Kapatiran at sinodo sa lipatan

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-29 ng Mayo 2025

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, St. Scholantica Retreat House, Tagaytay City, Agosto 2024.*

Ito ay pagsang-ayon sa ginawang pagninilay kamakalawa ni P. Ritz Darwin Resuello ukol sa nalalapit naming lipatan ng mga pari. Malaman ang kanyang mga sinulat. At nakatutuwa ang kanyang pamagat na mayroong halong salya at padyak: GUMUGULONG LANG BA ANG ROLETA? ISANG PAGNINILAY SA NALALAPIT NA LIPATAN.

At iyon nga ang punto de vista nitong ating pagninilay din: gumugulong lang ba ang roleta sa lipatan ng mga pari?

Nakakatawa. Kasi totoo lalo nitong mga lumipas na panahon. Kung minsan nga parang hindi lang roleta kungdi tila bolang kristal na rin ang ginagamit sa lipatan.

*Larawan kuha ng may akda noong Misa ng Krisma, 2025.*

Hindi natin kinukuwestiyon ang pagpapasiya ng Obispo na siyang may final say ngunit gaya ng nilahad ni P. Ritz, napakinggan ba ng “may pag-galang at pag-unawa ang tunay na pangangailangang pastoral” ng parokya?

a. Pakikinig nang may paggalang at pag-unawa sa tunay na pangangailangang pastoral ng parokya: Mahalaga pong lumikha ng malugod na kapaligiran para sa lahat ng boses, lalo na sa mga direktang naapektuhan ng lipatan na ito – ang mga pari, at higit sa lahat, ang mga parokyano. Ang mga hinaing, ang mga natatanging katangian ng isang komunidad, at ang kanilang kasalukuyang pastoral na sitwasyon ay lubhang mahalaga. Ang espirituwal na kapakanan ay manatili nawang pangunahing priyoridad. Gaya ng idiniin ni Papa Francisco, ang diyalogong ito ay hindi lamang tungkol sa pagdinig kundi tungkol sa pagpapatibay ng isang tunay na pagpapalitan ng mga ideya kung saan tayo ay natututo nang sama-sama at kung saan ang bawat atas ay malinaw na tumutugon sa kung ano ang tunay na kinakailangan sa parokya (P. Ritz, aka Heinrich Atmung sa FB post, 27 mayo 2025, 8:30 ng umaga).

Noong ako ay nasa ICSB Malolos, dumating ang ilang panauhin namin na mga lingkod layko ng parokya sa UP-Diliman na pawang mga propesor sa naturang pamantasan.

Hindi tungkol sa agham at edukasyon aming naging paksa sa hapunan kungdi ang kanilang tanong: paano ba kami tinuturing at tinitingnan ng mga pari sa pagbibigay ng aming mga pastol?

Pakiramdam nila kasi na tila hindi tiningnang mabuti kanilang katayuan sa buhay bilang mananampalataya nang bigyan ng pastol na palaging naroon sa mga rally kesa nasa parokya. Bagama’t anila maraming nagrarally sa UP, hindi nila kailangan ng isa pang ralliyistang pari kungdi isang nananatili doon upang kanilang masangguni sa maraming bagay sa buhay nila ng pagtuturo at pakikisalamuha sa mga mag-aaral na mayroong natatanging pangangailangang espiritwal.

Nadarama nga ba naming mga pari ang pintig ng mga tao sa parokya? Hindi tuloy nila maiwasang magtanong bakit tila sila ginagawang “tapunan” sila ng mga paring may problema.

Iba na ang mga tao ngayon. Mulat at handang makipag-usap at suriin hindi lang mga homilya kungdi mga desisyon ng kanilang pari. They deserve nothing less, ika nga dahil nga naman sa tagal ng pag-aaral at paghubog ng mga pari bago maordenahan, pagkatapos ay puro pagpalakpak at telenovela lang kuwento sa Misa? Hinubog ang mga pari upang maging mahuhusay at masisipag sa paglilingkod kaya kawalan ng katarungan na ipapasan sa mga tao lalo na kung ituring silang maliit na parokya na puwede nang pagtiyagaan mga pari na may problema sa iba’t-ibang aspekto tulad ng pananalapi, pag-uugali, at seksuwalidad.

*Kuha ng may-akda, Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, QC, 20 Marso 2025.*

Nasaan ang diwa ng sinodo o sama-samang paglalakbay kung saan ay nakikinig ang lahat ng panig lalo’t higit ang mga nag-aasign ng pari? Maraming parokya nasisira dahil hindi isinaalang-alang kapakanan ng mga mananampalataya kasi nga naman yung mahusay nilang kura pinalitan ng tamad at walang pakialam o makasarili. Lahat ng pagsisikap ng naunang pari ay pilit binubura at winawasak ng sumunod na kapalit dahil sarili ang inuuna at hindi ang mga kawan. At mayroong pari na hindi maka-move on, hindi maiwanan dating parokya dahil pakiwari sa sarili ay Mesiyas!

Problema ito sa buong Simbahan maski sa ibang bansa dahil marahil sa isang pinag-uugatan: ang pagturing sa mga parokya bilang maliit o malaki, mayaman o mahirap. Hindi totoong may pangit na parokya; nasa uri ng pari iyon. Mayroong mga munting pamayanan na napapayabong ng ibang pari na tingin ng iba ay imposible.

Panahon na upang alisin sa talasalitaan ng mga pari ang label na maliit at malaki o mahirap at mayamang parokya dahil bawat pamayanan ay katipunan ng mga alagad ni Kristo. Higit sa lahat, bawat parokya ay pinanahanan ng Espiritu Santo bilang Katawan ni Kristo na dapat palaging pahalagahan ano man ang katayuan. Kung tutuusin batay sa turo ng Panginoong Jesus, iyon ngang hirap na parokya at tila pinagtampuhan ng panahon ang dapat bigyang halaga ng mga pari gaya ng mga nasa kabundukan at liblib na pook. Hindi ko malilimutan ang salita noon sa amin sa seminaryo ng dating naming Obispo na Arsobispo Emerito ng Naga, ang Lubhang kagalang-galang Rolando Tria-Tirona, “those who have less in life should have more of God.”

Ito ang sinasaad ng katagang sinodo, ang katagang palasak na ngayon ngunit hindi pa rin maramdaman dahil wala namang nakikinig at nagbibigay halaga sa bawat isa.

Usiginga… kailan nanaig kalooban ng mga kawan kesa sa kura? O ng karamihan ng mga pari kesa sa Obispo at iilan niyang upisyal?

Totoong walang demokrasya sa Simbahan sa larangan ng chain of command dahil ito ay isang hierarchy, na mayroong hanay ng mga upisyal sa pamumuno ng Santo Papa katuwang mga Obispo na kinakatawan ng mga Kura sa bawat Parokya.

Subalit, hindi ito nangangahulugang diktadura ang Simbahan. Kung tutuusin nga ay sa Simbahan dapat matagpuan ang tunay na diwa ng kalayaan na kung saan ay masinsinang tinatalakay ng lahat ang higit na makabubuti sa karamihan batay sa kalooban ng Diyos. Ito ang dahilan kaya nagpatawag ng sinodo ang yumaong Santo Papa Francisco.

Dito makikita din natin ang isang malinaw na problema ng Simbahan na hindi namin matanggap – na kaming mga pari mismo ang problema ng Simbahan. At sa Simbahan. Ngunit saka na natin iyan pag-usapan at balikan ang pagninilay ni P. Ritz na ating pinagtitibay. Wika niya muli sa kanyang FB post noong Mayo 27:

b. Pagyakap sa maagap na pastoral na karunungan: Mahalaga pong isaalang-alang kung paano nakatutulong ang bawat “assignment” sa paglago ng isang pari sa ministeryo at nagpapayaman ng kaniyang mga karanasan, laging naghahanap ng balanse sa pagitan ng mga pangangailangan ng mga parokya at ng paglago ng indibidwal na mga pari.

