SVD Missionary in Kalinga killed

Our SVD missionary assigned in Kalinga, Fr. Francis Madhu, 31, from Indonesia was shot dead while saying an afternoon mass in Barrio Mabongtot, Luguagan, Kalinga, yesterday April 1, 2007.

Here's an initial report from our superior general:

A young Indonesian confrere who worked in the Philippine Northern Province (PHN) was murdered this afternoon with a single pistol shot fired by a man with a criminal record. Fransiskus was already vested for the afternoon Mass at 17.30 (5:30 p.m.) when a man suddenly appeared before him and fired a pistol at him without any apparent motive. It seems that the attacker had personal problems and was wanted by the police. Our young confrere died immediately. The Province of Ende has been informed, as has the family of Fr. Fransiskus. Let us pray for Fr. Fransiskus Madhu that the Lord may receive him into his Kingdom.

Fr. Antonio M. Pernia, SVD
Superior General

Abra receives Bishop Pol Jaucian, SVD

After the canonical possession
and liturgical reception at St. James the Elder Cathedral
Bishop Pol with the Northern Philippine Bishops
led by Archbishop Ernesto Salgado (left of Bp Pol) of Nueva Segovia

Bangued, ABRA
March 31, 2007

Bishop Pol Jaucian took his seat as bishop of the Diocese of Bangued this morning at 9:30 at the Cathedral of St. James the Elder here in Bangued. Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Segovia, Ernesto Salgado led the bishop to his "cathedra" (seat) and thus formally making him the fourth bishop of Bangued (after the SVDs Etspueler, Raval, and Rillera). This canonical possession was also the occasion in which the faithful of Abra formally received the new bishop. The bishop was led by a Tinguian dance to the altar and the mandate to serve the Diocese was proclaimed with the sounding of the carabao’s horn, the ancient Abra way of announcing important news.

The Eucharistic liturgy was celebrated in mixture of English, Ilocano, Tinguian, Tagalog, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The first reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah was chanted in Binongan, one of the Tinguian dialects. A high school student prayed in Cantonese, representing the Cantonese speaking Chinese in the province. The languages reflect the richness of the culture that is shaping Abra today.

More than sixty high school seminarians belonging to St. Joseph Seminary, the diocesan minor seminary led the singing under the direction of Frs. Floro Bautista and Cecilio Tupasi. The preacher was Fr. Linus Nicasio, SVD who gave a powerful reflection on the role of a bishop today in the Christian community. Before the closing of the mass, a letter from the Papal Nuncio was read thanking Msgr. Nilo Peig for serving the Diocese as administrator for two years while waiting for the appointment of a bishop.

Bishop Pol’s thanksgiving speech was opportune and allegorical. He narrated a story of two brothers who were always fighting and finally sued each other in court. Strangely, the judge before pronouncing the verdict, asked them to drink a glass of milk. They soon realized they were brothers who sucked milk from the same mother's breasts. Was the new Bishop referring to the series of violence, killings among Abrenians themselves , brothers and sisters themselves, because of politics? One woman told me later in Ilocano, "nagpasagid ni Apo Obispo" (loose translation, "The Bishop was referring to someone").

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (C): The Prophet Enters Jerusalem

For my commentary on Palm Sunday Readings (Dominica in Palmis de Passione Domini), please click on this or on the title above.

Holy Week in Tagaytay City

For those who will be spending Holy Week up here in Tagaytay City, here's the schedule of Divine Word Seminary Chapel for the Liturgical Services (Triduum) on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday.
Please click on the image to enlarge.

Seven Last Words at Divine Word Seminary Chapel

Please click on this or on the title above.

Pol Jaucian, SVD ordained bishop

The newly-ordained Bishop

with his brother Bishops and the Philippine President

Quezon City, Philippines, March 26, 2007 --
In the midst of the sweltering summer heat of Metro Manila, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, ordained Leopoldo Corpuz Jaucian, SVD bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. The Archbishop of Manila was assisted by Papal Nuncio Fernando Filoni and La Union bishop Artemio Rillera, SVD (former Abra bishop) who acted as co-consecrators.
Close to 3000 faithful were present in Christ the King Seminary at the Divine Word Shrine Chapel which was celebrating its first fiesta in honor of the Feast of the Annunciation. The solemn mass and ordination that lasted for three hours was also attended by 44 bishops and around 250 priests. The President of the Republic, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was also present and stayed throughout the ceremony. When he was parish priest of St. Jude Shrine, the newly ordained bishop acted as chaplain of Malacanang, the president's official residence.

In his speech, Bishop Pol thanked the many people who were part of his journey to the hierarchy, beginning when he was a simple sacristan of Christ the King Seminary.

A view from the Choir Loft
(photo grab: first xvd website)

Biography
Here's a short biography written in the missal guide:

Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian was born on July 27, 1960 in Santa, Ilocos Sur as the first child of Ernesto Ballesteros Jaucian, Sr. and Veronica Bello Corpuz. He has three brothers and three sisters. The nature of the work of his father necessitated the move of the family first to Victoria, Tarlac, and eventually to Urdaneta, Pangasinan, where the family settled permanently.

