Sunday, May 5, 2013

Philippine Success?


Most of the time whenever an important event happens in our country, whether it be the State of the Nation Address of the President, or the triumph of Manny Pacquiao, I would often hear comments from various Filipinos about the situation of our country and why we never get out of the mud hole despite the success of some of our fellowmen. Some of the comments are as follows:
  • We are good at choosing our government officials – we choose lawyers who know our laws very well that they can violate it and get away with it.
I’d rather have a useful building or road built by engineers than complicated laws from lawmakers.
  • We are generous people – we’d give everything to foreigners even if it entails giving our own women for their pleasure.
 Can’t we sell anything authentic from our country aside from our own dignity?
  • We are honest – our law enforcers raid every store that sells pirated CD’s, DVD’s, and pornographic materials if the owners don’t pay them the amount they want.
Law enforcers motto “If you pay you stay, don’t pay- we raid”
  • We are joyous people – we can laugh about our problems and appreciate the beauty of our poverty.
We are currently laughing our way to our eminent destruction – and we are very happy about it!
  • We can adapt to any situation – you’ll see lots of successful Filipinos abroad, and some of them don’t even admit that they are Filipinos.
We rather go to other countries and adapt to their culture to be successful than adapt to the situation our country to help in its development.
  • We are very religious – we rely so much on grace, we can always pray for our country’s problem, no need to act on it, God will handle it.
So much for carrying our cross and following the Lord…
  • We are very loyal – we support our favorite showbiz personalities no matter what, if they run for government positions we support them, I don’t care if they can handle the position or not, their good looks will do fine.
Not all that glitters are gold
  • We are very intelligent – we can learn anything and can even excel on it, and we would rather teach foreigners than our own fellowmen.
We teach our youth the most important lesson – success is abroad
  • We are patriotic – we remember our heroes in their feast, and enjoy the holiday that goes with it.
Are we still holding on for what our heroes fought for?
  • We are a brave race – we always fight for our freedom and democracy, after electing the wrong officials in their positions.
Sometimes being wise is better than being brave

            These are but few ironies that I usually hear from my very own fellow Filipinos, which makes me, wonder, “can our country still relieve its glorious days?” I can still remember the glorious stories that I have read in my Philippine history books – how we have really fought for our freedom, cherished it, and became one of the fastest developing countries. I believe those glorious days were true after the Japanese occupation and again after Marshal Law, but where are we heading now? Do we still need to experience another war, or another dictatorship to open our eyes of the awful situation of our country? Do we still need heroes who would have to sacrifice their lives so that we would have the courage to stand up for what is right? We have so many needs that we cannot even fathom how we can solve them.
            A priest once told me that you cannot change a person from what he believes in, even the Lord Jesus Christ did not force people to follow His ways - instead, He made Himself as an example and died for what He knows is right and good for all. But we don’t need to die like God, we just have to follow the example he has given us in our own little way. Our country does not need martyrs, nor saints - it needs only people who would really care, who in their little ways would act upon even the smallest problem that our country has, from cleanliness, to honesty and unity.
I can still see the love in the hearts of every Filipino today, at least mostly, it just needs to be reawakened – wake up then my fellow Filipinos!
Our country needs us!
May this incoming election be an instrument for the better change and for the future of our children!


Thursday, April 25, 2013

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation


Since I decided to continue my life in “outside world” I often go to the church and practice my obligation as a Roman Catholic. Sometimes I keep on asking myself “Am I still saved??” but now, it is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but napapatanong pa din ako eh! Am I saved? Am I sure that I will go to Heaven when I died?
Someone told me “Lived life to the fullest” (Jn 10:10). Life is too short and this is just enough to live it to the fullest. LIFE is too short, that’s right because beyond life here on earth there is much better life that we hoped and that is the EVERLASTING LIFE IN HEAVEN.
God says in order to go to Heaven you must be born again or simply repent and changed for good and if you are good already be better and if you’re better now be the best! always aim for the higher reason because you are born for greater things “ad maiora natus”.
In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.”
But “HOW?”
I remember someone told me again these words, but that time I didn’t understand him well because he is very theological.
 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). 
Because I am a sinner I am condemned to death, for the payment of sin is death (Romans 3:23) this includes eternal separation from God in hell. We all know that we are appointed to death, for us, as a human being may hanganan ang lahat and after this - the judgement.
The book “deus caritas est” or “God is LOVE” the proposition for me, is God loved us so much that he gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to bear our sin. My sins, your sins and all our sins were laid upon Jesus. He became our substitute. So in short Jesus already saved us and we are saved already? Does it end our worries on how to go in Heaven?
For me that is not the end of the quest yet someone done our part. We have a part also in order to be saved.
We must believe to our Savior!
Simply believe in Him as the one who substitute you in your payment of death – your sin, the one who died, buried and resurrect. His resurrection is the assurance of our claim for everlasting life.
Remember this always, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).
So believe! And do your part!
Realized that you’re a SINNER, don’t worry I am also a sinner and because I realized that I am a sinner “God be merciful to me” and this is my prayer “God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, buried, and resurrect for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.”
 Take the words and claim His salvation by fait!
 Loved as you lived!