Matalik na kalakip ng diwa ng sinodo ang kapatiran ng mga pari. Ngunit kapansin-pansin tuwing lipatan ang problema ng aming mga tampuhan at mga reklamo sa assignment. Totoo namang mayroong mga pari na namimili at mareklamo sa assignment ngunit hindi sila ang problema sa lahat ng pagkakataon tuwing may lipatan.

Ang problema ay ang sistema at patakaran – o kawalan ng mga ito.

Masakit sabihin ngunit aking pangangahasan sa pagkakataong ito na sa dalawamput-pitong taon ko sa pagiging pari, mas maayos ang lipatan at mga assignment noon kesa ngayon. Problema na rin naman noon din ngunit mas malala ngayon ang pananaw ng hindi pagiging patas o unfair sa pagpili ng mga assignment.

Hindi matatapos ang mga reklamo at hinaing sa bawat lipatan hanggat hindi naiibsan ang pananaw na ito. Hindi po salapi ang problema ng mga pari. Hindi rin naman babae o mga pogi. Ito palagi ang problema at daing natin – ang hindi patas sa maraming aspekto at pagkakataon.

Dito pumapasok ang maruming kahulugan ng “politika” sa Simbahan tulad ng barkadahan at favoritism. Mayroong napaparusahan, mayroong pinalalampas. Mayroong pinag-iinitan at mayroong kinukunsinti. Ang malungkot, mayroong mga pinangingilagan kaya pinagbibigyan lahat ng kagustuhan. Bato-bato sa langit, tamaan sapul!

Gayon pa man, on a positive note, dito makikita ang mabuti at malalim na kapatiran ng mga pari kung saan mayroong ilang maninindigan upang kausapin ang lahat kung kinakailangan alang-alang sa ilang bagay na nakakaligtaan o ayaw tingnan ng ilan sa mga kapatid naming naka-kahon na hindi makaahon sa kabila ng kanilang pag-amin at pag-ako ng kanilang pagkakasala at pagkakamali. Problema ng stigma.

Tanging hiling lang naman ng mga pari ay kausapin sila upang mapakinggan kanilang kalagayan at kalooban sa pagbibigay ng assignment. Ito yung pinupunto ni P. Ritz sa kanyang pitak. Sadya bang nasuring mabuti ang lahat ng paraan upang mapalago ang sino mang pari sa kanyang destino? Wala namang pari na likas na masuwayin kungdi ang ibig rin ay sariling ikapapanuto. Sa kabutihang-palad, mas marami pa rin ang mga paring masunurin at nagpapahalaga ng pangako ng obedience kaya sana ay naroon palagi ang fairness.

Hindi mawawala mga inggitan at siraan sa lipatan ngunit huwag mawawala ang “sense of fairness” dahil dito nakasalalay mabuting samahan at ugnayan. Susunod at susunod pa rin mga pari sa lipatan alang-alang sa obedience at faith in God ngunit palaging uusok ang isyu ng lipatan parang isang takore ng kumukulong tubig. Pakinggan natin ang sipol ng kumukulong tubig sa takore, yung tinatawag sa Inggles na tempest in teapot. Diyan pumapasok ang ikatlong punto ni P. Ritz:

c. Pagpapatibay ng malinaw at mapagmalasakit na komunikasyon: Kung posible po, ang pagbibigay ng napapanahon at “transparent” na impormasyon tungkol sa lipatan ay maaaring makapagpapagaan ng mga alalahanin at makapagpadali ng mas maayos na pagsasaayos para sa lahat – ang mga pari, kawani ng parokya, at ang mga mananampalataya. Ang isang maikli ngunit napag-isipang paliwanag ay maaaring lubos na makapagpatibay ng tiwala sa loob ng ating pamilya sa diyosesis.

Ang Simbahan ay komunikasyon. Kaya naman sa mga dokumento nito lalo mula nang Vatican II, sinasaad na sa Simbahan dapat masaksihan ang pinakamainam at pinakamataas na antas ng pagtatalastasan.

Ngunit taliwas palagi. Maraming pagkakataon sa mga pari kulang ang komunikasyon. Ni walang formal communication sa mga lipatan. Mayroong mga pari na atat nang lumipat na akala mo ay makikipagpalit lang ng tsinelas! Juice colored…! Kaluluwa ang pinag-uusapan habang ang antas ng aming usapan ay parang paglipat lang ng bahay kung saan ang pananaw ng ilan ay mag-impake lang ng mga gamit at damit. Kapirasong text o sulat hindi pa magawa kung hindi kayang tawagan o personal na kausapin sa mga balakin.

Kaya nga babalik tayo sa tanong ng mga tao: ano nga ba turing natin sa kanila tuwing maglilipatan kasi ang sagot dito ay siyang sagot sa tanong ano nga ba turingan naming mga pari sa isa’t isa? Hangga’t walang maayos na sagot sa mga katanungang ito, mananatili ang pananaw at paghahalintulad sa roleta na gamit sa perya ang lipatan. O bolang kristal ng mga manghuhula.

Sa diwa ng sinodo at kapatiran bilang sama-samang naglalakabay na Simbahan, patuloy tayong manalangin para sa mga pastol at kawan. At huwag din mag atubiling makilahok sa mga talakayan at usapan na ang tanging mithiin ay hanapin at sundin ang kalooban ng Diyos upang higit Siyang mapaglingkuran at masalamin dito sa lupang ibabaw. Salamuch po.

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Chapel of the Angel of Peace, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, Marso 2025.*

On being good as a Catholic

Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 26 January 2025

The Vatican recently invited several journalists from all over the world last January 24, 2025 to celebrate the Jubilee of Communicators in Rome.

Traditionally, the Pope issues on that date which is the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, the Patron of Catholic journalists and writers, his message for the coming World Communication Sunday celebrated every Ascension or Pentecost Sunday. As far as I can remember, that tradition has been broken perhaps twice when Pope Francis was delayed in releasing on that date his messages for the World Communication Sunday.

But, that is another story… we write this in reaction to a very disturbing message of Rappler’s Ms. Maria Ressa in her interview after her speech at the Vatican gathering last Thursday (correction: this interview happened before her speech).

We do not question Ms. Ressa’s credentials as a journalist for 39 years, having worked with the CNN and before establishing Rappler, was for a long time the head of ABS-CBN News.

We wonder why of all Filipino journalists she was the one chosen by the Vatican is something only the Archangel Gabriel could explain. There are so many other competent Filipino journalists and writers who are good, practicing Catholics who could have shed more light in the celebration of the jubilee of communicators. We name some of whom we personally know like former Inquirer editor Lito Zulueta, Facts First host and Inquirer-ABS-CBN veteran Christian Esguerra, and Prof. Felipe Salvosa II who stood against his bosses at the Manila Times and resigned for the sake of truth and decency when he disagreed in the publication of photos of Sen. De Lima’s affair with her former driver. Two other strongly-grounded Catholics in the field of communications we wished were invited to the Vatican are EWTN’s head in the Asia-Pacific Edwin Lopez and Cambridge-trained lawyer and Business World columnist Atty. Jemy Gatdula who defends our Church stand against divorce in Congress and other halls of discussions.

Due to our aforementioned reasons, I never bothered to read nor listen to Ms. Ressa’s speech at the Vatican gathering; however, my conscience was bothered, even revolted after listening to Ms. Ressa’s interview by her Rappler reporter Peterno Esmaquel II before her speech at the Vatican. Click this link and wait for her final statement.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Qmkpk2uqw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

*Photo by author, Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Dumaguete City, November 2024.*

When asked for any message for Filipino Catholics, Ms. Ressa minced no words that betrayed her unCatholic stance: “Stay away from dogmas and be good.”