It was in Urdaneta that Bishop Leopoldo, (or Pol, as he is fondly called) came to know the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) as he studied high school in the Divine Word Academy of Urdaneta (now Divine Word College of Urdaneta). After finishing high school, he came to Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City to work as a sacristan in 1976. Here his interest to join the SVD bloomed and he was admitted to the philosophy course in CKMS as a full-fledged seminarian. After his novitiate in Tagaytay in 1982, he was chosen to study Chinese language and culture, adn theology in Taiwan. In 1987, he finished his theological studies in Taiwan. Then on March 12, 1988 , in the Divine Word College Chapel of Urdaneta, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Miguel Cinches, SVD, DD.

After ordination, he returned to Taiwan. he was assistant pastor at the St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Chiayi for one year. Then he worked as Campus Minister in Fu Jen Catholic School, also in Chiayi, for three years. He returned to the Philippines to take up studies in Guidance and Counseling at De La Salle University from 1992 to 1995, whole helping out at the St. Jude Catholic School and the St. Jude Archdiocesan Shrine.

From 1995 to 2000, he was assigned at the St. Jude Catholic School with responsibilities varying from Campus Minster, Assistant Principal and Assistant Director. In 2000, he was appointed parish priest of St. Jude Archdiocesan Shrine. Concurrently, he was also appointed the Superior of the SVD Manila District and Vicar Forane of the Vicariate of San Jose de Trozo of the Archdiocese of Manila.

Present were around 400 Filipino Chinese
representing St. Jude Church and St. Jude Catholic School

In January 2005, he was elected Provincial Superior of the Philippine Central Province of the SVD.

On January 5, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of the Diocese of Bangued, Abra.

Some members of the Abra Clergy

Coat of Arms
Here's the explanation of the bishop's Coat of Arms"

The shell of the upper left corner is the symbol of hierarchy of the Diocese of Bangued, Abra. This item adapted from the coat of arms of the Diocese of Bangued. The shell also pertains to St. James being a fisherman. A symbol of authority being fishers of men [and women].

The lion in the upper right corner calls to mind the animal symbol of the name 'Leopold'. Like a lion, the bishop hopes to be courageous and strong in facing up to the challenges of the Diocese of Abra.

The figure at the bottom (with the dove) is a Chinese character symbolizing the Divine Word, a reminder of the Society of the Divine Word wherein the Bishop belongs to. At the same time, it is a symbol of the Blessed Trinity. The Chinese element in the Coat of Arms is a memory of his apostolate to the Chinese of the Society of the Divine Word. The first SVD missionary to Abra was a former missionary to China. Now the new Bishop has in his resume a long running involvement in the Chinese apostolate.

The dove bearing an olive branch is the universal symbol for peace. To be an instrument of peace is the foremost concern of the Bishop of Abra.

The Coat of Arms is completed by the gold processional cross behind the shield; the green hat with the tassels at the sides, indicated of his Episcopal rank; and the motto on an ornamental scroll.

The motto "Manete in Me" ("Remain in Me"), from John 15:4,9 was chosen as a reflection of the constant prayer the Lord, and the Bishop, will be always with his people.

Seven Last Words at Divine Word Seminary Chapel

Divine Word Seminary invites everyone to a whole day meditation on the Cross on Good Friday, April 6, 2007.

The day will begin with the liturgy of the hours at 8:00 am to be followed by meditation on the Seven Last Words of Jesus (Siete Palabras) by two biblical exegetes: Fr. Randolf C. Flores, SVD, Bible Professor of Divine Seminary, and Fr. Carlito Reyes of the Diocese of Pasig. Fr. Reyes, who just did his doctoral research work at Oxford University, is working on Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians.

Fr. Raul Caga, SVD of the Arnoldus Company will render a meditative song after each reflection.

At 12:00 noon, there will be Stations of the Cross (Via Crucis) on the hills of the seminary. Each station will be led by a volunteer family in the carrying of the cross.

And at 3:00 pm, The Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord (in Passione Domini).

There will be priests availabe for confessions through out the day.

Divine Word Seminary is located along SVD Road, Brgy San Jose, Tagaytay City. From Sta. Rosa turn right when you reach Tagaytay, just before Estancia resort, turn right, follow the road till you see the gate of Divine Word Seminary (on your left).

For more information, text Fr. Raul 09282756270; or write to rrandy33@yahoo.com


[The image above is one of the earliest depictions of the Crucifixion (5th century A.D.). This is a wooden carving found on the door of the basilica of Santa Sabina, in Rome, Italy.]

5th Sunday of Lent (C): The Story of the Adulterous Woman

For my commentary on 5th Sunday of Lent, The Story of the Adulterous Woman (John 7:53 - 8:11), click on this or on the title above.

Fr. Louie Dailisan, SVD Missionary in Congo

Fr. Louie Dailisan, SVD (in African shirt)
here with his former classmate and former missionary to Africa
Fr. Natoy Tampol, SVD, DWS procurator

I've got a chance to talk to Fr. Louie Dailisan, our SVD missionary in Congo who was here for a visit (3/7). Louie, 41, came from Iligan City and entered the seminary in Davao as an electrical engineer. He was ordained in December 1999 and the following year he went to Africa, first to Togo to learn French and then to Congo.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), a former Belgian colony, is the third largest country in the African ccontinent with a total land area of 2,344,858 km and an estimated population 63,655,000. It is a rich country inhabited by poor people.Thirty-two years of a dictatorial regime and the subsequent decade of civil and ethnic wars have wreaked the lives of the Congolese people.

