S.A.L.A.G.

We call ourselves S.A.L.A.G.
Suloguon’g Angayan’g Ligdungon Alang sa Ginoo.
[A Servant Formed to Become Worthy and Upright for the Lord.]

SALAG is a Cebuano word which means “a bird’s nest”.

Just as the “sparrow finds a home for her young” [Psalm 84], we too find ourselves resting safe in this place we call home – our NEST…
…where we allow ourselves to be formed…
…to mature and soar high in the wide skies…
…as God’s worthy and upright servants for the people entrusted to our care…

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Mighty God, Lord of All!” Psalm 84:1

LET’S CALL IT A DAY!

HEAD. HEART. HAND. These comprise my three points. One of the guest-priests brought this up during one of our sessions in Pastoral Management. He shared, based on experience, that these are the presbyter’s tools in parish leadership. So, allow me to use these three human body parts which, for me, embrace what a pastor is called to be, both passively and actively. But let me express these three points in an unorthodox manner of literature; this time, in a conversational way. The style will be very elementary, but I believe that in its simplicity there is beauty and depth in facilitating a pastor’s nourishment of his identity. This is just one parochial vicar saying through his body’s three essential parts in his daily life and ministry. More importantly, each body part will be inspired, according to its need, by St. John Vianney’s Act of Love to God…
The bells ring; a wonderful Sunday has dawned. The three yawn as they rise from bed. Then they kneel down to start another magnificent day…
HEART: “O my God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath.”
HEAD: If I don’t cling to Him, I am nothing.
HEART: Time to celebrate Mass! I will celebrate Mass unhurriedly and full of heart.
HEART: As I sit down, I see in front of me couples dear to each other…make me smile and thank God, for I remember my overflowing gift of celibacy…”Deny yourself…and follow me.” What a joyful following! Then, suddenly, enters my past of unfaithfulness to such gift. But the Lord immediately intervenes, “I accept you as you are, you are good and precious in my eyes.” Not my fidelity to God, but God’s fidelity in me. He does not give me up. So, I’ll be aware of my boundaries. I am at home with my solitude. I will commit for healthy inclusive relationship.
HEAD: From and for God’s glory, I have prepared a good homily. Though..I can’t please everybody, well…it’s God’s work.
HEAD: I can just get money from the collection box anytime I want. But I prefer to be honest.
HAND: “The Mass is ended…” I will stay for a while to greet the people. To know them, I mingle with them. For I a presbyter, I do not just say Mass! The FR. is not just a title, it’s my LIFE!
HEART: Time for breakfast! It’s inspiring to nourish eating together with my parish priest; an excellent avenue to share, open up, dialogue of strengths and weaknesses; it’s a way of helping and understanding each other…good camaraderie!
HEAD: Now, breakfast is done. Time management is very important! PPC and PFC meeting is at 8:30.
HAND: I will attend and be there at the meeting…as a shepherd…as an example…
HEAD: Arguments arise during the meeting…discernment helps: If it’s God’s will, it will prosper. “Who are my people?” I have to know them and consult their situation and never change or impose immediately, so that they identify themselves with the project. For from it flow creative and resourceful planning strategies. When difficulties arise, I’ll be consulting my elder priests.
HEART: My zealous presence with them will hopefully enliven them.
HEAD: They need theology; so I am prepared and had done research.
HEAD: The PFC president approaches. Transparency and proper financial management!
HEART: Yes! From there, people just give and cooperate freely without me expecting and asking from them. Their trust will grow deeper and deeper. And I will acknowledge even the smallest donations.
HEAD: I am not superman, and thus I will empower lay collaborators and not get insecure by their competent skills; it’s participatory leadership. Meeting’s done, everyone’s inspired and invigorated.
HAND: Now, I’m in my office. A government official enters my office and offers help. I will collaborate and do constant dialogue and networking with them; for we share a common task: for the good and salvation of every person.
HEART: A couple-to-be-wed comes in and asks for assistance. I will not make the sacraments difficult for them.
HAND: A rich benefactor comes in and offers help. “Please don’t give for myself Madam.” I will live simply and, according to my needs, avoid excess and luxury. I won’t bring anything from the parish when I leave soon. Yes, I’ll be receiving, yet it will be very little for myself but much for the people, even the most beautiful things.
