The Sacrament Of Waiting by Fr. James Donelan, S.J.

Please be patient enough to read.. i assure you... it is worth your time.. :)

The English poet John Milton wrote that those who serve only also stand and wait. I think I would go further and say that those who wait render the highest form of service. Waiting requires more discipline, more self-control and emotional maturity, more unshakable faith in our cause, more unwavering hope in the future, more sustaining love in our hearts that all the greatest deeds of deering-do go by the name of action.Waiting is a mystery - a natural sacrament of life - there is a meaning hidden in all the times we have to wait. It must be an important mystery because there is so much waiting in our lives.Everyday is filled with those little moments of waiting (testing our patience and our nerves, schooling us in self-control.) We wait for meals to be served, for a letter to arrive, for a friend to call or show up for a date. We wait in line at cinemas and theaters, concerts and circuses. Our airline terminals, railway stations and bus depots are great temples of waiting filled with men and women who wait in joy for the arrival of a loved one - or wait in sadness to say goodbye and give the last wave of hand. We wait for springs to come - or autumn - for the rains to begin and stop.And we wait for ourselves to grow from childhood to maturity. We wait for those inner voices that tell us when we are ready for the next stop.We wait for graduation, for our first job, our first promotion. We wait for success and recognition. We wait to grow up - to reach the stage where we make our own decisions. We cannot remove this waiting from our lives. It is a part of the tapestry of living - the fabric in which the threads are woven to tell the story of our lives.Yet current philosophies would have us forget the need to wait "grab all the gusto you can get." So reads one of America's greatest beer ads ­ get it now! Instant pleasure, instant transcendence. Do not wait for anything. Life is short - eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow you will die. And so they rationalize us into accepting unlicensed and irresponsible freedom- pre-marital sex and extra marital affairs - they warn against attachments and commitments - against expecting anything of anybody, or allowing them to expect anything of us - against dropping any anchors in the currents of our life that will cause us to hold and wait.This may be the correct prescription for pleasure - but even that is fleeting and doubtful - what was it Shakespeare said about the mad pursuit of pleasure - "Past reason hunted, and once had, past reason hated." Not if we wish to be real human beings, spirit as well as flesh, soul as well as heart, we have to learn to wait. For if we never learn to wait, we will never learn to love someone other than ourselves.For most of all waiting means waiting for someone else. It is a mystery, brushing by our face everyday like a stray wind of leaf falling from a tree. Anyone who has loved knows how much waiting goes into it - how much waiting is important for love to grow, to flourish through a lifetime.Why is this? Why can we not have it right now what we so desperately want and need? Why must we wait - two years, three years - and seemingly waste so much time? You might as well ask why a tree should take so long to bear fruit - the seed to flower - carbon to change to diamond.There is no simple answer - no more than there is to life's other demands -having to say goodbye to someone you love because either you or they have made other commitments; or because they have to grow and find the meaning of their own lives - having yourself to leave home and loved ones to find your own path - good-byes, like waiting, are also sacraments of our lives.All we know is that growth - the budding, the flowering of love needs patient waiting. We have to give each other a time to grow. There is no way we can make someone else truly love us or we them, except through time. So we give each other that mysterious gift of waiting - of being present without asking demands and rewards. There is nothing harder to do than this. It truly tests the depth and sincerity of our love. But there is life in the gift we give.So lovers wait for each other - until they can see things the same way ­ or let each other freely see things in quite different ways.There are times when lovers hurt each other and cannot regain the balance of intimacy of the way they were. They have to wait - in silence ­ but still present to each other - until the pain subsides to an ache and then only a memory and the threads of the tapestry can be woven together again in a single love story.What do we lose when we refuse to wait; when we try to find shortcuts through life - when we try to incubate love and rush blindly and foolishly into a commitment we are neither mature nor responsible enough to assume? We lose the hope of truly loving or of being loved. Think of all the great love stories of history and literature - isn't it of their very essence that they are filled with this strange but common mystery - that waiting is part of the substance - the basic fabric against which the story of that true love is written. How can we ever find either life or true love if we are too impatient to wait for it?

reality again..

