graduation homily

{today i started packing my things in balik-bayan boxes to be sent to manila. i had mixed feelings. i started missing iloilo already. i am just enjoying every moment that i am here. here is the homily i delievered during the high school graduation last march.}

Homily (HS Graduation)

Santa Maria Parish Church

25 March 2009

Good morning dear friends and graduates. It brings me such joy and honor to stand here and be with you on this special moment in your life, not to guide you like in our practices for the past days, but this time to simply honor you by giving this morning’s homily. You have been a good batch. That is why it is no surprise for us your teachers that one hundred fourteen of you started the school year, one hundred fourteen will be graduating this afternoon. Because of this, I think all of you here today should pat yourselves on the shoulder for a job truly well done. You deserve to be congratulated and receive warm applauses today.

Let me then start my homily with a story. One Sunday afternoon of November last year, I went up to the faculty room to get some of the hundreds Skills Workout to check. And since I was already at the fourth floor, I decided to check the classroom of my advisory class if it was ready for the week. And there I saw a saddening sight that could break any adviser’s heart. The classroom was in total, total mess. Instead of feeling angry, somehow the Holy Spirit touched me that I had the urge to simply pick-up the broom and start sweeping the floor and arranging the chairs. After cleaning the room, I noticed that the other fourth year rooms were also a heart breaker. Since I still have time, and somehow again touched by the Holy Spirit, I started cleaning one room to another.

My dear friends, I am telling you this story not to make you feel guilty about the mess you have left behind one day in November, but come to think of it, there is a good reflection here. Let me then propose to you an image from my story that I will use all throughout this homily. And that image is, passing by. Every moment in our life is a passing by. We are just passing by. Some passing by are like short stopovers. We pass by a boutique, a gift shop, a restaurant, the mall before going to a party or a big event. Some passing by takes a long period of time before we can move on. We are just passing by when we studied in prep, in grade school, and recently in high school, and later in college. And for some they will pass by graduate school, medical school, or law school. We are just passing by.

Because these moments are just passing by, and you are just passing by high school, there are perhaps three dominant feelings I think you are feeling right now: relief, anxiety, and hope. Relief, anxiety, and hope, these are the normal feelings I feel one encounters in passing by.

First, relief. After passing by high school, there must be a relief feeling: tapos na!; wala nang exams; wala nang investigative projects; and most of all, the most important relief of all, wala nang Sir H sa buhay ko! Secondly, after the relief feeling, comes fear or at least anxiety. You realize that it is not yet over. There is still college. You still have to pass by college and even beyond college. Or perhaps at this early, thoughts of uncertain future creep on you because of the confusing and unending problems that our country is facing today. And lastly, there is still the hopeful feeling. “A chapter of my life ends, a chapter of my life will start. Now I can make my dreams come true! I’m going to make a difference! My life is about to start!” Relief, anxiety, and hope: truly not abnormal emotions at all, because today something is truly ending in your life and something else beginning. On this day then, when your life is changing, perhaps more than you know, we pray for you. We pray that “as the setting sun bids farewell,” with three gifts for your life ahead, three gifts inspired by today’s readings.

First, we pray that your relief may deepen into gratitude. Yes, it’s all over. You made it. But if you look more deeply, you might recognize, like the story of Jesus in today’s Gospel, that the achievement of these past four years was not simply the result of your striving, but a gift much like the miracle of Jesus that surprised the unsuspecting crowds who didn’t believed in him.

Second, we pray that your anxiety may be tempered by faith, a faith that is really a deep trust in the One who is always near but whom we often don’t recognize, as the first reading assures us. The Lord said, before he formed you in the womb of your mother, he knew you. Before you will receive your diploma today, before you will be set off from our school, he has felt every beat of your heart as you rejoice in gladness. Before you will face the challenges and difficulties in life, he already knows all your doubts and worries. Our God is a loving God and He will always be with you.

Finally, we pray that your hope be broadened by responsibility. What does this mean? As Pope Benedict reminded us in his encyclical: “Our hope is always essentially hope for others. . . . we should never limit ourselves to asking: how can I save myself? We should also ask: what can I do in order that others may be saved and that for them too the star of hope may rise?” (Spe Salvi, 48). Thus, our prayer: that you expand your dreams to include always a deep sense of responsibility for the future of our country and our people, especially the poor. I think your retreat experience invites you to become fishers of men and women, drawing in the net for the Lord. So, we pray, it may be with you.