This how Wikipedia describes the recent political conflicts in Congo:

Since 1994, the Congo has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees fleeing the Rwandan Genocide. The government of Mobutu Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila in May 1997; he changed the country's name back to Democratic Republic of The Congo-Kinshasa (the capital of Congo/Zaire). His former allies soon turned against him, however, and his regime was challenged by a Rwandan and Ugandan-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the new regime in Kinshasa. See Foreign relations of Congo and First Congo War.

A cease-fire was signed on July 10, 1999; nevertheless, fighting continued apace especially in the eastern part of the country, financed by revenues from the illegal extraction of minerals such as coltan, cassiterite and diamonds. Kabila was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph Kabila was named head of state. The new president quickly began overtures to end the war and an accord was signed in South Africa in 2002. By late 2003, a fragile peace prevailed as the Transitional Government was formed. Kabila appointed four vice presidents, two of whom had been fighting to oust him until July 2003. Much of the east of the country remains insecure, primarily due to the Ituri conflict and the continued activity of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda in the Kivus.

This period of conflict has been the bloodiest in history since World War II. Almost four million people have died as a result of the fighting. The United Nations is concerned that 1000 people a day are still dying as a result of the conflict and have described 2006 as a "make or break point" for the continuing humanitarian crisis.

The SVD missionaries arrived in this country in 1951 as the Belgian government was about to give independence. The SVD Filipino missionaries who have been assigned there are: Menardo Alcober, Ganie Ehido, Regie Domino- the three are now working in the Philippines; Xene Sanchez, the former provincial is now the present rector of the seminary, Alex Cinco is the present prefect, and Louie Dailisan is stationed in Bandudu. Two newly ordained priests will also be going there there, Nonito Gallego and Dondon Soriano.

Louie arrived in Congo in the midst of political turmoil, a year before president Kabila was assasinated. An essential part of his ministry until now is listening to the stories of war victims, building communities out of a war torn country, preaching reconciliation even if it seemed impossible in such circumstances of tribal conflicts.

When I asked Louie what did he do first when he arrived in his mission area, he spoke of immediately immersing himself learning French (in Togo), Lingala, the national language, and two more local languages. There are at least 242 spoken languages in the country! Indeed, an essential element in doing mission is learning languages. No wonder at Pentecost, the birth of the Church, the writer of the Acts of Apostles associates the event with 15 languages (Acts 2:9-10).

At present, Louie is involved in a project of building a barge for cars to cut 300 kilometers of detour along a river--symbolic, since boat is one of earliest images of the Church.

Fourth Sunday of Lent (C): Parable of the Prodigal Son

For my commentary on the Gospel reading for this 4th Sunday of Lent, please click on this: Prodigal Son. or on the title above.

To the blogreaders, regrets for the delayed upload due to other call of responsibility.

Third Sunday of Lent C: "Hope For A Tree"

For my commentary on the Sunday Gospel Reading (Luke 13:1-9) of the 3rd Sunday of Lent (C), please click on this "Commentary on Sunday Readings".

You can also follow the link to your right or click on the title above.

Arnoldus Company once again in Concert

01 One Heart, Many...

Fr. Raul Caga, SVD, Moral Theology professor and Divine Word Seminary's Arnoldus Company will stage a concert on March 17, 2007 at Fr. James Reuter Auditorium of St. Paul's University (Quezon City). Appointment time is 7:00 pm. The concert also features the actress and environmentalist Miss Chin Chin Gutierrez.

Tickets are available at Christ the King Seminary (Quezon City); or text 09282756270

Here's a write up of the concert's reportoire:

Called By Love-The Concert, proclaims the message of God's universal call for every person to love through songs.

At the basis of this call is our experience of how God has lavished us with his love, compassion and forgiveness.

This concert features some songs from the cd album with the same title Called By Love of Fr. Raul Caga, SVD with the Arnoldus Company which made it to the 2006 Catholic Mass Media Awards as one of the finalists in the religious album category.

The concert repertoire includes One Heart, Many Faces, By The Roadside, Tinawag Mo Ako, The Fire of Your Love, and many more songs of praise and worship.

As the lenten season progresses, the concert may just offer you an experience of spiritual animation and rejuvenation. Don't miss the opportunity of proclaiming God's love and goodness with Fr. Raul, The Arnoldus Company, and Chin-Chin Gutierrez as their guest performer. Proceeds of the concert will go to the education and formation of the seminarians of Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay City.

Here's my brief review (written last year) of "One Heart Many Faces", a cut from the album Called by Loved:

The song creates a genre that could forshadow cosmic unity between the sacred and the profane, faith and reason, heart and mind. Its melody sways from a typical soulful pinoy-hum inflected by a forlorn voice to a more emphatic, confidence-filled hymn, marked by heightened voices and polyphony of instruments. A theme song called paradoxically, "One heart, many faces" strides along this route: from a lonely sound of a singular, undefined flute as if in a far-away mission land a la Morricone's The Mission, to the African sounding drums, ba dam ba's of Arnoldus Co. and to the syllabaric o-a-o of the reverend sisters of the Holy Spirit.. With the thought alone that the Pink Sisters append their voices to the praise part of the song could make one feel "co-canonized." The songs' spirit moves from lament to praise; from "wounded" to "graced".

