Sunday, September 30, 2012

Leadership by Inspiration

Inspiration has been defined as motivation, encouragement, giving stimulus or impetus. So in this kind of definition, when we say leadership by inspiration, it is the capacity of the leader to motivate, encourage, or give stimulus to his /her members.

The Christian Perspective

The Christian perspective though digs deeper than the dictionary definition of the word inspiration. It is of the spirit, of the soul, an inspiration from the example of Christ.

Inspiration Drives Passion

Passion had been defined as intense emotion compelling actions. But before a person becomes passionate about things or person or goals or vision, he/she has to be inspired.

In the community, we must be able to inspire in order to lead. We cannot lead by just obedience, because obedience alone cannot ignite a fire. They will end up following you for the sake of obedience, but no passion at all.

Inspiration ignites a fire. It drives you and others to action.

We inspire through:

1.    Words – The way we speak and deliver our talks or sharing. We must always be prepared. How the audience or participants can relate with you will help a lot.
2.    Actions – We always say, action speaks louder than words. People are inspired by the way we live our life. There should be no dichotomy between what you say and what you do.
3.    Looks – Our posture, the way we carry ourselves can also inspire others.

Inspiring Leader:

1.    Command respect
2.    Can excite
3.    Contagious

Be Inspired As Well

We always say that we cannot give something that we don’t have. So in order to be inspiring, we must also allow ourselves to be inspired by others. So we are to:

1.    Listen more
2.    Love more
3.    Learn more

This is our call and challenge, to be inspiring leaders’ not just leaders that are obeyed. 


by aats

Friday, September 28, 2012

A Thousand Lives



Today the Catholic Church celebrates the martyrdom of the first Filipino Saint and Martyr, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz. (ca. 1600 – 29 September 1637). Quoting from Wikipedia, “He was killed for refusing to leave Japan and renounce his Roman Catholic beliefs during the persecution of Japanese Christians under the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 17th century.

The Tokugawa shogunate was persecuting Christians by the time Ruiz had arrived in Japan. The missionaries were arrested and thrown into prison, and after two years, they were transferred to Nagasaki to face trial by torture. He and his companions faced different types of torture. One of these was the insertion of needles inside their fingernails.

On 27 September 1637, Ruiz and his companions were taken to the Nishizaka Hill, where they were tortured by being hung upside down a pit. This form of torture was known as tsurushi in Japanese or horca y hoya in Spanish. The method was supposed to be extremely painful: though the victim was bound, one hand is always left free so that victims may be able to signal that they recanted, and they would be freed. Ruiz refused to renounce Christianity and died from blood loss and suffocation. His body was cremated and his ashes thrown into the sea.” Wikipedia

He declared upon his death saying, “I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for the Lord; If I had a thousand lives, all these I shall offer to Him.”

With all the pain and suffering caused by torture he did not renounce his faith, instead it emboldened him to die for it. To rephrase his final words, even if he will be given a thousand lives, he will give it back to Him a thousand times as well.

This kind of courage under persecution accompanied by deep faith in God will not go without fruits, for the seed planted in the soil of sweat and blood will grow, bloom and bear fruit that will remain.

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions help us to muster enough courage to proclaim our faith in a sea of faithlessness. Amen.

by aats

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Tended Love



Love untended is like a neglected garden, instead of flowers growing, weeds grow in its place instead. Tend it well and you will reap the fruits of goodwill and inspiration. Don’t tend it and you will harvest weeds of resentment and despair. 

by aats 

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Profiteering


There are so many pharmaceutical companies right now that are actually selling their products at a hefty price, medicines that can mean death and life to some are beyond there reach because of unreasonable high price. Profiteering out of the illnesses of others is not at all good. How can someone enjoy his profits at the expense of those who are suffering?

Other companies deliberately produce medicines with low quality in order to save costs and gain more profits. This leads to ineffective drugs and most of the times contribute instead to the worsening of the health of the patient. How can one stand seeing his products contribute to the deterioration of someone’s health?

