January 26, 2010 – The sky is overcast in the valley, sending signals that soon there will be rain. If and when it rains, it will be a stark contrast to the past 2 days when the sun shone, giving Los Angelenos a respite from many days of downpour that sent Southern California reeling from mudslides, potholes, floods and accidents on the freeways.

This morning, I woke up to a quiet house bereft of the usual hustle and bustle of rushed activities. My oldest son, Trig went off to explore a teaching opportunity, my youngest son, Clint is asleep from an arduous catering gig for the recent SAG awards night, Carla (my darling soon-to-be daughter in law) has ended her  vacation and gone home to her mom, the screaming of grandkids has stopped just as if they followed the lead of a baton, the phone calls regarding the Cory Aquino commemorative mass have ceased.

Whoever thinks that retirement makes one sit around doing nothing, has another guess coming. I am busier now and my pace has doubled in the delicious discovery that nay, nope, not true that one gets bored because in fact, there is a whole new exciting world after retirement.

I am discovering me, just plain me, stripped of being responsible for 170 staff members and able to thoroughly enjoy a restful weekend with college, old buddies.

I am discovering that there is life after corporate meetings, technology driven projects, and power dressing. I am discovering that in addition to the familiar haunts and old buddies, there are many interesting new and distinguished friends that have given color to life at ummmmm….65. My life has bloomed and expanded positively to horizons that were left untapped for a long, long time. I am also discovering that life is a peach, and thank God that we have it!!

Over the rainy days, I spent a restful weekend with college girl friends at the lovely hill top home of Myrna Meek in Riverside, California. It was during this trip that I stumbled into an interesting book by M.J. Ryan, titled "Attitudes of Gratitude". It was a purchase of whim, though the title intrigued me with that oh-so familiar word gratitude. For a fleeting moment, the book reminded me that I have an innate characteristic of gratitude; as most of us do.

So, on this sunny-soon-to rain day of January 26, 2010, I was inspired to send my close friends, (and now the Asian Journal readers), the following quotes from the book: 

"Life will bring you pain, your responsibility is to create joy"…Milton Erickson M.D.

The simple joy of living from a grateful heart; "If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled, if your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself, be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are, when you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you"…Lao Tzu

"The longer I live, the more I recognize that cultivating an attitude of gratitude is the key to living from an open heart, that is, living in a spirit of joyful expectation; all you need is to use it and the world is suddenly transformed into a beautiful wonderland".

"The more you help your children to focus on what they appreciate about themselves and those around them, the more they will overflow with optimism, hopefulness and joy. Each night when you put them to bed, spend at least 3 minutes of private time, and ask them to tell you what they did that they appreciate themselves for, and one thing someone did that they are thankful for". Side note: Teaching the young ones gratitude.

"Let gratitude flow naturally. One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way at looking at things"…Henry Miller

"Life begets life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one gets rich"…Sarah Bernhardt.

I leave you with personal reflections from friends who responded to me with the following quotes:

As the poet says, "Come grow old with me, the best is yet to come"…Loida Nicolas Lewis

"I think it was Schweitzer who said something like; sometimes your own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.  You have done that very thing; given me cause for thanksgiving for old friends like you and new friends like Vikki and Myrna"…Ligaya Delgado Sublett

"I love your thoughts, I now have to think like this"…Aida Bustos Valencia

"Gratitude comes from an open heart, as wide as the world, if the heart is narrow, one feels entitled to be served, noticed and attended to.  Instead you are grateful, you serve and you bring joy"… Prosy Delacruz.

Finally, it is serendipitous that through my friendship with Prosy Delacruz, these reflections of inner thoughts reached the owner and publisher of Asian Journal, Cora Oriel. She wrote back aptly titling her response, "With  Gratitude".  She said, "You can never underestimate the power of the pen.  It can yield pain or it can lift a sagging spirit or help soothe an aching heart.  I should thank you and Prosy for giving us an opportunity to share your beautiful message to your close friends and the rest of the community". 

Have a happy life everyone!

"Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice… No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out."  Thich Nhat Hanh

One afternoon, I was rushing coming back from doing errands. I had not eaten lunch yet when a phone call from a kababayan, Jannelle So, an anchor of KSCI-18 called.  She asked me to be in her television program to answer live calls from folks about the upcoming May 2010 elections, to discuss the latest forum I was part of, celebrating the anniversary of People Power I: the installation of the presidency of Corazon Aquino and the end of the Marcos dictatorship.  I consciously said yes.  Yes to helping spread information, yes to reaching other kababayans. But, my yes took me out of my comfort zone.  For I preferred to eat lunch, take a nap and then, resume writing.  Yet, it seemed my comfort zone would be a zone of imprisoning me to my physical comforts, to the detriment of my spiritual aspirations.