HEART: My convent staff has been so good and loving to me. They do zealously what I ask from them.
HAND: So, time for outing and unwinding…to the beach! I am used to asking and receiving. This time, I also give.
HEAD: It will not just be mere fun, but a good avenue for feed backing and assessment. Healthy maturity calls me to be open to their fraternal words.
HAND: Lunch has passed. There’s a sick call. No more siestas. Then, struggles of weariness lurk within…looking for someone to devour…ever ready to demolish every time I give in to my weaknesses.
HEART: Don’t worry…God has His own way…just be there… Hey! My batch mate sent a message! It’s giving me joy and a “tap” on my shoulder. They’re here for me! How invigorating!
HAND: I’ll be going to the farthest Chapel for a Mass there…it will not be that easy, insurgents could just kill me anytime…and how a 20-peso Mass offering compensate for my 60-peso fuel charges?
HEAD: But, no matter what, I have prepared a good homily for them, from and for God’s greater glory!
HAND: “I love You, O infinitely lovable God, and I prefer to die loving You than to live one instant without loving You.”
HEART: How vulnerable they are! I love my sheep! I can’t imagine scolding these people who have been so excited to see me… I am telling them about the forthcoming reshuffling…yes, letting go. But for now, with my sheep, allow me to openly and authentically cry. I won’t leave a statue of accomplishments here! They then say that I am better than the previous one. “No, he is unique too!” I won’t discredit my brother priests. I won’t be selfish, and so I allow them to express their gratitude through a despedida than leaving at midnight without anybody knowing it just because I don’t want to feel pain.
HEAD: It’s me learning from them, not vice versa…
HAND: My parishioners had just been struck with calamity…there was death…loss of belongings. I will go…empower my parishioners and extend help to them. “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord…”
HEART: …and embrace and make them feel that God indeed is present and one with them in their grief…
HEAD: O it’s already 4 o clock. From census, I learned that there have been bystanders standing idle everyday…and tensions from brethren of other denominations might cause more divisions…. If there’s a problem, do something; I am so inspired by Fr. Vianney’s exemplary way of doing something to get people away from gambling and other vices during his time.
HEART: Aha! Ecumenism! Creativity! Befriending them over pride and unhealthy competition!
HAND: Organize sports with them! Or music helps! They are encouraged to follow the Lord, because they experienced the love of God!
HEART: Mass at 6! I feel the emptiness in my heart whenever I couldn’t celebrate Mass. There’s a danger in leaning towards mere functionality. So, every time I say Mass, I really pray…
HAND: TO SERVE God is to risk and offer life…
HEAD: O yes! Politics issues! Threats are anywhere! But, as a pastor, I can’ help but cite morality “because I am concerned of your salvation.”
HEART: After Mass, there’s confession. I will make it heaven for them. And how unspeakably joyful it is to gaze upon a penitent comforted, consoled and reconciled back to God!
HEART: Dinner time! And with us is the bishop! He visits us! His presence itself is relieving and assuring!
HEAD: He opens up about reshuffling!
HEART: Obedience!
HEAD: Yes, there will be a conflict of my own desires.
HAND: “Thank you Bishop!” I won’t say “I can’t do anything on my next assignment,” but rather “I can do so many things!”
HEART: Whatever you say, wherever you put me, I’ll be disposed to where I’ll be led…
HEAD: Thank you Bishop for coming! Whew! What a day, isn’t it? But…what am I going to do next? I feel a space within, after all the busy-ness, here I am alone…I feel like filling this gap…
HAND: Very tempting to go to the club, drink beer, and fill the gap with my friends!
HEART: But no, tomorrow is rest day. Brother priests will gather together and play! That is my community! That is where I belong! That is also where I draw inspiration and strength!
HEAD: So…tired?
HAND: Nope! Because I enjoyed the very things I am doing! Challenging but fulfilling isn’t it?
HEART: Yes! So, let’s call it a day! Indeed, the Lord’s Day! Shall we kneel before we go to bed?
HEAD: “And as I approach my end, I beg You to increase and perfect my love of You.” Amen.
LORD: (Smiles and taps the shoulder of the pastor sound asleep) Well done My boy! I love you very much!

