A few nights ago, I received an unexpected call from a young lady. She was asking for advice in behalf of her friend. The boy, according to her has gotten his girlfriend pregnant. Both are afraid their parents will find out. Boy and girl (both minors) are contemplating abortion. They will not listen to advice. Worse, he is thinking of committing suicide.
Sounds like a trite story line of a movie script? No, it’s not.
Indeed so much has changed in our society today. Global technology has left us susceptible to western influences. So readily we absorb western practices and culture. Western and local media feed us with values wrongly founded on consumerism. This societal change has a lot of impact upon our young generation today.
Much of what media feed us are values that do not resonate well with Christian values that have been taught us in the family or in school. We are bombarded left and right with messages that glorify promiscuity. Media tell us it’s cool and you are definitely in if you engage in pre-marital sex. Anyway, almost anybody you know is doing it. Media personalities on the other hand who inevitably become role models to the young send wrong signals by flaunting their own permissive lifestyle.
Sometime ago, there was a survey conducted among Filipino teen-agers regarding their views on pre-marital sex. This survey showed there was a high percentage among our youth today who are practicing pre-marital sex.
It is indeed a stark reality that is confronting our permissive society in this present time. Parents nowadays are perhaps having nightmares on how to make their children understand the evil consequences of engaging in pre-marital sex. Some will even give wrong advice to their children. Once I heard over the radio about this mother saying she is so concerned about her young daughter getting pregnant out of wedlock so the best she can do (according to her) is to advise her to take pills for protection. That, to state the obvious, is the wrong answer to the problem.
Tom Ehart in his book Dating, Sex, Me and God, remarks that “we live in a society that tells us that if we are not sexually active, we are missing out and our life is a drag.” He stresses “that we need to see that lie for what it is, a lie and nothing less, and look for the truth in why saving sex for marriage is such a great thing.”
It is a fact that media have taken its niche in many aspects of our life, both personal and societal. But still it is up to us to allow it to take control of our lives. The decision lies on us.
Wednesday, October 28, 1998
Tuesday, October 6, 1998
60 Years of Blessings
Anniversaries always call for a celebration. Yes, it is a time to remember, to look back with gratitude to the God of history who made everything possible for us. Sixty years is indeed a milestone. I asked some of my sisters who belong to this age bracket how do it feels to be sixty. One says she feels young as ever. Another opines that it seems she is just starting life and she has still a long way to go. And yet another says she feels like nearing eternity.
I guess at 60 years, one has a lot to thank God for. It means more than just enjoying and living life, but most of all journeying it in a spirit of hope with the One who is the source of life and love.
That is exactly the sentiments of each and every one of my sisters in our Philippine province. Our sisters look back with gratitude to the God of history as our congregation celebrates its 60 years of Philippine foundation. It was in October 13, 1938 when the first Pauline Sisters from Italy set foot on Philippine soil.
The experience of our Italian sisters attests to the fact that God is indeed a God of surprises. His ways are not our ways.
The memoirs of our Italian sisters tell us that they were sent to start a foundation in China not in the Philippines. But the outbreak of Second World War forced them to flee China and settled in the Philippines instead. And in the Philippines they stayed. It was very clear from the beginning that it was God’s will for them. In due time, vocations came in. The first Filipino vocation in fact, entered during the war. “Ate Pining” as we fondly call her celebrated her golden jubilee just about two years ago.
We pay tribute to our pioneer sisters who have labored with great love and generosity during their early years of foundation. Armed only with their faith in divine providence, they were able to overcome all kinds of difficulties and inculturate themselves very well to their new environment. Their shining example gives inspiration to us younger generation of Paulines to also strive to live our vocation with the same faith their life has shown.
The Italian sisters have long gone back to their native soil except for one that has opted to stay. Some of them have already died while others are in the twilight of their years. But they have beautiful memories of their missionary life in the Philippines. They love to recall their experiences, they remember and continue to pray for the people they have met and befriended. Above all, they never cease to thank God for his continuous guidance and loving presence in their lives.
I guess at 60 years, one has a lot to thank God for. It means more than just enjoying and living life, but most of all journeying it in a spirit of hope with the One who is the source of life and love.
That is exactly the sentiments of each and every one of my sisters in our Philippine province. Our sisters look back with gratitude to the God of history as our congregation celebrates its 60 years of Philippine foundation. It was in October 13, 1938 when the first Pauline Sisters from Italy set foot on Philippine soil.
The experience of our Italian sisters attests to the fact that God is indeed a God of surprises. His ways are not our ways.
The memoirs of our Italian sisters tell us that they were sent to start a foundation in China not in the Philippines. But the outbreak of Second World War forced them to flee China and settled in the Philippines instead. And in the Philippines they stayed. It was very clear from the beginning that it was God’s will for them. In due time, vocations came in. The first Filipino vocation in fact, entered during the war. “Ate Pining” as we fondly call her celebrated her golden jubilee just about two years ago.
We pay tribute to our pioneer sisters who have labored with great love and generosity during their early years of foundation. Armed only with their faith in divine providence, they were able to overcome all kinds of difficulties and inculturate themselves very well to their new environment. Their shining example gives inspiration to us younger generation of Paulines to also strive to live our vocation with the same faith their life has shown.
