regency assignments

{it was announced last friday that i will be assigned in ateneo de iloilo. here are the other assignments of my batchmates (+2)}

ash wednesday and lent

{Many people are asking me about ash wednesday and the season of lent so i decided to post this one from our Jesuit Ordo. Hope this helps. May you have a meaningful and Christ-centered Lenten season this year.}

Traditionally, the ashes for the Ash Wednesday service come from burning the palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration. They are made by burning palm fronds which have been saved from the previous year's Palm Sunday, the Sunday before the Easter. They are then blessed by a priest.

Ashes are a biblical symbol of mourning and penance. In Bible times the custom was to fast, wear sackcloth, sit in dust and ashes, and put dust and ashes on one's head.Blessed ashes having been used in God's rituals since the time of Moses (Numbers 19:9-10, 17).

They also symbolize death and so remind us of our mortality. Thus when the priest uses his thumb to sign one of the faithful with the ashes, he says, "Remember, man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return,"

Getting self-ashed:
Of course, it is easier to purchase them from a religious supply house. However, if you burn the palm fronds yourself, don’t add any other ingredient—just burn the ashes plain. Add a little oil to the ashes so that they will stick to people’s foreheads.
Don’t overestimate how much you need! It is amazing how far a small amount of ashes will go!

Lent is a preparation for the celebration of Easter. For the Lenten liturgy disposes both catechumens and the faithful to celebrate the paschal mystery: catechumens, through the stages of Christian initiation; the faithful, through reminders of their own baptism and through penitential services.

Some Notes on the Lenten Season
(lifted from the Jesuit Ordo of the Philippine Province)

1. The Sundays of Lent are so important that not even a solemnity can take their place. Solemnities occurring on these Sundays are observed on the Saturday preceding.

2. The weeks of Lent from Ash Wednesday to the Saturday before Palm Sunday take precedence over the memorials of saints, which may be celebrated only according to the norms established by liturgical statutes.

3. The Alleluia is always omitted where it is found in the Liturgy of the Hours and in the celebration of the Mass.

4. The Te Deum and the Gloria are suppressed except on solemnities and feasts, and also on festive occasions.

5. In the Office: the antiphon at the Invitatory, hymn at the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, and the antiphon at Daytime Prayer and Night Prayer are found the proper of this Season.

6. Flowers and decorations at the altar are prohibited; the organ and other musical instruments may be used only to accompany the singing, except on Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday of Lent) and during solemnities and feasts.

7. Catholics are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent. We are also reminded, as stipulated in the Code of Canon Law, that there are other works and means of doing penance: prayer, acts of self-denial, almsgiving and works of personal charity. Attending Mass daily or several times a week, praying the rosary, making the way of the cross, teaching the illiterate to read, reading to the blind, helping at a soup kitchen, visiting the sick and shut-ins and giving an overworked mother a break by baby-sitting—all of these can be even more meaningful and demanding than simply abstaining from meat on Friday.

bakit po?

{this is one of the video i made for my group in social marketing class project. this video has been broadcast thru the dream cable. enjoy.}

the parable of the prodigal son

{this is a homily i gave for my community years ago. :) but since its valentines day, i would like to share this because it speaks so much about this deep love which we suppose to celebrate today.}

26 February 2005, JP
by Arthur W. Nebrao, Jr., SJ
2^nd Week of Lent (Year A)

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Magandang umaga mga kapatid. Nais kong simulan ang aking munting pagbabahagi sa umagang ito, sa isang matamis na tanong; isang tanong na marahil magbubukas ng mga magaganda at mapapait na alaala sa atin mga buhay -- umibig na ba kayo? In English, have you been in love? Marahil lahat sa atin’y sasagot ng “Oo”. Oo, umibig ako. Oo, nagkasabay ang araw at buwan sa iisang langit. Oo, nagkaroon ako ng sinta. Di ba’t kay saya umibig? Di ba’t kay sakit rin mabigo? At kapag pinag-uusapan tungol sa pag-ibig at pagkabigo, isang kwento ang naiisip ko. Ito ang kwento ni Cyrano de Bergerac. Hayaan ninyo ako sariwain sa inyo ang dula nina Cyrano, Roxanne, at Christian.

Isang magaling na mang-espada at makata si Cyrano. Hinahanga siya ng maraming tao. Ngunit, may problema. Mahabang-mahaba ang ilong ni Cyrano. Kung nasa paligid si Cyrano, hindi pinag-uusapan ang kanyang ilong. Kapag mayroon magbigay ng puna tungkol sa ilong ni Cyrano, siguradong uuwi nito nang bugbog sarado. Iisa lang ang iniibig ni Cyrano at ito’y si Roxanne. Ngunit si Roxanne’y iniibig si Christian, ang isang kawal na kasama ni Cyrano. Iniibig rin ni Christian si Roxanne, ngunit meron rin isang problema. Hindi magaling magsalita at magsulat si Christian. Kaya’t tinulungan ni Cyrano si Christian sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulat ng mga matatamis na salita para kay Roxanne. Mayroong nga isang eksena sa dula kung saan si Cyrano ang nagtatalumpati sa dilim na inaakala ni Roxanne ang mga matatamis na salita ay galing kay Christian. Ngunit hindi. Ang lahat ng damdamin ay hindi galing sa salita ngunit sa puso ni Cyrano. Dahil sa tulong ni Cyrano, nagpakasal si Roxanne kay Christian. Hindi nakapag-honeymoon yung dalawa dahil nagkaroon ng isang giyera. Ngunit, hindi ito hadlang sa paghihiwatig ni Cyrano ang kanyang pagmamahal kay Roxanne. Araw-araw pa rin ang sulat ni Cyrano kay Roxanne na inaakala ni Roxanne ay galing kay Christian. Sa kahulihulian ng dula, namatay si Christian at pagkalipas ng labing-dalawang taon, bago namatay si Cyrano, nalaman ni Roxanne ang katotohanan.

