Simple Meaningful Prayer

I just want to share one of my favorite short prayers...

May this prayer give you confidence to face and enjoy each day knowing we have a God bigger than our worries :-)

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going,

I do not see the road ahead of me.

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 will not fear, for You are ever with me,

And you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Amen.

By Thomas Merton

Punto de Vista

As I arrived home, the news on the proposal of the Kabataan (youth) Party List  greeted me... and so here's my two cents worth...

The news on Kabataan Partylist’s proposal to ban celebration of religious activities at public offices made me squint, drop my jaw, and grimace... Rep, please revisit articles 131, 132, and 133 of the Revised Penal Code—I think they’re clear enough to be understood by a law maker, and no need to spend the public’s money for amendment or passing of another bill prohibiting it.

As per news (on Bandila), your objective is to give equal opportunities to all religious affiliations to express their rights... but it think the bill you’re attempting to propose is doing the opposite—it would limit the rights of the people to express their religious rights and/or to peacefully assemble or conduct public meetings, if not religious worship.

This practice of holding religious activities have been long customarily done in the public offices… and these activities have not been proven to be injurious to the rights of the members of other religious affiliations… no need to exercise Police Power to regulate it then.

To provide equal opportunity and enjoyment among these religious groups, why not provide them prayer rooms like what our Muslim brothers and sisters in the public office are requesting for or rooms for other religious groups’ religious/spiritual/social activities.

Why abolish something helpful to the moral development and values formation of the citizens, especially the public officers, who are supposed to be the role models of the citizens and the youth?

These peaceful activities of the religious are helpful and healthful… Don’t deprive the people of their rights and privileges; nor regulate something beneficial to the general welfare of the people without even a sound legal ground.

I strongly believe the Kabataan Partylist can do better than this proposal. I strongly believe the youth can bring about a really wise revolution beneficial to the mental, emotional, and spiritual growth of our fellow youths…not to mention, our values formation, which has significant transcendence in shaping the next wave of responsible citizenry.

Education. Health. Sports development. Environmental awareness. Financial literacy. Volunteerism and service. These are the core areas that we, the youths, need to be involved in more and have an active participation and growth.

Let the fundamental law of the state be interpreted and applied in the light of the wisdom of the framers… so far, this set of laws is adaptive and it still keeps up with our times. Pass bills which our youths, your constituents, NEED more—not those you incumbent Rep think is appropriate now. Don’t be pressured by the nearing elections. There are more important matters concerning youth that need your attention and energy.  :-)

Sincerely and respectfully,

Your fellow youth

Ready. Set. GROW!

Growth is vital for us to be able to enjoy to the fullest the various areas of our lives and utilize the gifts and blessings that God has provided us with so we become blessed and become His instruments to bless others.

You have to want to grow!

Growth is and must be intentional. It does not just happen in a split second or by saying it.

In order for one to grow, one must have the drive and purpose to grow. Growth for humans is much like growth for plants and animals. If we want to grow we have to “cathect” or invest time for our growth so we could enjoy what life has to offer; otherwise, we would just grow old wild and in survival fashion or timid and restrained.

Cathect in yourself. Sit down and talk to yourself---know what you want, you love, and you can do about them. Appreciate yourself and know the power inside you. Once you start the ball rolling, you would just be surprised one day how far you have gone and how much the ball has accumulated and how big it has become.

Be determined to grow. Start, no matter how small or big the step is. Just start, and consistently work out your improvement. Day by day by day by day.

Imagine lying on your deathbed and recapping the days you have lived. Would you want to see days that are empty or not spent with your loved ones or doing the things you wish you have done? Or would you want to see days that are filled with meaningful and joyful memories with your loved ones doing the things you love, visiting places together, fighting for the causes you believe in, having the means to help your loved ones and the underprivileged, eating your favorite food, and achieving your goals?

