It's All About Relationships by Fr. Dave T. Concepcion

It’s All About Relationships

Reflections from the heart

It's all about relat I onsh I ps

Copyright © 2023 by Fr. Dave T. Concepcion

Nihil Obstat: Fr. Isidro T. Marinay Chancellor

Imprimatur: Jose F. Advincula Archbishop of Manila

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published and distributed by Paulines Publishing House

Daughters of St. Paul

2650 F. B. Harrison Street

1302 Pasay City, Philippines

E-mail: edpph@paulines.ph

Website: www.paulines.ph

Online Shop: store.paulines.ph

Cover design: Melissa Zamuco Mercado

1st Printing 2023

ISBN 978-971-590-938-9

at the service of the Gospel and culture

Whether you have the rare occasion of having a conversation with Fr. Dave or listen to his recorded homilies, his gentle, inquisitive, and playful demeanor always engages you to think and reflect. Encounters with Fr. Dave are also opportunities to explore one’s own world through a different set of eyes.

Most Rev. Roberto O. Gaa Bishop of Novaliches, Philippines

Father Dave’s deep understanding of people and his even deeper certainty of God’s love for them make him combine Gospel truth with everyday reality. He could well be the Lolo (or Lola ) in the “tumbatumba” he talks about, plumbing the depths of the human experience and sharing the nuggets he has plumbed with the flock gathered around him. He speaks in a language we all understand, with anecdotes that reflect the everyday experience – from the kanto to the castle.

Joanne Rae M. Ramirez Editor-in-chief, People Asia; Columnist, Philippine Star

Fr. Dave’s book reminds me of the Imitation of Christ, a book we used to read in high school. This book should be our daily read, much like the vitamins we take for our health. Fr. Dave’s words of wisdom awaken our sense of spirituality. His insights and advice are road signs and direction in our life’s journey.

Jose Mari Chan Songwriter, President of Signature Music Chairman and CEO of BISCOM and A. Chan Sugar Corporation

Father Dave’s anthology of homilies is a masterful work that takes readers on a journey of self-discovery using his personal anecdotes spiced with heartwarming humor and practical and relatable insight. A must-read!

Francis Xavier Dimalanta, MD Section Chief, Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics St. Luke’s Medical Center

Fr. Dave has drawn stories and anecdotes from slices of life that many could identify with. What makes it heartfelt is that he finds the humor behind the foibles we commit in making our choices. The question posed is - “Palpak ba?” This book will serve as a persistent reminder that through it all, there is a loving, merciful God who never gives up on us. Does that make the author makulit?

Letty Jacinto-Lopez Columnist, Purple Shades: Philippine Star Lifestyle Section

I have known Fr. Dave since he was a layman, and now I have found his homilies inspiring, humorous, simple-yet-profound, reaching deeply into the heart. I pray he may inspire others to become like him, a faithful servant of God and His Church. I hope that many people might receive light, grace, and blessing from reading his book.

John Keating Servants of the Word

Author: Strength Under Control

Composer: Blessing and Glory and God Alone

Habang ninanamnam ko ang mga homily ni Fr. Dave, hindi ko mapigilang tumawa at humalakhak. Kaya lang, hindi pa du’n nagtatapos. Lagi akong napipilitan na magmuni-muni sa kanyang mga sinabi. Ang lakas ng tama! Salamat Fr. Dave!

Omy Romero

Author: The Boat is Sinking: The Power of Rock Bottom CEO and Principal Consultant OTI Philippines Inc.

Foreword

These are homilies spoken from the heart. These are reflections spoken with candor and humor, with wit, and with wisdom. They are fruits of prayer: the prayer of quiet while gazing at the tabernacle; or the prayer of love while looking at people who love him; or the prayer of wonder while reading the bashings from his band of trolls. These are homilies spoken from a priestly heart madly in love with Love.

Father Dave and I are brothers. We are not brothers from the same parents. We are rather brothers from the same Voice – the voice of the One who calls “Follow Me.” We are priest-brothers. A priest is more than his homily. A priest is more than his titles and positions. A priest is more than the books he authors or the churches he builds. A priest is more than his parishioners and friends. A priest is more than his blessings and absolutions. A priest is Jesus among us. Nothing is greater than that. Father Dave is Jesus among us. That is why we love him and listen to him.

These are homilies that touched us and enlightened us because the Jesus in Father Dave spoke to the Jesus in us. The Jesus in his heart touched the Jesus in our hearts. Without the Lord, all homilies fall flat, all voices are muted, all hearts are hardened, minds are narrowed and all ears are deafened. Only in the Lord can we preach. Only in the Lord can we hear. Only in the Lord can we translate a homily of words into a homily of life.

An angel friend whispered to me that Father Dave was reluctant to publish this book of homilies. I know why and that is the secret between my brother and I. But as for you dear reader, do not hesitate to read and reread. Live the message and re-live the Lord’s life in you. That is the book we all must write. Who is Jesus according to you? That is the book you must start to write.

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan

Introduction

If I were to be asked how we can appreciate the changes in the Church coming from Vatican II, I would not hesitate to point to Fr. Dave’s homilies as a good source of reflections among many other sources. Why? Let’s take a peek into what Pope John XXIII had in mind when he convened Vatican Council II. He said:

What is needed at the present time is a new enthusiasm, a new joy and serenity of mind in the unreserved acceptance by all of the entire Christian faith, without forfeiting (it’s) accuracy and precision… What is needed, and what everyone imbued with a truly Christian, Catholic, and apostolic spirit craves today, is that this doctrine shall be more widely known, more deeply understood, and more penetrating in its effects on men’s moral lives.

