Church to form BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES (BEC) is a tall order for them.  This call challenges them to reset their priorities and make commitments to invest their time, talent and treasure to the task of building God’s Kingdom in their community.

Being a resident in this community,  I realize that this is the MISSIONARY TERRITORY where God wants me to spread the Christian Faith.  Hence, these are the challenges that I now see to fulfill my mission:

1.    How to live daily an exemplary Christian life.

2.    How to take time to visit families in their homes.

3.    How to persuade families to have a Bible Enthronement in their homes and listen to the Word of God.

4.    How to invite people to participate in the Community Mass that is held once a month in our Barangay.

            I pray that with the enlightenment and empowerment of the Holy Spirit I shall be able tackle these challenges as a Missionary in my own Barangay.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

September 8, 2013

Let God Be God

            “LET GOD BE GOD IN YOUR LIFE.”  This is the answer to the query on how God can truly reign in me which I asked myself during my ‘quiet time’.  In my honest search for the answer, I was enlightened by a statement from the ANAWIM WAY Booklet which reads: “The crucial question is whether we will let go of our self-sufficiency and actually let God have His way with us.” 

            After a deeper reflection on the statement, it dawned on me that this means a complete surrender of myself to God and let Him do with me as He pleases.  This, I believe, is the attitude that our Lord Jesus Christ meant when He said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls unto the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24)

            Many times as I played on the organ ‘LOSE YOURSELF IN ME AND YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF’.   I contemplate on the wonderful phenomenon of how a seed when buried in a ground disappears but allows a seedling to sprout in its place.  In a similar way this must be the way I should bury all the desires of my selfish nature and let God handle my life as He pleases.

            My very existence is, indeed, a Gift from God.  I believe it is a GIFT OF LIFE THAT IS EVERLASTING.  Only God knows how this LIFE should be spent in accordance with His infinite WISDOM.  With this gift of Life is also the gift of Freedom which He bestows on every person.  His plan could be thwarted by a person as he abuses his gift of freedom.  Herein lies the mystery of evil that is present in this world.  God, however, is in control of His creation, and despite all the evil in this world everything will turn out well for good for those who love God.

            A review of my past life made me realize that there were times when my selfish desires outweighed what should have been in accordance with God’s will.  These I now accept were caused by the evil of ‘concupiscence’ which, they say, afflicts everyman in this world.  By the Grace of God, however, I have come to be more and more attuned to the dictates of my conscience.  After experiencing a personal encounter with Christ, I have decided to really follow Him, considering Him truly as God, my Savior.

            During my daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament where JESUS is present whole and entire, I have been realizing more and more deeply my ‘nothingness’ and complete dependence on God for everything that I am and have.  Hence, for this wonderful Gift of God to me, I can think of no other better way to show my gratitude than to simply put myself completely at His disposal and let Him do with me as He pleases.  In this way I simply LET GOD BE GOD IN MY LIFE.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

August 31, 2013

See Christ In People

            “The real follower of Christ sees Christ in every person he meets.”  This is a statement from a Meditation for Spiritual Growth published in the Vatican II Weekday Missal. For me is the real challenge of Christianity.

              The Christian Faith tells us that Christ is the Savior of the World,  for through His Passion, Death and Resurrection He has provided the Grace of Redemption for all men, rich or poor, sinner or saint.   Hence, in every man He is present with His redeeming love.  With this presence He is extending to every man the Grace of Redemption.   Hence, when I meet a person I should see him as someone whom Christ loves and thus Christ would expect me to manifest His love for him, for He said: “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.25:40)

            Everyday I meet people from all walks of life.  It is, indeed, a challenge for me to act towards each one of them as Christ Himself would do.  For instance, when I ride in a tricycle, I am challenged to pay the driver in a manner that Christ would do, not based of what is just but on how  Christ’s love would be manifested.

            How to manifest Christ’s love to every person I meet is then the question that comes to me in my daily life.  At the end of the day I would review how I related to people I met and ask myself: “Have I manifested Christ’s love for them in what I have done?”

            When I participated in a PREX Seminar way back in January of 1994 the commitment I made in order to become a better Catholic was: TO SEE THE FACE OF CHRIST IN EVERY PERSON I MEET.  Since then I have been trying to put this into practice.  I must confess, however, that, indeed, it is a tall order.  Many times I have been confronted on how to manifest love to people who have hurt me.  In general, however, the big question is how to deal with persons whose acquaintance is temporary.  In most cases all I can get to know is their name.  It seems physically impossible to manifest love  to everyone who comes my way.  Hence, I believe that this challenge to love has to be applied in situations wherein one is in a position to help or serve.  