Dear graduates of the class of 2009, relieved, anxious, hopeful friends, these then are our prayers for you as you leave the Ateneo today: may your relief deepen into gratitude; may your anxiety be tempered by faith; and may your hope broaden into responsibility; Grateful, faithful, responsible Ateneans, may you thus be for our world and our time truly In Ominibus Amare et Servire, to love and serve the Lord.

Before I end, I wish to name a final feeling that I believe some of you feel and that I have not mentioned till now: sadness. Even few weeks before the 4^th quarter exams, I have read different “senti” lines from your batch mates in YM, in Friendster, in Multiply, in Facebook, conveying sad expressions in various images and cues. Of course, the Ateneo has been more than a school for many of us; it has become a home and it is always sad to leave home. I don’t think there’s anything I can say to take away that quiet sadness: it’s just there; high school is over. Allow me to address that sadness though some lines from a European novel:

We will leave each other and go our separate ways. Life will happen to us and change us, sometimes, not for the better. But, if life tempts us to become cynical or bitter or cruel, if we remember these golden days of our friendship, if we remember how we dreamed together, how we were kind to one another, how we were good, then maybe, just maybe, that memory will save us, and draw us away from the forces of darkness that are always threatening to vanquish and capture us.

I would like to end my homily by bringing you back again to the story of the dirty rooms. I guess beyond the feelings of relief, anxiety, and hope when one is passing by, are the memories and the MAGIS we make when we pass by. Fr. Manny, Bro. Manny, and myself are also leaving in the next few weeks and we are just passing by. But perhaps what goes beyond our mixed feelings are the many wonderful and grateful memories we have had that we will always treasure in our hearts as pass by another moment in our life. And this is my challenge to you, my dear friends and batch mates, as you pass by each moment of you life, may you have the urge to make memories and make a difference, by picking-up the broom and start sweeping the floor and arranging the chairs.

Amen.

friends in the lord

{this is a video we have made one time over lunch in our convent just for fun. yet it turn out to be a great video. we have showed it during the thanksgiving dinner and people really cried. hope you'll like this. to my jesuit community, i could never asked for a better jesuit community. thank you very much, my friends in the lord.}

class description

{here's my class description for my class 4 integrity titans which will be publised for the vinculuum yearbook. it has been a great year.}

4 Integrity Mighty Titans (por in-teg-ri-tee mai-tee tīt'n)

– noun

1. Composed of 37 highly distinct, talented and intelligent species, brainstormed by the cunning cute Jesuit to harness, with the principles of truth, diligence, generosity and integrity.
2. An epitome characterized by various shapes and sizes (ex. Monkey, Dr. love, Jackie, owl, kabz, korny, Ryan Agoncillo, valedictorian, buwaya, buang, juday, baka, alien, chris brown, pato, Rihanna, John Lloyd, abnu, scholar ng pilipinas, kamay, armpit, alabuton, tissue, disgrasyada, isog, mr. barker, haring banyo, britishly, isip-ulan, Barney, almost perfect, side kick, small wonders, strong five, extreme five, baon people, etc., etc., etc.) .
3. Always late, always cramming, always second but never the champion, yet bonded with the zeal to make a difference, to take up the challenge, and above all, to have fun and they did.
4. God’s cute and lovable children.

My dearest Mighty Titans,

Do you know what it means to love?

I started this question from our verse choir piece because I think this captures so much with what you have experienced in your 4^th year life. When I first met you during your 3^rd year recollection, I saw a class full of care and love with one another. Remember? The crying boys and girls! Though during that year there weren’t much to celebrate because of the many defeats and struggles you faced along the way. But that’s okay. I saw then the greatness in you and I realized what a great class this could turn out to be. And how mysterious life is? I stepped in as your 4 Integrity adviser though unworthy I am. During my watch, it gives me much pleasure to see you all growing these past months. You are now all different since the very day you stepped in the Integrity room. We never won any championship since the very start. But what is more important than trophies and recognition are the moments you have worked together, struggling to set aside differences and weaknesses. Those moments tested your friendship and bond, and it brought out the best of you. These memories I will always treasure in my heart. And I am so proud, proud, proud of all of you.

