Pope's resignation is good for the Church

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Everybody is talking about the sudden, unexpected and shocking resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.  I first learned through a text message from my former teacher.  The title of this article is my reply to him.  Let me explain it this way.

1. Human Limitation.  Most of the popes in the history of the Church did not resign.  They waited until they die.  Pope Benedit XVI saw his limitation.  He knew he could not anymore function effectively considering his old age and deteriorating health. 

2. Message of humility.  The pope’s action speaks volumes of his humility.  This should be emulated by other church leaders and all Catholics in general.  Power does not mean you hold on to it even if you are not anymore capable. 

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3. Hope for the Church.  In any organization, having a new leader ushers full of promises.  There is expectation of change for the better. Having a new leader in the Catholic Church is a welcome development.  This is good news for the Catholic Church. There is so much to look forward to.

4. Controversy.  For sure a lot of anti-Catholics will take this development against the church.  Well, the Catholic Church had been through a lot of controversies.  God’s house will never be broken because it is His. Controversies are opportunities for the Church purification.  It has been like that in history.

5.Humanity of the Church. The pope’s resignation shows the humanity of the Church.  She is governed by human beings with limitations.  I for one salute the pope’s recognition of his weaknesses.  I hope other church leaders would also be in touch with their humanity and feel the real needs of the people.

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6. Lessons learned.  There are many lessons Catholics will learn from the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.  Aside from the aforementioned ones, his resignation speaks of the true character of a leader.  His pure intention is for the good of the Church.  He does not want her to suffer because of his inefficiency.  How I wish our leaders both in the church and secular world will be reminded to set aside personal interest but instead work for the good of all.  I also hope this parcel of the history of the church would remind all Catholics to be humble. 

Thank you, Pope Benedict, for showing a good example.  The Church will continue to be guided by the Holy Spirit through your successor.

Thus, his recognition is indeed good for the church.

Where do you cast your nets of blessings? (How to receive God's blessings)

by Randy Tudy

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In our gospel today, Jesus commanded the fishermen to cast their nets but the fishermen commented,   “We’ve done that the whole night but caught nothing.” Jesus persisted, “Cast your nets on the other side.”  The result?  Their nets were at breaking point.

How many of us are like the fishermen who are tired, frustrated and desperate?  How many of us despite all our efforts, energy, time and money still could not see ourselves succeeding?

Yesterday, for the first time I joined The Feast (I will explain more about this in my future articles) in Davao City.  Bro Pio gave the power talk which revolved around the message of being blessed.  His talk was an affirmation of my previous article on How can you become a blessing expert.

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From the gospel of today and the sharing of Bro Pio, I will share to you the following reflections.

1. Hold your net.  Just like the fishermen in the Bible it is important to know that we are holding a net in order to catch fish.  We need to be familiar with it.  Wherever we are and whatever we do, we have to make sure our net is designed to catch blessings.  For example, our net could be our talent, skills, education, business, job or opportunities. 

2. Throw your net.  If we are aware of our own net, we need to discern where to throw it so that it will surely catch blessings.  Just like the fishermen, they were asked to venture into the unfamiliar territory by throwing on the other side.   We use our talent, skills, education, business, job or opportunities to be productive and to grow our blessings.  However, it should be shared or done in a proper place.  Four of my former students are good in the internet.  No, they don't play DOTA or any games.  Well, I supposed they also play before.  Now?  They throw their nets of blessings into the internet by working at home through online jobs.

3. Listen and follow.  Most of the successful people learned by listening and studying other successful people.  It is not enough to get hold of your net and throw in a proper place. We need to educate ourselves and learn from the experts.  That’s the reason why we go to school.  In our gospel, the fishermen listen to Jesus.

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Friend, what is your net of blessing?  Where do you throw this net?  Whom do you listen and follow?

May your dreams be blessed.

Randy T

5 ways on how you can be a BLESSING expert?

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While sitting with our school president during a break in our strategic planning session, he asked me to facilitate the retreat for the Brothers of the Sacred Heart.  “Brother?” was all I can respond before he assured me that he will provide all the necessary materials plus a help from another brother.  To make the long story short, I did say yes with only one week to prepare.

Naturally, I was in panic gathering my notes until I tumbled on an article from one of my mentors- Bo Sanchez.  It was about how to be a blessing expert. The rest was God’s inspiration and work.  I supposed it was a successful retreat.  The framework of the retreat revolved around the theme on  how to become a blessing expert.

 Well, what does it mean to be a blessing expert?