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The Lost Tomb of Jesus

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, the country's leading daily, has published (headline) my article on the so-called Lost Tomb of Jesus. Please click on this.

For another view, read the article of Prof. Jodi Magness, click on this.

Last year, I've also written an article on the Gospel of Judas for the same daily. Click on this.

Second Sunday of Lent Year C: Transfiguration

Mt. Everest, transfiguration place
of great mountain climbers
photo grab: accressthedivie.com

ANNOUNCEMENT:
In order to put into one place all my commentaries on Sunday Readings (for easier search), I decided to transfer them into another blog. This is also to make our Divine Word Seminary blog exlusive for news in and around the seminary. Commentaries are usually uploaded before Saturdays . For Commentary on Sunday Readings, please click on this .

Divine Word College of Urdaneta celebrates 40 years

Present at the 40th anniversary of DWCU

from left: Mr. Roque Acluba (former seminarian); Mrs. Fatima Ambrosio (former Chemistry teacher); Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD (former prefect); Fr. Rodel Abanto, SVD (former regent); Ambol (alumna); Cathy de Guzman (alumna); Mimi David (alumna);
Fr. Chito Lorenzo, SVD (former regent).

----------------

All roads led to Urdaneta last Feb 23-24 (Frid-Sat). The SVD College there was celebrating its one generation of existence. A number of former seminarians of the Divine Word Formation Center came for an alumni homecoming to honor and thank this institution. Former regents, rectors, and presidents were also there.

Out of around 300 graduates of the seminary (both in highschool and the two year college), 36 were ordained priests, something like a priest per year. That's a good "harvest".

On exhibit: SVD Ordinations' invitations.

Here's a brief history of the school and the seminary written by Fr. Bernard Teneza, SVD, the present rector and Fr. Joe Pareja, SVD, the school chaplain and spiritual director of the seminarians.
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Brief History of Divine Word Formation Center of Urdaneta

Need of an SVD Seminary in the North
The idea of opening a Minor Seminary in Pangasinan was thoroughly discussed at the Provincial Chapter held in January 1963. A resolution was passed to open a Minor Seminary in or near Urdaneta, Pangasinan.

Fr. Augustine Herbers was charged with the care for the project. One day Fr. Castillo, parish priest of San Manuel, Tarlac, heard the plans of opening an SVD Seminary in his hometown in Urdaneta. He suggested to his aunt, Dona Loling Sison and his Uncle Don Manuel Sison to offer a property in Bayaoas. The negotiations however, dragged on when other lots in San Manuel, Tarlac, and Barangay Pinmaludpod in Urdaneta were offered. Dona Loling, who had a sincere desire to have a seminary opened in Urdaneta, died in the course of the negotiations. It was only after Fr. Superior General himself had visited the final two lots in question that a definite decision was reached. He decided in favor of the Sison property in Barrio Bayaoas.

The lot held several advantages over the other lot; it is close to the highway crossing of the national highway leading to the North and West - East road Lingayen-Dagupan and Eastern Pangasinan. Nevertheless, is at the same time secluded and quiet enough for a Seminary. It was as this moment that Father Superior General decided to connect the Seminary with the High School and College. The area of the Campus is 6.5 hectares and has direct access to the Asingan road.

Some alumni share the joy of DWFU
at the back is the school chapel

from left: Fr. Elmer Flores, SVD, Fr. Robert Ibay, SVD, Mr. Jake Calatrava; Fr. Bernard Teneza, SVD (the present rector), Mrs. Calatrava (Jake's wife and alumna); standing at the back: Fr. Vhen Yator, SVD (former regent); Fr. Fred Saniel, SVD (former spiritual director)

Opening
After the decision was reached, negotiations moved fast. The Deed of Sale was signed July 28, 1964. Since no funds for the building were available, Fr. Herbers went to Germany to arouse interest for this project and raise the necessary funds. He returned in January 1966. After an over-all development plan and detailed building plans were drawn up and approved by the Generalate, the construction begun in March 1966. The construction was supervised by the architectural office headed by Bro. Joseph, Alfred Hueger and the two architechs Messrs. Esting Calma and Lito Reyes. Archbishop Mariano Madriaga, the archbishop of Lingayen – Dagupan, blessed the corerstone on March 20, 1966 in the presence of Fr. Provincial George Heinemann and secular priests of Urdaneta.

Bishop A. Rillera, SVD (of San Fernando, La Union), former rector of DWFU was the main celebrant of the 4oth anniversary.

