As we mark today the triumph of Jesus Christ over the forces of evil and sin, let us not forget the teachings he imparted to all of mankind. The resurrection is the climax of His mission on earth. It served as the affirmation of all His teachings which were proven true by that single win over death. Without the resurrection, all the teachings that Jesus Christ gave to mankind would have turned fallacious. But our Lord Jesus Christ conquered death and prevailed over sin by way of a clean and honest win.
People are prone to employ means that are often contrary to goodness just in order to attain their goal. The tendency to depart from honest play seems normal strategy for one who is bent on attaining victory. There are people who pretend to embrace the pragmatic ways where the end is always important than the means. This is true in many forms of competitions where protagonists seem adept in employing means that although foul in its simplest sense, is found justified as the best way to ensure victory.
This explains why most, if not all of the candidates in the political arena, are hell bent on employing every possible and available means just to ensure their victory at the polls. Being declared winner is what to them matters most considering that adverse actions and protests by the disgruntled losers often end futile and beyond the term in question. Those who prevailed in the elections are proclaimed and are able to hold office even against all protests and complaints being raised by those aggrieved.
But the competitions we face in life are but temporary events that come and go. The greater battle that we ought to conquer is our fight against the forces of evil. This can be done by simple tasks that could have lasting effect on the lives of many. Apart from the current clashes in politics, we must find time to know ourselves and realize that we are hard pressed facing the greater challenges within us. Winning over the undesirable traits that we cling to over the years is as important as any other.
The fight against the undesirable traits that are not in accord with the will of God is truly a tough one. We always want the easy way out and we try to leap over some rules just to attain our goals. Sure, there are a lot of ways to reach of desired goal. It is up to us to choose the means to reach our goals for as long as we end up winner. This is the prevailing condition upon which many people lodge their fight against the odds in life.
But being winner is not the be all and end all in this journey of life. We ought to follow the way that was shown to us by Jesus Christ for it is the one that will lead us to eternal salvation. All other triumphs are but temporary and not bring us to our final destiny. In the end, it is always the man who played by the rules that is considered the big winner.
As we celebrate the joy of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is but fitting that we acknowledge our weaknesses that may bring us damnation. The message of Easter would be more meaningful if we keep true to our promise of turning away from evil and living in accordance with the will of God. Only if we succeed in conquering ourselves and be the master of our undesirable traits can we become a true winner. Happy Easter
True triumphant
The Passion
NOW that we are in Holy Week, it’s good to remind ourselves of how important it is to meditate on the Passion of Christ. It’s the culminating act of his redemptive mission that covers his whole life here on earth. Everything that he is as the Son of God who became man, everything that he said and did for our salvation is contained there.
We have to understand, on the basis of our Christian faith, that the Passion of Christ is an organic whole that includes his death on the Cross and his resurrection. It is also organically linked to everything else about him.
Nothing in his life is irrelevant or unnecessary in his Passion. It should not be considered in isolation. It’s good that we realize this truth of our faith more deeply and more practically, so that we don’t develop an unnecessary distorted attitude toward it that often translates itself into a certain dislike for it.
The Passion, in spite of its ugliness, pain and gore, is actually a beautiful, desirable event that we should get attracted to. In the first place, it is an essential and necessary element in our life. We cannot avoid it without compromising our eternal destiny.
And being God and not only as man, Christ makes his Passion take place live every time the liturgy of his Passion is celebrated. This is highlighted precisely during this Holy Week, but is actually presented to us also every time the Holy Mass or any liturgical act is celebrated.
And so, when we participate in that celebration, we are actually, through the sacramental economy, living witnesses of the event, even if only in a sacramental way. We become contemporaries of Christ in his supreme act of love for us.
Therefore, while involving extreme suffering that a man can experience, the Passion actually is also a joyful event of a victory, a conquest over what is most harmful to us—sin, and with sin our eternal death.
We should train our mind and heart to capture this wonderful reality, presented to us by our Christian faith, and to react accordingly, that is, to enter into the very dynamics of loving, and thereby bringing our fondness for loving to its ultimate level, extricating it from the low, base and often fake and deceptive forms of love.
In the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ, we see in action those very consoling words of Christ: “Greater love than this no man has, that a man lays down his life for his friends.” (Jn 15,13)
What actually takes place there is Christ, being sinless, assuming all our sins and dying to them so that we may have a way to resurrect from them through his own Resurrection. This is the ultimate of love!
This much the Letter to the Hebrews affirms: “Christ offers himself only once to take the faults of many on himself, and when he appears a second time, it will not be to deal with sin but to reward with salvation those who are waiting for him.” (9,28)
This is what supreme love is all about. It is not contented with wishing others well or sharing things with others. It will go to the extent of suffering for the others, making as one’s own the burdens of the others, even if the others would not correspond. It is a love that is fully given and completely gratuitous.
Thus, when we meditate on the Passion of Christ, we have to realize the love that drips copiously. We should not forget that sin is what causes it, and therefore, we should do everything to avoid sin.
