Salesian of Don Bosco

Sings and Bearers of Gods Love…..to the young

The General Chapter 24 of the Salesian Society presented and redefined who the young is in our mission. But reading and reflecting on the realization of the General Chapter 24 in their redefining the image of the young, they did not only become clear who the young is, but actually the congregation was stimulated the redefining WHO THE SALESIAN IS with the young.

The young people define who the Salesian for them as what they expressed before the Chapter 24. The comments of the young moved and made the Salesians stop and reflect about the identity of the Salesians today. The young asked the Salesians to be coherent witnesses of the Gospel, to be more present among them, to be available to listen to them, to accompany them, and to offer them a greater possibility of participation. Through these words coming from the young themselves, who is indeed the Salesian in the presence of the young?

Reflecting on this question I believe that the challenge of the General Chapter 25 “Da mihi animas” will give the full and clear answer to the image of the Salesian today. The Don Bosco events will redefine our identity as Salesian. The best icon that I can think of for this search is the dream at nine. The dream clearly shows to us that Salesians are called by Christ to be servants for the young, through the works of the Sprit, and in the presence of Mary Immaculate. This particular dream summarized who the Salesian should be, that is “signs and bearers of Gods Love for the young” as it is stated in the article # 2 of the Salesian Constitution.

Being a sign and bearer of God’s love is the fundamental task of a Salesian. If one is to be a bearer of something or someone, he must do everything to be familiar with what he is bearing or representing. Salesians must be familiar with and should foster deep relationship with Christ, the one that he is bearing toward the young. It is clearly stated in article # 34 “like Don Bosco, we are all called to be educators to the faith at every opportunity. Our highest knowledge therefore is to know Jesus Christ.” This knowledge of Christ is the one that a Salesian will live and share to the young. That is why as a Salesian he is called to a “deep union with God” as Don Bosco lived an experience of humble, trusting and apostolic prayer in which praying and living were spontaneously united (Article # 86). Union with God is where a Salesian draws energy and endurance in his work (Article #88) and this deep union with God is great assurance of joyous perseverance in one’s vocation (Article # 93). As it is clearly stated in the Salesian Constitution Article 95 prayer and union with God should be the characteristic of the sons of St. John Bosco. In short a Salesian most be a man of prayer.

To whom is the mission of the Salesians directed? For whom do we bear the love of God? Article 26 of the Salesian Constitution clearly stated that the Salesian must direct his mission to the young, especially to those who are poor, abandoned, and in danger, those who have greater need of love and evangelization.

How does the Salesian bring the love of God to the young? What is Don Bosco’s way of loving the young? Faithful to the intention of Don Bosco, the purpose of the Salesians is to form the young into becoming “upright citizens and good Christians (Article #31).” Salesians fulfill this mission of educational and pastoral service with the method handed over by Don Bosco which is the Preventive System (article # 38) and this system basically means “presence.” The preventive system calls the Salesians to be with the young as it is said in the Article 39 “here in your midst I feel completely at home, for me living, means being here with you.” The life of a Salesian is being with the young. They walk side by side with the young. The Salesians being with the young help them to discover, accept and develop the gift of a lay, consecrated or priestly vocation, for the benefit of the whole Church and the Salesian family (article # 28). Being with the young gives the Salesian a true understanding of the world of the young and unites the Salesian with them in all healthy aspects of their restless energy.

With the young the Salesian should be the center of cheerfulness. As Don Bosco used to say “let nothing upset you”….As heralds of the Gospel, Salesians must always be cheerful. They radiate this joy and are able to educate to a Christian and festive way of life: “let us serve the Lord in holy joy. (Article #17). In other words a Salesian is someone who has the “predilection for the young” as it is clearly mention in the constitution article 14 “for their welfare we give generously of our time, talents, and health: for you I study, for you I work, for you I live, for you I am ready even to give my life.”

But the Salesian should always remember that “to live and work together is a fundamental requirement and a sure way of fulfilling one’s vocation as a Salesian (Article #49). As bearers of God we are bearers of the image of the mystery of the Trinity by this we become signs and bearers of unity. We are called and been called to accomplish the mission as a community not as individuals (article #50). A Salesian is an open heart

As a community, the Salesians are bound because of their vows to live in obedience, poverty and chastity and a sincere practice of the vows strengths the bond of brotherly love and makes their apostolic work coherent (article #61). Living in a community is one of the fundamental signs that the Salesian can give to the young of what is to live in communion with full faith, trust, understanding, love and concern for every member as of the union of the Divine Trinity.

