Our Divine Calling

         “HOW DO WE PEOPLE ANSWER THIS – OUR DIVINE CALLING?”   This is a question posed by Blessed John Paul II in his homily on June 24, 1988.  Today, June 24, 2012, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist, I wish to ponder on the same question.

            First of all, what is our Divine Calling?

 Blessed John Paul II answers this with the following words:  “God called John the Baptist while he was still ‘in his mother’s womb’ to be the “voice that cries in the desert” and thus to prepare the way for his Son.  Similarly, God has “laid his hand” on each one of us.  To each of us goes a special call; to each person a particular task.  In every call, which we can experience in a variety of ways, the same voice of God is present which spoke through John: “Prepare the way of the Lord” (Mt. 3:3).  Every person should ask what he, in his vocation, in his position, can do to help bring about the Lord’s entrance into the world.  Whenever we are open to God’s call, we become, like John, God’s precursor among men.”

            What is man’s being that deserves this Divine Calling?

 Blessed John Paul II again answers this as follows:  “Man is that being which God calls by name.  For God he is the created “you”.  He is, among all creation, that personal “I” who can turn to God and also call him by name.  God wants to have in man that partner who turns to Him, the divine “You”, acknowledging Him as His creator and Father, and saying, “You, my Lord and my God”.

           Further he says: “Man is therefore conscious of himself – what he is, and what he was from the beginning, from conception.  He knows he is a being whom God wants to encounter and with whom God wishes to enter into dialogue.  God wishes to encounter in man the whole of creation.  For God, man is “somebody” unique and unrepeatable.  He is, in the words of the Second Vatican Council, “the only creature on earth which God willed for itself”(GS n.24).

            What  is man’s response to this Divine Calling?

For those who have a living relationship with God,  there grows an awareness of the uniqueness and value of one’s life and personal dignity.  Blessed John Paul II says: “Amid his concrete life situations, man knows he is called, sustained, and spurred on by God.  In spite of prevailing injustices and personal suffering, he realizes that life is a gift.  He is grateful for it and feels responsible to God for it.  Thus God becomes the source of power and trust from which the person is able to shape a life of human dignity and selfless service to others.”

         For those, however, who abuse the Gift of Freedom, instead of heeding the call, they distance themselves from God and become self-centered.  Without  this connection to his root, which is God, man becomes impoverished of inner worth and gradually succumbs  to an attitude of loss of respect for life and to the catastrophe of self-destruction.

        May all respond positively to this Divine Calling.

By: Buddy Cagurangan

June 24, 2012                                                     

Prayer - the Antidote to Worry

“PRAYER IS THE ANTIDOTE TO WORRY.”   This is what a Meditation in the ANAWIM WAY Booklet says reflecting on the words of Jesus Christ: “Do not worry about your livelihood, what you are to eat or drink or use for clothing.  Is life not more than food?  Is not the body more valuable than clothes?  Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow nor reap, they gather nothing into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are not you more important then they?  (Mt 6: 25-26)

To worry about the necessities of life here on earth seems to be a natural human reaction.   It is a fact that one of the main responsibilities of a family man is to provide for the material needs of his family.  Hence, he works for a living.  When he is out of job, he worries on how he could manage to meet his responsibilities.  How then can we reconcile this observation with the words of Jesus Christ?

I now recall a personal experience wherein prayer was the antidote to my worry.  When Martial Law was declared in 1972, the head of the school where I was employed as Dean of the College of Business Administration told us that our contract was now terminated and we were given our last pay check.  That pay check was just enough to provide for a one month existence of a family of ten.  Hence, I was confronted with the problem of how I could provide for our needs in the months thereafter.  It was then that I really prayed and begged for God’s help.  Unexpectedly, the President of Divine Word College of Laoag, Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Manaligod,SVD, came to see me at our residence in San Fernando, La Union and offered the position of Dean of the College of Business Administration in the Divine Word College of Laoag.  Aside from my monthly remuneration, he added some fringe benefits, like free housing facilities and free school fees for my eight children.  God, indeed, answered my prayer.

