ON SELF-ENTITLEMENT

Sinundan ng isang prusisyon ang deklaraasyon ng parokya ng Birhen ng Manaoag bilang Basilica Minore. Bilang isang masugid na deboto ng Birhen ng Manaoag, pinili kong sumama sa nasabing prusisyon. Dagliang nilabas ang karosa ng Birhen, matapos ang misa. Mula sa sanctuario ng Birhen, nagmadali akong naglakad patungo sa patio ng simbahan. Nais ko kasing tumabi sa karosa ng Birhen. Sa aking pagmamadali, nadatnan ko ang mg debotong nagsisikan palabas ng simbahan. Sinikap kong tignan kung bakit nagsisikan palabas. Nakita ko ang isang ale na nakaharang sa daan at kumukuha ng litrato ng mga seminarista na nasa choirloft, marahil kanyang mga estudyante sa Binmaley. Di ko napigilan ang aking sarili, naisigaw ko ‘Excuse me. You are blocking the way.’ Narinig ako ng ale at tumabi naman siya. Nang papatabi na siya, nakita niya ang isa sa mga kasama niya na nakaharang din sa daan. Akma na akong dadaan sa kanilang harapan nang sinabihan niya ang kanyang kasama ‘Hoy tabi ka. You are blocking the way.’ Medyo sarcastic si ale sa pagkakasabi, na may kasamang ngisi. Di ako uli nakapagpigil at hinarap ko siya, sabay sabing ‘Dapat ho kasi ale, sa tabi kayo mag-picture at di sa daan kung saan nakakaabala kayo.’ Lumabas na ako ng simbahan at tumungo sa patio. Dala na rin marahil ng inis, galit, guton atbp, di ko na tinignan ang mukha ng ale o ang reaksyon rin niya. Naka-alis na ang Karosa ng Birhen. Sabay dagsa na ng maraming tao. Nakasabay pa rin naman ako sa prusisyon, katabi ng karosa ng Birhen. Nang nagsimula na ang rosary, at humupa na ang init ng aking ulo, naiisip ko kung ano ang ginawa ko nang palabas na ako ng simbahan. Naisip ko kung anong naramdaman ng ale nang pinagsabihan ko siya. Naitanong ko sa aking sarili ‘Bakit ko ginawa iyon?’

Ang ating estado sa buhay (bilang mga religious) ay napakalapit sa tukso ng self-entitlement o yung pakiramdam o paniniwalang deserve mo ang isang bagay dahil ikaw ay isang religious, pero sa totoo lang di naman ito deserve. Kadalasan ang mga bagay na tingin natin eh deserve natin ay patungkol sa kaginhawaan sa buhay hal. always the best seat, always the best food, mabilis na access sa mga bagay-bagay atbp. Naiisip natin entitled tayo sa mga komportableng bagay na ito dahil sa dami ng sakripisyo at trabaho natin; na ito na lang ang ating pakonsuwelo sa buhay. Ngunit itong sense of self-entitlement na minsan nararamdaman natin ay di patungkol sa konsolasyon sa buhay relihioso kung di patungkol ito sa pagkamakasarili o self-centeredness. Tingin natin minsan tayo ang sentro ng mundo; na tayo ay labis-labis na mahalaga. Ngunit di ganuon ang buhay natin bilang mga tagasunod ni Kristo.

Sa ebanghelyo, mababasa na sinumang ibig sumunod sa Panginoon ay kinakailangang itakwil niya ang kanyang sarili, pasanin araw-araw ang kanyang krus, at sumunod sa akin (Lk 9:23). Sa langit, walang lugar para sa isang makasarili. Dito sa lupa sinisikap nating iwaksi ang sarili at pagkamakasarili upang maging handa tayo sa pagpasok sa langit. At isang porma ng pagkamakasarili ay ang sense of self-entitlement; pa-importante.

Sa prusisyon ng Birhen, napansin ko medyo naka gitna kaming mga religious. Naisipan kong tumabi sa gilid dahil sa totoo lang di naman natin deserve yung gitnang lugar, tanging kay Maria lamang iyon, tanging kay Hesus lamang iyon, pagkat Sila lang ang tunay nating konsolasyon sa buhay; Sila lang ang sentro ng ating mundo.

O Poon, itulot Mong naisin ko pang umaliw sa halip ng aliwin; umunawa sa halip ng unawain; magmahal sa halip ng mahalin; sapagkat kung di magbibigay, wala kaming tatanggapin; kung di magpapatawad, hindi kami patatawarin; kung di mamatay muna, ang buhay na walang hanggan ay hindi namin kakamtin. Amen. (Mula sa Panalangin ni San Francisco ng Assisi salin sa Filipino ni Dr. Rufino Alejandro)

APOCALYPSIS: A MOVIE REVIEW

The “Apocalypsis” is a film based on the last book of the bible, the Revelation authored by the apostle John in the island of Patmos. It is directed by Raffaele Mertes and written by Francesco Contaldo and Raffaele Mertes. Released in 2002, it starred Richard Harris and Bruce Payne. The film features the Christian persecution under the reign of Domitian, who proclaimed himself divine and demanded worship from all, including from the Christians. It presupposes that it is under such condition that the book of Revelation was written by John from Patmos.

