A DISPLAY OF FAITH

What is the true meaning of faith? Faith means: belief, firm persuasion, assurance, firm conviction, faithfulness. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance that the lord is working, even though we cannot see it. Faith knows that no matter what the situation, in our lives or someone else's that the lord is working in it.

Trust or reliance? What does faith mean for you, my dear readers?  To say it clearly: without faith we are really nothing. Faith is belief; believe in us, beliefs in our works, talents and personalities. Faith - a great challenge in us and our future.

We also should believe in our parents or better, in the whole family including the black sheep, who can be found everywhere. We should also believe in our friends, even sometimes it seems to become a very difficult task. A friend? A real friend? An expatriate friend...?

Without faith, we will be reaching the rock bottom. Please don't say, it's a likely story. The German poet Johann Christian Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1815) mentioned in his drama "Maria Stuart": "Even the word might be dead, but faith keeps it alive." Yes, I can live with this.

Faith and hope belong together. In his book "Through the Valley of the Kwai", Scottish officer Ernest Gordon wrote of his years as a prisoner of World War II. The 6'2'' man suffered from malaria, diphtheria, typhoid, beriberi and jungle ulcers. Many circumstances quickly plunged his weight to less than 100 pounds. Lying in the dirt of the death house, he waited to die. But every day, a fellow prisoner came to wash his wounds and to encourage him to eat parts of his own rations. As this fellow prisoner nursed Ernest back to health, he talked with the agnostic Scotsman of his own strong faith in God and showed him that, even in the midst of suffering - there is hope - and faith!

Faith is indeed tantamount to convincing and conviction. Richard Wagner, a German classical composer and poet found the following lyric: "Blessed are those people, who know how to live their life in humility and faith!"

Well, let's even continue believing in our government. Faithful hope is loyal, reliable, exact and honorable.

Faith looks beyond the transient life with hope for all eternity. The hope we read in scripture is not a wishy-washy optimism. First and second Chapter of Thessalonians, for example, give encouragement to all Christians, who have been undergoing persecution for their faith. And, Corinthians 13:2 says: "If I have faith it can move mountains!"

Let’s have proper focus in life

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

          CONSIDERING that our life here on earth offers us a lot of

things and options, plus the fact that we of course enjoy freedom, we

need to be reminded that we have to learn how to have proper focus in

life, especially because we have a lot of distractions in our world.

          Also we should be ready to leave everything behind when God

finally calls us. And, yes, we also have to know how to exercise our

freedom properly for a certain law governs it. It just cannot be used

in any which way. That would not be freedom, but rather its abuse.

          All these are somehow implied in that gospel episode where

Christ lamented about the loose lifestyle of some people then. “As it

was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man,”

he said. “They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in

marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came

and destroyed them all.” (Lk 17,26-27)

          To have the proper focus in life is a big challenge today.

At the moment, we can see a disturbing development involving many

people, especially the young. A big segment of the people is getting

addicted to games and the many other novelties played out in the

Internet and in the new technologies.

          They are now getting more self-centered and self-absorbed,

prone to idleness, laziness and comfort and pleasure seeking. God and

their relationship to others are all but blotted out of their

consciousness.

          We now have the huge challenge of how to make God the

be-all-and-end-all of our life. We need to present Christ’s words in

this regard in a way that would be attractive to the people of today

with their peculiar sensitivity and culture. Let’s remember that

Christ himself did everything to adapt himself to us to carry out his

redemptive mission.

          How can we present, for example, the following words of

Christ to the people of today without scaring them: “Seek first the

kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be

added unto you?” (Mt 6,33)

          We need to understand that our life here on earth is only a

training and testing ground God gives us to see if what he wants us to

be is also what we would like ourselves to be. We should be ready to

leave everything behind when God finally calls us to himself to render

account of what he has given us.

          Yes, to leave everything behind has been more than amply

taught and commanded by Christ himself. For example, to the rich young

man who wanted to be perfect, Christ told him in no unclear terms, “If

you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor,

and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Mt 19,21)

These words obviously would give us the impression that we should

possess nothing.

          In another instance, Christ specifies what is required to be

worthy of him. “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not

worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not

worthy of me.” (Mt 10,37)

          We also need to understand that the proper exercise of our

freedom is when we use our freedom to do the will of God for us.

That’s the law, and no other, that governs our freedom.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Do you agree that the Filipinos are good imitators? Why?