What are those spiritual aspirations?  When I am confronted with causes for social justice and equality, my inner spirit tells me to take a higher road, the road using positive words, energies and activities, the road of higher aspirations.  Instead of simply condemning injustice,  my spirit says do more to “ to educate folks on the sanctity of the ballot and their role in monitoring elections to be clean. “  This way, you can build something positive, a foundation anchored on responsible, moral citizenship.

Take for example a people’s forum on clean elections I was part of, there were three of us in the panel: Fr. Rodel Balagtas, David Paraiso and myself.  I listened intently to David Paraiso recite facts and figures, portraying the dire state of the Philippines, the state of poverty, the state of the GDP, the state of health care, the state of education, the state of jobs, the state of unemployment.  However you slice and dice the facts and figures, I noticed the faces of the audience, they were quickly getting depressed in realizing Congressional Budget and Planning Office’ statistic that 86 out of 100 families in the Philippines live in poverty levels.

So, when it was my turn to speak, I distilled Fr. Rodel Balagtas’ words: “ Harvesting the nuggets of grace from God. “  I fired myself up, remembering those words: harvest what is good, harvest what is right.  I reminded the audience of our shining examples to the world: our EDSA I, our People Power, when we said yes to God, yes to rosaries, yes to prayers, yes to flowers, yes to pancit and lumpia for three days in Feb. 25-27, 1986.  Not a bullet was fired, not a single blood was shed, we collectively stood up for justice,  we collectively said no to dictatorship, no to violence, no to tanks and battalions of soldiers and no to guns. 

Philippines stood as a shining example of choosing light, choosing the spirit of God in those volatile days of political ferment.  We can do the same now, be a poll watcher by visiting the country in May 2010, ask our relatives to be poll watchers, spread the word on the traits of a good president that needs to be chosen,  spread the word on the sanctity of the democratic process and to preserve the integrity of their ballot!

Each day, we can choose God’s grace to be with us, to take notice of the fields of wildflowers, the blue skies, the bright sun, but mostly the kindnesses of folks around us.  Notice we have priests like Fr. Meloy and Fr. Rodel who take their homilies seriously and prepare to give us the best spiritual wisdom?  Not only do they research what the bible readings are, they too are looking for nuggets of grace to pass on to us, to consciously uplift us to be kind to one another.  Notice the choir led by Pete Avendano and how they are not out of tune, but in synchrony, singing with passion, Ang Bayan Ko, My Country and the tears which flowed, from parishioners so moved they spontaneously clapped?  Notice how some parishioners come from a distance, choosing this church, this small “ can do  “ church whose masses uplift you to higher levels of aspirations, connecting us to the Higher Source to be of service to others?  Notice how much lighter you are in your steps when you walk out of the service, perhaps choosing to linger for a moment to feel the goodness in others?

I do! Because of this bountiful harvest of goodness that surrounds me, I am persuading my friends to come worship at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.  To me, for every positive person I attract to this church, I believe I am increasing God’s people power on earth! For through Him, all goodness comes and all is possible!  And even more cycles of goodness to be created and recreated, as we act as one of God’s prizes on earth, conscious that we embody positive energies and inspiring actions towards others.  Indeed, people’s power start with us, we are the Efren Penafloridas we are waiting for, God’s prizes on earth for us to connect and be of service to one another towards the highest common good! 

Fr. Rodel said it best “ harvest the nuggets of grace “, as if we are mining the good in every one we meet!

Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz is a member of IHMC and a four decade and half community volunteer towards causes of leadership development, civil rights, supporting non-profits and higher education curricular reform. She is a current editorial opinion writer for Asian Journal.  She was a former Commissioner of Civil Service and Convention Center for Los Angeles City.

I thought of my newly found friend, Prosy de la Cruz, when I reflected on the Gospel this Sunday, the Parable of the Fig Tree. Prosy has honestly shared with me that for a long, long time, she had not been going to church because of one reason: she didn’t like the unhealthy guilt that some priests would instill in her during Mass. Her attitude changed not too long ago during the Simbang Gabi Masses at our parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary. She started coming to Mass again; and gradually she became drawn to it day after day, week after week.