We understand how most journalists are “positively ignorant” about the Catholic faith and her teachings. They do not even know what is the Holy Mass or what is a parish or the distinctions of basilica, cathedral and church.

Most likely, Ms. Ressa along with most journalists take dogmas as teachings of the Church like the ones in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as well as the various writings of the Holy Fathers we also refer to as doctrines.

All dogmas are doctrines but not all doctrines are dogmas. Dogmas are solemnly defined doctrines we have to believe in. There are only two solemnly defined doctrines as dogmas, the Immaculate Conception issued by Pope Pius IX in 1854 through Ineffabilis Deus, and the Bodily Assumption of Mary defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950 through Munificentissimus Deus. Related to these, there are four Marian dogmas we believe: the Motherhood of God (theotokos), her Immaculate Conception, her perpetual virginity and her bodily assumption.

Going back to Ms. Ressa’s message to Filipino Catholics last week from the Vatican that we “stay away from dogmas and be good” is very wrong no matter how you look at it in whatever angles.

*Photo by author, Nuestra De Guia Church, Manila, November 2024.*

One cannot be good without obeying the teachings of the Church that are based on Jesus Christ’s teachings and the Sacred Scriptures.

One cannot be a good Catholic and yet believe and practice divorce and same sex marriage or premarital sex. We are not judging anyone here. Only God will judge us but we are morally bound to reiterate these teachings that came from the Lord Himself, including the fact that there are only two genders, “male and female, he created them” (Gen.1:27).

In my 26 years as a priest, I have witnessed so many Catholics especially those approaching death so bothered in their conscience for so long a time as they disregarded our many Church teachings like those against contraceptives and abortion. As a hospital chaplain, one of the greatest worries of many family and relatives with their patients is about euthanasia, making sure they do not commit it in dealing with their terminally ill patients.

Jesus Himself clearly said that we have to obey the commandments, the teachings found in the scriptures:

“Do not think that I have come to abish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill… Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17, 19).

Recall how on the issues about divorce and even the paying of taxes, Jesus would always direct us to the Sacred Scriptures, the very word of God to find His Divine Will. That is why, despite the many changes in the world, the Church has remained standing by its teachings because they are God’s teachings, not ours. Priests did not invent them and we are duty bound to stand by them no matter what – though there are some among us who have joined the modern trend in the world in the name of inclusivity and other woke thoughts which is sad. And shameful.

*Photo by author, Atok, Benguet, December 2024.*

One last note for this piece from that video clip of Ms. Ressa’s interview: she never spoke the word GOD (even in her speech at the Vatican, she just mentioned God once, not even directly as a point reference).

We talk about good because of God; excluding Him from the discussion is totally a fake, a budol. Any good is not good without God.

What are your thoughts with Ms. Ressa’s message to us Filipino Catholics to “stay away from dogmas” and simply be good?

Exaggerating truth, exaggerating self

Homily, Baccalaureate Mass, Senior High School
Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, 05 July 2024

*Photo by olia danilevich on Pexels.com*

Congratulations, our dear graduates this academic year 2023-2024! As you mark the completion of your studies, may I ask you again why did you go to school? Why study at all?

As usual, we get those varied answers of going to school like to have a bright future by securing a better paying job or, as others would readily admit it, in order to get rich and a host of other reasons that are far from the truth because one does not need to earn a diploma to get a job or even get rich. Look around you.

Remember, my dear graduates, we go to school in order to become a better person, a better man, a better woman. That is what we mean with that slogan “Rise to the top!” here at Our Lady of Fatima University; that we may become “man as man”, truly human guided by our mottos, Veritas et Misericordia.

Problem in this age of too much social media is how people have become more lost than ever in themselves. So many have become so alienated with their true selves as they get confused with reality and with virtual reality. Puro tayo palabas, wala nang paloob as everything has become a show including our lives.

Look inside your hearts and find Jesus Christ for only in Him can we find fulfillment in life like Matthew in our gospel today:

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him (Matthew 9:9).

After this Mass, check Google. Search Caravaggio’s painting, the call of St. Matthew. Caravaggio was the same artist who painted “The Incredulity of Thomas” when the Apostle met the Risen Lord Jesus Christ eight days after Easter.

One thing you will notice in Caravaggio’s paintings are the interplay of light and darkness that seem to converse with the onlookers. In the call of St. Matthew, Caravaggio painted the scene so typical of his own time with Matthew and other men inside his office wearing clothes of the Middle Ages while Jesus passing by at the other end of the painting dressed in exactly the way during His time. Jesus was portrayed in a side view, calling Matthew who was seated and surprised, asking Jesus if he was the one being called. You could read the face of Matthew asking Jesus, “who, me?” while Jesus was gently looking at him with firmness, saying, “yes, you Matthew. Follow me”.

First thing we learn from this painting is how Jesus continues to come to our own time and situation, right where we are seated like with Matthew. As Jesus pointed His finger to Matthew while calling him, Matthew pointed too his finger into his heart to ask Jesus if he was the one He was referring to. It is a lovely scene telling us how Jesus invites us daily to welcome Him in our hearts, telling us to take a look inside our heart to find Him. Tumingin tayo palagi paloob sa ating sarili, hindi palabas o sa labas gaya ng social media na dinaraan lahat sa likes at kung anu anong mga emoticons. Paramihan ng followers basta trending at viral maski pangit. Pagkatapos, wala na. Hungkag pa rin tayo. Walang laman. Empty.

Now, look at this photo uploaded last night by The Valenzuela Times after that flash flood yesterday afternoon in front of our medical center along McArthur Highway. You must have seen it too.

How did you react? Did you laugh at the man carrying on his back his girlfriend while crossing the flooded street?

How sad that many netizens laughed at it with many having pressed the LOL emoticons with some calling the “gurl” as OA, saying “naglakad na lang sana sila magka-holding hands, hindi pinahirapan yung guy”. At least, some were honest to admit their envy, saying, “sanaol”!

Why those negative reactions? Bakit pinagtawanan? (https://lordmychef.com/2024/07/03/crossings-the-cross/)

That is the sad reality in our time when people laugh at others doing something good like sacrificing or simply being honest. Have we forgotten all about God and others just like the message of the Prophet Amos 3000 year ago of how people turned into sin and evil, trampling on others especially the poor which continues to happen today?

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! “When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the containers for measuring, add to the weights, and fix our scales for cheating! We will buy the lowly man for silver, and the poor man for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!” (Amos 8:4-6).

*From cbcpnews.net, 13 May 2022, at the Parish of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City.*

My dear Fatimanians, as you get closer to achieving your dreams, as you move on to the next phase of your studies and formation here in our University, remember always the lessons and life of our Patroness, the Blessed Virgin Mary as well as the three children to whom she appeared in Fatima, Portugal more than 100 years ago.

Mary remained faithful to her Son Jesus Christ, accompanying Him up to the Cross. The three visionaries of Fatima did the same, praying and sacrificing a lot to get the Blessed Mother’s message of conversion across. In their young age, they did not mind what others said about them from May 13 to October 13, 1917, remaining faithful to Jesus with Mary by being good and obedient children.

It is always easy to look good and kind in social media. It is always so easy to speak of so many lofty plans and ideals, of how we want to change the world but we forget to look inside our hearts, into our true selves. Like the Pharisees in the gospel today, they saw themselves as the best and the holiest whom Jesus should keep company with, not the sinners like the tax collectors that included Matthew.

Many times in this age of so many platforms of communications, we tend to exaggerate the truths, of clamoring for so many things like inclusiveness everywhere when in the process, they have actually become so exclusive! Many times, people exaggerate the truth presenting themselves as disadvantaged and victimized when in fact it is far from reality. Many people are advancing so many things these days when in fact they are actually promoting themselves. Many are exaggerating the truths when they are actually exaggerating themselves.

Heed the words of Jesus to the Pharisees, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt. 9:13).

