One Whole Sky

A community
is one whole sky, full of hope,
united in trust...

For humanity
is defined by common lack,
advanced by our needs.

Let's press on
in service.
---<--@

Common Human Needs

Old Defiant

Fly Old Defiant!

Lead on toward destiny -

in our hearts, Country!

Banner of brightness

make one thy sons and daughters

against the darkness...

The Morning

now cometh!

---<--@

Today is Flag Day.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas, long may our remembrance serve us!

May God bless all Filipinos everywhere.

Land of Promise

Glorious Motherland,

Pearl of the Orient Seas,

the fire of our love for thee

pines for thy proud embracing.

Land of Promise,

Cradle of the Brave,

from the tyranny of oppression

thou shalt never yield.

Across thy shining seas

and verdant mountain peaks,

fair winds and thy native blue skies,

the splendor of this hymn and song

speaks of thy vaunted liberty!

The brightness of thy Banner

undiminished in triumph waves,

the glory of thy stars and sun

are lights that shall ne'er fade.

Land of the Morning,

worthy of honor and of love -

our home away from Home -

what happiness it is

should the enemy draw near

to die for thy liberty.

(This is my personal English translation

of "Lupang Hinirang",

the Philippine National Anthem.)

Two weeks and a day from now, I shall be celebrating the birthdays of two of the most important women in my life (both just as lovable and jealous as hell) - my Country and my Miyang.

June 12th of this year is also Pentecost, the birthday of my Holy Mother Church - the most important woman in my life after my Mama Mary.

Being Single

Now, the married state

being the call of many

seems the call of all.

But being single

being the call of the few

is seen not at all.

If single -

pray, fear not.

---<--@

If you are single like me, you should know that no amount of planning or anxiety can replace trust.

Once upon a time, I thought that the object of the single life is to get married. But this is just not so.

The object of any mature human life, whether single or married, priestly, religious or civic, is to find your own particular vocation to serve.

So pray, trust and fear not - one can not decide to get married by one's self alone.

"...a prudent wife is from the LORD." (Proverbs 19: 14)

Consider this thoughtfully -

This seems to suggest that a particular state of life is superior to the other. There are indeed people who become bitter for their being single!

But which state of life is really superior - the single life or the married life?

It really depends on how well you discern your own particular vocation to serve.

The object of life is not marriage. It is happiness.

The Call of Vocation

Respond to thy call,
be true to thyself, and then -
cast thyself away!

Launch into the deep!
Cast thy suns, O dear Christians,
let us live our Light!

Shine upon
the darkness.
---<--@

Hear with courage...

Respond with generosity...

Embrace with charity...

Your Christian calling to serve...

Got Vocation? Everybody does.

Almsgiving

Service is our soul!
To provide for hope, our means -
to attain to faith...

So believe, then love,
and out of love, recognize -
thy need to give alms.

Our Lord's poor
makes us rich.
---<--@

When you give, make sure you give out of your need and not out of your excess.

So that if the LORD gives you back what you offer to Him, you may benefit both from your charity as well as from the generosity of God.

Do this without your right hand knowing what the left is doing, and do this without your left hand knowing what the right is doing - not out of a desire to be seen but out of a love of doing.

For liberality repels greed.

Servant Leadership

Let's take the low road,
the safe and humble road - that -
ascends to our God.

Better a servant
in the Household of our LORD
than a prince of hell!

Be humble
and be glad!
---<--@

Satan Before the LORD

"Bah! What's in a name?"
Spake the Devil to the LORD,
"they all look the same!"

"My Name is that name
I in them and them in Me,
Each is my portion."

I know them.
They know Me.
---<--@

Sword

If swords are evil
for virtue has ignored us,
woe to us, O LORD...

God of all virct'ry,
when Thy enemies rise up,
bind us to Thy will!

And evil
shall tremble.
---<--@

Peace is over War.

Perseverance

A man once served, then -
thought about Judas and lo!
He betrayed Peter.

A man once loved, then -
thought about all the unlove
and said, "I serve not."

What kind of
love is that?
---<--@

Give

"What profits a man
to gain the whole world", says Christ,
and lose his own soul..."

What we have received
is what God has been giving!
Where is God's giving?

Live to give,
give to live.
---<--@

Storm

There once was a storm
that raged into a great flood
that swept the earth clean...

And the earth wept, and -
mourned many days. And behold!
The Bow of the LORD.

Thy promise,
O nations.
---<--@