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VID_20220102153437.mp4 from Raymond Carlo Mendoza on Vimeo.
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Likas sa atin na gusto natin 'yung mauuna talaga. Itong panahon na may Coronavirus, eh nagpa-panic buying 'yung mga tao. Gusto natin ubusin natin lahat ng alcohol, tissue, kung anu-ano pa d'yan. Pero kung iisipin natin, na ang pagiging Sambayanang Kristiyano ay ang paglilingkod sa isa't isa, nawa'y isipin din natin: ano kayang mangyayari kung likumin kong lahat ito, eh wala na 'yung iba? Anong mangyayari kung ikaw lang ang malinis at walang sakit pero yung iba nagkakahawaan na? Eh di masama rin tayo.
Most Rev. Dennis C. Villarojo, DD Homily, Wednesday on the Second Week of Lent 58th Anniversary of the Diocese of Malolos 03.11.2020
Traslacion: Pagninilay ng isang Nagmamasid
Taun-taon, tila kulang ang lahat ng salaysayin sa pahayagan, telebisyon, at radyo, maging posts sa social media upang ilarawan ang masidhing pamimintuho ng mga Pilipinong Katoliko sa Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno. Mahigit apat na siglong lumipas nang dumating ang larawan mula sa Mehiko, hanggang sa unang 'traslacion' nang ilipat ang imahen mula Intramuros patungong Quiapo magpahanggang kasalukuyan, lalong tumitindi ang debosyon sa larawang ito ng Panginoon na sugatan at pasan ang krus na kanyang kinamataya't kalauna'y naging sagisag ng kaligtasan.
Ngunit sa mata ng isang hamak na nagmamasid, ano nga ba ang saysay ng gawaing ito na kinatatampukan ng iba't ibang paraan ng pamamanata?
Bata pa lamang ako, malimit ko nang makita ang maliit na imahen ng Nazareno sa altar ng aking lola sa tuhod na hanggang ngayon ay pinangangalagaan pa rin sa loob ng matandang bahay. Maraming pagkakataon rin na dumarayo sa Quiapo ang aking ina upang mag-alay ng mga panalangin at magsimba tuwing Biyernes. Ako man, sa tuwing may pagkakataon o kapag nagkakayayaan ng mga kasamahan sa parokya, ay gumagawi sa Quiapo para pumila sa pahalik at magdasal sa Señor.
Kung susuriin, samu't sari ang hiling ng mga deboto sa Poong Hesus Nazareno. Kagalingan ng mahal sa buhay, materyal na pangangailangan, pagbabagong-buhay ng kaanak na naiiba ng landas o nagkakamali kaya, o kaya nama'y mga personal na hangarin. Mayroon namang ipinagpapatuloy ang panata ng mga nauna sa kanila, o kaya'y nagpapasalamat sa mga biyayang natamo. Kaya taun-taon, kahit may balyahan, tulakan, at sakitan sa Traslacion, dumarami pa rin ang sumasama taun-taon.
Totoo ang kasabihan ng mga taong simbahan sa hiwagang ito. To understand a devotee, one must be a devotee.
Kaya hindi nakapagtataka, lalo na sa panig ng mga di-Katoliko o yaong nawalan ng pananampalataya, na ang gawaing ito, sa kanilang bintang, ay paraan ng pagsamba sa diyos-diyosan. Sa kabila ng mga biblikal at lohikal na paliwanag na ang mga larawan ay di kailanman ipinagpapalit sa Diyos na siyang dapat sambahin, nakalulungkot na marami sa kanila ang pinipiling maging bulag, pipi, at bingi.
Sabagay, magkaibang-magkaiba talaga ang Deboto sa isang Panatiko, wika nga ng Arsobispo ng Maynila, Kardenal Tagle, sa kanyang pagninilay ngayong taon. Ang deboto, may pusong wagas na nagmamahal sa pinag-aalayan ng debosyon. Ang panatiko naman, gumaganap lamang dala ng pangangailangan. Ang deboto, anuman ang mangyari, mananatili sa piling ng pinag-alayan. Ang panatiko, humihiwalay sa sandaling hindi mabigyang-lugod ang sarili.