Greed only leads to self-destruction. May we contribute to a more compassionate society.


by aats

Sunday, September 23, 2012

The Unknown



I stumbled upon a prayer written by Thomas Merton, a Trappist Monk. I find it very real and beautiful, so let me share this with you and together let us find ourselves in the secure embrace of our God.

“MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

Let me add, my personal prayer: Thank you Lord for the blessing of today, yesterday is in your mercy and tomorrow is in your grace. Amen.

by aats

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Life’s Enablers


I just had a doctor’s appointment yesterday and today had a lab tests. I do have a phobia on doctors, hospitals, needles and anything to do about it, maybe because of my surgical operation before. I think it comes with maturity that you come to look at these things in a different light and have courage enough to face it squarely. I said to myself, I will try to be healthy as I can because God is so merciful that He gave me this opportunity to have some thorough check up. So why not have it? I take this as an enabler, given by God for my prayer to be healthy.

God is merciful. Despite of what we have done to ourselves and how wayward we become, He still forgives and provides. We can just look around us and be sensitive at the enablers He has given us. All we need is just to tap and use it because it is meant for our good and the good of others. Using these enablers recognizes the Merciful Giver and it makes us grateful receiver of gifts. Life’s enablers are like gifts given that can only fulfill its purpose if opened. By using life’s enablers, we are maximizing our capacity as sons and daughters of God.

Our God is merciful, He loves to lavish us with gifts but how can we enjoy it if in the first place we don’t open it?

Grant us O Lord eyes that can see the gifts and hands that can open it. Amen. 


by aats

Monday, September 17, 2012

Follow Me


Can you say with conviction to your members, follow me? Is your life worth following? Is it worth emulating? These questions are good gauge of leadership. Saint Paul can say with conviction in 1 Corinthians 11:1,  Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ,“ because he tried his very best to live out Christ in his own life. He was not just convicted to proclaim Christ to others he was in fact passionate about living out Christ in his life for others. He was not without weaknesses of course, but he goes beyond his weaknesses and shared his life anyway. By his life others saw hope. Saint Paul became a good example to others. In a world full of sufferings, we need good living examples too right now.

Grant us the grace O Lord, to be a good example to others. Amen.

by aats 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Courage to Answer


Everyday we are confronted with decisions big or small. Some are small but compounded with all other small decisions can in fact can define a future, others are big, life changing that can alter life at an instant. Either way, it requires an action because inaction may prove to be more disastrous than actually acting on it. When we are called to something, the challenge is not just the ability to hear the call but the courage to answer the call. Decide.

by aats

Thursday, September 13, 2012

My Life Is In Your Hands

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Days ago, I was blessed to be invited in an acceptance ceremony of a sister entering a religious life. The ceremony was actually joyful replete with songs in between prayers. One song caught my attention for the reason that I was actually looking for it for years. I first heard this song back when I was still in university. Sung by Kathy Troccoli, this song somehow lifts up my spirit at the time when I was down. Now that I finally got reunited with this song, let me share this with you and let the lyrics speaks to your soul.

My Life Is In Your Hands

Life can be so good
Life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day
Will bring to where you are
Sometimes I forget
And sometimes I can't see
That whatever comes my way
You'll be with me

My life is in your hands
My heart is in your keeping
I'm never without hope
Not when my future is with you

My life is in your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
Cause your love does amazing things
Lord, I know, my life is in your hands

Nothing is for sure
Nothing is for keeps
All I know is that your love
Will live eternally
So I will find my way, yes
And I will find my peace
Knowing that you'll meet my every need

My life is in your hands
My heart is in your keeping
I'm never without hope
Not when my future is with you

My life is in your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
Cause your love does amazing things
Lord, I know, my life is in your hands

When I'm at my weakest love
You carry me
Then I become my strongest love
In your hands

My life is in your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
Cause your love does amazing things
Lord, I know, my life is in your hands
I trust you Lord
My life is in your hands

May we find peace in the thought that our God knows better than us. Lord our life is in Your hands and our hearts are in Your keeping. We trust You. Amen.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

No Amount


No amount of oratory, philosophy or science can deviate the truth about God. If there are, it can only affirm the truth about Him. It is with this truth as well, that we share Christ not relying even to our own knowledge but by the power of His Spirit.