Vatican II ended with 16 documents among which is a set of liturgical changes allowing the translation of the liturgy into vernacular languages in order to encourage greater participation in the worship service (Mass) and to make the laity understand and appreciate the sacraments more.

Listen to Fr. Dave’s homilies and you get a dose of God’s word addressed to you in your vernacular mind. Hindi lang pagsasalin sa Tagalog mula sa Latin ang liturhiya. Ang kanyang mga homiliya ay parang nagkukwentuhan lang kayo sa kanto. Mauunawaan mo ang sinasabi ng Diyos sa iyo sa

pamamaraan na kayang-kaya mong isabuhay. Ito ang isa sa pinakamahalagang tungkulin ng isang pari.

Ang isa sa kanyang homiliya ay angkop na angkop sa kailangan nating mga layko. Itinanong ni Fr. Dave kung bakit daw marami sa atin ang nahihiyang ipahayag ang ating pananampalataya o pinaniniwalaan? Hindi nga naman dahil sa ayaw nating magpasalamat sa Diyos bago kumain. Ayaw lang nating magdasal dahil baka kung anong sabihin ng ibang tao sa restoran. His conclusion is that we cannot practice what we cannot proclaim. Pwede rin siguro nating sabihin na hindi natin kayang isagawa ang hindi natin kayang ipahayag.

Gustung-gusto ko ang paggamit ni Fr. Dave ng cultural practices natin tulad ng utang na loob. Ito raw ay hindi nababayaran kundi tinatanaw. That is really all that God expects of us, to acknowledge that everything comes from him . Pero ang kultura ng mundo ay kakaiba.

Bakit epektibo si Fr. Dave sa ganitong klase ng pagtuturo ng Salita ng Diyos? Dahil isa siyang tunay na tao, a real person, unang-una, at isang Kristiyano, buong-buo. Nakilala ko siya noong pumasok siya sa Ligaya ng Panginoon ilang dekada bago siya pumasok sa seminaryo. Noon pa man ay isinabuhay niya ang royal priesthood na sinabi ni St. Peter.

Basahin ninyo ang librong ito at mauunawaan ninyo ang ibig kong sabihin. Every moment of reading his book brings you closer to God .

VICTORINO B. GUTIERREZ

Sr. Head Coordinator Emeritus, Ligaya ng Panginoon (LNP)

25 Years as a Priest

Someone sent me a text to point out that celebrating 25 years of being a priest means I have been a priest for 9,131 days. And I replied saying that if I have been a priest that long, that means I have celebrated at least 9,131 Masses, kung once a day lang ako nagmimisa. But there are weekdays where I say three Masses, and on some weekends, I say as many as six Masses. Sa three Masses a day pa lang, naka 27,393 Masses na ako!

Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos sa biyayang ito. Everything is grace. Yesterday the second reading talked about anticipation. We must learn to anticipate what will come. The Holy Father said, we must learn to anticipate even the day after tomorrow. You cannot change your past anymore. The sins committed in the past are already forgiven. Hopefully it has led you to acceptance. And hopefully you have the humility to accept your past.

What we have is the present, knowing that what we do in the present will always affect the future. Kung ano man ang pwede mong gawin o ibigay, gawin mo na ngayon, kasi baka bukas maaaring hindi mo na magawa.

Last Saturday, in less than 12 hours I received three messages. At 3:30 PM, the text informed me that the wife of a lay minister died. At 5:30 PM, I was told that the uncle of a close friend had passed away. And then at past midnight, I received a message that a sister from the Ligaya ng Panginoon community, Yselle, passed away. Grabe, di po ba? Three deaths in less than 12 hours.

We read in Proverbs 3 : “Say not to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give,’ when you can give at once.” It is not enough for us to say , “May God bless you.” If there is something you can give, you should give. And we should give even if you will not be appreciated for it.

We are not defined by the things we do. We are what we are by what is in our hearts. Life is short. But it is also hard. Being a priest does not mean that you will be excused from the hardships of life, and it should not be the reason to stop. There is always a temptation to say , “Tama na ang dalawang misa o tatlong misa.”

I have been a priest for 25 years and many people do not realize that during Christmas you are alone... that you are also alone while everyone else is welcoming the New Year. Gigising ka sa gabi para mag- anoint ng maysakit. Sa dami ng misa mo sa maghapon, pipilitin mo pang magmisa sa patay.

Life as a priest is a struggle. Sometimes, you have to understand that behind the smiles , the many jokes, and the sound of laughter, we bend our knees before God simply letting our tears flow because sometimes, life is difficult and unfair. I learned in the seminary that there are only two reasons why priests leave the priesthood : Hindi na nagdadasal si Father, and secondly , wala nang nagdadasal para sa kanya.

That is why I regularly celebrate my anniversary with you. I am a priest up to this point because I know you have prayed for me. I must admit and confess that there were times that I was so tired, so angry, and so frustrated that I could not even say my own prayers.

And yet, here I am. Still a priest today because of you. So when I celebrate my anniversary, I do it to say “Thank you.” Thanks to you, my friends. But most of all, thanks be to God. Everything is a gift . Maraming salamat.