The Paraclete December 2015 issue

The Vol. 8, Issue No. 6

Merry Christmas

PARACLETE Parish of the Holy Spirit, BF Homes, Quezon City

December 2015

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN From Christmas to The Beatitudes

IS THERE A STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN? Would following the Ten Commandments be enough to get us there? What does it mean to love God with all our heart, mind and soul? Would loving others as much as we love ourselves assure us a place in God’s eternal kingdom?

Christmas is here again. Our calling to be generous is year-round but nowhere is sharing more emphasized than in this season of giving.

God commands us to share our blessings with the less fortunate, spend time with the less privileged and help make their lives more comfortable.

What if the challenge is for us to give something that cannot be bought? Or help someone who cannot help us back?

Would these give us a deeper sense of a merciful and joyful Christmas?

In one of my LBS (Liturgical Bible Study) sessions with my choirmates, we came across a portion of Marcus Grodi’s book “Life from Our Land: The Search for a Simpler Life in a Complex World”.

Grodi posited that the Beatitudes (enumerated in the Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 5:312]) is a stairway to heaven, nine (9) rungs of continual steps of conversion in our spiritual life.

It is an old characterization. According to Pope Leo the Great, “the Beatitudes is a staircase of conversion. Whoever longs to achieve eternal blessedness can recognize the steps leading to high happiness.” Jesus talked about blessing those who wished to be close to God and to enter His Kingdom.

He detailed the qualities needed and the “heavenly”

rewards we can achieve when we follow the Beatitudes. From the perspectives of St. Chromatius of Aquileia (AD 340-408), St. Gregory of Nyssa (AD 335-386) and Leo the Great, the Beatitudes are arranged like the rungs or steps of a ladder. Jesus was telling his followers that each Beatitude offers a reward and yet entails a crisis or challenge to either move forward or fall back because of temptation.

Grodi highlighted and simplified what each Beatitude means, how we move up to the next (inch by inch, row by row) and identified crisis after crisis that makes us fall off the stairway. To aid us in our reflection, let us take “CHRISTMAS” and apply its letters to the Beatitudes.

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

C – CHRIST Let us attach ourselves to Jesus Christ but to be able to do this, the first step requires us to detach ourselves from the material world. The reward we can have is the “kingdom of heaven”. A crisis arises when we “mourn” for the things we have detached ourselves from. We fall back and return to our old attachments. By grace we can choose to move to the next step.

2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

H – HUMILITY The second step tells us that in Continued on page 4

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December 2015

“Year of the Poor” Culminating Activities

The 8th Anniversary of PREX and the White Elephant Project

FR. BOBOT approved the proposal of PREX to celebrate its 8th Anniversary in the Parish as a culminating activity for the Year of the Poor. The theme was “We are all Poor, We are Family.”

Bro. Ross Evardone was the chosen Speaker for the event on October 25. In www.filcatholic.org, Kuya Ham dela Torre wrote that Bro. Ross said the poor are the riches of the church because they “can evangelize us simply by their love for God ..., whether they are in need or not. I was not surprised when his voice cracked at the part where he described the poor as a sector that no one pays attention to. Even the little that they possess is coveted and usurped. They have no voice, they are only heard when the church announces their plight. They are beggars under the sun and rain who can teach us ... about being humble. He agrees that yes, we know how to give, but not how to receive with humility.

Which is what makes the poor the intimate friends of Jesus, along with the outcasts and the sick.

He added the significant step to servanthood is the

ability to face up to and get near to any kind of people, especially those afflicted with infectious diseases.

Here, he cited the woeful arrogance of St. Francis of Assissi who, on horseback, saw a leprous person on his way and turned his horse back to flee. A strange force held him and horse back. He was compelled to acknowledge the leper. Who turned out to be Christ.”