off he goes ...those last few minutes I never want to end.. Those few tears I kept from falling.. that old familiar feeling of bitterness, longing and love all coming at the same time... Again, we're here... We made the most of it, we had fun but reality hit and now we're back to it.. Isn't it funny? you hold on as much as you can.. make as many memories with ever chance you get but when it's over, it all goes down to that one moment..Nothing else matters but that last touch before you let go, the last glance before you turn and that last grasp of breath before you let it sink in..again, you're alone.. No matter how many promises you make and how hard you pretend it doesn't hurt because you know that he'll always be waiting, like you, for the next time you see each other..It's just consolation.. Nothing is certain, nothing is ever really an assurance because anything can happen..and that's what keeps haunting you every minute and every day you don't see him.. It's not trust or the absence of it.. I trust him.. With every feeling I keep... It's fate I don't trust :((

“There is no big or small gestures…There is just helping others”

As part of the requirements in NSTP, we were assigned at World Vision to do community service for at most 20 hours.. I've only been to their office three times and worked for 20 hours but the limited time I spent there made me realize a lot of things but the most important lesson from my experience is that there is no big or small gesture, there is just helping others... From the first day, we were assigned to do a lot of things. Realizing we were at a relief-giving organization, I was looking forward to joining one relief operation. Unfortunately, I never got to leave their office and well, "base. As for the giving of relief, I only went as far as repacking relief goods and transferring them from one part of the office to another. At first, my group was assigned to labeling of coin banks. We glued printed labels to coin banks donated (I think) by different companies. (I inferred from the original painted labels on the coin banks which were logos of petron, caltex and shell.) Anyway, I had the feeling that it wasn't so much as a charitable act as doing a school activity. But then, before the day ended, we were assigned to repacking canned goods and hygiene kit bound to be distributed in Malabon where, at the time, a lot of families were still at evacuation centers. I then had the feeling that I was actually doing community work. But it didn't hit me until later when we were handling paperwork that it didn't matter what I was doing, it just mattered that I was helping. There were at least over a thousand profiles of sponsored children, most of them below 16. We were organizing their profiles and clipping their progress reports. As I looked over their personal information and their pictures, I realized that these were children who were despite their impoverished conditions; they were being given the chance to a better future and a possibility of fulfilling their dreams. The relief goods and sponsorship are more than just a symbol of giving or helping, it is a symbol of hope. A hope that despite the system and despite the political and social setbacks, we can have a better future because the most important element of a nation, the people, the children at that, are given the chance to become assets and not liabilities of the country. If only we had more leaders than politicians, we could be doing more. But as I said, the small gestures are just as important because they are a start; A small step for bigger possibilities.

sAve thE plANeT, it is tHE OnlY eARtH wE've gOt

Look around you, what do you see? Are we still living on the same Earth that we came to?
We’ve all heard of stories about how the world had once been. Picture this, clear waters, blue skies and beautiful mountains… perfect scenery. Now, let’s go to reality. Instead of clear waters, we have muddy and “garbage filled” waters. Instead of blue skies and cool breeze, we have polluted air that goes to level with skyscrapers. And instead of beautiful mountains, we have burned and “treeless” mountains. Is that the kind of place you want yourself or your children to live in?
We all know that forests provide many social, economic, and environmental benefits. In addition to timber and paper products, forests provide wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities, prevent soil erosion and flooding, help provide clean air and water, and contain tremendous biodiversity. Forests are also an important defense against global climate change. Through the process of photosynthesis, forests produce life-giving oxygen and consume huge amounts of carbon dioxide, the atmospheric chemical most responsible for global warming. By decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, forests reduce the effects of global warming.
But because of overpopulation, space, water, food and other resources available are becoming more and more insufficient. Hence, we consume more and save lesser than we are supposed to. In the Philippines alone, we are experiencing shortage of all sorts. Our bodies of water are overflowing with garbage making it unsafe for consumption. Mountains and forests are converted to residential and commercial zones. To make matters worse, we are at the verge of global warming. Ice glaciers are rapidly melting; drought is experienced in unexpected places.
For the past years, we have been experiencing disasters like floods and landslides that have caused the lives of many. (In December 2006, we were all witnesses to the Leyte landslide when a whole town got covered with mud including thousands of people.) We Filipinos have been blessed with being rich in natural resources. We live in the “Pearl of the Orient Seas”. With our “virgin forests” and all, these disasters could have been prevented. But still, it happened. Why is that? Because of our carelessness and stupidity, the forests we have prided ourselves of having is now gone. These disasters are still happening and will continue to happen if we do not do anything to stop the destruction of our natural resources.
Illegal logging, kaingin method, muro ami, use of dynamites and other chemicals for fishing, dumping of garbage not only in bodies of water but everywhere else. These are only some of human activities that destroy our natural resources. Let’s face it. Because of our irresponsible and inconsiderate acts, we have destroyed our “sources of life”. We have been too selfish in thinking only of what we can get out of our available resources and not what we can do to protect and preserve mother earth. NOW, it has to STOP. We are the cause of all these havoc so, we should be the solution. It’s not enough that we comfort ourselves by saying, “through technological advancement, we can solve these problems” because in the first place, our preference for modern technologies has led us to all these.
Anyway, let us not dwell on what we could have done because obviously, we haven’t been thinking of them before. Instead, let us work together to make this world a better place to live in, for our children and our children’s children. If we work now, we will see results tomorrow. Self – discipline is all it takes. There is no use in enforcing hundreds of laws on preservation of our natural resources if we do not follow. Let us cut lesser trees and start planting more of them. Let us reduce, reuse and recycle to lessen garbage. Most of all let us save the planet because it is the only earth we’ve got... :) :) :)(bow)