The film is helpful in elucidating the rather obscure book of Revelation. The Apocalyptic literature that influenced the book of John is replete with images that posit great difficulty to be decipher by modern-day readers. It is in this vague and incomprehensible aspect of the book that the film sheds light. The film, faithful to the very text of the book of Revelation, presents images. They are attempts to guide the viewers on what John meant about a particular text. There are three particular images showed in the film that may help the viewers to understand the book of Revelation: The great Eucharist (Rev 4-5), the woman crowned with stars (Rev 12:1-6), and the transfigured church (Rev 21-22).

The great Eucharist mentioned in Rev 4-5 is presented succinctly by the film. The scene for this chapters present the elders gathered round God, the four living creatures (human, lion, ox, and eagle) forming the throne of God, the seven lampstand and the sealed scroll. The scenes for these chapters culminate with the announcement of the lion and the coming of the lamb. The film employed heavenly images. It displays scenic views portraying a transcendent reality, one that is beyond this world. In this way, the film is effective in evoking from its viewers the feeling of divine, of awe and fear, in demanding adoration for the lamb, to whom all characters in these scenes point to.

The woman crowned with stars described in Rev 12:1-6 is depicted with great precision by the film. The tension between the woman and the dragon is rightly “painted” by the film with the apt actions, and other film elements. The film employed appropriate sounds and lights illustrating the great sign that appeared in the sky, the woman adorned with various bodies of heaven, her pain in giving birth to her son, the monster dragon and the chase made by the dragon after the woman. The film is able to help the viewers to have a glimpse of the vision of John regarding the Church under persecution and her persecutors; Satan and the Roman Empire depicted as the dragon and its connivance. These scenes climax with the rule of Son of the woman who reigns from heaven with his iron rod. Indeed, this part of the film features the triumph of God and his Church over Satan and her oppressors throughout the ages.   

The transfigured church mentioned in Rev 21-22 speak of the new creation, holy city and the new paradise. The scenes of the film for these chapters are of triumphalist in character. From the experiences of tyrants, despots of all ages, John presents in the book of Revelation the destiny that awaits those who remain faithful in God during those dark moments in the life of the Church. The film employed images describing the reign of God overall and in all in heaven and on earth. The evil one had ceased to exist as the sea is no more. The joy that pervades every scene depicts the beatific vision enjoyed by those who endure the great sufferings and tribulations. They illustrates the accomplishment of all that had been promised by Christ to those who remained in Him.

The film concludes with the end of the Domitian persecution, seemingly to display the triumphant (for now) achieved by John and his communities by remaining faithful and truthful to the life God called them to live and proclaim; that is life in Jesus Christ.

By presenting these three scenes from the book of Revelation, it can be said that truly the film is helpful in understanding the book of Revelation. The effectiveness and affectivity of the film to communicate the message of the book is made possible by the film’s use of vivid images (based on contemporary and medieval interpretations of the text of Revelation) and putting them in a particular context wherein they can be understood properly by the viewers and readers alike.   

THEOLOGY OF PREACHING

Rahner presents Revelation as embodiment of the God Himself through his own Incarnational Theology. The incarnation of Christ is the model and the basic structure of reality. Christ is the perfect realization of Spirit-in-the-World. Scripture is not only propositional but also symbolical. Language, employed by the Scripture is not just textual but contextual, not just logical but symbolical. Through language, a reality is concealed more so revealed. Rahner would even go as far as saying that man is not spirit against the world but a spirit in the world, using the reality as means of God to reveal Himself, to incarnate, make flesh Himself for Him to be known by man. Thus, through the sensible reality, the spiritual reality is experienced. 

Naming Spirit in the World; Naming Jesus; Naming grace can be the method used in order to reveal God. Man is tasked search for God and his presence in the midst of this world; in this very worldly phenomenon. If God is truly incarnated in this space, thus man have to search for Him in this reality, through his experiences. Man have to name, pinpoint the grace of God in the world events he experience.

The preacher thus names grace, points out the grace in the reality of this world. His preaching becomes an act of naming grace. 

For Schillibeeckx, language is the miniature replica of the world. Human language with all its weaknesses can become the servant of God in communicating Himself to man. The message of God, however, is not just to be heard but it is also meant to be experienced. Thus the message of God has to be transcended from symbol to reality, from our story to God's story. The stories or narratives behind the events man experiences embodies the message of God; God Himself. These stories expressed in Language present God in concrete and sensible manner, though He may be spiritual and intangible. 

