Think it Over & Beyond: Starting Over Again!

Think it Over & Beyond: Starting Over Again!: Please read FEATURED GOSPEL: Matthew 5:38-48. Minsan ‘di natin napapansin, ang “bitter” natin! We don’t want to let go of the p...

Starting Over Again!

Please read FEATURED GOSPEL: Matthew 5:38-48.

Minsan ‘di natin napapansin, ang “bitter” natin!

We don’t want to let go of the past kasi “doon”, may ginawa tayong hindi natin dapat ginawa.

May “pinanghihinayangan” tayo na until this very moment ay may mga natitirang tanong sa puso natin.

--mga tanong na nagpapahirap sa kalooban natin kaya pinipilit nating i-“fit-in” sa isip natin ang lahat ng “what if” sa mga ‘di natin nagawa pero dapat sana ay ginawa natin.

Kaya naman, it’s our tendency to believe that we can “start over again” with whatever there was in the past kasi this time, “gusto nating bumawi”!

It’s “what we believe in” that makes us determined to keep on working things out! Not only our eyes, but our heart is gazed on  that goal to be “at our best” this time. – kahit na dumating pa sa point na nasasaktan na tayo at nakakasakit na din tayo ng iba. 

In today’s gospel, Jesus laid down another “reward”:

₄₄”But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,₄₅that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.₄₆For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? … ₄₈So be perfect,^* just as your heavenly Father is perfect. ”

If we will not realize na tayo yong “enemy at persecutor na ‘yon sa sarili natin”, we will keep on reading through … even memorizing the lines and memories that should already be “deleted” in our system which hinder us from really “moving on” with the best memories instead.  We cause our own heart aches, we keep on allowing our “holding back” trends, to the point that we want to find ways to “un-love” so as to finally move-on. 

Such a nice “twist” … “starting over again” with a love that’s beautiful and new!

“PSP” … “past is past” – never be BITTER about it! – kasi, without that one part of our history, we will never be BETTER today.

That chance na makapagsimula na wala nang natitirang tanong sa puso natin,

that enough “time” hanggang sa mapatawad natin ang sarili with whatever mistake/s …

… these would be the “best gifts” we could ever give to ourselves. 

Let us increase our worship while we strive to “grow up” in our relationships – “this is loving in a different way”! 

Start it Over Again from within! #sunset

These, We Should Not Resist!

Please read, FEATURED GOSPEL: MT 5:13-16.

“Ang hindi naaalala ng isip, hindi nakakalimutan ng puso.”

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzWvUKgwO4W2eUE0azBzVFowRHc/edit

They are already professionals; yet, they still remember as a child!

They smiled upon recalling the good; yet, they cried upon hearing those lines which hit the soft spot in their heart.

...this was how my TCP [Teaching Certificate Program] Students reacted when in one of our lessons,  I asked them to read one story: “Nang Mawala ang Tinig ni Darna” in my intention to make them recall their “values formation”as far as they can remember way back childhood days. 

When asked to share, may mga pinagdaanan na kung bibigyan lang ng isa pang pagkakataon ay hindi na nila gugustuhing daanan ulit kasi yon yong mga panahon na wala silang choice kundi tanggapin na lang na may mga magulang na hindi napagtagumpayang i-“preserve” ang pamilya na dapat sana ay panggalingan ng mabuting paggabay. 

Pero mabuti na lang, ang pilit kinakalimutan ng isip, sadyang naaalala ng puso…

kasi despite the pain, God has planted LOVE deep within us which makes us see “the other side” of the story and makes us find “alternative harmony” para patuloy na pagsumikapang hindi tuluyang masira ang dapat sana ay “buong pamilya”.  Nakikita ng pusong may pagmamahal ang mga bagay na dapat matutunan kahit na hindi ito direct na itinuro;  kasi God has also deposited that “conviction” within us that “we can always find light” no matter how dark situations have caused…because in today’s gospel, Jesus said:  

“You are the salt of the earth.
You are the light of the world…”

Literally, when Jesus told these allegory during the early first century Palestine, salt was significantly used to preserve meat and season food.  Same is true even until now, although with some sorts of modifications. Ultimately, THEN & NOW, God is always certain in His declaration that: “YOU ARE”! …

…the “SALT OF THE EARTH” na ang ibig sabihin ay:

[1]  dapat napre-“preserve natin ang ganda ng pagkatao natin” kasi “we are created in the image & likeness of God”;

[2] sana we could sustain our purity and be our own “driving force” against the temptations that lead us to sin;

[3]  dapat sana we could “intensify” our relationships with ourself, with one another & most specially with God;

…the “LIGHT OF THE WORLD” na maaaring:

[1]  magpaalala sa mga nakakalimot ng malalim na kahulugan ng “tunay na kagandahan” ng pagkatao;

[2]  magbigay-pag-asa na si God, laging may nakahandang “opportunity” for those who humble themselves in asking for forgiveness when they’ve messed up;

[3] maging “source of strength & inspiration” kapag ang iba ay pinanghihinaan nang magpatuloy at tapusin ang kanilang laban in this so-called life. 

Kung kaya lang sana nating i-increase ang pakiramdam na “INTRINSIC” naman sa atin ang mga values na ito, wala sanang mga anak na maghahanap ng nawawalang magulang, wala sanang mga tatay na sumasakabilang-BAhay; wala sanang mga anak na “may sariling mundo”, wala sanang pamilya na magsu-suffer ng effect ng ginawa ng kung sino mang kulang sa malasakit … at higit sa lahat, wala sanang part ng buhay natin ang gusto na nating kalimutan.