An expert refers to a person who excels in a particular field. For example, if you talk about laws, lawyers are considered experts on the law. Doctors of medicines are experts on wellness. And the list goes on.

A blessing expert…………

1. Identifies blessings.  A blessing expert is a person who can easily identifies a blessing, even the minute one. According to Bo Sanchez, if we want to live a happy and fantastic life we need to discover first the blessings that we have. How can we be happy if we don’t even know the blessings around us?

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2. Receives blessings.  It might be a surprise to you but it is true that many people don’t know how to receive blessings. Most of God’s blessings are just within reach but people don’t recognize them.  There are some who are not comfortable receiving praises.  On the other hand, many are blind to recognize God’s blessings and therefore don’t receive them.  For example, how many people recognize the gift of life they receive every time they wake up?

3. Shows gratefulness. A blessing expert is thankful to all the blessings he/she receives.  His/her first prayer every morning  are the words, “Thank you, Lord.” 

4. Shares God blessings.  I have a teacher before who comes to school smiling and is generous in greeting students with a big smile.  She is a blessing to us through her smiles.  A blessing expert does not contain a blessing for himself.

5. Prays for blessings.  A blessing expert prays for blessings both for those who had already come and those to come. Our catechist taught us how to pray.  Pray to thank God.

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6. Witnesses as God’s blessings.  Just like my teacher, Christians are called to be a blessing for others.

May your drams be blessed.

Randy T.

God is indeed good (Use your gift of freedom responsibly)

"I love this " was my usual reaction every time I go the malls, market, plaza, and everywhere. These are simple words of truth about me.  However, not everybody enjoys going to the places I went.  Well, they love to but not without so much caution and an army of security people in tow.

"I love this" expression is an expression of freedom.  I am free because I am not afraid. That is one indicator of a person who is free.  Indeed, God is good.  So, why many people questions the goodness of God especially when problems come?  Watch this video and learn why God is indeed good.

How do you hear God? Listen.

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Have you experienced when your father speaks to you heart to heart?  You feel uncomfortable because your father doesn't talk that much.  By his introduction, you could already feel that it is a serious talk and the more it makes you uncomfortable.

In my assignment before where I sometimes acted as a retreat facilitator, there is one  activity during the retreat which I don't want my participants to miss. It is a heart to heart talk to God.  What my retreatants would do is to find their own sacred place.  Next, they are going to write a conversation with God.  At first, participants feel like they are just the ones doing the dialogue but when the task is finished a lot of surprises were taking place.

In our busy lives, we often miss this opportunity to have a heart to heart talk with God. How do you talk to God?  First and foremost, listen!

Watch this video and allow God to talk to you.  

Are you happy and blessed? Learn the Christian secret.

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Last Sunday new members of our Lady of Lourdes Confraternity or popularly known as Lourdes were formally accepted as part of the community.  The acceptance ceremony is different from the usual acceptance ritual.  The new members were not only accepted but also sent.  Thus, the ceremony could also be called a "Sending Forth ceremony."  As members of this Church-based organization, they were sent to live out the values and virtues of Mother Mary.

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Today's gospel (Mark 6:7-13) is about the sending forth of the apostles.  They were sent by twos.  I could just imagine how excited these apostles were.  Thy cast out demons and healed sick people.  May be when they returned home they were comparing notes of the achievements they had.

But what does this sending forth really mean to the apostles and all of us followers of Jesus?  We got if by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation.

First, being called is a blessing.  Not everyone is chosen.  For instance, only twelve apostles were chosen among Jesus' disciples.  We might not be called apostles but try to reflect your mission wherever you are.  If you are working in the office, you are called as a genuine Christian to witness the gospel values.

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I remember a former student of mine.  Let's call him Rodel.  He was a very good student and was active in the Campus Ministry, an office which facilitates spiritual activities in the school.  After his graduation, he was fortunate to immediately land a job in a government office.  As a devout Christian, he religiously did his job.  Day by day, Rodel discovered some irregularities in the office.  For instance, he noticed that many of his office mates came in late, consistently.  However, the record in the Daily Time Record (DTR) which was still done manually did not reflect such violations. 

 He also noticed that some of his companions are not really doing their job well.  There were more that he observed as time went by.  One time he came late.  Instead of writing the correct entry, one of his companions taught him the practice that they do. This practice was stopped when the bandy clock was introduced.  However, the one who first came in will punch all the cards.  Problem solved.