The Italian sisters have long gone back to their native soil except for one that has opted to stay. Some of them have already died while others are in the twilight of their years. But they have beautiful memories of their missionary life in the Philippines. They love to recall their experiences, they remember and continue to pray for the people they have met and befriended. Above all, they never cease to thank God for his continuous guidance and loving presence in their lives.
Tuesday, September 29, 1998
Natural Beauty of Creation
There is nothing more invigorating than to experience the natural beauty of creation. The Creator, the Supreme Artist that He is speaks in the simplicity and spontaneity of his creation.
Whenever my eyes feast on the green and the unadulterated scenery (whatever has been left for our eyes to see) of the surroundings my soul feels like bursting with a song of praise to the One who made it all possible.
Years ago, I (with three companions) had the chance to spend a day hiking up the mountains of Banaue. It was an exhilarating experience indeed. Up there, it felt like I was on top of the world. We were one with Mother Nature. We drank from the spring we found along the way. After a long hike, we stretched our tired bodies by the roadside, told stories and swapped jokes with one another. One took out her harmonica and lulls us to nap with her music mingling with the sound of the birds and the rustle of the leaves.
Moments like this are like treasures for me. It awakens in me a deep sense of gratitude to God who has provided us such a wonderful world to live in; a world that is filled with beauty and goodness found not only in the environment but also in the people around us.
It gives me great concern that our environment is deteriorating; that we as a people do not seem to care. I mentioned in one of my previous column how this feeling of loss gnaws in me upon seeing the rivers in my home province dried up; the bamboo trees uprooted, the farmlands transformed into economic processing zones and subdivisions. This is becoming a reality in every part of the country. The pristine countryside is becoming modernized. And little by little the simplicity of the environment and its people will also be affected.
I have always wondered if I will experience again that joy I had in hiking up the mountains of Banaue. Would the clear spring be still flowing? Would it still be possible for us to stretch our tired bodies by the roadside just as we did before? Would the people be still as helpful as they were then?
Last weekend I had the chance to go with my community and some friends to the mountains for a day’s relaxation and fruit picking. It was a long uphill drive from the highway of Montevista. I had to park the vehicle about a kilometer away from the farm we were supposed to visit since the place can only be reached on foot. It was not an easy climb. The slope was muddy and slippery because it rained the day before.
We exchanged a few words with the local folks. They were so nice and helpful.
It rained in the afternoon before we were able to go back to our car. We had to walk gingerly because one false step can bring us down through the slope. The men helped us down the slippery pass one by one until we reach our car.
We were so grateful for their help. They in turn were so happy to be of service and genuinely appreciative of our presence in their barrio.
On our drive home I could not help thinking of the rolling hills and trees and the rain and the fruits and most of all the generous and helpful people in the farm. Everything that we experienced was an experience of the presence of the Creator in our life. I was also reflecting on how we really need one another to help us in our journey. We cannot journey all alone. Somehow along the way, we will experience some difficulties and we will need the guiding hand of others to help us overcome the obstacles and reach our destination.
Whenever my eyes feast on the green and the unadulterated scenery (whatever has been left for our eyes to see) of the surroundings my soul feels like bursting with a song of praise to the One who made it all possible.
Years ago, I (with three companions) had the chance to spend a day hiking up the mountains of Banaue. It was an exhilarating experience indeed. Up there, it felt like I was on top of the world. We were one with Mother Nature. We drank from the spring we found along the way. After a long hike, we stretched our tired bodies by the roadside, told stories and swapped jokes with one another. One took out her harmonica and lulls us to nap with her music mingling with the sound of the birds and the rustle of the leaves.
Moments like this are like treasures for me. It awakens in me a deep sense of gratitude to God who has provided us such a wonderful world to live in; a world that is filled with beauty and goodness found not only in the environment but also in the people around us.
It gives me great concern that our environment is deteriorating; that we as a people do not seem to care. I mentioned in one of my previous column how this feeling of loss gnaws in me upon seeing the rivers in my home province dried up; the bamboo trees uprooted, the farmlands transformed into economic processing zones and subdivisions. This is becoming a reality in every part of the country. The pristine countryside is becoming modernized. And little by little the simplicity of the environment and its people will also be affected.
I have always wondered if I will experience again that joy I had in hiking up the mountains of Banaue. Would the clear spring be still flowing? Would it still be possible for us to stretch our tired bodies by the roadside just as we did before? Would the people be still as helpful as they were then?
Last weekend I had the chance to go with my community and some friends to the mountains for a day’s relaxation and fruit picking. It was a long uphill drive from the highway of Montevista. I had to park the vehicle about a kilometer away from the farm we were supposed to visit since the place can only be reached on foot. It was not an easy climb. The slope was muddy and slippery because it rained the day before.
We exchanged a few words with the local folks. They were so nice and helpful.
It rained in the afternoon before we were able to go back to our car. We had to walk gingerly because one false step can bring us down through the slope. The men helped us down the slippery pass one by one until we reach our car.
We were so grateful for their help. They in turn were so happy to be of service and genuinely appreciative of our presence in their barrio.
On our drive home I could not help thinking of the rolling hills and trees and the rain and the fruits and most of all the generous and helpful people in the farm. Everything that we experienced was an experience of the presence of the Creator in our life. I was also reflecting on how we really need one another to help us in our journey. We cannot journey all alone. Somehow along the way, we will experience some difficulties and we will need the guiding hand of others to help us overcome the obstacles and reach our destination.
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