Kaya't bago mo ibato ang mga talata ng banal na kasulatan upang ipagbintangang pagsama sa diyos-diyosan ang Traslacion, bakit di ka muna magmasid? Bakit di mo subukang manahimik, sumama sa pila ng pahalik? Makinig sa kuwento ng mga deboto. Unawain, bakit ganoon na lamang kasidhi ang kanilang pagnanais na makalapit sa larawan ng Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno?
In order to understand a devotee, one must be a devotee.
Marahil, may magtatanong sa manunulat na ito. Ikaw, deboto ka ba?
Kung pagsama sa Traslacion at pagpunta sa Quiapo sa lahat ng Biyernes ng taon ang sukatan, hindi ko masasabing ako'y deboto. Sa akin naman, naramdaman kong kailangang may bukas na mata sa pananampalataya ang pag-unawa sa debosyong ito. Ngunit kung iisa-isahin ko ang mga pagkakataong nakakapila ako sa pahalik at nakapag-aalay ng panalangin sa harap ng Señor, masasabi ko na ring may debosyon na ring nabubuo sa akin. Sabi nga ng kasulatan ayon sa babaing dinurugo, mahawakan ko lamang ang damit Niya, ay gagaling na ako.
Ano naman ang kalimitan mong hiling sa Kanya? Marahil maaalala ang isang post ngayong araw ng isang TV station. "Ano ang hiling mo sa Poong Nazareno?"
Maliban sa mga personal na panalangin at mga panalangin ng mga kaibigan at mahal sa buhay, isa ang lagi kong hiling sa Kanya.
Tulungan mo po ako sa mga krus ko sa buhay. Help me to carry my crosses in life.
Dahil ang krus, na minsang sagisag ng hirap at kamatayan, ay naging sagisag ng tagumpay at pagkabuhay! At iyan ay dahil sa pagmamahal na ipinamalas ni Hesus, ang siyang maituturing na unang deboto. At ang Kanyang debosyon sa atin ay namalas nang ialay niya ang sarili sa Krus. Our Lord devoted himself to us, sinners, to attain for us redemption and salvation!
At dahil sa palagiang pagsamong ito tuwing malalapit ako sa imahen ng Señor, ito ang nagbibigay sa akin ng lakas na manatiling lumalapit at nagtitiwala sa Kanya, bagaman di ako debotong sumasama sa Traslacion o laman ng Quiapo tuwing Biyernes.
Hindi lamang sa mapagmasid na mata ng sosyolohiya o ng peryodismo mauunawaan ang saysay ng Traslacion, kung hindi kailangan rin ng matang bukas sa kakayahang makinig, at kalaunan ay sumampalataya.
Anuman ang krus mo sa buhay, anumang alinlangan mo sa gawaing ito, minsan, subukan mong pagmasdan ang Traslacion. Pagnilayan mo, pakinggan ang samu't saring kuwento ng panata. Hanggang makita mo ang napakaraming Pilipinong Katoliko, na sa Poong Hesus Nazareno ay palaging nananangan.
Kung tatanungin mong muli ang manunulat: Kung may pagkakataong ipagkakaloob sa iyo, sasama ka ba sa Traslacion?
Kung Siya ang magbibigay ang pagkakataon, bakit hindi? At tiyak na iyon pa rin ang aking dalangin. Tulungan mo po ako sa mga krus ko sa buhay.
Viva, Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno!
To Love You More
25.
Ito ang laging pambungad ng mga posts ko nitong mga nagdaang araw. Siguro nga dahil sa madalas akong paglaruan ng utak ko kakaisip ng kung anong naghihintay sa akin ngayong ito na ang isusulat ko sa mga forms kapag tinatanong kung ilang taon na akong nasa mundong ito. At heto ako ngayon, sa saliw ng 'To Love You More' ni Celine Dion, muling binubuhay ang manunulat sa akin na kung minsan ay, inaalat na.
Bakit nga ba 'To Love You More' ang tugtog ko habang nagtatype? Dahil ba nasa playlist ko o may kahulugan ito? But before we go deeper to this (ganern biglang English), ito lang naman ang mga tumatakbo sa magulo kong isip lately...
1. Adulting Moments
Halos lahat ng mga ipinanganak sa loob ng Dekada '90 ay nakakaranas nito sa ngayon. Nagkalat na nga ang memes which tells exactly what Adulting really means to them gaya ng bills, mall sales, etc. But I have my own share as well, like:
-Dati, ikaw lang ang nagmamano pero ngayon, pati ikaw pinagmamanuhan na rin. Tapos pagkasabi mo ng 'God Bless' dun sa nagmano sa 'yo, msasabi mo na lang sa sarili mo...OMG, am I aging so fast? -Dati, sa toystores at kalaunan sa bookstores lang ako naeexcite magshopping. Ngayon, Pangalawa sa bookstores...sabik din akong magshopping sa hardware stores like Ace, Handyman, etc. (Hi Angel!) Bili ng bumbilya, wires (HDMI, RCA, etc.), adhesives, batteries. Tito moments? Hahaha.
Ilan lang yan sa mga 'Adulting Moments' ko. Syempre di mawawala ang...
2. Age-related Pressures
Di pa kasama dyan ang paminsan-minsang monitoring ng Blood Pressure. Hahaha. Kidding aside, kabi-kabila ang pressure sa anumang larangan. Expectations are set by people around (especially by those people who thinks they own you), as if you are likely to be crucified once you committed a single mistake or even fail. Kulang ang isang libro ni Bob Ong at ng iba pang contemporary writers kung iisa-isahin natin pero ito ang ilan sa aking bahagi:
-Bakit di ka pa nagmamasters? (Buti na lang nagkalakas nako ng loob to enroll kahit minsan malapit nakong kumanta ng 'Let it go'. But no!)
-Bakit wala ka pang girlfriend? (Some would even go below the belt by having a dismissive attitude and would label me as gay for not having a partner. Kasalukuyang tumutugtog ang 'Dito Ba' ni Kuh Ledesma habang tinatype ko 'to hahaha) Like, lovelife lang ba ang batayan ng pagiging masaya? Let's pray not to have it 'soon', but to have 'the right one'.
-Bakit di ka pa sa public magturo? Mahal ko pa po buhay ko. Hahaha jk. Saludo po ako sa mga naging guro ko nung Elementary at gayundin sa mga kaibigan ko sa public school, praying na mabawasan ang mga hirap nyo sa ngayon at matumbasan ng ginhawa.
-At weddings, some would ask me (lalo na mga ang mga 'thunders'): 'Kailan ka susunod?' As if ang daling humanap ng tamang asawa ngayon. Kaya minsan, (God forgive me) pag nagkita kami sa isang burol o libing...parang tatanungin ko rin sya ng ganun. Sorry na agad. Hahaha!
-Sa news feed ko, kabi-kabila ang mga kaklase ko mula Elementary, High School, at College na nagpopost na ng: a. Pagpopropose sa kanila o pagpopropose nila sa jowa nila (Will you marry me ganern) at eventually ng kasal nila; at b. sa case ng mga female batchmates ko, yung mga nabubuntis na at isa-isa nang nagkakababy.
-Magkamali ka lang minsan, sumbat agad. 'Teacher ka pa naman'. 'Taong simbahan ka pa naman'. Wow ha! Wooow! Napakaperpekto naman ng mga buhay nyo't napaka-inmaculada nyo naman para sabihan nyo ako ng ganito. As if di kayo na-olats sa buhay minsan. Alam nyo kung anong tawag dyan? Dalahira. Magtama kayo ng mali oo, pero wag nang manghusga. Now I'm ranting. Sorry na agad. Hahaha.
Kaya minsan mapapatanong ka na lang sa sarili mo. Anue ginagawa mue?
Sabi ko na lang sa sarili ko, nobody owns me. I'll try to live my life in the best way possible, without pressures. (Pardon my vulgarity) F*** those who act as if they own me. Hahaha. #MyLifeMyRules. Don't get me wrong, tho. Pasaway man ako minsan, marunong naman po akong sumunod, basta alam nating tama at mabuti ang sinusunod natin.
3. To Love You More
Now. Alam ko na bakit ko tinutugtog ngayon itong hit ni Celine Dion na paborito ng mga pinsan at kababata ko sa videoke when we were young. Piliin nating magmahal (at magbigay) sa lahat ng pagkakataon. (Walang hugot ito, K?) Perhaps this explains why I was born on the Feast of St. Lawrence. We ought to love like this great martyr of faith. He asked to be turned around when being grilled to death for saying that the poor are the 'treasures of the Church'. Readings for this day emphasizes how 'God loves a cheerful giver' -2 Cor 9:7 (NAB) and that the grain of wheat must die to 'bear much fruit' -Jn 12:24 (NAB).
Though Adulting Moments tend to happen rapidly and Age-related Pressures tend to challenge our being, we ought to 'love more'. Even if it means being hurt at times. Most of all, do our best to be happy and cheerful.
Now that I have summed my thoughts, here's what I can say now...
Lord, if it's what they call as a 'quarter life crisis', help me then to be a good crisis manager.
Dear reader, salamat kung tinapunan mo ng kaunting pagtingin ang sulating ito kahit alam kong TL:DR ang magiging reaction mo. Hahaha. At least I was able to clear my mind of some thoughts I should have written long ago.
Happy 25th, self!
Now playing: Journey by Lea Salonga
MMFF 2016: ‘Seklusyon’
Yes, here I am again, alive and kicking. Hahaha. Happy with the drastic changes in the annual Metro Manila Film Festival, I rushed to the nearest cinema to watch one of the entries. And here’s my take.
Every Christian, regardless of sect or denomination, is always faced with an everyday yet extraordinary battle: Temptation. Whether fulfilling his/her everyday duties or pursuing a chosen vocation, the lures of the 'evil one' will always be there to distract an individual or pull him down to sin.
In the 2016 MMFF entry 'Seklusyon', candidates for ordination to the Priesthood were faced with a seven-day test. That is, to test themselves whether they are really fit to say yes into such a sacred commitment. It is believed that the last days prior to an ordinand's reception of Holy Orders can be plagued with temptation, mostly with flashbacks of his past sins (mortal sins in particular) and lifestyles, in an attempt by the devil to turn a person's back to his vocation or to continue receiving orders with stained consciences.
The story revolves on the four men who are about to receive ordination to the Priesthood, a priest who saw himself delving into investigating a child-healer under the control of a runaway nun thus causing stir between him, his superior and his local ordinary (the diocesan bishop), and the master of the 'seclusion house'. The normal process of the seven-day seclusion reached its height when the master, an estranged priest himself, left the house over the care of the nun and her ward, the child-healer whose parents were killed for several, unverified reasons.
Three of the candidates were plagued with temptation of choosing between their caprices over self-emptying. Frail human beings as they are like us, they easily fell to the tricks of the devil who keeps on telling that God never wanted them to 'deprive themselves of their desires'. (Thus, the concept of 'free will') As the story is about to conclude, the child-healer used by the devil to play tricks over the ordinandi revealed his plot to infiltrate the church with bad clergy (and religious) so as to confuse people to see who are the good guys and those on the other side. The priest-investigator ended up with a failed exorcism over an argument with the child-healer possessed by the devil and the other candidate, recognizing the terrible sins he made in the past, saw himself unfit to be ordained and ended up killing the child who caused them confusion. That is, the very same child that is the fruit of his own sin, the child that led his old lover into despair and suicide!
The story ended with the three men being ordained to the priesthood, with the renegade nun present in the solemn rites. The devil was able to carry his plan, so to speak...infiltrating the church with men and women who chooses their caprices over doing good.
Story wise, Seklusyon can be a tool for those who are into discernment, to seriously think about the vocation they wish to pursue, that what they are about to enter is no joke nor a trial-and-error test. He/she must be strong enough to overcome temptations that may come along his/her journey. Yes, some ordinandi may pass tests such as seclusions but if they are not strong enough to resist temptations and worldly desires because of 'free will', that can be a powerful tool for the devil to destroy the church gradually by infiltrating her with wolves, in the form of the clergy and the religious who deliberately chooses worldly desires than to do good and being fathful to their commitment. Yet, the viewer must be matured enough to grasp the complexity of the story and he/she must open his/her mind that the story is not just a product of a screenwriter's creative imagination, but also a present-day reality. How we wished the MTRCB rated the film as R-16 (or R-18 if the evaluators see it fit) instead of R-13.
Now, to the production aspects. I have to admit, I cringed when I saw some parts of the film, to be particular: the use of religious images to portray the devil's attack to the characters, and some parts of the liturgy like the formula of absolution during the protagonist's confession at the start of the movie and the rites of ordination. (I have to beg Pope Francis' pardon for being so 'rigid' in this particular aspect. Hahaha!)
