Come, Holy Spirit

The Church was established to continue Christ’s mission on earth. And because it is Christ’s work that the Church has to carry out, it needs a power greater than its own to do it. Otherwise, we are doomed to fail. That is why the Holy Spirit was sent.


For Mary, the Holy Spirit has been a reliable companion. At the Annunciation, she was filled with the Holy Spirit so she can be the Mother of our Lord. That same Spirit led her to visit her elderly and pregnant cousin Elizabeth in spite of being pregnant herself. At Pentecost, she once again received the Holy Spirit so she can be the Mother of the Church, the Mother of us all!

Mary’s title as “Mother of the Church” should not to be treated lightly though. There is a legend that when Mary moved with St. John the Apostle to a Turkish city called Efes, she would be the first coming to the aid of her neighbors who were ill, hungry, and so on and so forth. She was fondly called “The Lady with the Blackened Feet” in admiration for her feet which have become grimy from running to those in need.

Fr. Richard Veras once wrote “The coming of the Holy Spirit is indispensable. Without the Holy Spirit’s coming continually to make the risen Lord tangibly present, the incarnation and the Resurrection would be events that never reach me and never touch me. I know of these events; I place my faith in these events; I am changed by these events because they are made mysteriously present in the community of the Church.”

As we celebrate our birthday as a community of Christ’s believers on this feast of Pentecost, may we be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we may do our share in proclaiming the Good News wherever we are, in continuing Christ’s mission here on earth, and in treating others as brothers and sisters. If we do so, we would be able to build up a healthy and holy community where God reigns and is experienced by all.

May Mama Mary inspire and pray for us always.



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It’s nice to be back! My family and I spent 5 days in Disneyland Paris last week. I originally thought that only Chiara would enjoy it, but I was wrong. I have shunned roller coaster rides for ages as I was afraid of heights. But guess what? For 1 day, I had 5 challenging rides. Though I got dizzy afterwards, I actually felt refreshed. For me, those rides were great stress-removers! Of course, Chiara was the most happiest child having been able to see Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, and the Princesses – Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Arielle, Rapunzel, etc.

Those moments are indeed precious and spirit-lifting! A bientot, Disneyland Paris!

The Demands of Being Faithful

Before dying on the cross, Jesus already told His followers that within three days after His death He will rise again. However, if we read the Gospel accounts of the Lord’s resurrection, His apostles doubted this great mystery. They doubted Christ’s promise, in spite of the stories made by Mary Magdalene and other women who went to the tomb or the disciples whom the Lord walked with on their travel to Emmaus. The apostles lacked faith.

According to Sr. Margaret Atkins, “The biggest obstacle to faith is not the mind but the heart. It is hard to be open-minded enough to entertain the possibility that a man might be raised from the dead. It is harder still to be open-hearted enough to entertain the possibility that in that man, God might be present in the world. That requires a move from bare belief to faith, and the obstacles to faith are formidable.”

The good nun mentions the requirements and demands of faith: a committed willingness to follow the implications of the truth; humility; and courage. When Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon His followers, they were transformed from being doubtful to faithful. Indeed, they proclaimed the Good News of Christ throughout the world even if it cost them their very lives.

There is a follower of Jesus, in fact we consider her as Christ’s very first follower, who never doubted the Lord’s resurrection. Ever since invited to be part of God’s plan of salvation, she willingly accepted God’s will without looking back, without counting the cost. She humbly and courageously obeyed the Lord. Strangely, she wasn’t mentioned in the Resurrection stories of the 4 Gospels. She is Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother too.

As we continue to celebrate the great feast of Easter, let’s ask Mary to inspire us in becoming faithful to our Lord in spite of the many distractions and temptations around us. And if there are instances when we have failed, let’s ask for her perpetual help so that we may rise up once more and continue following Jesus.

Walk With Mary!

One of the great attractions at the St Peter’s Basilica in Rome is the Madonna della Pieta, a marble statue sculptured by Michelangelo depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Jesus. The Virgin’s head is bowed down gazing on her Son. Her left hand opened as a sign of resignation for such a great loss. Her face is serene and young. More so, her body seems bigger than that of Jesus. Some people would argue that having been totally drained because of hunger, lack or absence of sleep, and physical and mental pain Jesus would surely be emaciated. A high school teacher once explained that the reason for such depiction is to show how big a mother’s heart is for her children, how it embraces us no matter what.

If we try to put ourselves in the shoes of the Blessed Mother, how would we feel when we hear how our child has been unjustly tried, tortured, and killed by the same people to whom He showed unconditional kindness? There’s an interesting scene in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” where Mary approached Jesus who stumbled under the weight of the cross. Mary asked her Son if she could take her place. Jesus replied: “Mother, behold I make all things new.”

As we enter Holy Week and recall the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, let us walk with Mary! Possessing that stout heart and obedient faith like her, let us allow Jesus to “make all things new” in our life. Let us allow Jesus to fill in the gaps in our being, to heal the wounds in us, to cleanse the stain in our heart, to sustain our spirit.


