WHEN TO BE SILENT

 

Posted by 

Ayaz Ali

 

1. Be silent - in the heat of

anger.

2. Be silent - when you don't

have all the facts.

3. Be silent - when you

haven't verified the story.

4. Be silent - if your words

will offend a weaker Person.

5. Be silent - when it is time

to listen.

6. Be silent - when you are

tempted to make light of

holy things.

7. Be silent - when you are

tempted to joke about sin.

8. Be silent - if you would be

ashamed of your word later.

9. Be silent - if your words

would convey the wrong

impression.

10. Be silent - if the issue is

none of your business.

11. Be silent - when you are

tempted to tell an outright lie.

12. Be silent - if your words

will damage someone else's reputation.

13. Be silent - if your words

will damage a friendship.

14. Be silent - when you are

feeling critical.

15. Be silent - if you can't

say it without screaming.

16. Be silent - if your words

will be a poor reflection

of your friends and family.

17. Be silent - if you may

have to eat your words

later.

18. Be silent - if you have

already said it more

than one time.

19. Be silent - when you are

tempted to flatter a

wicked person.

20. Be silent - when you are

supposed to be working

instead.

"WHOEVER GUARDS HIS MOUTH AND TONGUE KEEPS HIS SOUL FROM TROUBLES".

I LOVE MY LIFE!

 

“Love my life” is a phrase expressing profound personal fulfillment, gratitude, and happiness. It means actively embracing your circumstances, finding joy in everyday moments rather than waiting for perfection, and practicing self-acceptance. Saying “you’re the love of my life” can be done in many ways depending on the vibe you want. You can go the direct route, use creative alternatives, or express it casually through meaningful actions.

If you want to be completely clear and romantic, there are several timeless ways to express exactly how you feel.

Sometimes, we feel our life is turning miserably. Especially now. Living with the big “C”! Our negativism doesn’t allow us to keep our eyes, ears – and, most important! – our minds, hearts and souls opened. We’re reaching our breaking point. Me and you!

Research shows that men tend to fall in love faster and more often than women. Studies reveal that men often develop feelings within a month of meeting someone, while women typically take longer. However, once women do fall in love, they tend to experience it more intensely and with deeper commitment

This breaking point can be the prelude to our strongest moment. Can be! Must not! But try it! Despite the virus! But if yes, then it is when we reach our breaking point,  we discover our real strength. Allow me to ask you, my dear readers: “What happens to you or with you when you reach your breaking point?” Do you face it or do you run away? I’ll be giving you a very simple answer: If you face it – you break it. If you run away (and/or close your ears, eyes and mouth) – it breaks you!

Are you in love with life? No? Why not? Sure, in my previous column at this corner, I stated that it’s okay if you feel bad. But many have taken this as a general instruction.

Everyday – a dull reality! Many of us will answer this question with a big YES! Actually, we do like to cover a newborn day already with a grey veil.But, each day has a new face, but sometimes we don’t have the strength to watch its countenance. Of course, not every day has adventures and highlights. Would be really too easy!

Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences that, at the same time, seemed especially desolating and painful with a particular satisfaction. Indeed, everything I have learned, everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness.

If it ever were to be possible to eliminate affliction from your earthly existence, the result would not be to make life delectable, but to make it too banal and trivial to be endurable.

By observation, we can feel that many of us need help to manage our everyday life. We need something that would keep us going as we journey through life. Many times we can also learn from other people and their experiences.

And here is one more thing: Affection is the humblest love – it gives itself no airs. It lives with humble and private things: soft slippers, old clothes, old jokes, and the thump of a sleepy dog’s tail on the kitchen floor. The glory of affection, the disposition of mind, the good will and tender attachment, that can unite those who are not “made for one and another”! .

For me life has been a thing of ups and downs in approximately equal measure. I don’t have something sensational to report every day about my progress. Often, I wonder if fulfillment in life is necessarily tied to change for the better. But one thing is for sure: I keep staying in love with life. Maybe you can feel my great optimism …. .

A chance of religiousness?

One of the most important parts of my life is the belief in a supernatural power that governs the universe. It doesn’t matter which religion we belong to or believe in: the recognition of God as an object of worship. The form of worship should be our primary need.

The Philippines is one of the most religious countries in the world. About 92% of adults identify as Christian, and 76% are Roman Catholic. While nearly 99% of Filipinos believe in God, religious participation is changing. Some locals go to church less often, but deep personal faith remains.

Belief is strong: Almost 80% of Filipinos pray every day. Daily prayer is a core part of life here. Christian majority: Around 76% of the country is Catholic. Groups like Protestants (12%) and the Iglesia ni Cristo (2.6%) are also large. Other faiths: Islam is the second-largest religion in the country, with over 6% of the population. Many Muslims live in the southern islands, such as Mindanao. Changing trends: A recent Social Weather Stations report shows that the number of people who view religion as “very important” dropped from 83% to 73% over a few years. People are praying just as much, but fewer attend in-person services.

During my stay in several Western countries, I experienced icy and conceited comments such as religiousness isn’t popular anymore. Religiousness makes people unwilling and morose because of exaggeration and sometimes even hypocrisy.

Increasing negative headlines about the “institutional church” nowadays and in the past, as well as embarrassing comparisons, lead only to discord.

How come? We want to see the religiosity of our fellow creatures. We want to understand their ideology.