It is not enough to know and get what we want but what does God desire for me? You will never go wrong in life when you follow God than men or women who could just be exaggerating themselves. Handle your life with prayer, my dear Fatimanians. As I have told you since I came here in OLFU, always remember to “study hard, work harder, and pray hardest.” God bless you all!

God comes any where, any time

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Misa De Gallo V, Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Isaiah 7:10-14 <*((((>< + ><))))*> Luke 1:26-38

*Photo by author, flower garden outside the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel, May 2019.*

Experts tell us that much of human communications are non-verbal in nature. And most often, people rely more to our non-verbal than verbal communication because it is more truthful by nature as actions speak louder than words.

For our reflection this fifth day of our Christmas novena, let us examine the two kinds of non-verbal communications employed by St. Luke to portray God’s immense love for us as well as his sublime uniqueness as perfect communicator. These are proxemics or the communication of spaces, of how places are designed or designated to convey something special and profound. The second i which is the use of time in non-verbal communication like time perceptions of punctuality, willingness to wait, and, “timing”.

*Photo by author, Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel, May 2019.*

See how St. Luke extensively employed these modes of non-verbal communications in his infancy narrative to show us that God is everywhere, any time.

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
Luke 1:26-27

Right away St. Luke established here the direct correlation between John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, of how their respective mission are directly linked with each other that our Lord was conceived six months after his Precursor’s conception.

More than the time frame conveyed by the six month difference in their births, we find behind it a deeper meaning about their differences as well in stature and nature wherein John was completely human flowing with time while Jesus is both human and divine with God directly intervening in our time. John was born June 24, the summer solstice when days are longer and brightest while Jesus was born December 25 when nights are longest and darkest!

The chronemics and proxemics are undeniably hinting on something deep, of how our eternal God entered through our temporal time so that within we can have that cosmic experience of “the here and not yet” when time seems to stand still because we are being wrapped in God’s eternal embrace of love made possible by Christ’s birth, passion, death and resurrection. This we can see at the contrasting circumstances between the advent of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ where we find God most unique, immensely loving us.

*Photo by author of the site of the Annunciation at the basement of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Israel, May 2019.*

First, Zechariah was a priest while Mary was a commoner. It was natural for God to work through his ministers but in choosing Mary an ordinary woman was something else not because of any special quality she had but simply because God is good. The angel clearly told this to Mary, “you have found favor with God”. God does not call the qualified but he qualifies the call! Today, God is telling us Jesus is coming through us, no matter who we are or what we have gone through and did in life.

Second, God used the setting of the Temple of Jerusalem in yesterday’s account because that is where he is supposed to dwell but today, everything happened in a very simple house in Nazareth, the only place of significance and importance in the New Testament never mentioned in the Old Testament. It was a place looked down upon by many like St. Bartholomew asking Philip, “can anyone good come from Nazareth?”

The word “Nazoraios” or Nazarene mentioned by Matthew refers to the overall designation of Jesus by the prophets as the hope and fulfillment of God’s promise that there shall come forth a “shoot from the stump of Jesse” (Is. 11:1). Shoot in Hebrew is from the word nezer which is also the context used by Isaiah in chapters 7 and 9 found in Isaiah 11:1 cited by Matthew. Therefore, Jesus being called a Nazarene or Nazorean is more than a reference to his place of origin but most of all his very essence – a shoot from God, someone totally consecrated to God.

And that is also who we are! St. Paul’s letters teem with this beautiful theme of us being called and justified in Christ by God.

Today, God is telling us to never lose hope in life, to never give up because he will never give up on us because we are from him, we are his. For as long as we are alive, God will make a way to make a shoot or nezer bud forth from a stump to bring us back to life.

Yesterday, it was the imagery of barrenness of Elizabeth, of her being fruitless and therefore empty. Many times, that is just what God needs from us, an entry point, an opportunity when we are so weak so he can mightily work with his powers.

One of my hopes after Christmas is to celebrate Mass at the Quiapo Church, to cultivate a devotion to Jesus Nuestro Padre Nazareno. I just feel drawn to him as I have personally met so many people including non-Catholics with devotion to the Nazareno of Quiapo after granting them their almost impossible petitions and prayers.

*Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido, Quiapo Church, Misa de Gallo, 17 December 2023.*

Third, there was a major feast going on, the Yom Kippur, with a lot of people present when Zechariah was informed of the birth of John; Mary was alone in her house when the angel came to announce to her the birth of Jesus on the sixth month after going to Zechariah. Again, here we find both the place and time conveying something deeper than mere locations and settings. This is what the Church has always been insisting, most especially lately after the lockdown during pandemic when people got the wrong impression that online Masses are enough or can replace actual participation in our Eucharistic celebrations especially on Sundays.

Yes, God comes to us personally as individuals but with Jesus Christ, we have been more interconnected than ever as we have seen how his birth was linked with John’s birth too. Faith and worship, life itself can never be relegated to just a personal matter. There is always the communal aspect of our faith and of life itself because man is a social being, created by God to relate which is what communication is all about.

*Photo by author of a Filipino painting of the Annunciation scene on the facade of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Israel, May 2017.*

In the first reading we found Ahaz refusing to ask for a sign on the pretext he did not want to offend God but actually because he did not want to show his faith like some people these days who try to see everything on the practical side, on the material side and most of all, the personal side. This is the tragedy of our time even in our Church that has become secularized in certain aspects. See those different guidelines of every diocese and archdiocese about the Simbang Gabi, with others allowing anticipated Masses we have long tried educating people that it is an oxymoron. Many times, we in the Church have overextended or over-interpreted many of our rubrics and traditions just to accommodate others in the name of inclusiveness and other woke ideas.

On this fifth day of our Simbang Gabi, the Annunciation of the birth of Christ invites us to ask ourselves how do we show others that the Lord is with us like Mary? If God is every where, all the time, how come so many have lost him or could not find him? Maybe we no longer have him. Let’s ger him back again today! Amen. Have a blessed Wednesday!

Our hallowed hiddenness

Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 31 October 2023

Whether you choose to celebrate Halloween in its truest sense which is the Christian and sacred celebration of All Saints or, the popular and pagan manner that is scary or spooky, November first reminds us always of things that are hidden and not seen.

What is really scary whenever November first approaches is the insistence of so many benighted souls including many Christians who highlight the erroneous pagan practice of dressing evil when halloween literally means “hallowed eve” or “holy evening” before the day set aside for all “holy souls” already in heaven we call “saints”. Any soul who enters heaven is considered a “saint”, that is, holy even if not recognized or canonized by the Church.

Remember the old Our Father translation when we used to say “Hallowed be thy name”? That’s it! Hallowed is the old English for holy. Where people got that idea of halloween as evil is clearly from the devil! And part of that sinister ploy by the devil in making evil funny and acceptable – and visible – is happening in the social media where everything must be seen, shown and exposed. Notice the expression “as seen on TV” to sell and market products while Facebook users brag their rule of thumb “show pictures or it never happened”.

Not everything can be seen and must be seen and shown. Recall how Genesis portrayed Adam and Eve hiding in shame, covering themselves with leaves after eating the forbidden fruit but these days, which could be the second phase of the Fall, men and women are not ashamed at all of their sins and scandals that instead of hiding, they make known to everyone deeds better kept in private, saying words better kept unsaid. They have absolutized the truth, baring all in total disregard of persons’ dignity and unity of the community. We have lost decency because we have also lost our sense of hiddenness, of privacy through silence and stillness.

*Photo by author, sunrise at the Pacific from Katmon Nature Sanctuary & Beach Resort in Infanta, Quezon, 04 March 2023.*

Hiddenness is a sacred presence where each of us can be all by one’s self focused on God who is the root of our being and existence no matter how one may call Him. St. John Paul II said in one of his writings that God created man first to be alone with Him. And that is how it will be to each of us in the end: we die alone. With God.