Bakit ko sinalaysay ang isang masakit at bigo na kwento sa mga Heswita tulad natin? Sinalaysay ko ang kwento ni Cyrano dahil ito ay kwento rin ng ating Ebanghelyo ngayon sa araw na ito. Sino ba ang hindi pa narinig ang kwento ng Prodigal Son? Siguro lahat tayo ay mayroong malalim na karanasan sa pagdarasal sa kwentong ito noong ginagawa natin ang Banal na Pagsasanay. Ngunit gusto ko pang magdagdag ng isa pang punto para sa atin pagninilay. At ito ang pagtitiis bilang tunay na pag-ibig. Sa kwento ng alibughang anak, maaari natin tingnan ang pagtitiis ng tatlo: ang pagtitiis ng masunuring na anak, ang pagtitiis ng alibughang anak, at ang pagtitiis ng ama.

Ang pagtitiis ng masunuring na anak ay isang mabuti at ideal na halimbawa. Hindi siya nag-rereklamo. Hindi siya naghahanap ng kapalit. Hindi siya umaasa. Lahat ng ginagawa niya ay dahil sa pagmamahal niya sa kanyang ama. Ang pagtitiis naman ng alibughang anak ay tunay na tunay. Siya’y nagbigay sa kanyang kahinahan. Siya’y tumangap ng kanyang kapalaran. Siya’y bumalik sa kanyang pamilya. Lahat ng ito ay dahil sa kanyang pagmamahal sa kanyang ama. At ang pagtitiis ng ama ay walang katulad-tulad. Ang pagtitiis ng ama ay ang pagtitiis ng dalawang anak dahil naintindihan niya ang kanilang dinadaan. At kahit sino pa sila, masunurin o alibugha, mahal na mahal niya sila. At ito ang pagmamahal ng ating Diyos sa atin. Kaya niyang tiisin ang lahat para sa atin.

Nakakatuwa rin itong si Roxanne. Sa kwento, makikita natin na gusto ni Roxanne ang gwapo, elegante, matapang na lalaki para sa kanya. Kapag ang lahat ng mga babae ay katulad ni Roxanne, lahat ng mga lalaki ay mag-papari. Ngunit, hindi niya nakikita na ang tunay na kagandahan ay nasa loob. At ito ang ama sa kwento ng alibughang anak. Ito ang Diyos natin. Handa siyang yumakap sa atin, kahit gaano tayo kabaho, kahit ano pa ang ginawa nating karumaldumal, kahit sino pa man tayo, nakabukas palagi ang kanyang pinto para sa atin.

Ang pagmamahal ni Cyrano ay isang malalim na pagmamahal. Tiniis niyang makita nagsasama sina Roxanne at Christian. Tiniis niyang marinig ang puri ni Roxanne kay Christian, na sa katotohanan kay Cyrano ang pagpupuri. Tiniis niyang sumama sa giyera at nag-alaga ng kanyang karibal. Tiniiis niya hindi ibunyag ang kanyang tunay na damdamin hanggang sa kahulihulian. Tiniis niya ang lahat-lahat. At sa pagtitiis na ito, nakita niya ang tunay na kaligayahan, ang kaligayahan ng pagbibigay ng sarili sa iba.

Sana sa panahon ng kwaresma, ibigay natin ang atin sarili sa pagtitiis, tulad sa pagtitiis ni Kristo para sa atin. At sana sa pagtitiis na ito ay hindi karihapan ang atin mararanas kundi tunay na pagmamahal. Di ba't kay saya umibig? Di ba't kay sakit rin mabigo? Ngunit sa kahulihulian, sana mayabang natin sabihin, "Oo, oo, umibig ako!"

signs

{Homily for tomorrow, 12 February 2007}

Mark 8: 11-13
"The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore."

Good morning. Perhaps for most of us, in some point in our lives, we ask for signs. We ask for a sign if we are accepted or loved. We ask for a sign if what we will do is right or wrong. We ask for a sign to know where we will be assigned for regency or summer apostolate. We ask for a sign whether this vocation is really for us. Maybe asking signs is indeed part of our human living – the need to be affirmed and to be sure of things.

In the Gospel for today, we heard that the Pharisees were also seeking for a sign from Jesus to prove that He is indeed the Son of God. On one hand, I guess this was natural for the Pharisees. Who could blame them for asking? I am sure that for some of us here, who underwent the Pilgrimage during our Novitiate, have also experienced the similar experience of asking signs by the people we seek assistance during the long journey. On the other hand, I guess that the Pharisees’ eyes were not really looking beyond. Instead, they wanted the concrete and the real. And this is very true in our secular world where the presence of God is so hard to see and feel because of the different noise and chaos that is happening all around.

Jesus is the sign. Jesus gave them no sign except himself and the ultimate proof of his divinity when he rose from the dead. Today Lord reveals himself to us in many ways -- in his word and in the "breaking of the bread" in the Eucharist, in his Church -- the body of Christ, in his creation, and even in the everyday circumstances of our lives. He reveals himself in people, in friends, and even in enemies. If we seek the Lord, we can be confident that he will give us everything we need to do his will. Most of all the Lord assures us of his presence and the promise that he will never leave us. How sad it is to hear that other people loose faith because they haven’t seen signs of hope.

I would like to end with the prayer of Theresa of Avila which speaks about the important signs that we must be searching. Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you; All things pass: God never changes. Patience achieves all it strives for. Whoever has God lacks nothing, God alone suffices. Is God enough for you?

a tribute for pia

{this is a tribute video for pia who will be leaving for zambia for her vso service. miss you mama p!}