Filipinos going abroad

A mother is working as a Domestic Helper in Hong Kong; she sends money to her family every month. After a few years of working overseas, she decides to come home. She comes home expecting to see a welcoming family; but instead, she is met with a 6 year-old son who barely knows her and a cheating husband. This my friends, is but one of many situations that are happening to the many Filipino families. If you were in that situation, what would you do? For the past years, the number of Filipinos working overseas has been continually increasing. Today, more or less 10 million Filipinos are scattered around the world doing various jobs - from construction workers to nurses. But is this really an advantage? With the increase in the number of overseas workers is also the increasing number of broken families. Many Filipino children suffer from abuse and negligence because either or both parents are working abroad. In some cases, parents use money to compensate for their absence, spoiling their children and not thinking of its effects. Their children grow and become rebellious, drop-outs and some end up becoming criminals which is a big disappointment not only to the parents but to the nation as well. Marriages are broken because of adultery and infidelity. To make things worse, more and more overseas workers suffer from many kinds of abuses in the hands of employers, co-workers and others, and being strangers in a new place, they have no way of protecting themselves. Lastly, we have medical schools attempting to close down because the youth prefer to take nursing. We are lacking doctors because our doctors are becoming nurses in their likings to work abroad. What message does that bring to the youth? Many Filipinos agree to work abroad with the promise of “greener pastures and bigger opportunities”, but what do they get? Expecting “greener pastures”, they get abusive employers. Expecting bigger opportunities, they experience discrimination. Yes, it is true that a part of the Philippine Economic Growth comes from OFW’s. They say that it is a big help to the country and a big opportunity, but for whom? Why is it that instead of news about our country’s said development we get news headlines such as: Filipino domestic raped by 3 Kuwaiti cops, Maltreatment, unpaid salaries, rape, extended stay, Sexual abuse and maltreatment and hanging of a Filipina DH. What is the government doing about these cases? How many of them have been solved? The government focuses too much on the economic development that they seem to ignore the well-being of those that help in this development. What good is that doing to the Filipino people? What good do we get from sending millions of Filipinos away from their families? Are you not bothered that the government is using its own people for its own selfish reasons...Putting at risk not only millions of people but the country itself? What is the use of being a brilliant nurse if you can’t even cure your own son’s fever just because you’re too far away? What’s the use of being a good domestic helper if you can’t even stay home to look for your old parents? Is it worth your pay to be able to take care of other people but you don’t have the chance to watch your own children grow? What would it feel coming home to a broken family? People, think about it…