The search for God in the language we hear and experience is transcended through the experience of contrast. The world may be filled with contradiction; bitter sweet; despair and hope, but it is through these contrasting and contradicting elements that one can see God present in the midst of pain and sorrow. 

The preacher is to bring his listeners to the experience of faith in the Lord and in the unfailing hope that God will fulfill his covenant. He is able to do this through his very own experience of the pain of contrast, in his own hope in the midst of contradictions in his life.

Gutierrez championed the Liberal Theology. It is a rethinking of theology from the base; grassroots experience of the subject; historical experience. It is a theology from the ground coming from the poverty and misery experienced by the destitute of the society. 

Knowing the experience of the listeners; their very life-experiences, one would be able to understand them and their needs. Thus, God and his message is made known by knowing the context in which the listeners are situated, and seeing these through the lens of the story of Jesus who though in the form of God did not deem equality with God.. 

Pedagogy of the Oppressed - interpreting the communal experience of the poor and allowing them to find hope in God who chose to be a poor Himself, and chose to liberates the poor form their misery. 

Pedagogy of the privileged - the privileged join the ranks of the poor and thereby partake of their poverty. 

The task of the preacher is to humanize the oppressed and concomitantly the oppressor by interpreting their misery through the Gospel message contained in the Beatitudes. The preacher is the main pedagogue of the oppressed, the bringer of hope because he acts as a catalyst of change. He brings to the realization of both the oppressed and the privileged that the beatitudes are not just a promise for the future but a covenant being fulfilled here and now. 

A PHILOSOPHY ON EDUCATION

Learning can be likened to a story writing. Students write the story entitled: My Life . There is a beginning. There is an end. And everything in between is what matters most. It is an act of gathering materials, lessons, experiences in life that can be of great use to students writing their story. Thus, activities of learning are focus on experiential aspects. There is a great emphasis on the process more than the result. Mistakes are highly appreciated in the learning process. It is through the pains and wounds that students can learn lessons in life, which they can use in their story writing. Models are introduced to students as inspirations, either persons or their stories from the past or present times. Learning in this context is not limited in the academic sense. Learning becomes a lifelong commitment. Learning becomes living, having life as the end result of the whole process of story writing. 

Students are viewed as persons having something to share, a story to share, a story that is yet to be written. They are capable of directing the course of their own lives.  Choices are vital in the process of learning.  They are tasked to write their life-story in the process of learning. They are to be exposed to the realities of life: pain, joy, love, indifference, etc. Through this experiences, they can gather lessons they can include in the story of their life. 

A teacher facilitates the process of learning by providing experiential and more engaging activities, activities from which students can learn about the realities of life. A teacher should introduce models, either from the contemporary times or from the past. Telling great stories, biographies and memoirs can be of great help too. 

Act of Love: Malasa Apostolate Reflection III

The third and last time I attended the Malasa Apostolate is during their family day. It was raining the whole day. Vis-avis the heaven down pour of rain water in that mountainous barrio is the out-pouring of love and generosity of the brothers to these people of God, to this community. But in truth, it was us who experienced love, of being loved, by God and by the simple folks of Malasa. We went there bringing food, gifts, prepared programs and a generous hearts ready to be emptied for them. We went home with empty food pans, empty containers, but never an empty heart. It was filled with love, a reciprocated love coming from our nanays, tatays, kuyas, and ates in Malasa. 

In the course of the day’s activity, I was tasked to give a brief input about confession. This proved to be more challenging than the one I had before, here in Malasa. I was assigned to deliver it before children in their early teenage life. Most of them were in their 14th year. Though I spoke in Kapampangan, I found myself grasping for simple words that would help these children to comprehend what confession means. I made use of the image of their mothers washing their dirty clothes, comparing the former with God and Mother Church, and the latter with us who had been stained with sins. I thought it would be fitting to end my sharing with the children about the great love of God for each one of us: love that is beyond measure, love that knows to limit, love that is self-diffusive, that is the love of God. On that part, it came to me, that they did not experience difficulty in understanding such love. No questions were asked. Their faces were not filled with void and antipathy. I thought there was clarity in them about this conclusion, about love. Perhaps it is because, love is what they have been experiencing throughout their lives. In the simplicity and unsophisticated way of life, they found the greatest of all. That is love, love of God made present by the brothers. Love of God made present by the members of their community. Love of God made present by God Himself in their very own lives. 

We arrived in UST, almost past six in the evening. The flood water subsided. Things seemed to be back to normal after the heaven rain that morning. But the out pouring of love I experienced in Malasa insist to exist within. Indeed, after my Malasa apostolate days, something had changed within. And I have never been the same again.