Saint Paul articulated this in his letter to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, “When I came to you, brothers, it was not with any show of oratory or philosophy, but simply to tell you what God had guaranteed. During my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my own, I came among you in great ‘fear and trembling’ and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.”

We have experienced this many times when we share in our community, we felt at times incapable and not knowledgeable enough of Jesus. Then when the moment comes, we utter words that at hindsight we wouldn’t believe we could even thought of. Our faith and the sharing of it depend not on any human oratory, philosophy or science but by the power of God.

Only Jesus and the truth who is Himself.  

by aats

Monday, September 10, 2012

Pastilan Pagka Reklamador!

 
Ginoo: Pastilan, unsa kahay maayo, magpalansang ko ug balik sa krus?

Pastilan. Obserbasyon lamang no. Kahilig jud nato ug reklamo.

1. Reklamo sa gobyerno kay kurakot, pero inig eleksyon magpapalit pud sa boto. Wala kunoy mapili. Pangutana, ngano man? Kay ang mga buutan, di man managan, kay di man pud botohan sa mga tawo kay way kwarta. Unya kaning ubang tawo nga nawong ug kwarta, maoy una moreklamo! Asa man bawi-on aning mga politiko ang ila nagasto, abir? Ayaw na papalit, para kaning mga politiko, dili na kinahanglan mamawi sa nagasto. Ayaw reklamo, kay gi-ani ra nimo ang imo gitanom! Ang-ang mu-ani ka ug mangga kung nagtanom kay ug bayabas!

2. Reklamo mahal pamaliton pero bisan pagtanom na lamang ug kamatis sa masatira dili makahimo. Sus pastilan, bisan ba tanglad paliton pa sa merkado?

3. Reklamo baha. Aw na-a may natural nga baha, pero naa poy binuhatan nato mismo. Sige man pataka panglabog basura ug pamutol ug kahoy! Di man kinahanglan naay muhakot ug basura ba, isegregate na, irecycle....mokita paka sa bildo, sa papel, sa plastic. Sus, sauna nga panahon, wala may tighakot, nganong limpyo man? Na hala padayun sa gibuhat kung gusto mulangoy sa baha.

4. Reklamo walay trabaho. Aw naa man jud pagkuwang ang gobyerno, pero daghan man jud matrabaho ba kung gustuhon. Saon man mas gusto man tulog tulog na lamang, internet internet na lamang, inom inom na lamang. Sus, samot gasto, hinu-on nga makatabang. Pananum, bisan sa masatira na lamang, di ba, di naka kinahanglan mogasto pa ug palit sa uban lamas sa merkado. Dako ang kala-inan sa kugihan sa tapulan!

5. Reklamo mahal kuryente. Na ang uban ana wa natay mahimo, pero sa kaugalingon naa. Ayaw na usik usik ug kuryente. Na hinuon sige usik usik ug kuryente, sige way undang tv tanaw telenovela, way undang kuryente sige duwa sa computer... na hala, ayaw na undangi di ba taas ug samot imo kunsumo.

6. Reklamo walay kuarta. Wa kunoy pang palit bugas kay mahal na, pero naa ikapalit cellphone ug naay ikapangload pirme sa cellphone. Imbes mangitag panginabuhian, sige man nuon marites sa facebook, tiktok ug youtube. Samot mawad-an kuarta, imbes matigom aw gipalit pirme ug load, unya hasta kuryente taas kay siyempre imo manang i-charge ang cellphone. 

7. Reklamo sa programa sa Gobyerno. Wala na lamang gyuy makitang maayo. Pastilan, naa gani bag-o nga programa, hala da-uton dayun, di na lamang jud makasuporta, wala pa gani makasabot sa tibuok ekplanasyon.