The welcoming spirit, the uplifting music, the inspiring homilies, and yes, the fellowship and breakfast delicacies after Mass awakened her Catholic faith. Now, indeed, she can’t wait to come church on Sundays.

I learned one lesson from Prosy’s story: God never gives up on us; he waits and waits until our hearts turn to Him again. Isn’t this the same lesson we hear from the Parable of the Fig tree? The master patiently waits for it to bear fruits before he decides to cut it completely.

Prosy’s come-back-story never stops with regular attendance at Mass. She shares her faith through her writing in newspapers and in Facebook; she brings her other friends to Church; she’s involved in social justice issues around the world, particularly in the Philippines; she promotes culture, music, cooking, all for the glory of God. Prosy has become a new and even a more productive person!

Truly, we and other people can give up on our selves but God would never do it. That’s always been God’s love story with us. After all he didn’t wait for our response; he sent his only Son and became a human being like us so that the Son of Man would become the new Adam—the one that will reconcile man and woman back to God.

Let this Lent be an exciting time of renewal for us. Let it awaken our dead spirit and motivate us to come closer to God. Let it allow us to bear fruits. Let Lent fill our hearts with repentance, joy, and love for the God who has loved us first!

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Community Theater Group
Proudly Presents

The Passion

One Special Performance
April 2, 2010
Good Friday at 8:00 PM
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church

A divorced father is frustrated about coming late to see a movie with his sick teen-age son. A mother finds out that the baby she is carrying has Down’s syndrome. An employer feels bad about laying-off another worker. A parish community feels sad about the death of a kind and beloved volunteer. A Third World country continues to fall apart due to corruption, drug trafficking, and poverty. These are some hard realities of life. At times, in difficulties and struggles like these ones we ask ourselves, “Where is God in all of these?”

It’s the Second Sunday of Lent, and today we hear the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Like the apostles, we get tired of facing our “Galilees” and “Jerusalems”. If it’s at all possible, we want to be up on the mountain top of life where there are no responsibilities to face, no tragedies to accept, no sad news to hear, and no injustices to fight. We want to have a life devoid of any pain or any problem. But, unfortunately, this is not reality. We all have to go through experiences of living and dying.

The story of Transfiguration, however, allows us to endure our sufferings and to hope for a better life and world. It gives a glimpse of perfect joy for those who persevere in carrying their crosses. This Christian story is a promise to hold and a justice to look forward. However, it does not stop us from dreaming of a decent and happier life in the here and now. The complete transfiguration of our lives and the world may not happen in the present time, but it can start with every heroic deed, every sacrifice, and every generous offering.

I hope that this Season of Lent will give us the graces of perfect endurance and unceasing commitment to do what is right and just. The Church in Word and Sacrament is here to grant us these graces. And we’re here to pray for one another to live and finish our personal Galilees and Jerusalems. Have a Blessed Lent!

Watching segments and news about the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics has made me think of the years of preparation and endurance that the athletes would spend to get an Olympic gold medal. This ambition requires discipline and perseverance.  And yes, it requires perfection!

Come to think about it. It’s the same goal that Jesus teaches when we hear his words, “You must be perfect as my Father is perfect.”  This is hard to achieve, isn’t it? We’ll have to be like athletes–we’ll need to spend a great amount of countless practice, rigorous schedule, and discipline to come to perfection.

Lent is a time to achieve perfection. Although this is hard to do because of many worldly distractions, our uncontrollable human tendencies and appetites, it is something that we must hope for!

A few days before Ash Wednesday, I encountered the word “perfection” several times in our daily Mass readings, particularly in the Letter of James. In James 1:1-11, for example, James asks us to have a “perfect perseverance” The reading states:  “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let your perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

We need perfect endurance to withstand the pressures and anxieties of life. Indeed, for some of us with heavy responsibilities, it is the “perfect” ingredient to face our various challenges.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus demonstrated perfect endurance when he encountered the temptations of the devil during his fasting in the desert for forty days and forty nights.   He did not give in to these temptations. He remained strong in overcoming human weaknesses and desires.

“It’s easy for Jesus to say ‘no’ to the devil,” we might say. “After all, he is God.”

This is a lame excuse. We need to believe in our human capacity and in the grace of God that help us achieve perfection. As long as we live, we must not give up on our ability to be great, to be holy. The saints remind us of this humble ambition.