Thank you very much for sharing your life and your wonderful friendship with me. Do you still remember the time I said I won’t promise anything to you? But what I can offer is my friendship and presence, and that I will never leave you no matter what. I hope I was able to do this for you. But most of all, I wanted to thank you because you are really part of my vocation. Perhaps you don’t know but you have taught me so many things in life and my heart can’t really explain my gratefulness for you. Truly, "One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."¹

Lastly, my final message for you is that whenever life seems so difficult to comprehend and to stay on, just remember these three important reminders: 1. God who will always love you unconditionally no matter what; 2. the spirit and memories of Ateneo, a home you can always relish and ignite again your hearts to desire for magis; 3. and somewhere out there, 37 of your friends including me are praying for you and softly cheering on for you … “everywhere we go, people wanna know, who we are, so we tell them, we are the Titans, the mighty mighty Titans, ohh ahh, ohh yeah, . . .”

So, do you know what it means to love?

¹ from The Little Prince

opening credits

{i haven't done much posting for a long time. pero here is one great post. this is the opening credit of our successful "journey to forver musical" last november 7-9. kudos to my idols mayad studios.}


Journey to Forever opening credits from Mayad Studios on Vimeo.

isew speech

{this is a speech i was asked to be given to the whole Ateneo de Iloilo community during the ISEW last may 26-28}

My Role in the Mission of the Ateneo de Iloilo
ISEW – Ateneo de Iloilo
27 May 2008

Good morning my fellow colleagues and friends. I was tasked to give my own reflection on “My Role in the Mission of the Ateneo de Iloilo.” At first I felt unworthy because I have only been here for one year and I believe that most of you can speak more on this theme. Due to my obedience to my superior, I will heed the call and I do hope that in the end of my sharing, I will be able to share some points for us to reflect in this workshop, especially my experiences as a Jesuit which we share a common mission.

Let me then start my sharing with a story. As I was preparing this reflection, I remembered a simple story that happened during my last year in college. During that time in Ateneo de Zamboanga, we would have a beauty contest called Miss Ateneo that would happen as a starting event for our weeklong Ateneo Fiesta on early Decembers. During that time I was part of the team that was to coach our contestant, our Miss Arts and Sciences, how to answer the question and answer portion of the contest. Not that our bet is “stubborn” or sort, but because we want our contestant to be as prepared as possible. Before the actual contest, our team would think of all the possible questions that the judge may ask and also think of the possible intelligent answers to those questions.

Just minutes before the question and answer portion of the contest, we made some final preparations. Suddenly, it just came to us, what if the question would be about the vision and mission of the school. Among all the possible questions, this question is what we have overlooked. Luckily, as a good Atenean like myself (ehem!), I have kept a leaflet in my wallet containing a summary of the vision and mission of Ateneo de Zamboanga. So we gave another short review to our contestant. And you know what? The question that our bet raffled has something to do with the vision and mission of the school and our contestant simply aced it and she eventually was crowned as Miss Ateneo of 1997.

Looking back at the story, I was amazed how we have done a great job in making our contestant a winner. Yes, our contestant became Miss Ateneo, but is she really a Miss Ateneo? Let this question be a springboard to my sharing. My sharing will basically focus on two questions that were given: first, what to me is the mission of Ateneo de Iloilo-Santa Maria Catholic School?; and second, how do I contribute to that mission?

Immediately, perhaps, when someone ask us this question, we might run back to what is usually written on the main doors of our school like the 7Cs (Christ-centered; men and women of competence, conscience, compassion, community, character and culture), being a Catholic, a Jesuit, and a Chinese-Filipino school. Perhaps, for someone who is familiar with the Jesuit Education System, this can be easily explained. But for me, answering this question may go beyond what is just written there. It should come from experience and from the heart. For me then, the mission of Ateneo de Iloilo is set our students and each other on fire. What do I mean to set each other on fire? This is not an invitation to go and burn each other, although some of us may occasionally feel that way, but these are images of fire – to be on fire for unity, to be on fire for purity, and to be on fire for service. Let these three images of fire be the three parts of my sharing.