Since this refreshment is for every servant-leader, this will also be my identity; I am unique. With the help of the grace of God, He’ll use the giftedness He shared with me…from the rising of the sun to its setting…

TRUSTFUL ACCEPTANCE

Acceptance as to who we are is easier said than done, isn't it? Was there a time in our lives that we didn’t accept our painful experiences as part of God’s plan? Realistically speaking, some of us probably asked, "Is it part of God’s plan that I share with Ate Venus or SD my darkest, painful and shameful secrets? Is this what it takes to be a Christian? My brothers, it is not easy to embrace them as part of our vocation. It will really take time for us to accept such painful experiences. (Only) last May, during the Vianney month, I was able to embrace all my ups and downs and firmly declare that indeed God already formed and called me even before I was born. To accept our call as Christians, the first reading today assures us that "there is a season for everything...there is a time to be born and a time to die...a time to weep and a time to laugh...a time to break down and a time to build up..." and remember this, that "God has made everything suitable for its time." See how God puts things in our lives at its proper time and place! If only we accept them as God wills them to be. The Gospel today, Jesus tells his followers that he is the Messiah, but he’s going to be a suffering Messiah; and anyone who wish to follow him must also suffer with him. He assures us that although he must suffer greatly and be rejected and be killed,...on the third day HE WILL BE raised". In order for us to become priests na tama ang timpla, part of our formation is to embrace and accept our pains; but let us not forget to expect a joy that will follow next. The people who watched our cheerdance competition last Saturday had probably been inspired upon seeing all of us rush to the center and congratulated each other joyfully as if nobody lost: "Wow! Ingon ani diay ang Viannista, walay dumot!". But, we all know, that before all those celebrations were experiences of patience and tensions during the games. Yet, we all ended up rejoicing with others, because we trustfully accepted all those victories and defeats as part of the whole competition.
My brothers, our struggles never end here, we continue, and we expect more of them when we become priests. And so, let us continue begging for the grace of trustful acceptance that we may always be able to embrace our life stories, and the sacrifices and struggles that still to come.. Whatever happens, whether in happiness or tears, we can still firmly declare that “God called me by my name. He already formed me before I was born. These are all part of His beautiful plan for me; and as Rupert Mayer prays, “O Lord, because You will it, it is best.”

“ALÎ, PAHULAY, UG KAON SÂ!”