The call of the young people during the General Chapter 24 to be coherent witnesses of the Gospel, to be more present among them, to be available to listen to them, to accompany them, and to offer them a greater possibility of participation” was answered by defining that a Salesian is a man of prayer or a man of God so that he may be witness of the Gospel. Secondly, the Salesian has the predilection for the young. He is ready to give everything for the young in terms of religion, reason and love. The Salesian becomes more available, present, accompany them in life choices. Lastly, the Salesian is a collaborator, who works side by side with the community. With these attitudes, character and lifestyle one can say that he is indeed Salesian of Don Bosco for he lived a life according to the pattern of the founder…”sign and bearer of God’s love to the young.

Deus Caritas Est simply means Emmanuel.

Each and every one of us has this personal experience or encounter that move us to be deeper in our Christian faith. Through the different divine experiences our faith gains life for through these experiences we find reasons to believe and truly live out our so-called faith.

For almost a year of theologizing I personally believe that God is not someone absent, hidden, and abstract or a product of human concepts rather, He is someone alive, present, and very much well connected as part of our daily ordinary life. He is with us. The concept of Emmanuel “God with us” I consider as the best name or attribute we can give to God. God as Emmanuel brings the Divine closer to us. It does not make God different from us that we could not really be with Him.

In my two years of practical training in Don Bosco College in Canlubang, was I really living with the world of the young. I discovered and was made to conclude that the idea of Emmanuel is well represented in the religious value of the young people. Popular religiosity is really “something” in terms of faith especially for the young. Just try to see how the youth relate with God; “the thought of God being present in their lives comes out almost naturally in their stories and casual conversations.”1 This reality in the Filipino youth shows how the young view who God really is. For them God is no other than the Emmanuel a God that is with them in their ordinary day to day experiences. This is not just true for the young people but also very true for the adults that God is the God we are experiencing. We relate to God more on the feelings. We don’t understand Him we feel Him.

I myself have some share to this reality. There was point in my life wherein I questioned, who planted in my human mind the idea of God? In search for an answer I could not help but go back to my childhood experiences and search for the first encounter with the being that I call God in this present time. What I remembered was the time when my mother would bring me to the church and ask me to pray to “God” for all the things I wanted. Young as I was during that time I just followed the words of my mother. There and then I first prayed to the God whom I did not really know. The sight of looking at my mother praying was nice and all the more I wanted to imitate her. It seems that she was talking to an ordinary person that I could not see. But the deep state of my mother while praying introduced me to my God. A God who is there even though I cannot see.

St. Edith Stein a phenomenologies could not believe in the existence of God for she could not comprehend everything that she could think about God. She could not accept the personal God that others especially the Christians believe in and proclaim. But her search began when with her own eyes witnessed how Christians live their faith. With all the destruction or persecutions happening around the world, Christians still could find serenity and peace. She could see that there was something moving and giving them hope. Witnessing someone at prayer kneeling with close eyes and bowed head was everything she needed to see for her to be able to say that there is indeed a Transcendental being that Christians and Jews call God or Yahweh. She discovered that not only in the mind that she could find God but also in her personal experiences that touched the inner core of the heart. Phenomenology for her was coming back to the object and faith was coming back to the Creator.

The encyclical letter of Pope Benedict XVI “Deus Caritas Est” is for all Christians to be read to and be reminded of who we are. The Pope wishes to bring us back to the core of our being, our faith.

Why Deus Caritas?

As what Pope Benedict XVI in his letter to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus pointed out that “…the love of God is manifested only when we consider more closely its attribution not only to the knowledge but also, and above all, the personal experience of His love…”2 shows that the church urge us to give importance also to our different experiences in knowing and loving God for through experience we are moved to act. Pope Benedict in his first Encyclical Letter, “Deus Caritas Est” says “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event….” 3 These events are the different experiences of man about God that moves them to long and to love God all the more. I believe that this is what Pope Benedict XVI wishes to tell to all Christians, all people, the whole Church. Let us go back to our human experiences and see how God really works in us. From the very beginning God communicates with His creation through “human ways.” From Eros to Philia to agape is the level of our love as person created in the image and likeness of God. Let our Love be like of our creator, let us be people who are loving and charitable to others. This is the challenge that the Pope aims, why he writes about the Love of God we are meant to be people of love as God is love.