 

Bisaya

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

Filipinos are such good imitators because of their rich heritage and background. Filipinos have such a well-mixed history that makes them well equipped to absorb new cultures. The Spanish, American, and Asian cultures combined with native culture have created the Filipino people -- one who is prepared to live in any country or area and rise through it successfully. Our cultural roots run deep, and we can tap into these roots when we need an idea for something new! It's not so difficult for many Filipinos to be part of different communities at once. As long as we know how to balance our time, we will inevitably succeed at everything we do because of this extraordinary ability that defines us. I think one of the most admirable of all Filipino qualities is the ability to adapt and mimic. This quality allows us to become accepted more readily in schools, companies, and other social circles to maximize our potential and achieve great things. We're not only good imitators; we're also very creative people who can find ways to make almost anything work--and maybe that's why Filipinos are such good imitators!

11.5 KM sementadong “Farm to Market Road with 3 Bridge Components” sa New Bataan, Davao de Oro gi turn-over

Gi turn-over na mismo ni Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy (JTU) ang “11.5 KM Cabinuangan-Magangit Farm to Market Road (FMR)” sa New Bataan nga nahuman pagpasemento sa probinsya gamit ang dakong pundo nga gihatag sa Davao de Oro ni President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD) pinaagi sa Department of Agriculture (DA) ilalom sa Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).

Kining proyektoha jointly funded matud ni Gov. Tyron Uy sa PLGU Davao de Oro ug sa National Government pinaagi sa DA-PRDP, nga tungod sa tulo ka bridge components sa project miabot og kapin P191 Milyones ang nagastong pundo sa gobyerno.

Ang bag-o nahuman pagsementong karsada naga konekta matud pa niya sa lima ka mga Barangay sa New Bataan nga mao ang Magangit, Cogonon, Panag, Batinao, ug Cabinuangan nga gawas sa sayon ug komportable, dali na lang makaabot sa Nabunturan nga sa pagkakaron moabot na lang og tunga sa oras ang biyahe gikan duha ka oras panahon nga kining karsadaha wala pa masemento.

 

“Tungod sa sementadong kalsada, paspas na ang paglatas-latas sa produkto sa atong mag-uuma ug makabiyahe na og sakto ang katawhan. This project is jointly funded by the national government through the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Program (DA-PRDP) ug sa Provincial Local Government of Davao de Oro. Dako usab ang natabang para sa realization niini nga plano sa MLGU-New Bataan nga gipanguluhan ni Mayor Geraldford Balbin ug sa atong mga kapitan sa New Bataan nga kauban usab nato ganina nga mao sila Kapitan Alex Luga, Kapitan Everardo Mangubat sa Cogonon, ug Kapitan Serge Mabasa sa Cabinuangan. Daghang salamat sa tanang nagkooperar ug nagtinabangay para niining kabag-uhan nga atong nakab-ot- from inconvenient to accessible roads. This is the change we worked hard for.” Matud ni Gov. Tyron Uy. (Gilbert Magadan Cabahug PAO-ID DdO)

DA distributes P3.7M farm machinery to DdO rice farmers

 

Twelve associations of farmers and irrigators in the province of Davao de Oro received P3.7 million worth of agricultural machinery from the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) on November 5, 2021, at the Provincial Capitol Complex.

DA-XI Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo and Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy led the distribution of the farm machineries in a simple turnover ceremony.

The said activity is part of the farm mechanization project under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) which aims to boost rice farmers’ productivity, profitability, and global competitiveness using appropriate production and postproduction mechanization technologies. Recipient associations are coming from the municipality of Montevista, New Bataan, Maragusan, Mawab, Monkayo, and Laak. The distributed machinerie include 15 units of floating tiller and 12 units of hand tractors.

Governor Uy expressed his gratitude to the agriculture department for the continuous support to the farmers in the province as it will help to increase production, income and improve the quality of their outputs.

“With this kind of equipment nga gihatag sa department of agriculture sa atua, mapasalamaton kami sa makanunayong pagsuporta ug programa sa department of agriculture in helping our farmer’s and irrigators associations para mo lambo ang atuang production, ensuring food security, and more opportunities nga mudako ang kita sa atuang farmer’s in spite and despite of market driven na economy,” Uy said.

The implementation of RCEF projects in the province become successful through the active support and participation of PLGU counterparts through the Provincial Agriculturist’s Office (PAGRO).

Meanwhile, DA also distributed gardening tools for vegetable and coffee production to the following beneficiaries: 25th Infantry FIREBALL Battalion, 48th Infantry GUARDIANS Battalion, BLGU Bawani, and Saosao in Mawab, BLGU Mayaon and Prosperidad in Montevista.