But we are also poking our nose into other people’s business too much. Let’s look behind the scenes, and let’s find out what religious behavior promotes: humility in actual life. Maybe. It’s hard for us to do without affecting others. We even forget the real meaning of religiousness. St. John Chrysostom addressed the topic “Pagans and Christians” very well: “There would be no pagans if we were good Christians. But the pagans see us manifesting the same desires, pursuing the same objects — power and honor — as themselves. How can they admire Christianity?

They see our lives open to reproach and our souls worldly. We admire wealth equally with them and even more. How, then, can they believe? From miracles? But these are no longer wrought. From our conversion? It has become corrupt. From charity? Not a trace of it is anywhere seen.” Quotation: “Winnowing Fan,” Vol. XX, June 2003, S of G Foundation, Makati.

Most scientists agree that religiosity, also called religiousness, is not an independent personality trait, despite there being some commonality between their characteristics. Religiosity and personality traits both relate to one’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

I am proud to have people in my surroundings who taught me how to be on the right track — unconcerned and unnoticed. Natural and uninhibited, they showed me how to put real religiousness into action besides praying and going regularly to church. I call such people religious. I mean it as praise because they don’t like to blow their trumpets while acting as Christians in our daily life. Having such people around us makes it easier to practice forgiveness.

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A JUDAS AND A LITTLE BIT HOPE

 

Exploring the story of Judas reminds us that human weakness is common. While he is known for his ultimate betrayal, his story teaches us about forgiveness. Both Judas and Peter made huge mistakes, but the difference was that Peter accepted grace, while Judas let shame and doubt take over.

It’s easy to dismiss Judas as a villain or a victim, but I’m struck by the fact that, in many ways, he was just like me.

Judas was a follower of Jesus and a preacher of the gospel, but there was a double mindedness about him. In the end, he abandoned the faith he once professed.

The apostle Judas, probably also called Thaddeus or Jude, being a brother of James and Jesus, started as a fervent follower of Christ. Then, suddenly he changed. He felt that Christ didn't  satisfy his worldly expectations. The church, like Christ, is always loved by its true followers and is always hated by its apostates.  Till today - no matter what belief you are in... .

Judas didn't leave the apostolic community to become a Pharisee or a critic  of Christ. He  leaves to become a traitor! Such a traitor will always find fault or a misinterpretation of human teaching. Judas gathered reasons that he, himself, had heard  and witnessed  to justify  his betrayal. Yes, we all also know such people who betray us and sometimes a whole country.

A Jewish mob tried to throw Christ down a cliff, but nothing happened. Soldiers tried to arrest Him, but nothing happened. The Pharisees tried to entrap Him to no effect. It needed a friend to betray Him. He escaped from all, but not from the treason of a friend. "It would have been better for that man if he had not been born!" No such sentence was hurled, for example, to Pilate or Herod.

The lesson for all of us is very clear. A bad politician or one of our neighbors can be the foulest thing on earth. A bad pagan cannot be 1/10 corrupt.

"Do not betray another man's confidence!" the bible teaches us. But Judases can be found everywhere. Just as fire is not born from snow, so is the seeker after worldly honors not seeking heavenly ones. or have you ever seen the snow catch fire?

The maladroit politician named Judas betrays his voter and elector through beautiful soft promises while corrupting a whole nation. The peace conference member or peacemaker named Judas just gives double standards while allowing at the same time his jackals and accomplices to kill and injure his own countrymen. The neighbor, who declares how much he loves his family while going on unhindered destroying the environment is also named Judas... .

Judas' sins are really not rare. We commit it every day. Someone who has changed his ideals away from the ideals of the church and declares it to the world, anyone who leaves the church or the religious order and proclaims it to the world, "night had fallen on his soul"!

When Julius Caesar was being assassinated what hurt him was not the stabs of Caius but the presence of his friend Brutus. We might never know it, but we could be carrying on our lips the kiss of Judas!

Many times I do voice out people's longing for advice and actions through the institution's church. There are many. Please allow me to quote former Rev. Mariano C. Apilado, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, who had done a first important step already many years ago by saying:

"Christian hope does never shield people, much less  Christians  from disappointments, hardships and betrayals, nor does it provide neat and ready answers to the world's problems. Christian hope empowers Christians to take responsibility in the establishment of a government that respects the law and protection of the people and their rights in the struggle for justice and development. ... Christian hope is not peanuts for it assures us: there is always a future looking forward to it. Without hope, Christian faithfulness is suspect and without foundation. with this hope, we sing, celebrate and work faithfully and courageously, believing, 'that we shall overcome'!"

More and more foreign dignitaries are visiting Davao City

 More and more foreign dignitaries are visiting Davao City.

In just the first half of 2026, more than a dozen ambassadors or deputy ambassadors and their delegations have visited the city, paid courtesy calls on Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, and conducted meetings with the local government.

Harvey Lanticse, head of the Davao City Information Office, said that the visits aim to strengthen ties between Davao City and other countries, noting that many members of the delegations are foreign investors seeking discussions with the city's business chambers.

Most of them are interested in the agribusiness and agriculture sectors, where the city has a strong presence. Renewable energy and education were also among the topics discussed.

Recently, the Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines, Anna Ferry, paid a courtesy visit to Mayor Duterte, during which they discussed bilateral relations, particularly in transportation, investment opportunities, and other areas.

And just last week, the Irish Ambassador to the Philippines, Emma Hickey, paid a courtesy call on Mayor Duterte and expressed interest in cooperation in energy, education, and cultural exchange.

Davao City Councilor Rachel Zozobrado, chairperson of the Committee on International Relations, said they expect the number of foreign dignitaries visiting the city to increase in the coming months of 2026.

Source: SunStar Davao

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