I have been studying too much about God trying to know and understand His essence and existence. In the process of understanding and defining Him I was primed to give Him so many names just for me to define or may be to distinguish His greatness comparing form other existing beings. Secondly, I have to name Him to make Him more personal in my understanding of His greatness. But I tried not to forget the truth that I can never really fully find Him if I will remain in the power of my human mind. I deeply realized that I have to be like my mother, Edith Stein and the others Saints to recognize God in my own experiences. For God is not a matter of the intellect but of the heart. I have to be sensitive and observant in the acts of God in my life. In understanding God I was made to realize that I have to use my whole being. My experiences affirmed me that I am a person and that I am a human being with an intellectual capacity and transcending spirit. This capacity of transcending in attaining the “Truth” made me higher in dignity compared with other creatures. I think this is how philosophy and theology help me in understanding God. First it helps me to understand my humanity, my worth, my dignity, and my greatness as creation of God. My encounter or my experiences of God has changed me.

I understand that the memory of seeing my mother in her deep prayer was a significant event in my understanding God, for that very moment I just believe without much thinking. First, get to know God through experience not by doctrine. Doctrine just affirms on the experiences I have. My knowledge should help me to understand the movement of God in my life and by understanding and knowing it, moves me to change or better moves me to love Him all the more.

Now that I am doing my Theological studies I realized that studying God is actually just giving names on the reality that we see, touch, smell, hear and, feel in our daily experience. We give names to our experiences of God to understand Him all the more. All are just attributes of human realities.

These attributes does not just come from no where we also have basis for these attributes. Man indeed experienced God in persona through Christ the Emmanuel a reality that was recorded in the Scriptures one of the foundation of our Christian faith.

When the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit created the world they decided to create something in their image and likeness and they called this creature MAN. If man was created in the image and likeness of God we could not but say that if man is a relational being God by nature is also a relational being. If God is love as a reflection of him we are also meant to person of love. We could only be like him by loving others the way he loved us.

This is the message of Deus Caritas Est. we have to go to the basic of our faith that we are loved and that’s why we are meant to love.

---

1 The Changing Face of the Filipino. Religion. Mario Baclig. Sdb. 2002.p 238

2 Pope Benedict XVI. “A letter from the Holy Father”. The Messenger of Divine Love. July – September 2006. p 3-6.

3. Pope Benedict XVI. Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est. 2005.

My Great Triumph

There is hope to change though Christ.

(my reflection on the feast of the Triumph of the Cross)

Almost all of us know that the cross before is a sign of disgrace, a sign of sinfulness simply because in the cross criminals … law offenders are hung to die without dignity. But this shameful image was totally changed when one man was nailed and died on it. The image of disgrace became a sign of glory, faith, hope, and true love. The man that change it all was Jesus the Christ, with him the cross from its lowliness was exalted, with the cross the whole humanity was glorified.

Sometimes I see my self as the shameful cross. I feel and see my self that I am a worthless being, a sinful man not worthy of any care or love. I am a person without hope, without a future. But whenever I gaze the crucifix I am made to see a light, a light that brings hope in the darkness of my mind and heart a hope that says “there is still room for change just let me be with you.”

Yes! I still remain as a cross, a cross that is full of pain and sorrow but I am a renewed cross everything is different now, I face and I bear the trials, the pains with a joyful heart, with a different attitude and faith. I believe that I am not suffering alone I am suffering with and for Jesus. My life, my being was exalted because of Jesus. With Jesus like the cross we can attain change we can reach our glory and with him we can be exalted.

Let me end this reflection of mine with my personal theology of how Jesus exalted me to be worthy to feel and experience the love of God.

“Jesus allowed himself to be nailed in me a sinful cross so that when the Father embrace him I may also share in the warmth of the Fathers love and mercy.”

O Jesus thank you for exalting me with you.

"Basted"

this is not totally my work but i wish to share it to you for every bit of it really speak of what i want to say.

When people I meet find out I’m on a journey to the priesthood, these questions would usually follow.

Question no.1: “Gaano pa katagal bago ka maging pari?” In my case, it would take about three years more, if I pass all the subjects and am admitted without delay into the higher stages of formation.

