REFLECTIONS

From the Master of Students

FR. CECILIO VLADIMIR MAGBOO, OP

THIS SECOND EDITION of Punlâ is our way of tracing back our accomplishments in our apostolates in the past months. But it is not just to see how much we have done or the sacrifices and efforts we made. Your reports and reflections help us to see how the grace of God works in us and through us.

Apostolate is our collaboration with the work of Jesus. This is what St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Corinthians, we may plant or water “but only God caused the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6).

Seeing thus the truth about our work may make us proud of our accomplishments, but more importantly, it should lead us to praise and thank the Lord. That is why we let others know what we have been doing through this publication. It is our way of letting our friends hear our praises to God.

READING THE WORD IN THE POST-PANDEMIC ERA

MERISSA TUNGOL KADAUPAN Lay Affiliate

With the COVID-19 pandemic, everything changed! Lockdowns, confinement, isolation, and social distancing have become the norm.

I spent those days mostly crying, anxious and worried of the future. My family and relatives are in the province. I was totally shaken especially when my niece tested positive. We could only communicate and see each other virtually. Much as we want to hug and kiss, the situation and the distance prevented us.

These were the times I got to appreciate the different social media platforms. We were able to continuously attend online masses, rosary, novenas, and the Angelus. How I missed going to church serving either as lector or commentator! Yet, with all the difficulties and bad news, the little acts of kindness by ordinary people were inspiring. Indeed, seeing a spark of Jesus’ self-giving in the faces of the frontliners inspired me to do also my share of assisting, in my own little way, other people: sharing the “ayuda” received from the barangay to neighbors, to garbage collectors and even to street vendors. Or checking on them through calling and messaging apps. My prayers became longer to include even those whom I do not even know and meet.

Now as I reflect on the years that passed, I am flooded with mixed emotions. I am relieved because we are now allowed to go out of our houses and start living the life that we used to live before the pandemic. At the same time, I am still anxious because the virus is still very much around and mutating every now and then; and yet, I’m still hopeful for from this pandemic we learned to be more prepared and cautious. Yet more importantly, we learned to help our neighbors through “bayanihan” and exerted effort to look out for one another. Indeed, there is still goodness in each one of us!

Finally, I do believe it was our faith which kept us going! Undoubtedly, life will never be the same after this pandemic, but I’m hopeful that we would value what we have and whom we have and continually desire to be innately good and caring to all creation. From the Editor

TOWARDS A BETTER NORMAL

IT IS SAID that Heraclitus’ famous adage “no man ever steps in the same river twice” is to be understood not in the sense that all things are changing so that we cannot encounter them twice, but rather, that some things stay the same only by changing.

Just the thought of how we’ve managed (and continue) to face the pandemic in the past two and a half years still strikes many of us in disbelief. We still look back in the past, but not with the same naiveté of longing to retrieve them in the present, for we know that things will never go back to the way they were. Instead, we have learned to look forward, because even if brighter days are still far from the horizon, a beacon of hope still shines in our hearts. “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Cor. 5:17).

In the aftermath of this pestilence, as things gradually turn for the better, we may well ask ourselves if we have become better in turn. The different ways in which we adapted our apostolates and activities to the circumstances of our times not only changed how we do things, it also broke our old frameworks and opened new possibilities for us to preach the Gospel.

This second issue of Punlâ is our way of capturing what remains constant in this rapidly changing and uncertain word: “Love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8). We were only able to change for the better and reach for a better normal only because of God’s abiding love and your unfailing generosity. And the only fitting response to such abounding graciousness is our sincere and heartfelt gratitude.

ART BY BR. PETER LYNNUS C. SILERIO, OP

MY MUKHA AD JOURNEY

YEDDA CHIARINA P. SALVANIA

FOR ALMOST two years, MUKHA AD has been my second family. I found purpose, peace and comfort in this apostolic ministry. My goal to strengthen my faith in God has been achieved in a short span of time. I grew in terms of knowledge about the Bible, the Church and other Catholic teachings. I am still continuously at this time being formed to be a face of Jesus Christ to my fellow youth. I have learned to get along with different people with different backgrounds and age groups. My spiritual life became stronger because of this organization. MUKHA AD is my answered prayer.

I can still remember that I wanted to join MUKHA AD because I wanted to bring back the broken pieces of my life together and to find answers to my “whys” in life. Life has been really hard and challenging for me and my faith has been tested a lot. I joined just to try if I can fit in a church organization because I have never tried to join one before. To my surprise, I learned to love this ministry because it helped me grow spiritually.