Growing old with time without developing in maturity is like walking aimlessly in the jungle. You don’t know the time and where you are. It is enough to just get by each day and handle anything that comes along. No drive. No plan. No goal. No direction. Just fate at work.

Anything-goes life could seem appealing. But let us not be selfish just thinking about ourselves surviving each day and taking pride on it. Let us also think about our loved ones who would be glad seeing us well and enjoying the gift of life with them. Think about your parents, your spouse, your children, and especially God who gave us all we need—which we just need to tap in order to utilize them.

Think about the life you wish to have!

Choose the area where you want to grow. Just one thing at a time, to surely get things right. Focus on it. Visualize it. Act upon it. Constantly make short-term plans and achieve them, and work them out on a daily basis.

Assess yourself. Put your evaluation in writing so you can keep track of your passion and effort and so you know where to press on each time trials try to dishearten you.

If the area you want to improve on months ago no longer thrills you nor develop into something bigger that tickles your imagination, it means you’re not doing much. If you feel that there’s something wrong or that your boat is sinking , it only says that you’re not done yet.

Use others’ lives as challenges and inspiration; but never compare yourself with them. Your competition is only yourself. Beat yourself daily!

Take heart! Pray. Stay in the boat and row slowly, but don’t stop. God has given us everything we need so we can overcome and grow.

Always remind yourself of your purpose why you decided or wanted to grow on the first day of the process. Your purpose is what keeps things together when they tend to fall apart.

In times of struggle, bow in God’s majesty and let God do things for you. Let God use you. Just trust in Him completely, do your best, and he will surely do the rest so you may bring glory and honor to His name.

Share your vision and have a mentor. Share your goal with the people who care most about you. They will help and guide you. They will be frank with you when you need a feedback or be proud of you when you deserve an appreciation.

Stay away from hushers. They will blur your vision and lose your focus.

Have the humility to accept that things will be easier when done with a helping hand, and acknowledge the fact that there are people who are better than us. Go to them, listen to them and learn from them.

When you have a person or set of persons who support you, there will always be people who will catch your back and cheer you on. You will have prayer warriors and willing ears to listen to your journey. Sometimes this people are so much into your improvement that you just have no other choice but to move forward and upwards.

Growth is vital for us to be able to enjoy to the fullest the various areas of our lives and utilize the gifts and blessings that God has provided us with so we become blessed and become His instruments to bless others.

Growth brings good physical health, emotional maturity, mental soundness, stable financial capacity, and more importantly sound and healthy spiritual life.

Why live in worries and deprivation when you can live in joy and overflow?

Discover and enjoy your blessings! Decide to GROW!

Shine! Be the light that inspires others.

Just a Random Thought: Be Humble, Don't be Self-Righteous

Whatever other people think of you or whatever you let other people see you do, at the end of the day, it is your personal relationship with our God that matters most.

#ThoughtsCrossingMyMindWhileTakingAGoodWalk

It is just in time after the Easter celebration to be reminded that we shouldn’t judge others, especially just by basing on whether they go to church or not; serve in communities or not; openly help others or not, et al. 

We should always keep in our hearts and gratefully remember that it is God who forgives us first even before we ask Him to and who calls us to come before Him, despite our sinfulness... He sees past our wrongdoings and our history. Whatever each of us does, it is only God who is entitled to judge each one.

God has His own right time and right way touching our hearts. Don’t feel superior over others just because you attend Mass, pray, or tithe... instead, let us learn from each other and help and inspire each other to live humbly and uprightly according to what God tells us to do (Bible), and most importantly, unceasingly thank God, thirst for His words, and humbly put them into practice.

Others are called to serve, some to preach, still others to undergo trials now in order to teach others by their experiences and bless others later, et al. God does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but by the love & manner in which we perform them and the sincerity of our hearts. 

Whatever other people think of you or whatever you let other people see you do, at the end of the day, it is your personal relationship with our God that matters most.

It is between God and you. God reads your mind and sees your heart.

