YOU ARE SO BLESSED...

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world. If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, especially in the United States. If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch. If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all. You are so blessed in ways you may never even know. If you are feeling blessed, repay the blessings bestowed unto you and do something for others. A blessing cannot be kept. If it stops with you, then the blessing will disappear. The blessing will only keep working if it is continuously passed around. If you are a recipient of a blessing, keep the blessing working by being the source of blessing to other people.

LET'S TAKE A BREAK FOR EASTER!

B A G E T S

Back in 1990, when my brother, Manong Oscar, was the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), I also introduced myself as the Secretary of Transformation and Communion!

Come to think of it, the whole Lenten Season is simply the call toward real conversion and transformation of one’s heart and character, and, toward a deeper, more personal communion with God and others, especially the less fortunate in our midst. It’s the time to be renewed and vibrant, to be BAGETS (not bakets - Ilocano word for old woman) in our spiritual life once again.

So, let’s go B - A - G - E - T - S for Lent!

B – Balik Panginoon (Back to God)

Let us bring back God into our hearts by making a good confession. When was the last time you really humbled yourself and asked to be forgiven by your God? Right away, the evil one will tell you that you have no real sins (denial), that it’s really not that bad so there’s no need to go to confession (rationalization) and that you go to confession “tsaka na lang" (postponement).

A – Alis Galit (Away with anger)

Look into your heart and dispose all the useless junk you’ve been carrying in your heart all these years. You are not obliged to be miserable in this life! Forgive and you are free. Continue to be angry and resentful and you are miserable. You have been forgiven much. Be grateful. Be forgiving. End your private wars and battles. In the end, nobody wins if nobody forgives. Forget your favorite refrain that says "Me and me against the world." And stop being calculating and exacting in your relationships. Dapat give na give ka, huwag lang one-give, two gives, three gives!

G – Gawa Mabuti (Go for good actions)

Share naman. You who have much in life, please help the many people suffering around. I raise again the question: How much money do you really need in this life to be happy? How much of that money you are accumulating and holding on so can you take along with you when you leave this world? Remember, to whom much is given, much is also required. Again, be reminded that the riches (time, talent, and treasure) that you give away are the only riches you bring with you to eternity. Use your money for your salvation, not for your condemnation.

E – Express Your Love

Slow down and take time for God and people, and also for yourself. A very good practice is to kneel down as soon as you wake up and before you sleep to express your adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, supplication (ACTS) to your God. Another doable and very renewing practice is to drop by a church just to spend some moments of quiet and prayer — the candle glow once more! On the human level, it is amazing how we can “starve" other people of our love. We give only the comfortable installment, as it were, with a plan to give the lump sum when the person is dead or dying already. When it comes to loving, regular daily shower is better than a long drought with a final big downpour. Little things mean a lot, and it takes very little to make our loved ones happy. A phone call. A smile. A pat on the back. A hug. Very doable. Just do it now.

T – Tanggal Bisyo (Take away vice)

Someone once told me that he had no temptations. Why? Because as soon as temptation comes, he’d give in right away! We must not give up fighting our vices and weaknesses. We must continue to try and avoid the occasions and persons that lead us to sin. It would be a good idea to chart once the stages and steps that led you to a particular sinful moment. Once you know that road, avoid it. That’s right: take the "road less traveled." It leads to peace. It leads to Heaven.

S – Smile

Whatever sacrifice or good deeds you do, do it with a smile. God loves a cheerful giver, and God blesses a generous grateful (not resentful) heart. Take away that "Good Friday look" from your face and that "far-away look" in your eyes.

S – Secret

If you want to experience real joy, do all of the above in secret.

Let it be something just between you and your God, and you’ll experience a joy which the world cannot give or take away. Come to think of it, maybe this is the reason I started this with a note about being a secretary — a reminder to keep our Lenten project of transformation and communion a secret.

A Moment with the Lord

Lord, you are calling me again

towards deeper conversion.

Today, this moment, I hear your voice.

Help me not to harden my heart.

Amen.

Elvis Presley - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me

IL DIVO - POR TI SEREI

THE SERENITY PRAYER

The Serenity Prayer is a prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr on July 1, 1943. Early in World War II, the prayer was printed on cards and distributed to the troops by the U.S.O. However, the prayer is reported to have been used before that date in Twelve-step programs for those recovering from hurts, habits and hang-ups.