As I gazed upon the fruitfulness and richness of the documentaries, my disposition was led back to the part of the letter’s content I cordially and prayerfully composed for the batch in lieu of the permission we asked to witness the momentous celebration of Ipil’s becoming a diocese: “…we believe that, more than (and basically) the performance of rites is the call to deepen and nourish our faith in God through the visible signs we see and act.” The performance of actions leads to a higher but BASIC reality. Why basic? First and fundamentally, liturgia fons et culmen; we draw our strength and all these things from God, as well as, gear all these actions towards His greater glory. Second, if I am going to give an analogy as to the relationship between rites and the faith drawn from it, it would be the basic relationship of performing busy schedules and setting time for rest. Rest is basic to us just as faith in God is! But sometimes we fail to give time for rest and spend time for silence when we are choked by mere functions and busy-ness of our schedules. Hence, why do I give emphasis to rest? This is my first point in my reflection. Because I just couldn’t help but see the essential need and importance of this present generation to go to Mass (and other sacraments) regularly. In the first level, we need to instill in their minds and hearts the invitation to really “rest” in going to Church and in celebrating the Eucharist; meaning to say, the faithful must set aside all the worries that would hinder him/her to focus interiorly and listen intently to the Lord. Our past few Sunday Gospels are calling us all to that. Going to Mass is a retreat: a call to really rest with and in the Lord, a vacation with Him. As inspired by the image used by Bishop Tagle, going to Mass is like visiting a friend. By the mere fact that he went there, he set aside all those other schedules and freely chose to go to his friend’s house not to sleep, but to rest with his friend by exchanging words, stories, and hearts. Isn’t it wonderful!
Second, and in a deeper level and wider scope, the people of God especially the young ones are really invited to “rest” regularly in the Mass because many other “seemingly more attractive” options such as immorality arising from misused freedom, worldliness, and technological allurements are just prowling like roaring lions ever ready to devour the young people’s minds. Aside from that, they need time for rest and silence because the world is getting more complicated and noisier. That is one of those I learned, not just from the documentaries, but also from the course Eucharist last semester especially when I was given the task to translate into our dialect the communion part in the Eucharistic celebration. There, in one of my sources, was clearly stated that the great reason why it is necessary to spend a short yet quality time for silence after the communion songs are sung and before the priest recites or intones the Prayer after Communion – is that, the faithful are really given time to rest and pray in silence, because after the Mass and as they go back to the noisy world, they could hardly look for the “silence” that they innately desired.
After my first point above whose theme generally calls us “The Need to Rest”, allow me to share with you my second point whose theme in the assurance that “We Can Really Rest” in the Eucharistic celebration.
I would like to deepen this point in the light of the term “Liturgy of the World” as explained by Rahner in one of our discussions on the course GRACE. First, let us start on the notion that sacraments are graced-events. Let us avoid the idea that celebrating the sacraments is a way to put grace to a world that is not yet graced. Let us not look at the world and sacraments as two parallels. The world is permanently graced at its roots; even at creation is graced. We should not separate grace from human life. Yes, in human life there are struggles, but there’s grace. By his struggles, he realizes himself and helps him grow in faith, hope and love that lead him to God. We experience struggles everyday. But as what was mentioned above, in the ordinary-ness of everyday life, there is grace. The greatest manifestation of that reality was the experience shown by Jesus OF NAZARETH. He lived in a very ordinary life, and through that ordinary moments in his life and death, it has become Jesus’ irrevocable victory; the victory of resurrection and glory. So the world and its history (good and evil) constitute the liturgy of the world. The ordinary liturgy brings us into awareness in what constitutes the liturgy of the world. We need this liturgy to make us realize the liturgy of the world. Because when we celebrate Eucharist, we bring our ordinary experience; we celebrate what is happening in the world (triumph and struggles). So as we go to Mass, we bring our experiences and ritualize them in worship. That’s why the actions we perform in the Eucharist are used as means for God to reveal His great love. And we can relate to them because we experience them in our ordinary daily life. That is why the image of visitation to a friend and beso-beso is used to illustrate our going to the church; the Penitential Rite put at the beginning of the Mass signifies our ordinary act of shaking the dust off our shoes at the doorstep before we enter a house; the Word of God is the “kwentuhan” between friends; the Prayers of the Faithful show our very personal and ordinary daily concerns, as well as, of the Church’s and our country’s; the Offertory which constitutes help for the Church especially the poor; the use of our ordinary and “nakakabusog” bread and wine to manifest the unquenchable “busog” of the Body and Blood of Christ that we receive; the Communion part which signifies the “Halika, kain muna!” after all the chatting and exchange of stories and hearts, and many others.
So that when we go back to the world, we will recognize God in the ordinary life. Yes, human as we are, it is really difficult to forgive those who had done wrong to us. But as we are forgiven by God, we allow ourselves to become instruments of God to forgive because we believe that this person in loved by God.