It’s good to develop a healthy hatred of sin as well as a certain dominion over it, such that as much as possible we do not allow it to affect us badly. If ever, it should make us intensify our love for God and others, giving ourselves more and more in a crescendo typical of love.
We have to be very generous in our self-giving and continuing effort of sanctification, both personal and social. We have to be ready to carry out this task competently.
And since we cannot avoid sin, the meditation of the Passion should reassure us of the infinite mercy of God. We have to be very generous in our spirit of penance, always seeking conversion, renewal and the many forms of atonement, reparation and purification.
Special attention has to be given to the sacrament of confession, that wonderful tribunal of divine justice and mercy. We need to love it deeply by resorting to it regularly.
What we need to teach
The climate is changing. We in Tacloban are living witnesses of the climate’s macabre leap.
Scientists have attested that climate change is fueling stronger and more powerful typhoons classified as category five typhoons. These typhoons, seemed to have been made from hell, would normally ravage the Philippine typhoon ring every 50-60 years. But now, they are markedly doing an annual stopover. Pablo (2012) and Yolanda (2013), strengthen the postulate that this year, another monster might destroy another city. Mother Nature is providing us with obvious signs and patterns that we have to understand and deal with.
For a fact, we may not be able to wholly reverse the effects of climate change given the sustainable growth of urbanization, but, we can decelerate it. While doing this, we should also leap towards intensive mass education on disaster and calamity awareness. On an average citizen’s level, this is one of the most doable preventive measures. As a victim city of a great typhoon, I feel we should initialize and pioneer this.
By saying mass education, this means the inclusion of disaster and calamity awareness in school’s lessons. In grade school, the apt subject for this type of lesson would probably be Science. Classroom lectures and discussions on disaster causes and effects and courses of action during actual tragedy, are recommendable to allow the students understand and put to heart nature’s ruinous U-turn. This will also help the students value the rationale of cascaded procedures in case the actual calamity comes. Aside from the routine of classroom lectures, application should also be done through frequent and random drills facilitated by teachers and other school officials. Drills should allow students to execute the best actions and procedures during crisis. This will help students experience the feel of a calamity, so that come actual disaster time, they will react accordingly.
The DSWD and Pagasa should work hand-in-hand to train and educate the teachers as well. The two agencies should ensure that these teachers are fully equipped with knowledge to avoid critically erroneous teachings. This is also the best time to reactivate our dormant barangay officials. The government needs to tap them and oblige them to propagate preventive measures to their subordinates especially those who are illiterate and cannot afford schooling. I remembered, before the typhoon, that many barangay officials have poorly reacted towards warning reports of the media, resulting to the historic number of casualties.
This is no one-man effort. This will not work out without the cooperation of everyone. Let us stop blaming people already. I guess it is about time to stop dining on ashes and rubbing salt on our wounds. The best action now is to recover, understand and make use of the learning we acquired from the Yolanda experience. Let us please move on and brace ourselves for a rougher ride with nature. If we comply with the information we are spoon-fed with, the life that we save maybe our own.
Cross
For the whole Christian world, the coming of Jesus Christ is the greatest manifestation of God’s love for all of mankind. While many Christian sects do not follow the teachings of the Catholic Church on the Paschal mystery, many of such sects do some sort of observance of the Holy Week. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the strongest statement of His obedience to the will of the Father who sent Him so that man will be saved from the throes of sin.
People seem to have turned less observant of the practices that mark Holy Week as truly holy. Even in these holy days, we still find people having fun in their night escapades, enjoying in drinking sprees, hip-hopping in dance crazes and crooning their lungs out on videoke bars. Old folks would always share their stories about the reflective mood that people go through during the Lenten season and the Holy Week. The holy days would always be turned to somber mood in reflection of the passion and death of Jesus Christ.
It really is hard to understand how people could chose lackadaisically on unholy activities that go in conflict with the spirit of Holy Week. We cannot say that the Church had been lacking in reminders and admonitions to all and sundry regarding the proper conduct and behavior that will show reverence to these holy days. It is perhaps the lack of humility to accept God’s will that people tend to do their wants even if unpleasing and inappropriate for the Lenten season and the Holy Week.
But there is the light side amid these unholy practices that the faithful can turn to during the Holy Week. We still can find broadcast both on radio and television about biblical stories, narratives and movies that would remind us of the great love that Jesus Christ gave us. Apart from these movies and dramas, we can observe live reenactments in many places all over the country and the world, depicting the passion of Jesus Christ.
Above all, we can always take part in Eucharistic Celebrations in the many Catholic Churches where the passion and death of Jesus Christ is read, reflected on and prayed. Doing penance and sacrifices in atonement and for the forgiveness of our sins will make our holy days truly holy as we look inside our lives the Jesus Christ on the cross.
Comments to alellema@yahoo.com
20 families in Tanauan who lost homes during Yolanda relocated to their permanent homes
(LITO A. BAGUNAS)
TANAUAN, Leyte – Twenty families in this storm-stricken town are now in their permanent homes following the turnover of the first batch of housing units for Yolanda survivors last April 12, this year.