Question no. 2: “Nagdadasal ba kayo palagi sa loob ng seminaryo?” Well, in the seminary where I am, we pray, of course, but not all the time. The community has prayers at fixed times in the morning and evening.

And then there’s the greatest of them all, question no.3: “Bakit ka nag-pari? Basted ka ba?” Hmmm…do I look like I was “basted”? Fortunately, I haven’t been into courting long enough to experience that. At any rate, the seminary is definitely not an asylum for the heartbroken, you know.

I’ve been there since I was seventeen, and looking back at the years I spent there, I’d say they were happy years of teenage adventures too. Together with my classmates, I had my own shares of the joys and pains of growing up. I never dreamt of becoming a priest when I was much younger. I wanted to be either an architect, physical therapist . Maybe even a dentist. Bakit nga ba ako nag-pari?

To this day, I must admit that’s something I cannot fully understand. The best reason I can give, and maybe the only valid reason at that, is that I think, I felt God invited me. Why me? I don’t know. I can’t be absolutely certain about what qualifications God looks for in those He calls. In my first year in the major seminary, we were a rowdy group of 24. At present, only two of us are still around. The MVP’s and the geniuses in our batch have gone. The “siga” and the “gwapings” have gone. Even the more saintly ones have gone. So if you think God chooses only the conduct-awardees, the super talented, or the valedictorians, think again. Basing on my experience, I find it hard to agree with that. But to be fair with my companions, I won’t say He picks junk either.

Now for those who have the hunch that God might be inviting them to follow him too, the best thing to do is to give it a chance. God calls in varied and mysterious ways. If deep inside, you feel some kind of interest in being a priest, let a priest know. He’ll help you listen to God’s voice better.

And when people ask why you want to give the priesthood a try, be prepared to explain that you’re not “basted.”

Bl. Mothere Teresa

For I see Christ in you

We all know who Mother Teresa is. We idolize her so much in her great love to Christ. Once asked by a sick man that she is serving “Mother why are you doing this to me, I don’t know you and you don’t know me, what it is for you that you do this?” and Mother Teresa answer with great serenity “for I see Christ in you. I am not doing this just for you it is for him I'm loving so much.” Mother Teresa is an image of what is to fall in love with Christ. We all idolized and idolizing her because of her union with God.

But now letters of Mother Teresa to her spiritual Director come out making us realize that Mother Teresa the one that we idolized of great union with Christ experience a great absence of her lover for so many years. Did she lie when she said “I see Jesus in you”? What does she mean about it? If she felt that she was abandon by her lover what moved her to continue doing the great deeds she had shown us? many think that we were wrong about her? Is she really a Saint how come she was abandoned by Christ?

It was true love that moved mother Teresa. She had shown us the real action of loving and she defined what love is. Out of her love to Christ she accepted the vocation that God has given to her. One of her letter explain everything “ I think this is my vocation and I know if I become a Saint I am a Saint outside the gate of heaven where there is darkness so that I may be a light for the people who are still in the dark.”

She never lie but she just lived out the Gospel "what you have done to your brothers you have done it to me." She is like a wife waiting for the return of her husband. While waiting she is preparing, doing things as an offering to his husband when he came.

It was great and deep faith that moved her. Even she could not see Christ she still hold to her faith knowing that even she could not see him she knows that he is there. remember the words of Christ in the cross "My God, my God why have you abandon me?"

We are not wrong in saying that she is a Saint for she indeed live out the faith which we are all called to follow.

Mother Teresa helped me to remember my vocation as Christian. I remembered that I am called to search, to look for Christ and by knowing him I may love him all the more and be a light to individuals who are in the dark. I most be the "emmanuel" for all.

and she was born

Have you ever wonder why you were born? Traditionally we celebrate the earthly birth of the Virgin Mary a celebration that reminds us to pause for a while and think the purpose of our existence. Mary was born to be the one to bring God to humanity. Mary’s mission is to let the world know, understand and experience that God is one with us in joy and in pain.

The celebration of the birth of Mary take us back to our Christian vocation to let our brother and sisters remember that we are meant to bring Christ in the world. As Christians we are to be signs and bearers of Gods love to the world.

Mary was born to give birth to the Emmanuel... we become Christians to be the living presence of God in all men and women of the world today.

Happy birth day to all of us!!!

the birth

And she was born... the one to give birth to the Emmanuel.