The ANAWIM WAY Booklet further states that when we pray “ with a firm inner decision to accept the Will of God, we grow in trust that God, Our Father, already knows all that we need and somehow He will take care of us.”

In the abovementioned Gospel of St. Matthew, our Lord Jesus Christ also says: “Seek first his kingship over you, his way of holiness, and all these things will be given you besides.  Enough, then, of worrying about tomorrow.  Let tomorrow take care of itself.  Today has troubles enough of its own.” (Mt. 6:33-34)

For me, these words of our Lord Jesus Christ affirm my strong conviction that God is Our Father. If, in all sincerity, we put ourselves  at His disposal,  do whatever He wants us to do wholeheartedly,  then,  we have nothing to worry about. God will surely provide.

By: Buddy Cagurangan

June 17, 2012

How To Be Perfect

“YOU MUST BE PERFECT AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT.” (Mt.5:48).  This is the challenge of our Lord Jesus Christ when He spoke to the multitudes in His Sermon on the Mount – The Beatitudes.

        For quite a time I have been asking myself: “How can I be perfect as God Himself? “  It seems it is an impossibility.   To my mind, a man, like myself,  cannot become like God.              However, in my reflections on the Meditations of the ANAWIM WAY Booklet it dawned on me that the challenge to be perfect is synonymous to the challenge to forgive.  Jesus Christ gave that challenge after saying that one should love everyone, even our enemies.  And the first step to love our enemies is to forgive them.

        

        The ANAWIM WAY says that “Forgiveness is an Act of the Will”.  It is a decision that has to be made.  Hence, even if we feel unable to forgive, we can still decide to forgive  and  beg the Lord for the grace to be able to forgive.

     

      God is Love.  His love is perfect, because He loves everyone unconditionally, even those who sin against Him.  He offers to everyone the grace of repentance to enable one to respond to His love by using the gift of freedom.      Hence, to be perfect like God means to love everyone unconditionally, even those who hurt us.

To love is an Act of the Will.  It is a decision, regardless of how we feel.  This is the challenge.  Most often we act according to how we feel.  It takes a lot of courage to disregard our feelings and make decisions according to what we believe is in accordance with God’s Will.   This is where the power of prayer comes in, because when we pray we open ourselves to the Will of God,  so that His Kingdom will come and He may reign in us. 

          The challenge to be perfect, therefore, can be achieved through the power of prayer.  When one humbly prays and begs God for all the graces he needs in order to become like His Son, Jesus Christ,  I do believe that his prayer shall be granted.

By: Buddy Cagurangan

June 10, 2012

            

LOVE IS TOTAL

          “LOVE IS TOTAL”.  This is a statement from the ANAWIM WAY Booklet in  its meditation on the Commandment of Love which our Lord Jesus Christ said in reply to a question of a scribe as to ‘which is the first of all the commandments’.   Jesus replied: “This is the first: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!  Therefore you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  This is the second. ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.”

          Elaborating further on the said statement it says: “If we deliberately exclude anyone from it, even our enemy, it is not love anymore.  We are unfaithful to ourselves when we refuse to love someone.”

            The said statement made me examine my  own conscience.  Do I really love everyone, even my own enemy, or those who have hurt me in one way or another?  I must acknowledge that I still harbor some hurt feelings from those who have done something to me which I consider  wrong or unjust.  I am still waiting for a kind of apology from these people.  It seems, however, that I shall be waiting in vain.  So, the question for me now is:  How can I love these people who have been unjust to me?

            It is said: “To err is human, but to forgive is divine.”  This means that the act of forgiving is a GRACE coming from God alone.  Man by himself is not able to forgive.  He needs a special grace from God to enable him to forgive.  Hence,  if I sincerely desire to be faithful to myself in loving everyone, even my enemies,  I must pray for this special grace of forgiveness from God.

            Now, therefore, I am confronted with this challenge:  When and how will I pray for this special grace of forgiveness,  such that all the hurt feelings in my heart would be removed and my love would be really total to include everyone, even my enemies?