We all have this gift of hiddenness within each one of us. This we experience in our desires to be still, to go to the mountains or anywhere for a retreat or introspection, for some “me” time to rediscover and find one’s self anew.

Hiddenness is the passageway to the great gifts of silence and stillness that everyone needs to maintain balance in this highly competitive world filled with so much noise where everybody is talking, including cars and elevators. Compounding the problem of noise within and outside us are the cameras everywhere that entertain us and safeguard our well-being. But, are we really safer these days with all the CCTV’s and Face ID’s we use?

Many times, we have actually stripped ourselves of the innate mystery of being human, of the beauty and gift of personhood that some have tried to reveal using the camera but failed because we are beyond seeing. We do not notice how the cameras actually rob us of respect when unconsciously we give ourselves away to the world with our photos and videos spreading far without our knowing. Worst, we have allowed the camera to invade our hiddenness without us realizing that its effects backfire to us as we rarely have the time to analyze the possible outcomes of our photos and videos that usually tend to show what is negative and bad than what is positive and good about us. Our fascination with cameras perfectly capture our Filipino term palabas that literally means “outward”, a mere show without substance inside (loob). As a result of these sounds and images saturating us daily, the more we have become confused and lost because we do not have our grounding or “bearing” found only in hiddenness.

“In our society we are inclined to avoid hiddenness. We want to be seen and acknowledged. We want to be useful to others and influence the course of events. But as we become visible and popular, we quickly grow dependent on people and their responses and easily lose touch with God, the true source of our being. Hiddenness is the place of purification. In hiddenness we find our true selves.”
Fr. Henri Nouwen

*Photo by author, Anvaya Cove in Morong, Bataan, July 2023.*

We need to regain our hallowed hiddenness if we wish to grow and mature truly as persons – emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. With the phone and TV always around us even in the church, everybody and everything has become so ordinary and cheap.

Regaining our hiddenness is learning to put our technology in its proper place to be grounded in God in silence, the one commodity that has become so scarce these days since the invention of the Sony Walkman more than 40 years ago that spawned all these gadgets all over us now.

Silence is the language of God which leads us to Him and to our true selves. Every communication by God is always preceded by silence, something we have refused to learn as the most basic requirement of every communication. No wonder, we quarrel a lot, ending up more confused than ever because we never listen to others in silence. We never dialogue but simply talk, talk, and talk.

Genesis tells us in the beginning when God created everything, there was silence before He said, “Let there be light” while the fourth gospel solemnly tells us, “In the beginning was the Word… And the Word became flesh” (Jn.1:1, 14). Both instances evoke the beauty and majesty of God in grand silence.

All books in the Old Testament especially those of Psalms and of Job teem with many instances of God in silence amid every sunrise and sunset, in the gentle breeze and vast skies and oceans. In the New Testament, all four evangelists reported nothing Jesus said and did in childhood until the age 30 except for his lost and finding in the temple when 12 years old; Jesus was totally silent all those “hidden years” of his life in preparation for his ministry that lasted only three years, accomplishing so much whereas we speak all our lives and still end up empty. Most of all, the evangelists tell us too how Jesus frequently invited his disciples to a deserted place to pray, be silent and rest to be in communion with God his Father.

Hiddenness is God’s mode of presence that cannot be captured nor described in human terms. That is why He is hidden. It is not that God is hiding from us but He is inviting us to be intimately close with Him to exclusively and personally experience Him, be filled with Him.

*Photo by Ms. Jo Villafuerte in Atok, Benguet, 01 September 2019.*

It was the same thing Jesus did on Easter, remaining hidden from the disciples. When he finally appeared to Mary Magdalene who tried to touch him, Jesus stopped her to signal to her and to us all of the new level of relating with the Risen Lord in hiddenness. In all Easter stories, we are told how the disciples fell silent whenever Jesus appeared to them. In Emmaus, after the breaking of bread, the two disciples finally recognized Jesus who immediately vanished too! Why? Because Jesus wanted his disciples including us today to follow him personally in his hiddenness to find him and ourselves too.

Appearances or images and noise in life are very fleeting. Very often, the most significant moments and insights we have in life are those that come from our long periods of silence, of prayers and soul-searching.

This November 1 and 2 as we remember all those who have left us in this world, let us keep its sacred origins: All Saints Day for those souls already in heaven and All Souls’ Day for those who have departed but still being purified in the purgatory. Both dates invite us to “hide” in prayers, in silent remembering to experience God and our departed loved ones in the most intimate and personal manner without the gadgets and things that numb us of their presence. Amen. Have a blessed All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days!

Sobra na, tama na!

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-26 ng Setyembre 2023

*Larawan mula sa redditt.com ng iskulturang pinamagatang “Love” ni Ukrainian artist Alexander Milov naglalarawan ng inner child sa bawat isa sa atin na ibig palaging makipag-ugnayan sa kapwa.*

Hindi po tungkol sa pulitika ang aking lathalain kungdi ukol sa tila lumalabis nang pagkahumaling ng mga tao sa computer at mga makabagong teknolohiya. Sa aking palagay ay sumusobra na pagsaklaw ng teknolihiya sa ating buhay at nawawala na ating pagkatao. Hindi ako magtataka na bukas makalawa, magkakatotoo na nga yata yung dating ipinangangamba na pananakop ng mga robot sa ating buhay o mismo sa ating mga tao!

Ang katotohanan po ay tumigil na akong kumain sa mga fastfood restaurant hindi dahil sa magastos at unhealthy nilang pagkain at inumin kungdi ang mga nakaka-inis na sisteng kailangang pa akong umorder nang nagpipindot sa mga screen nila ng kakanin gayong may mga crew naman sila.

Minsan pauwi ako mula sa pagmimisa sa lamay sa patay sa Bulacan. Hindi ako gaanong nakakain kaya dumaan ako sa McDonald’s sa Nlex Drive and Dine. Ayokong mag-drive thru para doon na rin makapagpahinga ng konti sabay pagpag na rin maski hindi ako naniniwala doon.

Sising-sisi ako at dumaan pa ako doon; sana nga pala ay nag-drive thru na lang ako kasi naman ay ganito po ang nangyari.

Pagpasok ko sa McDonald’s doon ay tumambad sa akin ang mga higanteng screen na doon daw oorder. Kasinglaki ni Ronald McDonald yung mga screen pero hindi sila friendly kasi natakot ako. Aminado akong tanga at walang alam sa mga iyon. Hindi po ako techie. Kahit naka-iPhone ako, inaamin kong hindi ko pa rin alam hanggang ngayon kung paano ito gamitin. Di ko naintidihan yang mga hacks na iyan.

Wala akong nagawa kungdi sumunod sa crew na naka-ngiti naman. Binasa ko instructions. Pindot dito, pindot doon. Ewan ko. Naghalo na rin siguro gutom at katangahan, pabalik-balik ako sa simula at hindi maka-order. Mayroon akong nakasabay na engot din at lumapit sa amin yung guwardiya upang tulungan kami. Nawalan na ako ng ganang kumain sa inis sa screen, sa sarili ko na rin, at sa pamunuan ng McDonald’s. Bakit hindi na lang kinuha order ko kesa pinahirapan pa ako doon sa electronic counter na yun?

Bakit kailangang pilitin ang lahat na gumamit ng computer para sa pag-order? Hindi ba naiisip ng mga fastfood na ito na mayroong mga taong hindi pa rin gamay at handa sa gayong uri ng transsaksiyon? Ang pinaka-ayoko sa sisteng ito ng modernisasyon na ang lahat ay automated at computerized ay nawawala ang ating “pagkatao”, iyon bang human touch at humanness ika sa Inggles.