Fire for unity

When there is one flame here and another flame there and you put the flames together, they will not put out each other. They harmonize; they become one flame, a bigger flame. So should it be with us. While we are on fire and we meet another who is on fire, there should be a meeting of hearts. There should be harmony and there should be oneness. As we try to form leaders, our students should be the point of unity because before they are able to lead, they first have to experience to bring us all together.

On the summer of 2006, I was assigned in Dingalan, Aurora to do Gawad Kalinga (GK) work. And there for a month, I helped build 3 GK houses and form the Kapit-Bahayan and the SIGA-Youth Program. I’ve thought that when I will arrive there things will be easy. But it came out differently. My work was really to start their organizations from scratch, elect officers, create by-laws, do initial fund raising, as well as do community building activities. These are the problems of the GK areas that time. When you put together different people from different places to live in one community, tensions can easily start because of these differences. Almost every night there would be disputes from one house to another. Almost every day I have to stand in the middle and facilitate compromises between arguing families. It was a very difficult situation for me. I was alone and sometimes I entertain the thoughts of packing-up. But I remembered a Jesuit friend once told me, that perhaps you don’t need to do anything concrete, but be with them. So I continued despite the difficulties. And then a great opportunity came. After letting them voice out their concerns, I have found a common fire among them, a fire that could lead a stronger and united GK community. They didn’t realize all along that they are brought together because they lost their old homes because of the great typhoon that year. Nobody can ever understand them except they themselves; they have each other to make this work. And slowly things were slowly turning out to be better.

My dear friends, I believe that we all share the same fire that’s why we are all here. Even with our students and parents, they too share the same fire. But putting these fires all together may be a challenging task. Yet this is our mission – we try to unite ourselves so that we can make a change, we can make a difference.

Fire for purity

Fire also cleanses. It purifies. That is why we cook food by subjecting it to fire. We must be on fire with purity -- not only purity that is chastity, but purity that is also honesty and sincerity. Purity also means generosity. The Gospel says that the Kingdom of God cannot be found by those who are lazy. Only those who go all the way, those who are pure of heart can discover the Kingdom of God. That is why the mission of our school is to call on our students to be generous with themselves even to the point of sacrifice, for the good and growth of the school as well as the community.

Two years ago, I was at the Game 4 of UAAP between Ateneo and UST. That year, it was clear that the UST team was better. They were leading in a big way, and it seemed impossible to close the gap. The Ateneo crowd was only one-third of the UST crowd in the jam packed Araneta Coliseum. I was feeling terribly discouraged and wanted to go home, concede defeat, give up, and I suspect many on the Ateneo side felt the same way. But there was a magical moment in the middle of all that discouragement. I don’t know who thought of it, but suddenly someone unfurled a banner for all to see. It simply said, “Summon the heart of a champion.” The effect on us was electric. It was as though someone had slapped us in the face, called us to remember what we had been. All of a sudden there was shouting, cheering, confidence, passion, energy until the end, where once there had been despair and mediocrity. We didn’t win, but it was a magnificent defeat.

Last year, as a class adviser with Sir H, it was not a golden year for our class. We never really won the crown among the many different competitions in high school – from cheerleading to verse choir, from sports events to spelling bee, from Alay kay Maria to Christmas Outreach fund raising. But if I may say so, we did well that year. We did well because we went an extra mile despite we knew that we can only strive as much. By these, winning had become secondary; it was the heart and sacrifices that each and everyone had put that mattered.

Fire for service

The third thing about fire that we should ask of the Lord thru St. Ignatius of Loyola, is that our hearts be on fire for service. This is our mission. We can be tempted to become lukewarm and indifferent to others and on the day our hearts no longer burn with fire, many others will die shivering from the cold! A lot of people are depending on our service to them. Our service takes on the form of igniting not only our students but also the entire Ateneo community so that everyone is given a chance to bring forth their talents and to let their light shine for others.