Also present during the event is PhilMech OIC Chief Mindanao Cluster B Engr. Ray N. Adarna, together with PAGRO Department Head Minda R. Agarano represented by Assistant Department Head Ronald Sibayan, Municipal Agriculturist Officers, 25th and 48 Infantry Battalion, and other provincial staff. (Rheafe Hortizano - Provincial Information Office, Photos by Jonie Cadiz)

Looking forward to Christ’s second coming

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          WE have to learn to look forward to the second coming of

Christ. That’s when Christ, the pattern of our humanity and the savior

of our damaged humanity, will come again to make the final judgment on

all of us, establishing the definitive and eternal Kingdom of God that

is meant for us. Obviously, we have to prepare ourselves for it.

          This truth of our faith was implied when some leading Jews

once asked Christ when the Kingdom of God would come. To which, Christ

answered that “the coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,

and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For

behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.” (cfr. Lk 17,20-25)

          This attitude of waiting, expecting and making the proper

preparation for the second coming of Christ should be learned by all

of us. And we can do that by strengthening our belief that Christ is

actually already with us. He is everywhere, around us and inside us.

We just have to develop the habit of looking for him in order to find

him.

          Christ is already with us since he is the God who became

man, identifying himself with us in all our conditions, even making

himself like sin, the worst condition that we can be in, even if he

himself has not committed sin. (cfr. 2 Cor 5,21) Yes, he identified

himself with us so that we also can have a way of identifying

ourselves with him.

          We should develop the yearning, the longing, the passionate

desire to look for Christ, so we may find him; and in finding him we

may learn to love him; and in loving him, we get to identify ourselves

with him.

          And Christ is present everywhere. We have to learn to look

for him and find him in the little ordinary things of our life—in our

respective homes and communities, in our work, in the things that we

use and handle, etc. We actually do not need to go far and to do

extraordinary things to find him.

          And most especially, Christ is present in the sacraments,

especially in the Holy Eucharist. That is why we are encouraged by the

Church to have frequent recourse to Holy Mass and Holy Communion.

          In this regard, we have to learn how to go eschatological,

for which we have to know what it means and how we can acquire its

sense. It’s a necessity in our life, since it gives a bigger, if not

complete picture of our life. It enables us to go beyond the here and

now to enter into the world beyond death.

          Eschatology is that part of theology concerned with death,

judgment and the final destination of the soul and humanity itself,

that is, heaven or hell, or the so-called the Last Things. It may

sound scary at first, but it actually is very helpful. We just have to

make the necessary adjustments in our attitude toward it.

          So, it’s a part of theology and not a merely empirical

science. We need to have inputs of faith which actually play a

directing role in the study. We cannot simply rely on so-called

observable data, material or sociological, that by definition cannot

fathom the spiritual and supernatural dimensions of our life.

          It shows us that how we live our earthly life has eternal

effects in our afterlife. We have to learn how to live our earthly

life with the view of our eternal and supernatural destination.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

President Duterte visited his late parents

President Duterte visited the final resting place of his late parents–Vicente Duterte and Soledad Duterte–at the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Davao City on Monday, Nov. 8.

Accompanying the Chief Executive was his longtime friend and aide, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go. Go is the vice presidential bet of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in the May 2022 elections.

Let’s be grateful always

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THAT gospel episode about the 10 lepers who were cleansed of

their leprosy (cfr. Lk 17,11-19) reminds us that God always expects us

to be thankful to him. To be sure, it’s not because God just wants to

be thanked always for the many favors he gives us. It is more for our

own benefit.

          God does not need anything from us. What he wants is that by

being thankful to him, we learn to be with him always since we are his

children, created in his image and likeness. He wants to share his

life with us. God loses nothing if we choose not to be with him. But

without him, we are the ones who would lose everything.

          A thankful heart will never be alone and sad. It recognizes

the many blessings and good things that it continues to receive. And

it knows where they come from, and also for what purpose they are

given. It will always be happy heart.

          To be grateful is a necessity for us. It does us a lot of

good. It keeps alive the reality that we depend on God and others for

everything. It strengthens our intimacy with him, and our awareness

that whatever happens in our life, God is always in control.

          It makes us keenly aware of the all-powerful and merciful

providence of God. With that providence, we would know that even the

dark, negative things in life have meaning and purpose. They, at

least, give excitement and beauty in life, because life, without these

elements and when it only has all things bright and rosy, would be

boring.