Sa expressway ay mauunawaan ko pa dahil upang mapabilis ang biyahe, mainam ang RFID. Ngunit may mga pagkakataon na hindi ako nagmamadali na pagkaraan ng nakakapagod na pagmamaneho sa trapik, ang ibig ko lang ay mayroong makitang isang kapwa-tao. Yung bang madama lang yung “warmth of another human person” ay malaking bagay na rin upang mapawi pagod at stress, na para bang nagsasabing hindi ka nag-iisa. Noong dati ay nakakausap ko pa ng kaunti mga teller sa Nlex sa paniniwala na makapagpasaya lang ako ng isa pang nilalang na maaring bigat na bigat sa problema. Ngayon, wala na yung koneksiyon na iyon kaya hindi kataka-taka, marami sa atin ang disconnected sa isa’t-isa maging sa sarili! Kaya sabog maraming tao ngayon. Siguro kung maibabalik lang natin marami nang nawalang human interaction, mababawasan yang mga road rage sa lansangan.

Isang nakakamiss para sa akin ang magpunta sa bangko at pumila, makahunta ilang mga tao doong kakilala pati na ang manager at magagandang teller. Iyon ang wala sa electronic banking. Totoong convenient at mabilis ang pagbabangko gamit ang cellphone o computer ngunit napaka-impersonal! Iyon na ba ang mahalaga sa atin ngayon, kaginhawahan kesa ugnayan sa kapwa tao?

Pakikipag-ugnayan ang layon ng komunikasyon. Para sa akin, ang pinakamagandang paglalahad ng kahulugan ng komunikasyon ay mula sa Pastoral Instruction na Communio et Progressio sa pagpapatupad ng dokumento ng Vatican II sa social communication na Inter Mirifica:

Communication is more than the expression of ideas and the indication of emotion. At its most profound level it is the giving of self in love. Christ’s communication was, in fact, spirit and life.
Communio et Progessio, #11

Sa lahat ng nilalang ng Diyos, tao lamang ang kanyang binahaginan ng kanyang kapangyarihang makipagtalastasan o komunikasyon. Ang aso ay tumatahol, pusa nagme-meow at ang baboy ay nag-o-oink-oink. Ngunit ang tao, nagsasalita, nangungusap. Naiintindihan, nauunawaan. At kapag nangyari iyon, nagkakaroon ng ugnayan at kaisahan. Communication, tapos communion.

Hindi ito nangyayari sa computer. Manapa, madalas pakiwari ko ay inuulol tayo ng mga ito! Ano kalokohan yung alam mo namang AI (artificial intelligence) o robot ang “kausap” mo tapos sasagot ka sa kahon na “I am not a robot”? At, mantakin mong utusan ka ng Waze o Google map na pakiwari mas alam niya lahat kesa iyo?

Kaya siguro maraming high blood din ngayon kasi nga kapag sumablay mga teknolohiyang ito lalo na ang mahinang signal, tapos na lahat ng usapan. Sa gayon, walang napagkakayarian, walang napagkakasunduan kaya wala ring kaisahan.

Ito rin ang hindi ko magustuhan sa ipinagmamalaki ng dati kong upisina at network, iyong kailang AI-sportscasters.

Heto na yata ang rurok ng kalabisan sa pagkamaliw ng karamihan sa teknolohiya. Unang tanong natin dito ay ano po ba ang turing ng mga kumpanyang gumagamit nito sa kanilang mga taga-tangkilik? Tayo ba ay pinahahalagahan pa nila at ipinauubaya na lamang tayo sa mga robot?

Higit sa maraming mahuhusay na tagapagbalita, sa ganang akin walang puwang sa newscast o ano mang uri ng pagbabalita ang mga AI dahil ang komunikasyon ay ugnayan. Communication is a relationship, lalo na balita at isports. Kahit na maperfect pa ang teknolohiyang iyan, hindi mapapalitan at di dapat mapalitan ang tao sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa kapwa tao.

Ikalawa, ano ang dahilan para magkaroon ng AI na sportscaster? Magmalaki? Magyabang? Ano pa kaya gusto ng GMA-7 gayong wala na silang kalaban?

At dapat nilang asikasuhin ay mabigyan tayo ng buhay na mga programa, coverage na umaantig sa aming pagkatao, kayang hipuin kaibuturan ng aming sarili upang madama tuwa at lungkot ng bawat tagumpay at kabiguan saan mang larangan ng buhay. Maramdaman nating hindi tayo nag-iisa sa pag-aasam ng tagumpay at kaunlaran dahil mayroong kaming mga kalakbay sa biyaheng ito ng buhay. Iyon ang kahulugahan ng integrated news – buo. Paanong naging integrated news kung hindi naman tao ang sportscaster nila? Hindi ba doon pa lamang ay sira na ang kabuuan? Sila ba ay mayroong puso para ituring na Kapuso?

Ang kailangan ay isang kapwa na makakasama sa buhay lalo na sa media. Sa Inggles, tawag doon ay companion. Mula sa dalawang salitang Latin, cum na ibig sabihi’y with o kasama at panis na kahulugan ay bread o tinapay; sa literal na salin, ang companion – cum panis – ay kahati sa tinapay. “Someone you break bread with.” Ang tinapay naman ay tanda ng ating sarili, ng ating buhay. .

Samakatwid, ang companion o kasama ay isang kapwa na nagbabahagi ng kanyang sarili sa kapwa upang mabuhay din. Iyan ang dangal at karangalan ng pagbabalita na sadya namang maipagmamalaki ng GMA News mula marami nilang mahuhusay na newscasters at reporters. Kaya lahat ay nalungkot nang pumanaw si G. Mike Enriquez na naging bahagi ng buhay ng maraming kababayan natin sa kanyang estilo ng pagbabalita. Taong-tao siya, ika nga.

*Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela City, 13 Setyembre 2023.*

Kaya rin naman sa Banal na Misa, ang tawag doon ay Banal na Komunyon, ang pagbabahagi at pagtanggap sa Katawan ni Kristo sa anyo ng tinapay. Nakiisa sa atin si Jesus sa lahat ng bagay sa ating katauhan liban sa kasalanan tulad ng gutom at uhaw, lungkot at hapis, kabiguan maging sakit at kamatayan upang makabahagi niya tayo sa kanyang buhay at tagumpay.

Walang ganyang umiiral sa mga AI na ito at computerization ng mga sistema sa ating buhay. Sana ay isaalang-alang ito ng mga negosyante at umuugit sa mga industriya lalo na sa media. Ang masakit na katotohanan kasi ay kunwari ay kaunlaran at kadalian o convenience ang kanilang dahilan (para kanino?) kungdi kitang kita naman, pera lang ang suma total. Sa gayon, sa landas na ito ng pagiging impersonal na kalakaran ng maraming bagay gamit ang teknolohiya, unti unti rin tayong nade-dehumanize, nawawala katauhan. Kapag nawala ang katauhan, ano ang pumapalit? Alam na natin iyan. Salamuch po.

The parable of our lives and time

The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Thursday in the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, 27 July 2023
Exodus 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20 <*{{{{><< + >><}}}}*> Matthew 13:10-17

*Photo by author, Mt. Sinai in Egypt, May 2019.*

You said it perfectly well,
Lord Jesus Christ,
our very own parable
of life
and of time:
"because they look but do not see
and hear but do not listen or understand"
(Matthew 13:13).

Why, O Lord,
 despite the modern communications 
meant to bring us closer,
the more we have actually
grown apart from each other?

Why, O Lord,
despite the great speed
 of our communications,
the more we cannot be reached,
or slower we have become
in reaching out, 
in coming to everyone
especially those in need?

Why, O Lord,
despite the clarity of signals
of communications, the more things
and persons are blurred,
including our relationships?

When you spoke 
to your people in the Old Testament
with peals of thunder and lightning,
they were scared to death;
when your Son Jesus came 
and lived among them, 
speaking their language,
they found him too ordinary, 
even a nobody;
today, you continue to speak
to us in nature and in person,
through our many experiences,
through the people we meet,
through the sacraments,
through many means and occasions
even right in our hearts
but still, 
we neither see,
nor hear nor listen.