Good that you took the time to read this!

I fervently hope, you could find some courage to make humble reflections 

to accept these gifts

– kasi sa totoong buhay, this is what will make us a WORTHY PERSON :)

#sunset

Think it Over & Beyond: A Life-time for a Certain Promise?!

Think it Over & Beyond: A Life-time for a Certain Promise?!: “A Life-time for a Certain Promise?!” by: Gail S. Montero                   Please read Luke 2:29-32. How long should it take for...

A Life-time for a Certain Promise?!

“A Life-time for a Certain Promise?!”

by: Gail S. Montero                  

Please read Luke 2:29-32.

How long should it take for us to believe

that a certain promise will still be fulfilled?

That day: December 31, 2013 @ Josephine’s Restaurant in Tagaytay, in an unexpected moment -- God sent an angel that made me recall “a promise” …

– that one which “no voice” told me back then,

yet I believed in my heart that it will be fulfilled – maybe “when I grow up” ! J

I was just a kid then when God first comforted me “not with an answer” to the truth that I should know.  It has been 30 years at this point  --  ang tagal na din pala!  I’m already raising my own kids now … but somewhere in my heart, “I’m counting…STILL on that GUARANTEE!”.

“Promises are made to be broken!” … that’s what they normally say!

Kasi along the way,

-- bigla na lang, nagbabago ang tao: either the promise-giver or the receiver;

-- dumadating ang mga pagsubok na hindi napagtatagumpayan;

-- nagkakaroon ng mga pagkakataon na nagiging magka-iba ng landas na tinatahak. 

Or, worse than expected,

-- NAKAKALIMOT na magsumikap na ibigay ang BEST sa magparehong pagkatao

   sa kalagitnaan ng mahihirap na mga pagkakataon.

-- kung hindi man ang isa sa kanila, neither of the promise-giver nor the receiver are able to courageously  JUMP over the TEST OF TIME kaya naman, tuluyan nang natatapos ang  relationship na inasahan sanang mag-grow!

Ilan kaya sa atin ang pwedeng maging katulad ni Simeon in today’s gospel?

-- an upright and devout OLD MAN who received and blessed Jesus when Mary and Joseph presented him at the temple.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

It had to take him “a life time” before God finally rewarded his hope:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,

just as you promised;

because my eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared for all the nations to see…”

Hindi madali ang umasa na isang umaga naandyan na ang sagot “to the truth that you should know”.  Lalong hindi madali na magpakabuti tayo at gawing “deserving” ang sarili natin sa kalagitnaan ng mga panahong nahihirapan tayo at halos we are at the summit of giving-up.

Pero sige lang, let us give ourselves that extra effort to keep on JUMPING even higher than we normally can -- kasi God is surely preparing us to that day when HE would REWARD us with the FULFILMENT of HIS PROMISE!

Afterall, our attitude while waiting would matter most! “Payback” to God that gift of gratitude and patience without worrying – then it could be the best that we would have in our futureJ. #sunset

A Life-time for a Promise?!

“A Life-time for a Certain Promise?!”

by: Gail S. Montero                  

Please read Luke 2:29-32.

How long should it take for us to believe

that a certain promise will still be fulfilled?

That day: December 31, 2013 @ Josephine’s Restaurant in Tagaytay, in an unexpected moment -- God sent an angel that made me recall “a promise” …

– that one which “no voice” told me back then,

yet I believed in my heart that it will be fulfilled – maybe “when I grow up” ! J

I was just a kid then when God first comforted me “not with an answer” to the truth that I should know.  It has been 30 years at this point  --  ang tagal na din pala!  I’m already raising my own kids now … but somewhere in my heart, “I’m counting…STILL on that GUARANTEE!”.

“Promises are made to be broken!” … that’s what they normally say!

Kasi along the way,

-- bigla na lang, nagbabago ang tao: either the promise-giver or the receiver;

-- dumadating ang mga pagsubok na hindi napagtatagumpayan;

-- nagkakaroon ng mga pagkakataon na nagiging magka-iba ng landas na tinatahak. 

Or, worse than expected,

-- NAKAKALIMOT na magsumikap na ibigay ang BEST sa magparehong pagkatao

   sa kalagitnaan ng mahihirap na mga pagkakataon.

-- kung hindi man ang isa sa kanila, neither of the promise-giver nor the receiver are able to courageously  JUMP over the TEST OF TIME kaya naman, tuluyan nang natatapos ang  relationship na inasahan sanang mag-grow!

Ilan kaya sa atin ang pwedeng maging katulad ni Simeon in today’s gospel?

-- an upright and devout OLD MAN who received and blessed Jesus when Mary and Joseph presented him at the temple.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

It had to take him “a life time” before God finally rewarded his hope:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,

just as you promised;

because my eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared for all the nations to see…”

Hindi madali ang umasa na isang umaga naandyan na ang sagot “to the truth that you should know”.  Lalong hindi madali na magpakabuti tayo at gawing “deserving” ang sarili natin sa kalagitnaan ng mga panahong nahihirapan tayo at halos we are at the summit of giving-up.

Pero sige lang, let us give ourselves that extra effort to keep on JUMPING even higher than we normally can -- kasi God is surely preparing us to that day when HE would REWARD us with the FULFILMENT of HIS PROMISE!

Afterall, our attitude while waiting would matter most! “Payback” to God that gift of gratitude and patience without worrying – then it could be the best that we would have in our futureJ. #sunset