          It keeps us humble and simple, otherwise we start inventing

things and distorting reality. It keeps our feet on the ground even as

we let our mind and heart soar to high heavens.

          Gratitude forms an essential part of our relation with God.

It is the adequate response we give upon seeing the continuous

attention and care God gives us. It makes us stick to the reality of

our life. It keeps us from inventing a world unhinged from its Creator

and from others.

          In short, it keeps us to be with God, which is what is

proper to us. To be ungrateful can only make the many good things God

has given us to turn sour and dangerous. It will only be a matter of

time before these blessings would spoil us.

          To be always grateful should be a basic attitude to have. It

corresponds to the radical reality that we all depend on God for

everything, and in a relative way, also on others. We have to be wary

of the many things that can undermine this truth.

          Let’s hope that we can take this business of being always

grateful seriously. Let’s not allow any opportunity to say ‘thank you’

to pass. And let’s see to it that we do it sincerely, coming from the

heart, avoiding the pitfall of doing it mechanically.

          For this, we need to train our heart to be truly thankful,

quick to realize its basis and purpose. For sure, we would be making a

very beautiful world if we manage to be consistently grateful. We

would have an environment that is healthy and vibrant, quite immunized

to the evils of this world.

          We would know how to be at home with God while we explore the world!

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

PhilStar Story - you should not miss

 

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CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT COP26 and the Philippines Coverage by Gaea Katreena Cabico The two weeks in Glasgow, Scotland can set the direction for the world—and Earth—in the decades to come. Our reporter, Gaea, is there for the climate summit that gathers political and industry leaders, scientists and experts as well as activists from all over. (Follow her LIVE coverage here.) Why it matters: The Philippines is no foreigner to powerful cyclones and destructive floods, but climate change can worsen possibilities. It is fourth on the list of countries most impacted by climate change. Filipinos are thus likely to bear the brunt of unsustainable practices and environmental abuse of wealthier nations. This makes concessions made at the highest levels of leadership a "matter of life and death," especially for poorer Filipinos. You may also read: Stories of victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda that ravaged the country exactly eight years ago.

On anger and our love for the Church

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THAT gospel episode where Christ drove away those who

converted the temple area into a market place (cfr. Jn 2,13-22)

reminds us of what is known as righteous anger and of our duty to love

the Church, not only as a physical building but most especially as the

very People of God, the very Mystical Body of Christ of whom we are

members.

          Yes, there is such thing as righteous anger which we have to

understand well since it is a very delicate emotion or passion that

can easily turn bad if we are not careful. Remember St. Paul saying,

“Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger,

and do not make room for the devil.” (Eph 4,26)

          Anger is one of our God-given emotions, locked into our

nature as persons. It has its legitimate use. But precisely because of

our precarious human condition here on earth, we have to be wary of

it. In fact, anger is also considered one of the capital sins, along

with pride, envy, greed, lust, gluttony, sloth, that can beget many

other sins.

          If ever we have to be angry, let’s try our best to be angry

in the spirit of Christ who showed anger over the self-righteous

Pharisees and scribes, and over those who turned the temple area into

a market place. Christ’s anger is what is called righteous anger, one

that is done always in charity and in the truth, and not just due to

opinions and biases. It’s an anger that is meant to correct, purify,

heal.

          Besides, Christ’s anger is only momentary. It does not last

long. As a psalm would put it, “his anger lasts only a moment, but his

favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing

comes in the morning.” (30,5) He is slow to anger, and quick to

forgive. We need to have a strong grip over this particular emotion.

          But more importantly, the gospel episode referred to here

reminds us that we should develop a great love for the Church not only

in her physical dimension as in her buildings and all the materials

used in her liturgical celebration, which is already a tall order, but

more so in her real essence as the very Mystical Body of Christ and

the very People of God.

          We need to be more conscious and skillful in our Christian

duty to love the Church. This cannot be taken for granted anymore,

especially these days when the world is developing in a very rapid

pace that often leaves behind our spiritual and religious

responsibilities.

          The Church is nothing other than the people of the God,

gathered together at the cost of his own life on the cross by Christ.

This is because we from the beginning are meant to be God’s people,

members of his family, partakers of his divine life.

          We have to understand that this gathering of the people of

God is not achieved merely by some political, social or economic

maneuverings. It is a gathering that is described as “communion,”

where our heart and mind work in sync with the mind and will of God.

          It is a communion where the love of God for us is

corresponded to by our love for him. And this is done not only

individually by each one of us, but also collectively, all of us

together in an organic way. Thus, we need to help one another in this

common, universal concern.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com