What a parable we live!
Open our hearts, O Lord,
so we may believe,
hear and listen,
allow ourselves to be surprised
and amazed by you with the 
most simple things to make us
realize you are 
true and so real
right within us.
Amen.

*Photo by PhotoMIX Company on Pexels.com*

Sirit na… Eat Bulaga!

Lawiswis Ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-21 ng Hunyo 2023

Nakatutuwang isipin noong araw na isa sa mga madalas naming sabihing magpipinsan at magkakalaro ay ang mga salitang “sirit na” at “bulaga”! Sirit kapag ikaw ay suko na sa palaisipan ng bugtungan habang bulaga naman ang pang-gulat lalo na sa mga sanggol at bata.

Wala na sigurong mas-shunga pa sa akin sa showbiz na hindi alam ang mga bagay-bagay na ito bunsod ng pamamaalam nina Tito, Vic, at Joey sa producer ng “Eat Bulaga” na TAPE Productions pagkaraan ng ilang linggo ding mga usap-usapan at intrigahan. Ako man ay nagtanung-tanong sa mga pamangkin at kaibigan kung ano ba iyong mga usapan sa social media tungkol sa “Eat Bulaga” at sina TVJ.

Nakatutuwa sa mga bata. Pero kung sa takbo ng mga usapan at paksa ngayon, nakakatawa at nakakaawa – pathetic ang sabi ng mga burgis – na mula pa noong katapusan ng Mayo hanggang ngayon, mula Aparri hanggang Jolo, umiikot ang buhay sa ating bansa sa “longest running noontime show” na “Eat Bulaga.”

Nakakatawa.

Hindi nakatutuwa.

At nakakaawa nga sa ating bansa, sa ating lahat.

Juice colored, wala na ba ibang mahalaga sa ating mga Pilipino kungdi mga katatawan nina TVJ at kanilang Dabarkads?

Hindi ko kinukuwestiyon kahalagahan ng paglilibang at pag-aaliw natin subalit, araw-araw na lamang mula Lunes hanggang Sabado?

Ano nga ba naging impact ng Eat Bulaga sa lipunang Pilipino maliban sa naaliw, naiyak, at pansamantalang naibsan mga paghihirap ng ilang kababayan? Marahil marami ring nabigyan ng pagkakataon lumago sa kanilang buhay nguni’t nabago ba antas ng ating tingin at pahalaga sa sarili at kapwa habang pikit-mata at nagbibingi-bingihang pinalalampas natin ilang mga eksena, karakter at pananalita alang-alang sa kasiyahan at katatawanan.

Wala po akong TV set dahil hindi naman ako mahilig manood maliban ng mga balita at dokumentaryo. Minsan-minsan ay nakakapanood ako ng “Eat Bulaga” at iba pang mga katulad na programa. Napapahanga din naman ako sa kanilang pagmumulat sa mga kababayan nating Pilipino sa ilang bagay ngunit sa tingin ko ay mas maraming hindi mabuti at kaaya-aya.

Isa sa mga hindi ko magustuhan sa mga palabas na iyan ay ang tila pinaglalaruan ang mga tao, ang kanilang kamang-mangan, karukahaan at sa maraming pagkakataon, pagkababae ng marami nating ate. Siya nga pala…

Akalain ba ninyo na noong May 31, 2023 nang kumalas mula sa TAPE ang TVJ bilang hosts ng “Eat Bulaga” matapos silang hindi payagang umere ng live, iyon din ang ika-38 taon ng pagpapakamatay ni Pepsi Paloma, May 31, 1985? Kung inyong matatandaan, inakusahan ni Pepsi Paloma sina Vic Sotto, Joey De leon at Ritchie d’Horsie ng diumano’y pang-aabuso sa kanya sa isang hotel noong June 21, 1982.

Minsan ang buhay nga naman ay mapagbiro at matalinghaga. At ganyan ang sitwasyon nitong mga noontime at iba pang variety shows, matalinghaga tulad ng tanong na kung alin ang nauna, itlog o manok?

Tama na sumusunod lamang ang telebisyon sa pintig ng mga mamamayan, sa sitwasyon ng lipunan. Alalaong-baga, sinasalamin ng telebisyon maging ng sining ang kinalalagyan nilang lipunan sa bawat panahon. Sabi ng marami, dahil sa TVJ at “Eat Bulaga” na ginaya ng maraming iba pa, nabigyan ng pagkakilala at tinig ang masang Pilipino. Tama rin naman. Hirap maka-relate noon sa mga burgis na hosts ng “Student Canteen”.

Totoo iyon at mabuti. Kaya lang, kulang.

Sa aking pananaw, sinamantala nila at ng iba pang mga palabas sa telebisyon ang kahinaan ng mga tao. Hindi nahimok ang mga Pilipino ng pagmamahal sa bansa, pagpapahalaga sa kalikasan, pagsisikap mapabuti ang kanilang buhay at paghahasa ng kaisipan at karunungan sa pamamagitan ng edukasyon. Ang lahat ay dinaan sa biruan at katatawanan maging kalokohan.

At naaliw naman ang bayan. Kaya hindi rin kataka-taka ilang ulit nahalal bilang senador si G. Tito Sotto na tanging dahilan ay ang kanyang pagiging komedyante at host ng “Eat Bulaga”. Ang malala, ginaya siya ng ibang artista na sumabak na rin sa pulitika na tanging kuwalipikasyon ay sikat. Kaya hayun, naging karnabal at perya ating Kongreso na puno ng mga mambabatas na pulpolotiko, artista, at ilang mga sadyang sira ulo o basag ang pula. Lahat dinaan sa entertainment kaya ang ating bansa ay malaking showbiz ngayon. Pati na rin simbahan!

Simple lang naman ibig kong sabihin. Sana pagsikapan ng mga nasa media lumago at lumalim pagkatao ng mga manonood upang mabuksan kanilang kamalayan sa mga higit na mahahalagang bagay sa buhay.

Sinabi ni Jesus sa mga tao, “Sa halip, mag-impok kayo ng kayamanan sa langit; doo’y walang naninirang insekto at kalawang, at walang nakakapasok na magnanakaw. Sapagkat kung saan naroroon ang iyong kayamanan, naroroon din ang iyong puso.”
Mateo 6:20-21

Totoo sinasabi na mahirap ang buhay at dapat ngang pagaanin. Ngunit hindi lamang mga tawanan at sayawan, biruan at harutan. Pagkatapos maaliw at tumawa, maski manalo ng ilang halaga ng pera, naroon pa rin problema ng mga tao. At kung susuriin, dumarami pa problema ng mga tao sa halip na mabawasan dahil sa mga noontime shows na ito. Yung iba nga nagkakagalit na at nag-aaway dahil sa lipatan na iyan ng mga noontime shows at hosts.

Hindi rin totoo sinasabi ng ilan na itong nangyayaring lipatan ng mga hosts at noontime shows ay makakabuti sa mga tao dahil anila magkakaroon ng higit na mainam at magandang programa. Sa tingin ko ay hindi iyon mangyayari dahil istasyon lang ng TV ang nababago, lumilipat lang mga shows at hosts. Sila pa ring mga artista dala kanilang mga dating gimik at patawa na sa kahuli-hulihan, iisang katotohanan ang nangingibabaw sa lahat ng ito – kuwarta, salapi, at pera.

Iyan ang tunay na bugtong nitong “Eat Bulaga”, TVJ kasama kanilang Dabarkads pati na rin ang It’s Showtime ni Vice Ganda: Sino ngayon ang natatawa at katawa-tawa?

Sirit?

Bulaga!

TikTok ngayon, Tiktik Magasin noon?

Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-25 ng Mayo 2022

*Larawan mula sa gettyimages.com at bbc.com.*

Huwag sanang masamain
aking pagkagambala
pagkahumaling sa app 
na kung tawagin ay TikTok;
batid ko ang maraming kabutihan
dulot nito sa pakikipagtalastasan
at ugnayan ngunit bakit tila
nauungusan ng mga kahalayan
at kabastusan makabagong laruan?

Nakakaaliw mga katatawanan
at kalokohang napapanood
ngunit nakakabagabag mga
kalaswaan nilalarawan at
napapakinggang usapang
natutungahayan sa munting screen
buong kamalayan ang winawasak,
murang isipan nalilinlang
habang oras at panahon nasasayang.

Hindi sa pagmamarunong
ibig ko ring itanong,
"kailangan pa bang picturan"
maski sa lansangan, dalampasigan 
at may pampang mga pasiklaban
sa pag-giling ng katawan at
suot-suot ay kakapiranggot?
"Kailangan pa bang picturan"
ipangalandakan kagandahan ng katawan?

Kung ating babalikan
sariling kapanahunan 
dekada ochenta mayroong
lathalain kung tawagin Tiktik Magasin, 
mga kuwento at dibuho pulos 
seksuwal at kabastusan 
pinararaan sa panitikan 
bilang pagsasalang-alang 
sa karamihang tao na maselan.

Ang kahalayan saan mang
paraan ipahayag ay masagwa
at masama pa rin; ngunit may
higit na banta sa lahat, lalo samga bata  
nababantad sa mahahalay na 
panoorin lalo na sa TikTok at Youtube:
mga mura nilang kaisipan at kamalayan 
nasisira at nalalason na tila ang buhay
ay puro palabas na lamang.

Kaya sana ay pagnilayan
makabagong teknolohiya 
sa pakikipagtalastasan 
ay biyaya ng Diyos upang
mga tao ay mapaglapit at
mabuklod sa kanilang ugnayan,
mapalawak ang kanyang kamalayan
sa kagandahan nitong buhay at 
sariling dangal bilang kalarawan ng Maykapal!

“Levelling up” in Jesus

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Cycle B, 16 May 2021
Acts 1:1-11 ><}}}'> Ephesians 4:1-13 ><}}}'> Mark 16:15-20

So then the Lord Jesus,
after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven and 
took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth
and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through
accompanying signs.
(Mark 16:19-20)

Thus we heard the closing of St. Mark’s gospel of Jesus Christ. We deliberately chose the word “closing” than “ending” because the Lord’s Ascension is more than an episode in his life but speaks to us of his mystery as the Christ continuing in our time.

The Lord’s Ascension is neither a location indicating heaven somewhere in outer space where Jesus “took his seat at the right hand of God” that we profess every Sunday in the Apostles’ Creed nor a direction of going up, leaving us all behind below here on earth.

If the Ascension were a location or a direction or both, it would mean separation. Then, how could St. Mark claim in his gospel account “the Lord worked with them” if Jesus had really gone to somewhere else?

There is something deeper with the Lord’s Ascension being a part of the mystery of Jesus as the Christ. It is our relationship with God expressed in our relationships with one another in Jesus, through Jesus, and with Jesus who is the head of the Church with us as his body.

In celebrating the Lord’s Ascension, Jesus is inviting us to “level up” our relationships with God and one another in him, with him, and through him while it continues to happen daily among us characterized by our loving service and kindness to everyone which St. Paul reminds us in the second reading.

Brothers and sisters, I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace; one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and one Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Ephesians 4:1-7

*Photo from Dr. Yanga’s Colleges, Inc. community pantry in Bocaue, Bulacan called “Paraya”, April 2021.*

Christ’s mystery in Ascension revealed among us

See the eloquence and mastery of words by St. Paul in writing his Letter to the Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome with a lot of time to pray and contemplate the mystery of Christ and his gift of salvation to us.

Here we find St. Paul so fatherly in reminding us all of the wealth and richness of our Christian vocation as the Lord’s disciples by living in “humility and gentleness, with patience through love” to preserve our “unity of the spirit through the bond of peace”. This is the application (praxis) of the Lord’s teachings at his last supper we have heard in the last two weeks of his being the true vine and we his branches who must remain in him in love.

As Jesus “entered” into a new level of intimacy in the Father in his Ascension, he invites us to “level up” and deepen our relationships with God through one another to become his presence in the world as a community or a church: “one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism“.

The mystery of the Ascension, of Jesus joining the Father to seat at his right, is expressed and revealed in our community living as his disciples united in his very virtues mentioned by St. Paul. This was made possible by Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection as St. Paul spoke about ascension so different from our typical concepts of location and direction but more of the mystery of Jesus Christ as “The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things” (Eph.4:10).

The Ascension presents us 
a clear image of unity in Christ 
that after seven weeks of celebrating Easter, 
we  are confronted today with the question: 
"Is Jesus working with us or, 
are we the only ones working without him at all?"

The very person of Jesus Christ is the measure, the standard we follow, not just norms and code of conducts because he is the only one highly exalted (Phil.2:9-11) for having gone through his Passion, Death, and Resurrection expressed as his one whole mystery in the Ascension until his sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost we celebrate next week.

The Ascension presents us a clear image of unity in Christ that after seven weeks of celebrating Easter, we are confronted today with the question: “Is Jesus working with us or, are we the only ones working without him at all?”

To work with Jesus is to work with others, to work as one community. When there is a community, there is always a mission and vice-versa. This is the meaning of the words spoken by the angels to the disciples after the Lord’s ascension.

“Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
Acts 1:11

We cannot remain idle while waiting for the return of Jesus.

As a community of believers and followers of Christ, we actively await his “Second Coming” by striving to live in holiness so that we may eventually make this world a little better and more humane like what happened with the recent “community pantry movement” started by Ms. Ana Patricia Non in Maginhawa Street, Quezon City now all over the country helping the poor and hungry.

It is a direct response to Vatican II’s universal call to holiness: “all Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of love, and by this holiness a more human manner of life is fostered also in earthly society” (Lumen Gentium, #40).

*Posted by Jean Palma on Facebook, 18 April 2021 with the caption: “All these community pantries in four days, and counting. What a powerful movement.” #CommunityPantry*

55th World Communications Sunday

And speaking of Vatican II, today we are also celebrating the 55th World Communications Sunday with the theme, “Come and see (Jn.1:46). Communicating by Encountering People Where and as They Are.”

The World Communications Sunday is the only feast instituted by Vatican II through the Decree on the Means of Social Communication (Inter Mirifica) issued in December 4, 1963 to remind the faithful of our responsibility to contribute in the social communication ministry of the Church.

In this year’s message, Pope Francis tells us that the Lord’s invitation to his disciples to “come and see” is also the method for all authentic human communication where we personally experience every person to know his true situation in life.

It is in our personal encounter with others that we are able to share with them the redeeming presence and truth of Jesus Christ through our witnessing in faith, hope and love. True communication is the giving of one’s self in love for others, when we try to be humble and gentle and patient as St. Paul reminds us today.

Communicating Jesus Christ cannot happen entirely in mediated forms and methods, through gadgets nor techniques but only through persons through whom Jesus works and confirms his words through accompanying signs of love and mercy, kindness and understanding.

However, as communicators of the Lord, we have to keep in mind that Jesus is the focus, not us. It is the work of the Lord, not ours.

May the Ascension remind us anew to simply do the work of Jesus by focusing on him and his words, not on ourselves. May we priests and other church communicators forget all those aspirations to “trend” or be “viral” with most “likes” and “followers” to become “influencers” or at least popular to whatever degree to be adored and idolized by fans (and paid by sponsors).

It is Jesus Christ who must rise, not us. So, let us be rooted in the Lord as we keep reaching for the stars while keeping our feet on the ground in our community. Amen. A blessed week ahead with everyone!