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In my previous article, I raised my reservations on the Pasyong Mahal that is currently being used in Tagalog-speaking regions in the Philippines this Lent and especially during Holy Week. I have read that Bienvenido Lumbera (National Artist for Literature) criticized this as “a piece of plagiarism which was an attempt to update the language of Aquino de Belen”. (Gaspar Aquino de Belen, a 17th century Filipino writer, poet, and translator, was the first one who wrote the Pasyon under the title of “Mahal na Pasison ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Nation na Tola” in 1704. The current work was written by an anonymous writer in 1814.) Lumbera was also uneasy with the absence of rhyme or rhythm and it was halatang kinopya!

It was said that other versions from Aquino de Belen were published, but were found to be heretical and have been censured by the Spanish friars.

I think, the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines (CBCP) particularly the bishops in the Tagalog-speaking regions, should invest time and effort to review the Pasyong Mahal and weed out what is not based on Sacred Scriptures and Sacred tradition, that includes the portrayal of St Joseph as an old man when he was wed to Mary and, much worse, a coward who preferred to die rather than see Jesus suffering. The CBCP should involve people from the academe or the likes of Lumbera as the Pasyon is also a work of art, a religious art. I cannot comment on non-Tagalog versions of the Pasyon, but it’s worth a project to also assess these. Otherwise, our religiosity would be tainted with fanaticism and what-have-you which will make it more of a stumbling block to appreciating our faith for what it really is.

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I had an interesting conversation with a colleague professor in the university I’m working in. He lamented how students’ mobile phones would ring during lessons and the calls subsequently taken. I told him how the late Prof Gloria De Castro-Bernas, when she was Dean of the UST College of Science, banned the use of mobile phones during lessons. If a phone rang and its owner identified, the gadget will be confiscated by the teacher. This will only be redeemed when the erring student submits his/her ID card – to the Dean or the Board of Discipline Chair! My colleague liked the idea and told me we should do it because he believes that something more important is happening in a lesson (i.e. exchange of ideas, sharing of knowledge) and that no phone calls should disrupt this.

Come to think of it, in prayer, there is something more important happening (i.e. communication with God). Therefore no distraction – phone, iPAD, etc – should come between our space with the Lord.

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Stay tuned to our website as we hold once more “The Seven Last Words” this Holy Week. Many thanks to this year’s writers: Bianca Alcantara, Rodney Vertido, Cy Wussow, Jenni Fonseca, Mario Albano, Ana Payod-Balla, and Grace Madriñan! Thanks to Mike Flores who will take charge of our layout design and to Allan Dabu who created this year’s poster! Thank God, it’ll be our 8th year of presenting this kakaibang online experience and we hope you’ll find this an inspiring companion during Semana Santa.

May we all have a meaningful, focused, and Christ-centered Holy Week!

My Reservations on the Pasyon

This Lenten Season, and most especially when it’s Holy Week, chanting of the Pasyon (“a verse narrative about the life and suffering of Jesus Christ”, according to WikiPilipinas) will pervade the air in most areas in the Philippines.


I have had many cherished memories of the Pasyon in Kawit, Cavite. When I was 7 or 8 years old, my late aunt used to tag me along to the kubol (chapel) in Barangay Wakas. Having been exposed to that pious practice, I began chanting by myself at the age of 9. Years went by that I was chanting side-by-side with my aunt. I continued to do so in Manila until I left for the UK.

Some cousins used to make fun of me because of being makamatanda (old fashioned), but I took to heart what my aunt said “Bokasyon mo iyan!” (That’s your vocation.) Sadly, there is no opportunity to hold a pabasa here in the UK.

I love the pabasa because it calls to mind the story of Jesus and other people who form part of Salvation History – Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Mary, the apostles, Mary Magdalene, and even the Empress Helena (Sta Elena Emperatris). It’s good to remember what the Lord did for us from Creation to Crucifixion, from Resurrection to Pentecost, from the Founding of the Cross to the Parousia.

I am however uneasy with some stories in the Pasyon. Take for example these lines from the story of the Birth of Mary (“Ang pangananak ni Sta Ana kay Ginoong Sta Maria):

May isa ngang matanda na

Hosep ang pangalan niya,

anak sa tribu ni Huda,

kadugo't kadesendensia

ni David, bunying Propeta.

Ang ama niya't magulang

ay si Eli ang pangalan

matanda't mabuting asal,

loob ay lubhang timtiman

malinis sa kalinisan.

Dili iba at si Hosep

siyang tinangi ng langit

na maging esposong ibig,

ng Birheng Inang marikit

timtima't lubhang mabait.

Siya ngani ang hihirang

pinili sa karamihan

na doroon sa simbahan

bilang kaapu-apuhan

na Patriarka Abraham.

I always believe that St Joseph was a young man when he was married to the Virgin Mary. The depiction of him being an old man in a number of paintings and statues as well as in the Pasyon has been based on the notion that, being an old man, he would not have the sexual urge to touch his wife, that he would be more of a protector of her virginity. No pun intended, but with news of dirty old men being involved in rape and other related crimes, that notion has proved to be invalid. Besides, if Joseph were an old man he won’t be that effective in protecting and providing for his family. He won’t be able to withstand the journey to Bethlehem and to Egypt. He might turn out to be the one being looked after instead!