Rodel was troubled by his conscience of the wrong practices in his office.  There was even a time he thought of quitting. However, he remained faithful.  In this case, Rodel lived up to his calling as Jesus' followers.  He is blessed by doing the right thing.  In fact, his life is better than his office mates though he received lower salary. Indeed, he is blessed.

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Second, we are called to be happy.  Jesus did not go to Jerusalem in order to be persecuted and crucified.  He was happy doing his mission.  While he knew he is going to die, he also knew that it is not the end.  The celebration of Lent does not end on Good Friday.  The feast of all feasts in the Church is EASTER SUNDAY.  That is why Christians are called Easter people.  We look forward to resurrection.  That is the real meaning of happiness.

Christianity is a religion of blessings.  It is a religion with a generous God.
Christianity is a religion of happiness.  Christians are happy people and are called to make others happy.

If you want to be happy and blessed, live your life according to will of God.  Be a genuine Christian!

May your dreams be blessed.

Randy T

Do you possess positive receptors?

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In 1995, I had the opportunity of attending the World Youth Day held in Manila.  I was one of the 3 million people who attended the mass at Luneta Park.  Just before mass, people were already crowding the park.There were just too many people around. We could not move freely.  It was hot and very inconvenient.  Many were already in the park the night before forcing us to stay very far away from the main stage. 

However, I had a rare opportunity when the pope's vehicle passed near the road where we were staying.  I was around 15 meters away from the road but when I saw Pope John Paul II for maybe 10 seconds I felt something very different.   The pope had a very powerful aura.  Just seeing him as if I was seeing Jesus.  By the way, after 8 years I saw him twice in Rome, at the St. Peter’s Basilica and at Castelo Gandulfo.  The same experience.  On these three occasions,  the pope triggered the positive receptors in me.

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What do I mean by receptors?  It seems that we hear this word and is connected with electronics.  That’s how I first heard this word. In Physiology, they refer to a specialized or group of nerve endings that responds to sensory stimuli.  In Biochemistry, they refer to a molecular structure or site on the surface or interior of a cell that binds with substances such as hormones, antigens, drugs, or neurotransmitters (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/receptor).

My operational definition to this word is about a thing in our mind that receive stimuli through our brain.  It depends what the receptors receive that the brain can interpret.  If the receptors are positive, they will send positive information to the brain.  If the receptors are negative, they will send negative information.

Human beings have receptors. Let’s take this example. Sisters Ann and Weng were  born  a year apart.  Ann has a very positive aura making her the favourite among family members, relatives and neighbours.  Weng is the complete opposite.  Ann would smile every time she receives praise and accolades.  Weng doesn’t.  Both have receptors but differ in kinds.

Two different sisters, two different receptors.

Two different attitudes, two different receptors

As a teacher, I also experience having students with different kinds of attitudes.  Like sisters Ann and Weng, there are students who react differently to stimuli.

Even in doing classroom activities, students differ in terms of their reaction and performance.

Reason?  They have different kinds of receptors.

Receptors are in our mind who filter our thoughts or stimuli from the outside.

Receptors can lead our brain which processes and influences our thinking, words and actions.

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In order to have positive receptors, here are few suggestions:

 1. Know yourself and your past. What were your healthy and unhealthy past experieces? Awareness would lead to understanding yourself, and later on loving yourself.

2. Learn about your receptors. Be aware what are those things that can easily trigger yourself both positively and negatively.

3. Activate your positive receptors.  If Pope John Paul II helped trigger my positive receptors, then I should be mindful and develop these receptors (not the person of the pope).  It is like asking, "What makes me happy or what inspires me?"  It's good to know these.

4. Reject negative receptors. By knowing your receptors developed by your bad past experiences, you need to be aware of not welcoming them or allowing them to influence your life.

5. Enhance your receptors with the Word of God and Prayer. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of the adulterous woman.  The Jews brought the adulterous woman to Jesus with sarcastic and demeaning words.  It was a very intense moment.  Just by seeing this sinful woman, I’m sure those people are pissed off.  Jesus saw all these things but he has positive receptors.  He saw goodness more than the sinfulness of the woman.  He saw the opportunity of educating the people instead of allowing them to be enslaved by their own sinfulness.

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Negative receptors are created because of our bad past experiences.  If you have painful,  unjust and terrible past, you developed these receptors.  Every time similar experience occurs, receptors are triggered and produced signals to the brain.  On the opposite, positive receptors are developed if you have a loving and healthy past.

Our goal is to develop positive receptors in order to live a positive life.

Jesus is our model.  He can also cleanse our brain and wash away negative receptors.

Jesus as model can help us produce millions of positive receptors.

May your dreams be blessed.