Whenever I feel tired or perhaps even at lost in my Jesuit vocation, I usually go back to my JVP experiences in Bilibid. As most of you know, I have worked in the New Bilibid Prisons for two full years as a rehabilitation officer. Though working in Bilibid was really tough, it is special in my heart because I have firmly found my Jesuit vocation there. And looking back at my experiences, I would never be this burning if it wasn’t the fire for service that our Jesuit fathers, my fellow program officers, and even the many selfless prisoners, has shown to me. They were persons of passion. Think of it. Sometimes we ask for food to eat because we share our food supplies to those prisoners in the hospital or even to some strangers. Sometimes we beg for money even to those who doesn’t believe in helping the prisoners so that we could send some children of prisoners to school. Sometimes we plead in front of government leaders and public personalities in order for the Death Penalty to be abolished. But in spite of all of these problems and obstacles, these persons of passion never cease to serve, they never cease to love. And I am so edified by their example that it had taught me to do the same no matter what.

Perhaps some of you might not believe the things I have done for the love of the ministry. I was the DJ of the dance during the HS acquaintance party. I sang the Psalm in a school-wide mass. I played basketball against the varsity team. I did cheer dancing and stunts with my students during the intramurals. I conducted a choral singing. I performed magic tricks in a program. I dressed in Korean costume to teach the famous Korean froggy dance in front of the GS assembly. I also dressed in Binukid costume for Fr. Manny’s birthday. I surprised my class by wearing a HS uniform. And most of all, my all time favorite, I dressed in Sto. Niño costume (which I look like a small Black Nazarene) during the Dinagyang week and gave candies to grades 1 and 2 pupils. Until now I still wonder how I did all of these stuff. When I look back with my experiences I sometimes caught laughing at myself about how I look and my different gestures. Yet at the same time I was also cautious that others might get me wrong thinking that I am just playing around. A fool for Christ -- I think this captures that fire for service. Regency for me is really a time to shine, a time to go an extra mile, to try new things, to make a difference. And to do these one must be a sort of a fool, going to the frontiers, all for God’s greater glory. And this is also what I feel is our mission as a school. Whether we are a teacher or staff, we can be a sort of a fool sometimes if only to make even one person realize that he is special and loved by God.

I would like to end my sharing in gratitude and in hope. Thank you very much for this opportunity to be with you, working with you, praying with you, and dreaming with you. I have learned and grown so much for this past year as a Jesuit Regent because of all of you, and I do hope that I have also contributed in my little own ways in fulfilling our school’s mission. And I also hope that I was able to give you some points to ponder on this theme. So when you will be invited to be a contestant of Miss or Mister Ateneo in the future, will you be able to answer in your own words what is YOUR mission in Ateneo de Iloilo. God bless you all and your love ones. Thank you, thank you very much.

Arthur W. Nebrao, Jr., SJ
2^nd Year Jesuit Regent (ADI-SMCS)

adi task force frank: pleas for your help

Typhoon Frank left thousands of families in Iloilo and Panay Region homeless. Accordingly, this is the worst disaster that has ever struck the region. As early as Saturday morning, June 21, reports came in from different towns and barangays of flash floods leaving entire barangays submerged. Many people evacuated their homes to seek refuge in churches, schools and other makeshift evacuation centers. Still many others remain trapped in their homes and waiting for rescue. Rescue efforts have been hampered by damaged bridges and roads. As of Monday morning, recorded death toll has reached more than 100. Most parts of the region have no electricity and water. Food and water are badly needed especially in worst hit towns and barangays.

In view of the emergency situation, we are pleading for your assistance for our brothers and sisters in Iloilo and Panay. We are in need of food, especially canned goods, clothing, and water. We will coordinate the distribution of goods with the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center. Donations may be sent to:

Ateneo de Iloilo – Santa Maria Catholic School
c/o Fr. Manny Uy, S.J.
Bro. Arthur Nebrao, S.J.
139 General Blanco St., Iloilo City
Tel. (033) 337-5532
(033) 338-2245
Fax. (033) 336-2903
Email: anebrao@gmail.com

Cash donations will be greatly appreciated. You may also send your cash donations through:

Banco de Oro (BDO)
Iloilo SM Delgado Branch
Account Name: ADI TASK FORCE FRANK
Account Number: 0710515588

Let us continue to pray for the countless victims of Iloilo and Panay Region. Thank you for your generosity.

spartans (one more time)

{here's a final video for the spartans. thank you for everything. and goodluck to another stage in your life.}