The following are possible answers to a “life study” question, “How receptive are you to new wine?” (Catholic Serendipity Bible for Personal and Small Group Study. Lk 5:36-39. p. 1589):
· I like things as they are.
· I accept change slowly but with God’s help, I can handle it.
· I’m all for change if I’m sure it’s God’s doing.
· I’m a revolutionary – let’s turn the world upside down.
From the Christian Community Bible, “New wine, new skin” is the caption of the Gospel according to St. Mark (Mk 2:21-22) with the same message in the Gospels of Sts. Luke and Matthew (Lk 5:36-39 and Mt 9:16-17). Literally, I view these verses remembering what Dr. R. M. Santiago (“Why do I write?” www.nestofglory.blogspot.com Jan 31, 2011) told me, “Loy, ayaw na kay bag-ong dawat. Let’s drink bahal.” He cautioned me never to drink too much from the ‘line of different wine’ for tasting in the winery as we visited a vineyard in upstate New York, U.S.A. (1984). According to him, they were comparable to the newly tapped ‘toddy or tuba’. ‘Bahalina’ is better like the aged liquor.
Anyway, I consider and analyze the above “life study” question in a different perspective. I consider myself the link (whether weak or strong) for the old and the new generation.
I was filled with awe last August 20, 2011 as the sharer for the men’s breakfast fellowship at the BCBP Cebu Central held in Casino Español, Ranudo St., Cebu City. I was amazed and grateful because I did not expect 4 “first timers”. One of them was a sugarcane planter in Negros, the other one was an OFW broadcast engineer working in Saudi Arabia with 2 younger gentlemen. It was amazing to remember that in November 15, 2008 at the same venue and among the same group of businessmen and professionals, I invited and brought with me 4 guests. They composed of a banana planter from Davao, a new-found Singaporean friend and 2 trainors on natural, organic farming.
I was thrilled, inspired and motivated from the introduction to the less than 20 minutes witnessing, handing of the token, closing and final informal interactions among some of those interested in natural, organic farming. I was impressed and grateful to the significant introduction of the Breakfast Head (Bro. Jun Jabatan) that I’m a “man who keeps on talking about God”. I was deeply touched by the Responsorial Song and the lively closing/final song about “calling” that I heard for the first time. From the many opportunities I’ve been sharing my life story whether alone or together with my wife, this is the first time that I was handed a book as a token through Bro. Ani Serato.
I am greatly moved and disturbed by Alex and Brett Harris (young, twin brothers) who in their tender age are able to publish their second book, “Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are”. Their first book is entitled, “Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations”. (I received their second book as a token from the BCBP Cebu Central.) At sixteen, they were blogging, published the first book at nineteen and when they are twenty-one and sophomore in College, the second book is through. It is amazing how they are dreaming big dreams, “strongly believing that God wants our generation to change the world”. I checked www.therebelution.com and indeed, the blog still exists giving me the opportunity to see the twin brothers and how big and well organized their concept, plans and actions for a “Rebelution” (combination of rebellion and revolution, a teenage rebellion against low expectations to do hard things to glorify God).
In my own small ways, relatively young as I am, I have created nestofglory.blogspot.com as my ULR or my address in the web. I have been inviting relatives, old and new-found friends. Discouragingly, a relative commented, “Loy, tiguwang na ta para magblog-blog!” Borrowing a line from the Introduction of the Book, “You’re Still Young, I’m Old….”, I responded and expressed the same thought, “Technology has progressed so fast that parents nowadays need their children to teach them how to use the latest inventions.” So that in my desire to “go treasure hunting” by blogging, I sought assistance from my Applied Physics graduate daughter with my “crash course” in computer literacy.
The period from August 16 - 20, 2011 was the celebration of the World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain. I creatively imagine the possibility of collaboration among the worldwide youths of this generation (the Pope John Paul II generation) for the "Rebelution. My simple and priceless contribution towards its realization is my prayer for the sustainability and the unbreakable "vital link to tradition."
Starting March 2011, I decided to allocate a portion of my monthly tithes for the construction of the Youth Center in Cebu City. I readily attended the Dinner for a Cause (August 27, 2011) for the same purpose during which time, the fifth Book by Cardinal Vidal, ”You’re Still Young, I’m Old..: A Conversation with the Youth of Cebu” was launched. Fortunately, I met and had a brief acquaintance hoping for a facebook friendship with Engr. Russel Pepito, a youth volunteer from Liloan, Cebu. Through her, I invited her parents to our BCBP Breakfast Fellowships.
Astonishingly, I was the only gentleman seated in table 39 at the Grand Convention Center where the dinner for a cause and book launching were held. I gladly introduced myself without inhibition. When they invited me to dine with them, I declined telling them that I am present “for a cause” no more dinner because I came from the 54th birthday party of my wife. Amazingly, when Bishop Jose Palma delivered the welcome address, he expressed the same, “he is present for a cause, no more dinner” because he came from the Fiesta (biesperas) at Mambaling, Cebu City. Well, I gained 2 more young facebook friends. I invited them to be my blog followers or members. They are Jackie Reigh Abesia and Jesryl Pacquiao.
From the above “life study question”, being inspired by the “Rebelution” of Alex and Brett Harris and my desire to have a strong link between the old and the new generation, I opt for a “rebelution” ready to turn the world (to start with the world within) upside down. nmg
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