Pierre-Marie Dumont, Publisher of Magnificat, commented that under the inspiration of St Teresa of Avila ( a staunch devotee of St Joseph in Spain), “…the Spanish school portrays a young and active Joseph, while the other schools most frequently picture him as an insignificant old man. Affirming full faith in the virginity of the Mother of God, the Joseph of El Greco, of Velasquez, and of Zurbaran is a true husband, given by God to his spouse. He is also, to a certain degree, a true father …”

Luckily, the Philippines was a colony of Spain! That’s perhaps why most if not all statues of St Joseph portray him as a young man. Even the plays we have such as the Panunuluyan depict him the same way. It’s unfortunate that this wasn’t carried over in the Pasyon.

Another deplorable story in the Pasyon was on St Joseph’s death (“Ang Pagkamatay ni San Hosep):

Ng malapit nang mangaral

si Hesus sa katauhan

ibig ngang ipatanghal,

ang kaniyang kadiyosan

sa taong makasalanan.

Nguni't ang kasing esposo,

ama sa haka ng tao,

si San Hosep bagang Santo,

natanto rin nga totoo

ang sasapitin ng Berbo.

Kaya nga't nang di makita

ni Hosep ang madlang dusa

ni Hesus na iwi niya,

hiningi nang buong sinta

siya'y mamatay na una.

At hindi nga matitiis

niyong banal na si Hosep

na makita at masilip,

ang madlang hirap at sakit

ni Hesus na kasi't ibig.

Dito sa nasang magaling

ni San Hosep na butihin

agad namang sinunod din,

ng Diyos na maawain

ang kaniyang pita't hiling.

Yaon ang siyang mula na

ng pagkakasakit niya

kinalinga tuwi na,

ni Hesus at ni Maria

si Hosep na mapaninta.

These lines would simply undo the real St Joseph as presented in Sacred Scriptures: courageous, obedient, strong. Furthermore, they present a God who would just grant someone’s plea to bail out. This isn’t God! This is an ATM or a jukebox!

There are still some stories I’d like to tell you, but that’s all from me for now.

In closing, here’s some words of wisdom from St Josemaria Escriva, Founder of Opus Dei and another great devotee of St Joseph:

Joseph loved Jesus as a father loves his son and showed his love by giving him the best he had. Joseph, caring for the child as he had been commanded, made Jesus a craftsman, transmitting his own professional skill to him. So the neighbors of Nazareth will call Jesus both faber and fabri filius: the craftsman and the son of the craftsman. Jesus worked in Joseph’s workshop and by Joseph’s side. What must Joseph have been, how grace must have worked through him, that he should be able to fulfill this task of the human upbringing of the Son of God!

For Jesus must have resembled Joseph: in his way of working, in the features of his character, in his way of speaking. Jesus’ realism, his eye for detail, the way he sat at table and broke bread, his preference for using everyday situations to give doctrine – all this reflects his childhood and the influence of Joseph. (Christ is Passing By, 55)

Have a nice weekend!

Happy Mothers’ Day to all moms this Sunday! (We’re celebrating Mothers’ Day in the UK every 4th Sunday of Lent.)

A Blessed feast day of St Joseph this coming Monday!

Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang

As I write this article, the Church is commemorating one of its greatest doctors – St Augustine. This saint, who is one of my favourites, reminded me of a popular song interepreted by Ogie Alcasid (and later by Freestyle):

Bakit ngayon ka lang?
Bakit ngayon kung kailan ang aking puso'y
Mayron nang laman?
Sana'y nalaman ko
Na darating ka sa buhay
'Di sana'y naghihtay ako

Ikaw sana ang aking yakap-yakap
Ang iyong kamay lagi ang aking hawak
At hindi kanya

Bakit ngayon ka lang dumating sa buhay ko?
Pilit binubuksan ang sarado ko ng puso
Ikaw ba ay nararapat sa akin
At siya ba'y dapat ko nang limutin?
Nais kong malaman
Bakit ngayon ka lang dumating?

Prior to his conversion, St Augustine’s life was in shambles. He was a disciple and staunch promoter of a wrong belief. He had a live-in partner of whom he had a son. He was, according to St Ambrose, “the son of many tears”. Through her mother’s perseverance, he came back to his senses and uttered his now famous “Late have I loved you”. If the Blessed Mother has the “Ang puso ko’y nagpupuri” as her song, St Augustine would have “Bakit ngayon ka lang” as his.

We too could ask God, “Bakit ngayon ka lang dumating?” Why only now when I am in my comfort zone? Why only now when I am rich or in power? Why only now when I am happy with what I am doing with my life? Why only now when everything in me is worthless?

Our questions can go on and on. Yet God won’t force us if we don’t want to accept His invitation. Having said that, St Augustine chose to follow Him and leave the ‘happy go lucky’ kind of life that he was so used to.

The choice is ours. Welcome the Lord in the many times He comes into our lives or keep on asking “Bakit ngayon ka lang?”