Structure
The building is a functional structure for school purposes. It has a total length of 98 m. and three storeys, while the tower in front has been elevated for four storeys to accommodate two visitors’ rooms and the water tank. The axis of the building runs from East to West to minimize the exposure to direct sunshine. The classrooms have a standards size 7 x 9 m. and are furthermore protected from heat by three-meter wide corridors. A unique feature of the building is the ramp that leads to the upper floors. People like to joke and say that the students can ride in a tricycle right up to the door of their classrooms in the second and third floor. The floor of the corridors and the ramp have a black pebble wash-out to prevent slipping and noise. For the time being the seminary is housed in the third floor where two and a half classrooms serve as temporary chapel. The furniture in the classrooms was made by the Arnoldus Carpentry Shop under the able direction of Brother Richard Huette. An 8" deep well has been drilled to a depth of 400 feet. The well became artesian. It delivers 30 gallons per minute day and night. Since not all the water is used, it is envisioned to build a swimming pool and let the overflow of the artesian well feed and renew the water of the pool. Three basketball courts have been cemented in front of the building to give the students and the youth of Urdaneta good and easy sports facilities.

The friendship game between former seminarians and SVDs won by the former.

Formation as Priority
According to Fr. Herbers, much goes into the formation of good and educated Catholics and more even into the formation of a good priests and Religious. The new SVD building is a proof that we shall spare no efforts or means to give our Seminarians and students the best we can afford. We are deeply indebted to our many friends and benefactors in Germany and the Philippines. God bless the house for "in vain is the builder’s toil, if the house is not of the Lord’s building" (Psalm 127:1).

Some concelebrants include (from left): Fr. Abet Viernes (alumnus); Fr. Rodel Abanto, SVD (former regent); Fr. Teddy Abas, SVD (former regent); Fr. Raki Aquino, SVD (alumnus); at the back are students of DWC.

For the list of seminarians from 1968-2007, please click on this.

For the list of formators, click on this.

The First Temptation - Bread: First Sunday of Lent (C)

The Judean Desert: "A great and terrible wilderness,
an arid wasteland with poisonous snakes and scorpions" (Deut 8:15)
photo grab: bibleplaces.com

Here's my commentary on Luke 4:1-13, the Gospel Reading for the First Sunday of Lent Year C:

The Text (NAB)

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him,
"If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread."
Jesus answered him,
"It is written, One does not live on bread alone."
Then he took him up and showed him
all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him,
"I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me,
and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"It is written:
You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve."
Then he led him to Jerusalem,
made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,
"If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here, for it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
and:
With their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"It also says,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."
When the devil had finished every temptation,
he departed from him for a time.

Commentary

Tests and temptations are common in the Bible. The primordial test in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:-1-7) is a serious warning that human beings must not be too confident of themselves. They can fail a test as the first pages of the Bible inform us.

Great people underwent tests and overcame them: Abraham (Gen 22), Hagar (Gen 21:9-21), Moses (Exod 34:28; Deut 9:9), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:4-8) and Job (chaps. 1-2). No wonder a late book of the Old Testament (around 300 years before Jesus’ time), the Book of Sirach, shares his piece of wisdom when he compares a tested righteous person with a “gold tested by fire” (2:5). More than 400 years later, a leader of the Christian community encourages the followers of Jesus to "rejoice" in the midst of various trials "so that the genuineness of your faith-- being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire-- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7). The Hebrew word for "test" nissah means literally to "lift up" The noun nes means "flag". The rabbis then explain that the purpose of testing is to "lift up" the righteous like a flag, quoting Psalm 60:6 "You have given a flag (nes) to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of truth".

Israel’s forty years of struggle in the wilderness (Deut 8:2-6) appears to be the background of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. Notice that Jesus quoted three times the Book of Deuteronomy (8:3; 6:13; 6:16). There are two significant differences in these two episodes. While Israel failed the tests a number of times, Jesus prevailed over them. It was God who tested Israel, while it was Satan who tempted Jesus. Perhaps, a better background to this would the series of tests that the "adversary" (satan in Hebrew) conducted on Job (in the first two chapters of the book). Nonetheless, the New Testament uses the wilderness trials of Israel not only to depict the temptation of Jesus but also the trials of the Church (1 Cor 10:1-10). It is no wonder that the Church reflects on this common human lot every first Sunday of Lent when we read a Gospel account of Jesus in the wilderness.

The typical place of tests is the wilderness. More than half of the Land of Israel is desert. The desert is unforgiving. Rain is rare but when it rains it is in a sudden storm causing dangerous flashfloods. The Book of Deuteronomy describes the desert as a "great and terrible wilderness, an arid wasteland with poisonous snakes and scorpions" (8:15). Scholars, however, wonder which desert he was tested in. There is no desert in Galilee (northern region of Israel) and thus locate it in the Judean desert in the south.

The three synoptic Gospels attest to this tradition of temptation albeit with reasonable differences—Mark is the shortest (1:12-13); Matthew has three separate temptation moving from the desert to the pinnacle of the Temple to a high mountain (4:1-11); Luke reverses the last two temptations so that the climax occurs at the Temple, where his Gospel begins and ends (4:1-13). A text in the Letter to the Hebrews also mentions that Jesus "in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin" (4:15).

John does not have a temptation in the wilderness narrative but he recounts a number of tests that Jesus had to face in his public ministry (6:26, 30-31; 7:3; 12:20, 27). The most obvious is the temptation to make more bread (6:30-31).

Why bread? There is an expression "staff of bread" (Lev 26:26; Ezek 5:16; 14:13) which implies that bread enables one to “walk”. It means that as bread is essential for one's physical sustenance, it is also needed to conduct and direct oneself properly and wisely. Mens sana in corpore sano ("a healthy mind in a healthy body"), as the old Latin adage says. The devil does not only tempt Jesus to satisfy his physical hunger, but also to seduce him to reorient (or better, disorient) his life according to the devil’s way. No wonder Jesus' retort is also metaphor: "One does not live by bread alone" (cf. Deut 8:3).