            Hence, seeing Christ in people I meet means being ready to be of service to everyone if and when needed.  As Christ has shown, love is manifested in service.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

August 25, 2013

Don't Bargain With God

            “DON’T BARGAIN WITH GOD”.   This was a piece of advise that came to me as I was reconsidering the commitment I made to spend at least one hour everyday with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament at the Adoration Chapel of our Parish at Tuguegarao city.

            The Adoration Chapel is at the first floor of our Parish Pastoral Center to provide the parishioners an opportunity to spend some time to have one-on-one encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ Who is deemed present in the Consecrated Host.  Since the intention is to have a PERPETUAL ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT  during the day,  our Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Gerard Ariston P. Perez, gave a standing invitation to all parishioners to avail themselves of this great opportunity to have a Quiet Time with GOD in the Blessed Sacrament.

            In response to the invitation, some parishioners through their Cluster and Barangay Coordinators made a TIME SCHEDULE for their ADORATION.  The said schedule is posted at the bulletin board placed at the entrance of the Adoration Chapel.  The period covered by this Perpetual Adoration is from 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. everyday. 

            The four Clusters of our parish have posted the names of persons who have made a commitment  to spend at least one hour a week before the Blessed Sacrament.  At the start commitments were met, but I have observed that for one reason or another as time passed by more and more have not been faithful to their commitment. 

            I, for one, have often been tempted to shorten the time of my adoration.  For some time I have been considering a kind of substitute by having my own ‘Quiet Time’ at home, since God is also present in me – being  His Temple.   However, this piece of  advise  has been lingering in my mind: “DON’T BARGAIN WITH GOD”. 

            Further reflection impressed upon me that a COMMITMENT WITH GOD is SACRED and should be honored at all costs.  Visiting the Lord God in the Blessed Sacrament is like HAVING A DATE WITH GOD.  Since God is the Supreme Being in this world,  a DATE WITH HIM should be of paramount importance and should be complied with at all costs.  Hence, I should not even entertain anything that would change or lessen whatever I have committed to God.  In other words, I should NEVER BARGAIN WITH GOD, simply because HE IS GOD.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

August 18, 2013

Live For & With God

“LIVE FOR AND WITH GOD.”  This is the insight that came to me as I was pondering on the reason for my existence.

My existence is, indeed, a Gift from God.  From a state of nothingness I became a human being when God in His infinite Goodness endowed on me the Gift of Life.  This life, I believe, is everlasting;   for it is without end.  I will continue to exist even after death here on earth in a state of life which is everlasting.

Since my life is a gift from God, I continually ask myself the question: “How shall I use this gift?” 

First of all, since it is a GIFT from a Supreme Being  to whom I owe my very existence,   then it is but logical that I should use this Gift as He pleases.  Hence,   everything I do should be FOR HIM and not for myself.  In other words,   His Will should always be paramount in everything I do and should never be replaced by something that runs counter to His design, no matter how noble it may be.  This for me is a daily challenge as I go thru the various activities of life here on earth.  It demands a constant consciousness that whatever I do is really FOR GOD and not for myself.

Secondly, I have to acknowledge my powerlessness in doing anything,   since all power comes from God and without Him I can do nothing.  Hence,   in doing anything for God I have to depend on the graces He gives that enables me to do it.   I, therefore, have  to pray always for God’s help, so that WITH HIM I could do whatever pleases Him.

            For the past few days I have been striving to ‘Live For and With God’.  It dawned on me that this, I believe, is what I shall do for all eternity.  God, in His infinite Wisdom, has created me so that I could serve Him for all eternity in accordance with His DESIGN.  My joy, then, is simply to surrender myself   entirely to HIS HOLY WILL, so He can use me as He pleases for HIS GREATER GLORY.

            Everyday that I encounter the Lord JESUS CHRIST in the Blessed Sacrament at the Adoration Chapel, I pray: “Lord, here I am,   I come to do Your Will.”  I then place myself at His disposal, so that throughout the day I am enabled to LIVE FOR AND WITH GOD.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

August 11, 2013

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