            I realize that even the act of praying is a grace from God.  Hence, I must accept my inability to do anything without the enabling grace of God.  I am now aware that without God I am nothing and without God I can do nothing.  Everything depends on God.  This realization is helping me  to bend my knees and beg for all the graces I need in order to live as God wants me to live and to love as God wants me to love.  I trust that God in His infinite Goodness and Love will answer my prayer in ways that will be  best for me -  To love even those who have wronged me.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

June 3, 2012

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

          Today, May 27, 2012, is the Feast of PENTECOST.  It is a celebration of the DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT upon the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ.

            During my meditation I dwelt on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  I would like to share my reflections on these Gifts, which I consider significant in solving problems:

1.    Gift of WISDOM:  Helps us to answer the question: WHY?, or the root cause of the problem. 

2.    Gift of UNDERSTANDING: Helps us to see the problem in its context or from all aspects. 

3.    Gift of COUNSEL:  Helps us to be open to suggestions or advise from others. 

4.    Gift of KNOWLEDGE: Helps us to know how to solve the problem in the best way possible. 

5.    Gift of FORTITUDE: Helps us to carry out the solution despite all difficulties or obstacles. 

6.    Gift of PIETY:  Helps us to consider the Will of God in solving the problem and to give Him all the glory. 

7.    Gift of the FEAR OF GOD:  Helps us to be aware that we are accountable to God  for whatever we shall do in solving the problem.

These seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are, indeed, of great help in the solution of problems.  As our Lord JESUS CHRIST said:  “The Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in My Name will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (John 14:26)

            Hence, in solving any problem, I experienced that it is of prime importance to begin by invoking the HOLY SPIRIT and asking for His help, particularly HIS SEVEN GIFTS.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

May 27, 2012

THE REALITY OF LIFE

         “LIFE IS FOR ITSELF AND NOT FOR A SPECTACLE.”  This is a statement of Immanuel Kant, a great German philosopher, in one of his books.  Time and again I have reflected on what this statement really means.  Today, May 22, 2012,  I pondered on a sentence in a Meditation published by THE ANAWIM WAY booklet for the Easter Season, which reads: “Those who live for fame find life unsatisfying, while those who live for God and for others can be content even in a very simple and unknown style of life.”

            I was then serving as a Commentator in a Eucharistic Celebration at the St. Peter’s Metropolitan Cathedral  when these questions came to my mind:  “Am I doing this in order to be seen and heard and thus be praised?  Am I doing a mere drama or having a personal encounter with God whose presence in the Mass is a reality?  Deep in my thoughts I then realized the wisdom of Kant’s statement – that, indeed, what I was doing was a reality – an action of life which in itself has a value in the eyes of God though perhaps not in the eyes of men.  It dawned on me that my life is, indeed, a Gift of God, which  I should use not to glorify myself  but to do whatever I should do under the particular circumstances of my life in accordance with God’s Will.

            In God’s infinite wisdom and almighty power I do believe that I have been created as a unique human being.  No one else in this world can be exactly like me, and no one else can take my place at this point in time where I am and with whom  I am.  Hence, I am solely accountable to whatever I do now with the gift of life that God has given me.  It is a gift to be spent for what really matters in God’s eternal design and not just for a spectacle for others to see or hear.

            The question “What am I living for?” helped me to find a meaning in whatever I may  do with the gift of life that God has bestowed on me, because the  answer I got is in the  Song: “What am I living for, if not for You?  What am I living for, if not for You? JESUS, JESUS, no one else but YOU!  From then on the melody of this song with its lyrics kept ringing in my ears as I  walk along the street leading to the Cathedral.  I consider it now as the over-all goal of whatever I do, be it small or great in the eyes of men.  CHRIST now becomes for me the REASON for my existence.  Quoting  St. Paul: “FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST”. (Phil.1:21).  It is my conviction that Christ became Man, so that man can become like Him, a Son of God.  Hence, everything I do should be in accordance with what Christ wants, so I could become ANOTHER CHRIST like HIM.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

May 20, 2012

WHAT MORE, OH LORD!