Bread in the wilderness is a contradiction of term. Expect no bread in the wilderness (see Luke 9:12). There is bread when there is enough rain to cause the wheat or barley to produce grain. The devil is tempting Jesus to transform the desert into a fertile land or at least to an oasis. What is wrong with this? In fact, the devil is proposing a practical solution to the economic problem of Israel--lack of food because of lack of rain, long before the invention of the trickling irrigation system as used today in the Judean desert. In this way, the mission of Jesus to “bring glad news to the poor” will get moving (Lk 4:18).

Every spring, the wilderness blossoms in the Judean desert-
but for a short time (see Isa 40:8)
photo grab: bibleplaces.com

In ancient Canaanite religion (the religion of the neighbors of Israel), the one who causes the rain is the god Baal as he is called the "god of thunder". The temptation apparently is not only about an instant satisfaction of hunger after many days of fasting, but it is about turning to Baal rather than to YHWH, or even perhaps attempt to make Jesus Baal ("baalization" of Jesus). This temptation is reflected later on when the devil is called, Beelzebul (literally "Lord Baal" in Lk 11:15) and when Jesus is accused to be the incarnation of Beelzebul (Lk 11:18-19). Thus , the second and the last temptations carry the theme of worshipping the true God who is YHWH.

Baal, right arm raised.

Bronze figurine, 14th-12th centuries,

found in Ras Shamra (ancient Ugarit)

photo grab: wikipedia

"When you give alms": Almsgiving in the Bible (An Ash Wednesday Reflection)

Tobit burying the dead
Andrea di Lione (Italian, Neapolitan, 1610–1685)
(photo grab: metmuseum.org)

Here's an article on the biblical understanding of almsgiving. The text was first written on Ash Wednesday of 2003.

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Every Ash Wednesday, through the Gospel reading from Matthew (6:1-6.16-18) the church exhorts us to observe the three traditional Jewish acts of piety namely, almsgiving (vv. 2-4), prayer (vv. 5-15), and fasting (vv.16-18). In Greek, the word,"piety" is dikaiosýnē, its Hebrew translation, sedaqa, means, "justice".

In other words, these traditional acts of piety are also acts of justice. As faithful Jews, Jesus and his disciples could have observed them especially on Yom Kippur ("the Day of Atonement"), an annual Jewish festival celebrated on the 10th day of the 7^th month (Lev 16:29; 23:27). It would be interesting to know what the Bible says of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, so as to guide today’s Christians who, with sincerity to follow the Gospel’s exhortations, would want to observe these three acts of piety especially on Ash Wednesday, the Christian version of Yom Kippur.

In this post, let me deal wth the first, almsgiving.

Almsgiving as charity to the poor is a common practice in the Bible. Every three years, tithes are reserved to the poor (Deut 14:28-29) and at every harvest, some portions are allotted to them (Deut 24:19-22). It is, however, in later books of the Bible (Greek period) that almsgiving becomes one of the principal works of charity (Prov 3:27ff.; Sir 7:10; Dan 4:24). A book in this period, the book of Tobit which has a number of passages on almsgiving so that it can be called “the book of charity” (e.g. Tob 1:3.16; 4:7-8), states that even burying the dead is considered an act of charity (Tob 1:16). Almsgiving became an increasingly valued practice in Hellenistic and rabbinic Judaism. Likewise, the early Christian community gives special importance to almsgiving. The gentile commander of the army, Cornelius (Acts 10:2ff.), and a woman, named Tabitha (Acts 9:36), are known in the community for their acts of charity. Paul speaks of fulfilling the duty of almsgiving in Jerusalem(1 Cor 16:1-3 and Acts 24:17).

Iconography of Tabitah (or Dorcas), a woman
devoted to "good works and acts of charity"
here being raised back to life by Peter
(see Acts 9:36-42)
(photo grab: comeandseeicons.com)

The social background of the practice of almsgiving is the increasing number of poor people and the widening gap between the rich and the poor during the Greek period. The obligation incumbent upon the rich to give alms to the poor arises in the context of a culture that considers all goods as limited in supply and already distributed. Anyone with a personal surplus will normally feel shame and/or considered greedy (Lk 12:15) or rapacious if that surplus is not shared with less fortunate "neighbors" (Lk 11:41). Another reason to give alms is to remind the Jews of their humble and poor beginning, " slaves in Egypt", and care for the poor is a concrete gesture of gratitude to God who liberated Israel out of Egyptian bondage (Deut 5:12-15). This two-fold basis of almsgiving can be perceived in the Filipino values of paglingon sa pinanggalingan and pagtanaw ng utang na loob.

The technical word for almsgiving in Greek is poieîn éleēmosýnēn (hence the word, "limos") and it means literally "to do an act of mercy". By doing an act of mercy or almsgiving, the human being performs a divine act inasmuch as one of the attributes of God in the bible is mercy (Exod 34:6; Eph 2:4). It is no wonder then that Jesus exhorts his disciples to practice almsgiving. However, he warns them that almsgiving must not be an act done to draw the attention and admiration of others which is tantamount to a fake and insincere care for the poor.