MUKHA AD sessions every Sunday has been part of my routine and also a way for me to connect with other people during pandemic when everyone is struggling to cope up to connect with people virtually. Every talk of the speakers somehow is like speaking to me and answering my questions in life one by one. I made it a point to reflect in my journal all the learnings and takeaways I have every session. I felt that it was Divine Providence that led me to this organization.

I also learned to get along with different kinds of people. I learned to open myself and my life to people I have met in this ministry. Both the brothers and lay people have helped me to be formed into a better version of myself. Little by little, I have been able to bring back the pieces of myself together because I felt the sense of belongingness and acceptance in this environment. Most especially, the learnings and guidance I have achieved through the exposures in different people were what made me a better person and a better child of God.

I can still remember that one batchmate of mine told me that in MUKHA AD, I don’t need to pretend to be someone I am not. He told me that in this ministry, I am accepted for who I am and no one will judge me for the things I did not become. I also remember that some friends I gained here told me that they are always there for me and that from now on, I will never be alone. Another lay person told me that “papunta ka pa lang, nandoon pa rin ako”. It may seem funny but what she was trying to imply was she does not want me to make the same mistakes and go through the pains she had. Those were the things that helped me to be formed into a MUKHA ADer that I am now.

To conclude on this, everyone is struggling to be holy but it is the willingness of the person to be formed and to form others that really makes a young person a MUKHA ADer. It is not how long you live but how well you live. It does not matter whether you show in social media how you serve the Church or how active you are in different church organizations or how you show to others how a good Christian you are. What truly matters is what you are when others are not around, when others are not looking and when you are in your own personal comfort zone. It is your spiritual side within and the willingness to be a face of Christ that truly makes you a real MUKHA ADer.

FOLLOW HIM!

BR. MICHAEL ANGELO DELA ROSA, OP

NO OTHER WOMAN influenced the world more than her. She is venerated by the people from all walks of life, from different places all around the world. She is of many splendid titles acquired not because of any academic or corporate achievements, but because of her life of sanctity, obedience, and humility.

She is the only mother chosen by the Creator to bear in her womb the Savior of mankind, the only woman hand-picked by God to be the woman of impact not only for her time, but also for ages to come, until eternity—she is none other than the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Since the dawn of time, the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been an example for everyone to imitate. Her life has been her only preaching, but it still echoes even up to our present days.

Even if told that she has to bear all the sufferings prophesied by Simeon at the scene of the presentation of Christ at the temple, she still continued and followed the path prepared for her; a concrete sign of her obedience to the will of the Father; her participation and share for the salvation of all mankind.

Her life is not about her but about her only beloved son, Jesus Christ. At the scene of Christ’s miracle at the wedding feast at Cana, the Blessed Virgin Mary gave us her last reminder and the only perfect way to be with her in heaven: “Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn. 2:5).

This is the same reminder she is telling us even to this present time. Even in the midst of all the noise and distractions, with all the sufferings, challenges and difficulties, we will still be with the Blessed Virgin Mary to follow whatever her son tells us to do.

Becoming an altar server

MY JOURNEY started when I was a Grade 3 student at St. Mary’s College Quezon City. During my first communion, I saw young men and women serving in the altar and noticed the white vestments they were wearing. I was struck and found what they were doing interesting. After some time, I finally decided to join the “Knights of the Altar” club when I was in the fifth grade. I served during our school’s institutional Masses. I was also given the chance to be assigned to the different roles in altar serving.

When I was about to finish elementary, I wanted to continue my journey of serving the Lord but I found it difficult to select a parish. One time, I remembered Sto. Domingo Church to which my first visit was when I was still a young boy. My first besamanto to our Lady one ordinary Sunday made me fell in love with the place, where I have always felt the presence of the Lord. Hence, I joined the Acolytes of Sto. Domingo Church in 2018 and underwent the diocesan formation for altar servers After which, we were also trained to serve during regular Sunday Masses. When my vestition was announced, I felt so excited. I could not even sleep at night thinking that I would soon be vested on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in 2018.

After being vested, I felt that something is still lacking and I still have to learn a lot during our Sunday Schools. I also needed to grow maturely as an acolyte. Now, as I celebrate my fifth year in the ministry, I did not only grow taller. I am also sure that I have grown wise and intelligent. What made me stay is the friendship and brotherhood that me and my fellow acolytes have built over the years. So, to all those who have helped me get where I am today, “Thank you”. But more importantly, what keeps the fire burning in me is the opportunity to serve the Lord in His altar. ATHAN CALUAG