Animal Cloning.. reaction essay ulit

The article entitled “Animal Cloning: Facts and Fallacies” explains the process on animal cloning and corrects the misconceptions on the subject. Since there are always other factors that contribute to what makes up one’s personality, every organism is unique. Another idea explained is that with the need for matured nucleus for the process, a clone’s cells are always years older when it is born. The text also mentions how and why cloning should only be applied to live organisms. Now, after reading the text, I think that human cloning should be discouraged since there is a possibility that the purpose of experimentation may be defied and taken as an opportunity for selfish intentions.
The success of sheep cloning showed us that with technological advancement, who knows what we are capable of doing. With these scientific discoveries, we can find ways to make this world a better place. But in the same matter, these new discoveries could be used by rival countries for terrorism and warfare. It is quoted in the text that although some scientists believe that human cloning is only 10 to 20 years around the corner, the process would be far more difficult than a sheep. I agree. The process alone requires hundreds of donors and surrogate mothers. Every failure would mean a loss of human life. In other words, it would be like playing with human life and treating people like lab rats and that is unethical. In addition, cloning goes against a religious law that only God is allowed to create another being (not in a scientific way).
One argument for cloning is that we can produce more geniuses and thereby improve life for everyone through their contributions. I agree with the author that “Every human life, no matter how conceived, is unique”. Since clones are not exact copies, there is no proof that someone who is genetically identical to Albert Einstein, for example, would be a genius or would use his genius for socially acceptable ends. Upbringing and environment could turn an Einstein clone into another Adolf Hitler. Another notion is that we can produce clones to provide “spare parts” for people who need transplant. In my opinion, using clones for that intention is just as every bit the same with using your next door neighbor as a “spare part” provider.
Also, in the bible is the story of the Tower of Babel. Humans, with the help of a common language, were on the verge of building a tower all the way to Heaven. But God did not approve:
"The LORD said, 'If as one people speaking the same language they
have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for
them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not
understand each other.”
Imagine a world where everybody looks like everybody and nobody knows who’s who. The only result would, of course, be chaos. For example, a person decides to make a clone of somebody else so that he can control the clone and then embarrasses the other person. That simple act will lead to another stupid act and then another then another until…war and chaos. So, in conclusion, since the possibility of human cloning is now a definite maybe, it should be discouraged while it has not yet been proven to be possible because it only leads to chaos, an irrevocable effect.

Value promoted by tv... my reaction essay

The article entitled Values Promoted by TV, written by Harry J. Skornia basically talks about the negative values promoted by TV to society. It talks about how television promotes materialism and violence. The only value of television, according to the article is only appreciated by those big businessmen, manufacturers and showmen who control it. It mentions that as broadcasting does not discriminate between opinions, people become indiscriminating. It is also explained in the article the effects of television to the social graces (especially of women) of people. Motion pictures usually show that fallen women are more acceptable than virtuous ones. The increase of the rate of alcoholism and premarital sex is caused by these motion pictures. The author pointed out that television exalts celebrities, treating them as society’s most valued members. They are more imitated than scientists, artists, journalists, teachers or doctors. The public know which product is best by noting what these stars use. In my opinion, viewer discretion and parental guidance should be strictly applied in watching television because not everybody (especially children) can differentiate television from reality.
Watching television is one of the most popular pastimes all over the world. In every community, at least ¾ of the population love to watch movies. Its purpose is simply for entertainment but sometimes, the public misinterpret what they see on TVs. Although everyone watches TV, its effects are mostly seen in children. At a certain age, children tend to follow everything they see or hear, it is a part of the learning process that’s why viewer discretion and parental guidance is important in watching TV. According to guidelines, children under 2 should have no “screen time” at all. Children have very photographic minds. Meaning, whatever they see, (real or on television) they remember. Television is as close to reality as it is. Children can learn a lot from television. Through television, kids can have an idea of what is happening around them without having to see it firsthand. But still, it can have the same effect as seeing the real thing. Despite these advantages, too much television can be detrimental. Kids who view violent events, such as kidnapping or murder are most likely to believe that the world is a scary place. The images and values that children absorb can also leave them traumatized and vulnerable.
Like violence for example, it is quoted in the article that lest the problem of violence or weapons be oversimplified, however, it should be made clear that the position taken here is not simply that violence is always bad. It gets confusing when we see in movies that it is not bad to use guns and violence as long as you are one of the “good guys” but the line that separates the “good” and the “bad” is grey. It is cited in the article that 35 percent of films show that the hero/heroine is motivated by revenge. Basically, it shows that “revenge” as motivation simply makes you a “good guy”. According to AAP, many violent acts are perpetrated by the “good guys” whom children have been taught to emulate. Even though children are taught by their parents that it’s not right to hit, television says that it’s OKAY to hit, bite or kick if you’re the good guy. And even “bad guys” on TV aren’t always held responsible or punished for their action. How can children possibly differentiate right from wrong in these situations?
Another misconception you see in movies as pointed out in the text is if a woman wishes to be interesting, she must have a past. To have fallen at least once qualifies her. Dressing scenes showing various degrees of nudity appeared in 23% and undressing scenes in 30% of the films. Movies like these should not be open to young people especially teenagers because they are at a critical stage when they are still learning about the “realities of life”- sex, drugs, violence etc. When you see romance and love in movies, it is most often associated with sex. Because of that, teenagers nowadays think that sex is showing that you love someone, hence, the increasing problems on early pregnancy and sometimes, abortion.
If these misconceptions are not corrected, young people will most likely grow up and become problems to the society. But since we can’t stop the movie industry from producing movies that show violence for example, the best thing to do is to choose what we allow our children to watch until they understand that what they see in movies is but half of the real picture.