The warning of Jesus against "blowing a trumpet" provides such scene (Mt 6:2) which is a simple metaphor for broadcasting to the public one's donations. The Jews did not have trumpets announce donation, contrary contrary to what we usually hear in the church from popular preaching. Jesus calls those who act in this way as "hypocrites". The word, hypokritaí originally denotes the Greek stage actors who performed behind their masks. In other words, these people have hidden motives. In the end, they are not giving, but buying. They buy people’s respect and admiration. The Filipino term for this is "pakitang-tao"—one who renders help to others but whose motive is not really to help the person in need but to be praised by others (and gain more votes in the next elections). Social scientists label this religious syndrome as "split-level Christianity".

A shofar made from the horn of a kudu,
in the Yemenite Jewish style
(photo and citation grab: wikipedia)

In contrast, the disciples must give alms in complete secrecy, which is expressed by the hyperbole of the ignorant left hand (v.3). The left hand is probably a metaphor for one’s best friend, as in a contemporary Arabic proverb, implying that even one’s closest friend must not know when one gives alms. The reason is that genuine deeds of justice are done "in secret" where only God, "who sees in secret," which is to say that only God knows the heart (Fil. loob). The twelfth-century Jewish philosopher Maimonides advocated secret almsgiving as the second-highest of his eight levels of "tzedakah."

The good deeds of Christians will of course be seen by others. According to Mt 5:16, the followers of Jesus should let their light shine "before others so that they may see your good works." Although this may seem to be a contradiction, the passage goes on to say: "that they might glorify your Father who is in heaven," which is in bold contrast to the desire of the hypocrites that "they might be glorified by others" (6:2). The basis then for eschatological reward is good deeds done ad maiorem Dei gloriam ("for the greater glory of God").

References:

R. Bultmann, " e'leoj e,lee,w e,leh,mwn e,kehmosu,nh a,ne,leoj a,neleh,mwn " in TDNT II, 477-487.

D. Hagner, Matthew 1-13 (WBC 33A; Dallas, Texas: Word Books, 1993).

J.Pilch – B. Malina (eds.), Handbook of Biblical Social Values (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 1998).

J.L. McKenzie, Dictionary of the Bible (NY: Macmillan, 1965).

J. P. Meier, Matthew (New Testament Message 3; Wilmington, Delaware: Michael Glazier, 1980).

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time C: "Love Your Enemies"

photo grab: allposters.com

Here's a reflection on the Gospel reading this coming Sunday (Feb 18, 2007). An edited text is also found in the SVD Bible Diary 2007 (all copies sold, I heard).

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As the campaign period has begun (at least for senators), we hear again the oft-repeated saying in politics: "No permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permament interests." But enemies there are, and very often politics of greed and envy begets violence.

"You have enemies? Good", says Winston Churchill."That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." All of us have enemies. As the great Tagalog Filipino poet writes: Sa paligid ay maraming/ Mga kaaway na lihim ("The surrounding is full/ of secret enemies").

Even Jesus has enemies (Lk 19:27; Phil 3:18). Jesus does not then command his disciples not to have enemies but what to do when they have enemies. That is, "Love your enemies". In this Gospel reading, he gives three applications of the principle of love for enemies (vv. 29-30):

1) Turn the Other Cheek. Striking a person on the cheek is a form of insult as it is today. An insult is "sampal sa mukha" (a slap on the face). To shame him, the soldiers slap the face of Jesus (John 18:22). Turning the other cheek then is a dramatic and physical sign of non-retaliation that breaks the cycle of violence.

photo grab: abrenian.com

At the funeral of the murdered Abra congressman, Chito Bersamin: Fr. Nilo Peig, outgoing diocesan administrator, is seen here presiding in the funeral mass. Abra is submerged in politically motivated violence earning the title, "the murder capital of the North". For an interesting and striking article on the violence in Abra, please click on this. May Jesus' command of loving one's enemies dawn in this first mission area of the SVD Philippines.

2) Do Not Withold Your Shirt. At that time, people usually wear two pieces of clothing, an undergarment and an outer garment. The outer garment is multi-purpose: to indicate one’s social status, to cover the head, to use as a blanket at night, to carry kneading bowls, and to serve as a pledge or collateral for one’s debts (Exod 22: 25-24). In this Gospel reading, loving one’s enemies is readiness to pay one’s debts by not withholding one’s outer garment. That’s a practical wisdom especially to those who have bunch of enemies because they don’t pay their debts!

3) Give to the One Who Asks of You. Those who ask are the poor, the beggars in particular. Loving enemies means then loving the beggars. During that that time (even today), beggars are considered practically as "enemies" because they are outside the circles of community and friendship.

This recalls an old story about St. Lawrence the Deacon. He was the treasurer of the Church of Rome in the 3^rd century A.D. The Roman authorities, thinking that the Church was wealthy, commanded Lawrence to bring to them the Church’s treasures. After three days Lawrence returned. "Where is the treasure?" the Romans demanded. Lawrence led them to the entrance of the hall and threw open the great doors leading to the courtyard. Outside was assembled a great crowd of poor, beggars, blind, and crippled humanity. "Behold, the treasure of the Church," said Lawrence.