PS: For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.—Luke 18:14 (The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector)

Lent: Understand Backward to Move Forward

This Lent, let us remember that when God looks at us, He looks at us with our future and not with our past, which is comprised of our history and layers upon layers of sins. So don’t give up on your journey towards God’s promised land, for God is never giving up on you!

We must know our roots and the vestige of who we are to know who we can be. Look inside to see what lies ahead.

The season of Lent is a very good period to retrospect and understand life backwards. Although we can contemplate everyday, Lenten season is the time for Christians to channel and focus most of our thoughts to the greatest love demonstrated by Jesus and the importance of humility for our proper growth.

Jesus loves us more than we can ever imagine! Some of us may not realize it now, but it’s okay. Our Lord God is patiently waiting for us to come home; and as He waits, His loving hands are at work in our lives for our good.

Imagine being betrayed by a loved one or a very dear friend. How painful is it? Judas did that to Jesus, who treated His disciples as His own family (Matthew 26:14). How about voluntarily taking on the punishment for something you did not do? Would you do it, to the point of being whipped? Jesus did more than that! He took all the whipping, wore the crown of thorns, was mocked at, carried the cross, and courageously allowed Himself to be nailed on the cross.

Can you see yourself washing the feet of your friends? Of course you can! (You may even think, “I can even manicure or massage them!”). Well and good! Jesus, the Most High, the King of Kings, demonstrated His humility by washing the feet of His disciples and wiped them clean. This King doesn’t love being in the seats of honor, instead, He loves serving others.

Jesus our Lord did all these things that we may do the same to our brothers and sisters. As it is written in John 13:

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

Humility is the mother of all virtues. It is through humility that we learn and we grow. With humility, we become generous and grateful. Because of humility we diligently work and give credit to whomever credit is due. Humility fuels us to love selflessly and genuinely.

Humility brings us more friends and wealth after we learn to righteously deal with others and after we nurture a big heart. It makes the last first and the servant greatest.

Whatever our status in the society is, in the eyes of God, we are all His children and are all given the opportunity to live a well-lived life. It is just up to us how we will live life—to obey God or trust our own wisdom.

Starting this Lent, may we take the time to open our hearts and open our Bibles to listen to what God is telling us. It is through prayer that we talk to God and it is by reading the Bible that we listen to God.

By listening to God’s word, we are able to know what is the real right and the real thing. With God’s guidance, we are able to establish our standard and parameters on how we must uprightly and joyfully live our lives.

As we know God more and more, we will realize that God is not a limiting Father. We will learn that God is the God of fun and freedom. When one knows what he must do, he can freely decide and act upon His decisions.

This Lent, let us remember that when God looks at us, He looks at us with our future and not with our past, which is comprised of our history and layers upon layers of sins. So don’t give up on your journey towards God’s promised land, for God is never giving up on you!

If you think you’re now on a boat rocked by huge waves, remember that God will never let you sink. If you think life is throwing you dirt to burry you, shake it off, step up, shake it off, step up until you emerge to the surface victoriously. God meets us at our point of need, and God is never early nor late to rescue us. God gives us the freedom to utilize the blessings we receive from Him, and more importantly, God is always on time to meet and save us.

Let us allow God hold us, instead of us holding unto God, for God never lets go.

Starve your body and feed your soul! A seed must first die in order to grow and continue bear fruit. In the same way, if we want to grow and continuously improve in any area of our lives, we must intentionally deny ourselves and willingly take up our cross daily. Simply put, we must be humble enough to acknowledge our need for God and confidently face each challenge life throws at us knowing God is always holding us.

Know God and His commands. God prefers obedience than sacrifice; acknowledgement than offering.

Let us check our hearts and know how we must live our lives.

In whatever situation let us all remind ourselves, WWJD--"What would Jesus do?"

Enjoy your quality time with our Creator and Savior! Blessed and meaningful Lenten season!

~Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus~