MORALITY, at stake…
Posted by maradjao magbalantay on 2nd August 2007
Author
According to Bertrand Russell, “we have, in fact, two kinds of morality side by side: one which we preach but do not practice, and another which we practice but seldom preach.” Immorality is very apparent in every side of the globe at this age of modernity and cyber technology. We cannot deny this fact that it now becomes a trend in every existing society. People engage in immoral acts because of money and any other material possessions.
We are very much aware of this anomalous national Broadband Network (NBN) scandal that is accused to the family of the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo by star witness Rodolfo Lozada Jr. ‘Graft and corruption’ is the most popular issue in the Philippines today that triggers the mob to mount another people power to force the resignation of GMA. But the question is, are we not aware of this immorality of our government officials in the past regimes? Is it only now that we know this anomaly in the government? We have to think about it because we might be overreacting on the issue.
We adhere to the stand of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines that we need now not an urgent revolt against the present government but a prayerful discernment of the Filipino people. We should have to be sure first that our revolutionary actions would promise us change that we’ve been longing for. We know that we have successfully staged two people powers and ousted two presidents but the change that those revolutions promised did not last long, we still go back to the same old structure that we are trying to erase in the face of our country.
We have seen this kind of immorality in the higher place of the government but we are not aware that it has its roots in our own hearts.
If we want to change our government, we have to start first within ourselves. True change does not take place in the streets through rallies, but in our own homes through our own reflections and introspections of our lives. That is why the theme of the Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Council held in Surigao City last October 22-26, 2007 was “Restoring Moral Values Through Basic Ecclesial Communities” because the Church believes that morality starts from within us, especially in our family.
As priests in the making, we have to be aware of our role in the society. We have to be, first and foremost, the teachers and the models of moral values of the church. We have to uplift the value of human dignity, especially here in our country because our own morality now is in danger of fading away; it is now at stake. Thus, we have to practice what we preach about morality and preach what we believe and practice. This is our very own mission and what we believe is the best solution in the overlapping problems of our country today.
Posted in Jake Maceren, • Opinion and Views | 2 Comments »
Why Priesthood ?
Posted by maradjao magbalantay on 18th January 2007
Author
Priesthood is a call, like the call to married life and single blessedness, a call from God. It is a call that connotes a broader sense than the others since it entails commitment to God; to serve Him and His people. It is a call to follw Jesus’ footsteps and to continue the mission of proclaiming the Good news to all.
Some people might have thought that vocation to priesthood is easy, but it is not, it is the other way around. It is once compared to the “road less travelled“, in the sense that only few had gone this way. It is a way that is narrow, full of challenges and difficulties. And this must alaways be, since the way to priesthood is the way of Christ. A priest is bound to become an “alter Christus”, meaning another Christ. Therefore, the sufferings that Christ endured are not part from Him. Indeed, Christ told His followers that whoever wants to follow Him, one must deny himself and take up his cross.
Jake
In this contemporary world, the challenges that await every new priest are evidently increasing. The rise of new and advanced technologies, like computers and cellular phones, made the people turn away slowly from God and abandon the church. People nowadays, are more concerned only in the temporal things rather than the things of heaven, the spiritual things. As a result, priests would feel the difficulties in convincing people as in Jesus’ time.
As seminarians, aspiring to become a priest, this is also a great challenge for us. This would make us reflect why we choose this life despite of the great difficulties ahead. Why do we choose priesthood rather than other good and best courses that are in demand today? Why do choose to live inside the fence of this four cornered seminary? The answer should be, we choose to live here because we love to, not that it is the will of our parents. We should always be motivated by the love of God, not by any other purposes, in living towards priesthood so that we will be able to overcome all the challenges in our seminary and priestly life. Since the fact that we are here now, we are called by God to become the laborers of His vineyard.
Author: Jake Maceren
Fourth Year 2006
Posted in Jake Maceren, • Life Lessons | No Comments »