In high school, a few of my friends and I had the dream of becoming saints like St. Francis of Assisi and St. Ignatius of Loyola.  Still, none of us has become a canonized “saint”. Lately, I have come across some of these friends in Facebook. One, a Franciscan missionary, just got assigned in Sri Lanka, working among the poor.  When I see his photos and read his postings, I see and feel a heart that desires for perfection. Another did not become a priest; instead, he became a professor and a writer.  But, as always, when I read about his books, I see a passionate heart that longs for sainthood, perhaps not in the priesthood, but in his calling as a father, a teacher, and a writer.

During this period of Lent, let us long for perfection. After all, isn’t it a season of longing for that perfection…the Resurrection of Christ and our own resurrection?

Ash Wednesday

By Elaine Rendler-McQueeney, from Today’s Liturgy 2009
Ashes were a universal sign of grief and penitence in the ancient Jewish world. To the psalmists, they also symbolized bitterness and defeat. In the Middle Ages, public penitents wore sackcloth robes and were strewn with ashes. After the custom of public penance ended around the end of the eleventh century, ashes were dispensed individually within a penitential liturgy for all of the faithful. Interestingly, by the end of the Middle Ages, blessed ashes were considered to have special powers and were used to cure headaches and other ailments. The restored liturgy has firmly placed the distribution of ashes in the context of penitential readings and prayers.

Ash Wednesday

By María Dolores Martínez, from Liturgia y Canción 2010
La segunda lectura habla de ser mensajeros de Cristo, o bien, embajadores, que llevan el ruego o la exhortación de Dios a los demás. Podríamos decir que los mensajeros son los que proclaman la Palabra de Dios en la liturgia o en la formación religiosa. Ser mensajeros atañe a los lectores, diáconos, sacerdotes, obispos, catequistas. Atañe también a los ministros de la música; por eso es imprescindible elegir cantos que comuniquen la verdad bíblica. Cantemos de este día de salvación, de este momento favorable, que ocurre cada momento de cada día. ¿Soy buen embajador? ¿Comunico el mensaje de la salvación de Dios claramente a los demás?

The second reading speaks about being messengers for Christ, that is, ambassadors. God appeals to his people through them. We could say that the messengers are the ones who proclaim God’s word in the liturgy and in catechetical settings. The role of messenger applies to lectors, deacons, priests, bishops, and catechists. It also applies to ministers of music. For that reason it is critical that we choose song texts that communicate biblical truths. Let us sing of this day of salvation, this acceptable time, which is every moment of every day. Am I a good ambassador? Do I communicate God’s message of salvation clearly to others?

Lenten Requirements

LENTEN REGULATIONS

• Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of abstinence from meat and days of fast; that is, only one full meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals may be taken but together should not equal another full meal.
• All Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.
• The obligation to abstain from meat commences at 14 years of age.
• The obligation to fast commences at 18 years of age and ends at 59 years of age.
• The obligation to do penance is a serious one and no Catholic should lightly excuse him/herself from this obligation during the Lenten season.

Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day season of Lent that calls the faithful to a spiritual journey with the suffering Christ.

The Code of Canon Law (see below) indicates that at least once during the year Catholics in serious sin should receive the sacrament of reconciliation. “A member of the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number all grave sins committed after baptism and not yet remitted directly through the keys of the Church nor acknowledged in individual confession, of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience. §2. It is recommended to the Christian faithful that they also confess venial sins.” (CCL 988) “After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is obliged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year.” (CCL 989)
Other requirements of the season include fasting and abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstaining from meat on all Fridays during Lent. Abstinence applies to those who have reached age 14 and forbids eating meat but not eggs, milk products, or condiments made of animal fat.
Fasting is required of Catholics from age 18 through 60. Pastors and parents are to see to it that children who are not bound by the laws of fast and abstinence are educated in an authentic sense of penance. Regulations on fasting allow only one full meal during fast days but do not prohibit eating twice more during the day, as long as the two additional meals do not equal one full meal.

The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many ways. Scripture and the Church Fathers insist above all on three forms: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (Matthew 6:1-18), which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others.

Some people have asked what makes me happy about being a priest. I’d say it’s being able to gather a community of faith Sunday after Sunday to worship the Lord and to transmit faith, hope, and love in their lives. It’s uniting parents, children, youth, and elders to hear the Word of God and to be nourished by the Eucharist. It’s seeing smiling faces of people coming out of Church, knowing that their hearts have been touched and spiritually fed by the celebration of the Mass. Consequently, I always look forward in joy for each Sunday of the week, believing that I would be inspired again by the faith and the devotion of God’s people.