Continued on page 3

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December 2015

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Christmas Message Misericordiae Vultus, a Papal Bull published by Pope Francis on 11 April 2015, during the First Vespers of the Divine Mercy, for the indiction of the Jubilee of Mercy. The Holy Year will commence on 8 December 2015, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and will conclude on 20 November 2016.

The focus of this Holy year is St. Luke’s Gospel: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). The Pope makes three invitations: First, to receive personally the mercy of God by having a good confession; second, to extend our mercy to those who have sinned against us, third, to become missionaries of mercy throughout the world.

The Philippine Church (thru the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines or CBCP) dedicates the same year to the Holy Eucharist and the Family. The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament of Mercy as we invoke in the Penitential Act: “Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, Lord have mercy.” And the absolution of the priest follows: “May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.”

Worthy of note is the Eucharistic Prayer III: “Listen graciously to the prayers of this family whom you have summoned before you…” With these prayerful words, the meaning of the family goes beyond the walls of our home. It is the Liturgical assembly gathered together in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, invoking, “in your compassion, O merciful Father, gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the world.”

In the Holy Year of Mercy, Year of the Holy Eucharist, and Year of the Family, let us, therefore, entrust to the Mother of Mercy that she turns her gaze and watch over our journey: our penitential journey, our year long journey with an open heart. Amen.

balikbayan boxes of assorted clothes, goods and blankets, five (5) for assorted books and one (1) for assorted figurines and a bag of soup bowls were Towards the end of his Talk, Bro. Ross said -- collected and were delivered to Caritas Novaliches “We are the poor, we own nothing and by PPC Chair Thelma Ponferrada herself and Ate without owning up to thirst, hunger, Myrna Dupaya.TP Year of the Poor Culminting Activities Continued from page 2

poverty and suffering, we won’t see the face of Jesus.”

Later, through the generosity of the PREX graduates from the Parish, the graduates from the outreach areas were given gifts of groceries in bright red PREX eco-bags. The children of the Holy Family Center of the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence also benefited from this activity.

During the entire month of November, the PPC also embarked on a White Elephant project to gather from the Parishioners unused but still decent clothes and other items. A total of ten (10)

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December 2015

Stairway to Heaven ...

Continued from page 1

obedience to Jesus Christ, we must detach ourselves from sin: we must mourn how sin, which we must admit in all humility, separates us from God and from becoming the people He meant us to be.

The reward for remorse and repentance is being “comforted” by God’s forgiveness. Here, pride is a crisis; we second-guess the need to change and thus regress back into sin.

receive and experience God’s mercy. A crisis can arise when we are tempted to feel bitterness and revenge instead of showing love, forgiveness and mercy to people who instead deserve rejection, punishment and justice. We can sin again because of spirit-quenching bitterness. Or just like David prayed, we can implore “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me” (Ps 51:10), directing us to the next step.

3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. R – REAL SOURCE We move up a rung higher.

The third step reminds us to detach from ourselves T – TO BE CHRIST-LIKE When we follow steps and instead choose humbly to become like Jesus. one to five, we are changed and purified, with the We put God, the real source of everything, in the gift of “seeing God”. A pure heart is one that has center of our lives. We completely trust in His divine been cleansed from the distractions of the world, providence. By grace we can choose to put others the flesh and the devil. By grace we experience a above all else – seeking their good for Christ’s sake. journey of the spirit to feel an intimate union with A crisis arises when we hunger for attention and God. A crisis can arise when we feel isolated as we praise for ourselves as we begin to believe that what focus too much on ourselves instead of living out we have is not grace from God but only from our Christ’s example into the world. individual work and personal effort.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be 4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for called sons of God. righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

M – MESSENGER OF PEACE The seventh I – INNER HOLINESS In this fourth step, after Beatitude means being a willing messenger of Jesus detaching from the world, sin and ourselves and into other people’s lives. Stepping out in obedience to putting God at the center of our lives, we can these beatitudes may reward us by being recognized obtain satisfaction for our “hunger and thirst for as “sons of God”. Other people may be inspired to righteousness”. Jesus promises that if we answer see our benevolent acts and give glory and praise to and attach ourselves to this inner longing to be holy, God. The crisis from the previous beatitudes may we “will be satisfied”. A crisis unfolds when we feel or may not arise. However, by grace we can accept that all this is requiring more sacrifice – to forgive, the suffering that comes by standing up for what is to show mercy to those who even hate us. We can right and good, pure and true, leading to the next fall back by refusing to love and forgive. step.

