Free but not ‘unli’

Did you hear the latest rumor – about someone who is three months “on the way”?… Santa Claus! He will be here in three months!

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In today’s Gospel (Mt. 22, 1-14), we hear about a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. Those invited did not come for one reason or another, so in the end he threw open his gates to all, and his hall was filled with guests. If there were Filipinos in that crowd, I am sure the place would have been more filled up, what with our penchant for spreading rumors or tips to our kababayans!

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Rumor aside, the Gospel today speaks of general amnesty. God, in His mercy and love, is a God who forgives and accepts us. His heart is so big, and there is room for everyone. However, the Gospel ends with the statement: “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” So there is going to be a selection or elimination process, after all? Yes, the gates of the Kingdom is open to all peoples, (i.e., not exclusive to those who belong to the House of Israel), but anyone who seeks it must “qualify” by faith and good deeds. In other words, it is free, but not unlimited.

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Aside from rumor-mongering, we Filipinos love free rides, free loads, or extras. Who wouldn’t love freebies anyway, for that matter? We have this thing called sale or bargain mentality. Recently, we saw this in the “unli” promo of the phone networks offering unlimited texts and calls, or restaurants offering unlimited rice. While we rejoice in the gratuity of grace, we must not forget the reality and necessity of hard work. As the epic of “Juan Tamad” teaches us, we must not wait for the guava fruit to fall down from the tree. We must go for it, or at least, meet it half-way.

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Last Oct. 1, 2011, I experienced the reality of faith and hard work among our people during our Walk with God to Manaoag. It was typhoon signal No. 2 in Pangasinan, but we proceeded with our 13-kilometer, three-hour walk from Urdaneta to Manaoag anyway. It was a walk not only for those strong in body, but also for those strong in faith. We were drenched in the drizzle, but the heavens held the winds and the rain until after the Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag. It was, literally, a walk with God, a walk with fellow-believers in Mama Mary’s love, a walk with faith in our hearts.

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Last Oct. 4 was the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Someone commented that there is a “Franciscan” in each one of us. Whether already operational or still awaiting to be discovered, let us make real in our lives the virtues of this simple saint, especially his poverty, obedience and chastity. Let us also imitate his zeal for the poor, his joyful giving and his love for Mother Earth and nature.

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Speaking of nature, the recent floods in our country remind us that we should not abuse Mother Earth, and that we should be responsible for each other. Those who made money at the expense of the poor and the underprivileged should repent and make reparation. Illegal loggers, unscrupulous developers, government officials, please take note, and be warned.

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There are people who experience real and extraordinary hardships nowadays, on top of their already existing ordinary hardships because of the recent floods. Please reach out, share. As God has been generous to us, let us also be concretely generous to one another.

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“A Million Roses for the World” was launched yesterday (Saturday) at the University of Santo Tomas (UST). It is a campaign for all Filipinos living in the Philippines and in other parts of the world to pray one million rosaries a day for world peace, with each day dedicated to the intentions of a certain country. The inspiration is from Pope Pius IX who once said: “Give me an army praying one million rosaries a day and we will conquer the world.” As Fr. Patrick Peyton of the Family Rosary Crusade put it: “A world at prayer is a world at peace.”

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Sienna College Quezon City High School Batch ’92 is sponsoring a bingo social on Oct. 15 at the SM City, North Edsa for the benefit of the Aeta community in Porac, Pampanga. For particulars please contact Karen Gino Keeler (09175366018), Mhae de Ramos Lusk (09062102384), or Rose Orbos (09178801252).

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“There Be Dragons” is a movie about forgiveness woven around the life of St. Jose Maria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, and his childhood friend Manolo whose lives took different paths during the Spanish civil war in the 1930s. One became a priest, and one became a soldier. The movie will have its premier showing at the Mall of Asia, Pasay City on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m., and regular showing in November. “Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future.”

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Fr. Jake Ferrer, SVD, our Filipino missionary in Japan, shares this story about this “little missionary,” Yoichi Ishizaka, who quietly and cheerfully endured leukemia but touched the lives of many Japanese children. During his playtime in the pediatric ward, this little boy would encourage them to pray to “Papa Jesus” and “Mama Mary.” On the day he passed on to the eternal embrace of the Father, he told his mom, “I am happy to receive Jesus in my heart!”

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, thank you for your invitation to your heart. Help me to do my part. Amen.