Presidential Assistant for Recovery and Rehabilitation Panfilo Lacson lauded the local government here and the Gawad Kalinga (GK) for their coordination in immediately building houses for survivors, who are either taking shelter in tents or temporary makeshift houses.
“The turnover ceremony will not be made possible without the indispensable participation of GK. With people like them, we are sure to rise from the rubble of destruction sooner than we can imagine,” Lacson said, addressing local officials and storm survivors in the new housing site in Pago village.
One of the first 20 homeowners, Arnie Penada, a 38-year-old fish vendor was moved to tears after receiving her new house with a floor area of 22 square meters (sqm). Each unit has a lot area of 36 sqm.
“Now, we can sleep well at night without worrying about big waves and strong winds every time there is a typhoon,” said Penada, whose old house in the so-called “no-build zone” in San Roque village was swept away by the giant waves generated by Yolanda on November 8,2013 .
The first 20 houses represent the first batch of the 366 housing units that will soon rise in Pago village, one the of three relocation sites identified by the local government.
“Our plan is to turnover houses to families in every two to three weeks,” said Tanauan Mayor Pelagio Tecson.
Each family is required to donate 1,500 hours of labor to fast track the construction phase. Recipients are obliged to complete the required working hours, even after the turnover of their houses.
About 500 residents are working on the site on a twice a week basis. The GK has deployed 500 volunteers to facilitate the rebuilding process.
This coastal town with a population of 53,310, is considered as pilot site for post-Yolanda rehabilitation and recovery among the 171 cities and municipalities in central Philippines pounded by the supertyphoon last year.
The permanent shelter for calamity victims is a joint project of the National Housing Authority, GK, Tanauan local government unit, and Department of Public Works and Highways.
Under the agreement, the NHA provided the funding for land development, prepared site engineering development plan, financed housing construction, and carry out survey works.
The local government unit assists GK in land acquisition, monitor project implementation, identify and screen project beneficiaries, and dispose housing units.
The DPWH is tasked to construct an access road to the housing site from the national highway and prepare engineering plans and cost estimates.
GK, on the other hand, has set aside a budget to acquire the land and donate it to the LGU for housing and counterpart budget for the construction of housing units. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)
To house 500 families Tan, other key FFCCCII officials led ground-breaking of friendship village in Palo
PALO, Leyte-Some 500 families of this town whose houses were totally destroyed during the aftermath of supertyphoon Yolanda would soon have their homes courtesy of the members of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII).
Last April 11, 2014, a simple ground-breaking ceremony for the development of the relocation site located at Barangay Barayong was held attended by key officials of the FFCCCII led by its chairman emeritus, Lucio Tan.
The housing project, dubbed as Filipino-Chinese Friendship Village, would be the home of about 500 families coming from different villages of Palo whose houses were totally destroyed by Yolanda.
Aside from constructing houses to the now homeless typhoon victims, the area would also be constructed with five- unit school buildings with two-classrooms each, said FFCCCII president Alfonso Siy.
Siy said that if their chairman emeritus Tan will like the outcome of the friendship village, he might add more units of houses. “Dr. Tan is few of the most generous people in the Philippines,” Siy said.
“Right now we are constructing 300 houses for the people affected by typhoon Sendong in Compostela Valley, Cagayan. After that, we will proceed with the construction of the houses here,” Siy added.
The construction of the houses will cost P40 million to P45 million while the school buildings with 10 classrooms will be at P2 million.
Some five hectares have been identified by the local government to host the project in Barayong, a mountainous village about two kilometers away from the town proper.
“We are thankful to the Filipino-Chinese community. The local government unit of Palo and the Department of Social Development and Welfare will screen those who will stay in the friendship village which will comprise families from the different villages badly hit by the typhoon. We will prioritize those who are still staying in tents as their temporary shelter,” Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominic Petilla said.
The governor added that a new community will be created in Barayong, the villagers will be given livelihood program, a public market aside from the school.
“It is definitely be a village, within a village,” Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said in his speech, as he promised that power supply would be provided immediately to the area.
Petilla, who was among the invited guests, enthused that the province of Leyte is very lucky with its partnership with the group of Tan.
“So far this is the biggest housing assistance given by a private group to typhoon Yolanda survivors in Palo. We presented our development plan for a new Palo to our guests during a simple program after the groundbreaking as they might be interested to invest here,” Petilla added.
According to FFCCCII secretary general Fernando Gan, the materials are pre-fabricated and there will be 5-houses in a row. Each unit will have 21-sqm. and one common comfort room.
Gan said the funding for the projects came from the different affiliated organizations led by the FFCCCII Foundation Inc., Federation of Filipino-Chinese Associations of the Philippines, World News Daily, Filipino-Chinese Amity Club, Overseas Chinese Alumni Association of the Philippines, Filipino-Chinese Shin Lian Association, and the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.
Go Tic Ching, president of the Tacloban Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (TFCCCI) and other officers graced the affair. (VICKY C.LANTING)