Renovated chapel of SVD Retreat House blessed

A day before the so-called Valentine's day, Fred Saniel, SVD, rector of Divine Word Seminary blessed the just renovated chapel of the SVD retreat house. It is now more spacious. SVD fathers Eli "Cute" Yance and Ed Fugoso are the present administrators of this wonderful place of prayer and meditation. They accept group as well as private retreats. Contact number is 046-4130-340, ask for Tess.

Why you should take a retreat at the SVD Retreat House, please click on this post.

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time C: "Like a Tree"

Arucaria trees guard the Arnoldus Library

Here's a reflection on the Old Testament reading of this coming Sunday's liturgy, from Jeremiah 17:5-8).

The Text:

Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
but stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
it fears not the heat when it comes;
its leaves stay green;
in the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.

Commentary:

Milenyo, that awful typhoon that ravaged Metro Manila and Southern Luzon last year, proved its name right, "thousand". Milenyo had felled thousands of trees. In the seminary, a number of fruit bearing trees like the Lanzones, Rambutan, Pili, failed to withstand storm signal no. 4. But among the trees that were standing tall and unbowed by Milenyo were the Arucarias (Araucaria columnaris) , a surprise, since these trees look lean and too tall not to snap at the whisk of a storm.

Among the many retreat houses, religious institutions, hotels, and restaurants in the city, what makes Divine Word Seminary unique is the thousand amazing columnar Arucaria trees guarding and towering over the compound. Nowhere can you find in Tagaytay such imposing trees except in this seminary. Beholding these trees alone, their unstoppable height, their strength, their evergreen pines forming a pyramid pointing towards heaven, one cannot but raise one’s mind and heart to their Creator. I wonder why not so many retreatants of the seminary come back to witness this miracle.

Arucaria crowd waiting for a tennis game

In the Old Testament, trees are more than what they are. The narrative of two trees, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden tells us how significant trees can be to the relationship of the human and the Divine (Genesis 2-3).

Some are sacred trees. For instance, whenever the oak tree is mentioned, it is always in connection with holy places and cultic activities. If you would like to be near to God, live among the trees. So Abraham pitched his tent by the oaks of Mamre (Hebron) and even built an altar of the Lord under those holy trees (Gen 13:18).

There is an interesting verse in the book of the prophet Hosea where God likens himself with an "evergreen cypress tree" (Hos 14:8). With this image of God as a tree, what would those who attack the Catholics for venerating wooden images have to say?

Trees symbolize also the life of a country. When trees bear fruit, the country is under Yahweh's blessing; if the fruit harvest fails, it represents a curse. It is no irony then that even if more than half of the land of Israel is desert, it is a "land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey (Deut 8:6)". In Ezekiel, the image of a better future in which human beings can hope for is a place where there is a river making grow all kinds of trees for food. "Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing" (Ezekiel 47:12).

In Psalm 1, a tree, planted by near streams of water, whose leaves do not wither and yields its fruit in season, is an image of righteous person who studies (“meditates” in some translations), the Torah of the Lord day and night.

So when Jeremiah, in the first reading of this Sunday, wants to illustrate the person "who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord", at once, he uses the image of a tree transplanted beside the waters, its root stretching out to the stream, whose leaves are evergreen and, despite the heat, bears fruit. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, the Beatitudes (Gospel Reading, Luke 6:17, 20-26), such a tree becomes the "kingdom of heaven".

For a quick introduction to the Book of Jeremiah, click on this.
One of the best English commentaries on Jeremiah is Robert P. Carroll, Jeremiah (Old Testament Library; Philadelphia: Westminster, 1986).

For further reading of the different meanings of trees in the Bible, see K. Nielsen, There Is Hope for a Tree: The Tree as Metaphor in Isaiah (Sheffield, 1989).

More on SVD Ordinations 2007

"Where are we to get enough bread in the desert
to feed so great a crowd?" (Mt 15:33)

--part of the thousands of visitors at the ordination reception

On the eve of Ordination, there was a "subdued" (after dinner cocktail) for the SVD confreres held at the Garden of Providence. Among those who present were:

(photo credit: J. Sepe, svd)

seated from left: Loi Ebisa (parish priest in Kalinga);

John del Rosario (former SVD now works as personnal manager in Trece Martires);
standing from left: Jerome Marquez (director of St. Jude Catholic School and Assistant Provincial of PHC);
Romy Benitez (parish priest in Kalinga);
Ondoy Espuelas (USC Girls' High chaplain);
seated at the back from left: Joey Sepe (PhD candidate DLSU-Manila);
Flor Camacho (former president of Holy Name University, Tagbiliran);
Roger Solis (parochial vicar in Zamboanga Sibugay).

Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales ordains 13 SVD Seminarians

Cardinal Rosales of the Archdiocese of Manila has just ordained to the priesthood 13 SVD deacons here at Divine Word Seminary Chapel, Tagaytay City. Close to 200 priests are concelebrating and more than 2ooo relatives, friends, and acquaintances including religious sisters and brothers are witnessing the priestly ordination. Here are some stills taken from the ongoing eucharistic celebration which began around 9:00 in the morning (Manila Time).