5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain 8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for mercy. righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

S – SYMPATHY The fifth step includes willing obedience and living out righteousness: loving as A – ACCEPTANCE People may not understand Christ has loved us. We are rewarded when we why we do what we do in defending our faith.

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Therefore, here, by grace, we accept the ridicule or persecution that comes from defending the truth.

They may be merely reacting against or pointing out what is true, good and pure, even when done in love. The reward we receive is what was promised in the first Beatitude – membership in the Kingdom. Being persecuted for doing what is right is par for the course. Nothing is greater than eternal membership in the Family of God. A crisis of being rejected, ridiculed or persecuted for our Catholic faith may arise, or we may accept this rejection and move on to the ninth step.

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MARIAN SANCTUARY

IN VERY SIMPLE RITES, the Parish opened its Marian Sanctuary which transformed the hallway between the Anima and Spiritus Halls of the Ruah Parish Center into a place of meditation with posters on canvas depicting the Eucharistic Miracles linked with Our Lady as well as some popular images of Our Lady in the Philippines.

This Marian Sactuary is a tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the first tabernacle of the Lord. It was blessed by Fr. Bobot Clemen on 8 December 2015 in celebration of the solemnity of her Immaculate 9. Blessed are you when men revile you and Conception. persecute and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

S – SHARE CHRIST By grace, when we accept the persecution because we stand for Jesus, our reward is eternal union with Christ in heaven. But we may become laid back, satisfied and not wanting to change things; we assume that our obedience to Christ is enough to get us to heaven. Or we may be arrogantly focused on the external symbols impeding our spiritual progress. Or, by grace, we can continue living the steps, which must be revisited and renewed everyday.

The steps are intimidating, and each may seem unreachable, let alone that each step is necessary to advance to the next step. This seeming impossibility, in fact, is why so many of Jesus’ hearers refused to follow him. Yet, Jesus did not back down from the importance of these challenges. For after all these, Jesus concluded: “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).

Jesus Christ was born to save us. He gave us the steps to ensure that we claim our heavenly reward.

God’s grace itself will allow us to climb the Stairway to Heaven. Let us pray for that grace. For Jesus himself said that if we asked, sought and knocked, Top photo: Bonnie Limos and Ella Doller cut the He would help us (Mt 7:7-8). (Maricar Lansang) TP ceremonial ribbon signalling the opening of the Marian Sactuary. There are more photographs on page 8.

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Thank you, Ate Thelma

JUDGE THELMA PONFERRADA was an exemplary and respected Judge of the Regional Trial Court. She retired well before the compulsory retirement age of seventy. In fact, she was not even sixty five, which is the retirement age for other government employees.

When still a Judge, Ate Thelma was a quiet parish worker, a trait that was demanded by her public persona. Freed from the Judiciary, she quickly transitioned to being a more visible servant in the Church, still unassuming but always present, forever and tirelessly looking for opportunities to serve God and the Parish.

The timing of her early retirement was by heavenly design. Towards the end of his first year as Parish Priest, Father Bobot quietly looked at the parishioners. The term of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) appointed by Fr. Jigs was expiring.

The PPC is the Pastor’s adviser on the affairs of the Parish. Through the PPC, the Parish Priest obtains inputs from the Parishioners on various issues that affect them. The PPC also implements

December 2015

the decisions of the Parish Priest. Fr. Bobot had to form a new PPC and find a Chair who would lead it.