8. Reklamo sa igsoon, sa iyaan, sa inahan, sa amahan, kay hakog kuno. Sus Pastilan! Maghulat ra diay ug allowance? Unya libakon pa! Kahayahay ba sa kinabuhi. Ang iyaan, inahan, amahan perte nang kayod sa gawas sa nasud, unya ang mga anak, pag umangkon ug kaparyentehan sige inom inom sa gipadala. Di man tanan no, pero kasagaran mao jud ni ang nahitabo. Na hala, magpadayun ta sa makalilimos nga mentalidad, wala jud tay kaugmaon.

Mao ni, reklamo sa tanan, pero sa kaugalingon walay gihimo! Na hala, kitay mag igo, magpadayun ta ani nga pamatasan, ambot kung asa ta ani puniton.

PS: Naay valid nga reklamo la-in kini sa puro ra reklamo.

Read in Tagalog: Hay Nako Napakareklamador!

Read in Cabalianon:  Pastilan Pagkareklamador!

by aats

Everyday


Everyday is bringing us closer to our end. How can we miss this truth? While we are here, we must do our best, doing everything as if it is our last, so when our time comes there will be no regrets but we will finish strong. 

Everyday, have a conscious effort of making a difference by making Christ known in words and deeds. However we may end, whatever the circumstances, we offer ourselves to the throne of grace knowing we strive to live out Christ.

by aats

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Effective Transmittal of the Message

Luke 5:33-39

The Pharisees and Scribes were asking why the disciples of John are fasting and praying the same as what they do, while Jesus disciples go on eating and drinking. Most of the time probably that they saw Jesus with His disciples, they saw them talking with other people while eating and drinking. They judge Him and his disciples as not following traditions. Well, Jesus was not at all disobedient to the law, He was in fact looking for ways were the message of God can be heard and understood in the ordinary experience of people. Jesus is well ahead of His time, because there is no better way for His message to be heard better than for it to be shared in an informal way in between eating and drinking.

Even now, there is no better way to share something than to have it shared while you eat or drink. It makes the atmosphere lighter and allows the message to be taken positively or at very least be given a chance to be heard.

There are so many ways of passing on the message of God. We have to be sensitive to the Spirit and the signs of the times, so we can share Gods love in way that is understandable or relatable to our audience. When they can understand and relate it in there ordinary lives then the message becomes effective.

*Not drinking liquors or any form of drunkenness but in the context of sharing in the meal, as in community terminology “one solid, one liquid”.


by aats

Friday, September 7, 2012

I Beg To Fall In Love With Thee, My Lord


This month is another milestone for me as I celebrate Gods goodness for 8 fruitful years of mission as Fulltime Pastoral Worker of CFC Youth For Christ. I cannot simply put into words this awesome feeling. I came across this song composed by Arnel DC Aquino, SJ, and it put into words somehow my journey for the last years. To sum it up, “…even if my heart falls short of loving you and even if my spirit hides away, Your love for me surpasses all my fear. All I do, all I am, all that I can ever be.” Thank you Lord for the gift of mission and the privilege of being love by You. Let this be my prayer of thanksgiving to You.




I beg to fall in love with thee, my Lord
With every breath of life I take
I beg to fall in love with thee, my Lord
Its every beat, I to thee forsake

For even if my thoughts fall short of knowing you
And even if my will runs terrified
Your passion thins the darkness of my soul
Sheds it light, breathes it life, stills the murmur of the night

For even if my heart falls short of loving you
And even if my spirit hides away
Your love for me surpasses all my fear
All I do, all I am, all that I can ever be

Thank you Jesus. I offer to you the years to come with all the Saints, my advocates, protectors and helpers. Amen.

Señor Sto. Niño, have mercy on us
Saint John the Baptist, pray for us
Saint Joseph, pray for us
Our Lady of Good Health, pray for us
Our Lady of the Most Miraculous Medal, pray for us
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us
Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us
Saint Michael the Archangel, pray, defend and protect us
Saint Raphael the Archangel, pray and guide us
Saint Pedro Calungsod, pray and bless our mission 
Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, pray and keep us healthy

by aats