Yes, some of our kinsmen especially the oldies (beep-beep!) may believe that religious images can be possessed by the devil. But come to think of it, how can an object blessed by consecrated hands be infiltrated by the devil? Objects intended for sacred and pious usage are intended to aid us in praying fervently and faithfully, not to replace God nor be the focal point of our piety. So we must be careful that our popular devotions must not lead us to mere fanaticism. And also, speaking of the images used in the set, how we wished they could have been dressed in a more reverent way. (Shout out to our santo enthusiast friends. Haha!)
If ever you go to confession frequently, you might observe in the movie that the proper formula of absolution was altered. (Yes, my rigidity starts to pour here, haha!) Yet, the priest-confessor's persistence to cleanse the soul of the ordinand-penitent deserves our applause. Meanwhile, in the rites of the ordination at the end of the movie, there are things that will make liturgists and liturgy buffs grab packs of aspirin and even ask for cold compress. Yes, aspirin and cold compress...haha! In the rite, the ordinandi faces each other instead of facing the ordaining prelate (who by the way, was dressed in drab imitations of pontificalia you usually see in theaters and fantasy films, the miter was good tho). Not only that, during the part of the litany wherein they will prostrate themselves in prayer, they are still in circular form, and their hands outstretched as if they are chanting the 'Suscipe'. And oh dear, the ordaining prelate was not the one who anointed them with Sacred Chrism (the oil used for consecration and the celebration of the Sacraments), but a concelebrating priest who, anointed them not in the palm of their hands, but on their foreheads. Makes me wonder, is this really an ordination, or confirmation? Now, I'll stop here. Sorry for being so rigid, Holy Father. Hehehe.
Yes, whenever yours truly watch films that tells something about the church or portaying churchmen, I always look if not meticulously, at least at a close range to the production design of the film. And yes, the critic in me can no longer silence himself. As Bernardo Bernardo said in one of his movie portrayals: "Kung sino man ang Production Designer nito, dapat bitayin!" (Whoever the production designer is, he must be hanged!) Joke lang po. Hehehe.
But overall, this 2016 MMFF entry must be lauded in its own right! There are story and production headaches in the movie, yes, but this is indeed a step closer towards improving the quality of Filipino films, instead of the usual money-making trash where we burn or christmas bonuses and our kids' long-waited aguinaldos. Here you go, grab my Four Stars. Kudos!
"Memento, homo quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris" Feria quarta in cinerum #AshWednesday (at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Panasahan, Malolos City,)
Blank valentine cards... ...waiting to be written at their spaces ...waiting to express such hidden feelings ...waiting to be handed over to someone special ...waiting for that heartfelt touch ...waiting for that big yes ...waiting for YOU.
Fiesta Filipinas: Sto. Niño de Malolos Exhibit 2016 by Raymond Carlo Mendoza Via Flickr: 24-29 January 2016 Museo Diocesano de Malolos, Barasoain Church Historical Complex
This year seemed to be a ferris wheel ride. At times you are on top seeing the best views, and at time you're at the bottom, feeling that you almost lost track at times. But what's important is that...you enjoyed the ride. A million thanks to all who accompanied me in this journey of life through thick and thin, through ups and downs, throughout everything we have gone through. Let us all welcome the New Year with a blast! Happy 2016! May the Lord bless and keep you, may his face shine upon you and be gracious on you!
Thank You Lord! Deo Gratias! Salamat sa Diyos! 😁
Sept. 15: Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows O God, who willed that, when your Son was lifted high on the Cross, his Mother should stand close by and share his suffering, grant that your Church, participating with the Virgin Mary in the Passion of Christ, may merit a share in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Photo: Philippine Replica of Dolorosa de Murcia taken at Sta. Isabel Marian Exhibit
Oh maliwanag kong araw at maalindog kong buwan! aba bituing malinaw, liwanag mo'y nahalinhan nang dilim ng kasakitan! Ito kaya'y mababata ng Ina mong nagdurusa oh bunso kong sinisinta! ano't hindi mapakali hininga ko't kaluluwa. Sept. 15: Our Lady of Sorrows