Fr. Bobot offered the position of Chair to Ate Thelma who readily accepted it. She was a welcome and popular choice. During her 2 year term, she went about her tasks dutifully, obediently.

Ate Thelma firmly believes that it is easy to accomplish more when we, the Parishioners, unite on a common goal. Pouring into it our individual strengths will ensure success. She also believes the spectacular is not required of us. The Lord will be happy with what we can offer. But whatever little we are able to do, she said, we must do well because the Lord deserves only the best from us.

As she ends her term as PPC Chair, we say THANK YOU, ATE THELMA. Your humility is legendary.

We are overwhelmed by your generosity. We are sure God is pleased at how you glorified Him through your work in the PPC and the Parish.

You will continue to be an inspiration to us.

May the Good Lord shower you and your family with His blessings always. TP

The New Parish Pastoral Council Officers Fr. Bobot Clemen installed the new PPC Officers during the 7:00 A.M. Mass on December 6, 2015. They are Imelda “Mel” Elido , Chairperson; Beatriz “Betty” Florendo, Vice-Chair; Aida San Jose, Secretary; Teresita “Tess” Fernandez, Treasurer; Celia Sotto, PPC Auditor; and the Maravilla Accounting Firm represented by Susan Valix as Parish Auditor. In the photo (right) the new PPC Chairperson receives the last Minutes of the Meeting of the former PPC term from the outgoing PPC Chairperson Thelma Ponferrada.

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Year of the Eucharist and the Family

PART OF THE NINE YEAR program of the New Evangelization in the Philippines is the theme: “Year of the Eucharist and of the Family,” which will be the framework for initiatives and pastoral projects in the local churches nationwide by 2016. Then CBCP President Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu wrote in 2012 that pastoral actions should make the Eucharist better appreciated and better lived— which would mean grounding every expression of the church in the Eucharist. The family, which is the domestic expression of the church, is reminded of its evangelizing mission amidst overwhelming secularist values that threaten to destroy them. Pope Francis, in the Synod of Bishops which concluded last October 2015, called families to be steadfast in their vocation and mission for the Church and the society,

Fr. Bobot blesses the new PPC Officers after their installation.

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specifically in the areas of marriage, education of children, and participation in communities.

The family is the basic unit of society. From this basic unit, human generation is continued in the natural way. Faith perfects the sociological definition of the family. By virtue of Baptism, we are incorporated into the spiritual family of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity is but a perfect model for the family of an eternal communion of giving and receiving of love. This eternal communion in love, manifested greatly in Christ’s sacrifice, continue to echo within Christian families. Moreover, it is also within the family that Jesus is heard and witnessed for the first time. The family is but a healthy ground for evangelization as it best prepares its members for receiving and accepting God’s message in Christ. It is for these reasons that the family has to be protected from purely secularist values that threaten to destroy the communion expressed in love by its members.

The Eucharist signifies Christ’s indissoluble union with His Church. Where Christ is, there is the Church. The Eucharist comes from the Greek eucharistia which means thanksgiving. It is the sacrament that developed from the Passover—a commemoration of the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt—to its institution in the Last Supper that the apostles had with Christ. “Do this in memory of me”—Christ commanded the same actions and words of the Last Supper to be repeated as it was, its grace effecting Jesus’ ministry of passion, death, and resurrection. Both the Passover and the Last Supper speak of God’s unfailing mercy and will to liberate His people, no matter how undeserving we are. The Church continues this celebration for with Christ’s paschal mystery, She (Church) was born. The Christian family, being the smallest unit in the Church, continues this tradition by encouraging its members to participate actively in a common prayer which leads to the liturgy.

Pope Francis has blessed our country to host the 51st International Eucharistic Congress on 2016 in Cebu. For more information and details, please see the official website of the International Eucharistic Congress. (Angeli Francis S. Rivera and Aleli Francis S. Rivera) TP

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December 2015