            “WHAT MORE, OH LORD!”  This is the prayer that came out of my heart after reading a Meditation from the ANAWIM WAY, a booklet published by the Anawim Community entitled: “Pondering the Word”.   I was struck by the words: “A disciple of Jesus does not dwell on the failures and losses of the past. He simply moves on, led by the Spirit.”

            I was actually on the verge of tendering my resignation as a Barangay Pastoral Coordinator due to a feeling of physical weakness that may make me incapable of carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the office entrusted to me.   Reflecting on the abovementioned words, however, I realize that as a disciple of Jesus  I just have to ‘move on, led by the Spirit’.   While there may be failures in my past performances, and also failures in future performances due to one reason or another,  what matters is my ACTION NOW in doing whatever I am supposed to do under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Hence, the prayer: “WHAT MORE, OH LORD!”

            This prayer is based on my conviction that I am a CREATION of GOD.  Since God is my Creator I must be a being whose capabilities and capacities are beyond human ingenuity.  I am, indeed, a great mystery to myself, in the sense that I am unable to understand fully my potentialities and the ultimate design of my being.  I, however, have full trust in the Goodness and Omnipotence of God who created me; and, therefore, I just have to do whatever may come my way in the present moment in the best way I can, believing that this is what God wants me to do with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

            “WHAT MORE, OH LORD!” is for me an attitude of   SERVICE.  I am deeply grateful to God for having created me.  Without Him, I am nothing and can do nothing.  Hence, as a manifestation of my gratefulness I put myself entirely at His service, day in and day out.   To be able to serve God in whatever way He wants me to do, is for me, a great privilege.   I do believe that this privilege of serving God is actually in the HERE AND NOW.   It is in the concrete situation of my life that God is giving me the privilege to serve Him as I perform the duties and responsibilities entrusted to me by the Community to which I belong.

            I trust that with this attitude of a SERVANT OF GOD I shall PLEASE HIM and give GLORY TO  HIM.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

May 13, 2012

WHY NOT I

               “SI POSSUNT, CUR NON ET EGO?” – “IF THEY CAN, WHY NOT I?”  These were the words of St. Augustine of Hippo after reading “The Lives of the Saints”.

            St. Augustine was, indeed, a sinner during his youthful years.  By the grace of God, through the prayers of her mother, St. Monica, he repented and became a true Christian.  He was ordained a Priest and even consecrated as a Bishop.  Inspired by his readings on the lives of the Saints, he uttered those words: “If they can, why not I?”  He then lived the life of a Saint – and later canonized  a SAINT.

             His words kept ringing in my ears as I was confronted with some forthcoming  Church activities that are being scheduled by our parish, namely, the SANTACRUZAN and VENERATION OF THE CROSS.  Being the Barangay Pastoral Coordinator,  I felt that these activities would need the involvement of the people in our barangay which requires a lot of ‘spade-work’.  My initial reaction, therefore, was just to lie low and not to do anything to implement these activities in our barangay.   The words of St. Augustine, however, have challenged me to tackle the job wholeheartedly, strengthened by the thought that ‘if others can do it, why not I’. It dawned on me that life on this earth is, indeed, a challenge to pursue worthwhile endeavors so as to be able to contribute something to ‘make this world a better place to live in’.

               History tells us how several men, whom we now consider as heroes,  have done something that in one way or another have enhanced the quality of life here on earth.   Therefore, I believe there is a standing challenge to every man in this world to evaluate the circumstances of his life and see in what way he can become an asset in his own community.

            Right now I see myself living in a community which is populated mostly by business people.  Most of them I do not know, even by name.  Since the thrust of the Church is to build Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC), there is a need to have a personal relationship with them.  This poses a great challenge for me.  How to go about it is, a big question.  In our parish exchanges, we were given examples of how communities with similar problems were able to overcome their obstacles.   Hence, I say, that ‘IF THEY CAN, WHY NOT I?’.   I do pray that I be  enlightened and empowered by the GRACE OF GOD, so that what seems impossible at this moment may become possible.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

May 6, 2012 

The NOW GENERATION

            “NOW IS MY TURN”.  This is the thought that has occupied my mind for the past few days.   Reflecting on how people come and go in this world, I realize that like them there is a definite slot of time for me to live here on earth.  For how long it will be, I do not know, but for sure, time will come for me to say ‘Goodbye’. 