There is something profound about this experience.  It’s the ability to reveal God to others.  As a priest, I become a sacrament of God’s love and forgiveness. I am able to speak in His name, to reveal His heart and will. Hence, I make sure that the words I speak are well prepared and my actions are consistent with them.

This spiritual joy is not a commodity that could be bought for it’s not a flippant, transient, or superficial experience like many forms of entertainment in today’ world.  As Benedict XVII say, this authentic joy is an abiding God-given reality, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, characterized by profound serenity, inner peace, and meaningfulness, capable of withstanding all trials and tribulations of life.

So what more can I ask? Absolutely, priesthood is not an easy life, especially when it is exercised in pastoral leadership, but, again, its joy supersedes any hardship, pain, and sacrifice.  

It’s fitting to talk about this kind of joy on this Third Sunday of Advent because we call this Sunday Gaudate Sunday.  We light the pink candle of Advent to symbolize not only the joy of approaching Christmas, but also the joy of experiencing the Lord in the many profound ways through service to our loved ones and our neighbors.

In the Gospel this Sunday, three sets of people—the crowds, the tax collectors, and the soldiers—asked a similar question to John the Baptist. “What should we do?” John would answer them in similar ways:  “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none.” “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone.” John’s responses reveal the fundamental meaning of life and source of authentic joy, which is service to our loved ones and to our fellow men and women.

I find this true not only in my own life as a priest, but also in the life of the leaders and volunteers of my parish and many parents I know.  I often wonder what keeps many of our volunteers committed to their service in our church, such as coordinating a fiesta, a concert, or another fundraising event.  I’m also amazed by the strength and patience of many parents today in taking care of their children. I should know the answer well. Their answers would be similar as mine. Service to God, his people, and their loved ones allows them to experience authentic joy in life.

On this Advent and this coming Christmas, may we all experience true joy!

I love what the authors of Living Liturgy say about the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King: Christ’s Kingdom is not a special place but an interior identity defined by our relationship to Christ the King…whose Kingdom is not territory but virtue, not power but service, not wealth but grace…It exists wherever people embody Jesus’ manner of acting and relating, wherever the Spirit of Jesus is the rule of life.

This reflection has made me think of my experience this past week with a group of priests from different parts of the country during a three-day meeting in Philadelphia. As we sat together to plan a celebration of our giftedness as priests, I was amazed by the talents, commitment, and dedication of everyone in the group. In the midst of crises of priestly vocation and priestly life, this meeting allowed me to see clearly the hand of God working in us, his grace living in us. I saw hope that never diminished, convictions that never died, and dreams that never shattered. God is good and is alive in us! His Kingdom continues to rule our life, the Church, and the world.

In the book, A Celebration of Priestly life, Walter Cardinal Kasper gives the word “crisis” a positive meaning. He says that he prefers to understand this word in the original meaning of the Greek krisis, which does not designate a collapse or catastrophe but a situation of upheaval in which decisions must be taken. Crisis must be understood as a challenge or a God-given kairos in which we are summoned to understand our situation as a task to be shouldered. In the light of this understanding, I see crisis in the Church and in the world (even the recession) as an opportunity and a grace to work together in bringing hope and life to the world. Indeed the worst thing that can happen to the human race is not financial recession but a recession of hope. When we no longer dream or hope, then we will completely live in despair!

This is how we should understand this celebration of Christ the King. It’s a celebration of hope, of a King that would never condemn us to desperation. We have a King who has used many of us to be his instruments in bringing love, help, and hope to other people. We have a King who has given some of us unbelievable talents and skills. Indeed, we have a King that has never given up on us, the human race.

The Kingdom of God is not a place but a work and an experience of love, justice, and peace. This kingdom is deeply entrenched in many of us, in our longings, our tasks at hand, our projects, our commitments, and all our plans. The Kingdom of God is written in the smiles of our children, the embrace of our loved

Different Types of Music

Food from different countries

Entertainment

Spanish Mass @1:00pm

Procession around the Church at 2:15pm

Rosary, Mass and Sharing 4-12, 2009, 7~9pm

Vigil, December 11 Beginning at 9m

December 12, Mañanitas to the Virgin at 4:00am with Mariachi

Sunday, December 6, 2009

8:00am – 8:00pm
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church School Playground
4954 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029
323.660.0034

We will have Mass and Sharing

Come and Participate