            My memory then lingered on the death of the last of our ancestors, the youngest in a family of ten children whom we call “Ina INES”.  She died on June 8, 2007, her birthday, at the age of 89.  It was on the occasion of her death that we thought of doing something to perpetuate the loving memories of our ancestors.  Some of us have witnessed how they have gathered together regularly, almost every weekend. They ate together, exchanged views with one another and firmed up their brotherhood despite some differences in viewpoints or misunderstandings at times.  This, certainly, is something worth emulating.

            At this point in time, we, who are the children from this Family of our Grandparents, Esteban and Juana, compose what we may call the “NOW GENERATION”.  It is NOW our TURN to leave a legacy similar to what our parents have bequeathed to us.  It is a legacy of UNIFICATION.

             Moved by the spirit of brotherhood which we witnessed from our ancestors, we then made a covenant to bring the members of our BIRUNG’S CLAN closer together thru an association.   After some brainstorming, we agreed at a consensus to form an Association of Birung’s Clan (ABC).  A Constitution and By-laws were then drafted, and after some revisions, it was approved and ratified on September 2, 2007 in a meeting of the Elders, representing the ten children of our progenitors.

            A General Assembly and Annual Reunion was then held every year thereafter on the month of December.  The Fifth General Assembly and Annual Reunion was held last December 30, 2011 at the Gymnasium of Cataggaman Elementary School.  Approximately three hundred (300) members of the ABC graced this gathering with their presence and participation in the Holy Mass Celebration and other parts of the Program to promote fellowship, have joyful entertainment and strengthen the bond of love that will lead us to unification.

            In an Archdiocesan Bible Congress that was held last year we learned that no association or organization can last without the WORD OF GOD.  Hence, we agreed to come together once a month to listen to the Word of God through Bible Sharing.  We have, indeed, felt God’s loving presence as we meditated on His Word and shared our personal experiences in our everyday life.

            We do hope that we, who compose the NOW GENERATION in this Birung’s Clan, shall have done something towards the goal of UNIFICATION, which we believe is God’s plan for mankind in this world.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

April 29, 2012   

WHAT IS SIN?

                    SIN IS A THOUGHT, WORD OR DEED CONTRARY TO THE WILL OF GOD.  IT IS THE BREAKING OF THE LAW OR COMMANDMENT.  This is the classical Pre-Vatican II concept of sin.

            Rev. Fr. Edgar Agcaoili, the Rector of Ermita de San Jacinto, Tuguegarao City, however, told us during an Assembly of Church Ministers at the Tuguegarao Parish Pastoral Center, that “SIN IS THE BREAKING OF RELATIONSHIPS.  IT IS REFUSING TO ENTER INTO A LIFE OF INTIMACY/FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD.”    As an example he said that when one does not attend Mass on Sundays, it is a sin not so much because he broke the commandment, but because he has lessened his relationship or friendship with God and the community.  When we go to Mass, he says, we build a closer relationship with God and the community.

            Reflecting further on this so-called ‘Paradigm Shifts’ in Theology after the Vatican II Council, my viewpoints on sin have zeroed in on the concept of LOVE  based on the following rationale.

1.    Love is the only motive that can build or foster a personal relationship with God or with a fellowman.

2.    The essence of love is unselfishness – focused on the welfare or good of the beloved.

3.    The essence of sin is selfishness – focused on one’s own welfare or well being.

4.    Love, therefore, is the true foundation for any intimate personal relationships, either with God or with other human beings; while sin is an act that breaks or lessens a personal relationship.

   God has created each and every human being out of love,  and He

expects everyone to respond to His love with love.   I do believe, therefore,  that I exist  “TO LOVE” and if I do not love,  I have no reason to exist.

By: Buddy Cagurangan 

March 25, 2012