Our hope of glory

When I welcomed all participants worldwide to the 51^st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in the article, “God’s creative intentions” posted December 16, 2013 @ nestofglory.blogspot.com, I did not expect to be one of the thousands in attendance.

Together with Judy, my wife and Francis John, our only son, we were privileged to attend the historic international significant event in the Catholic Church. 

Our souvenir picture

Judy and I are communicants who strive to attend the Holy Mass daily.  I believe that “the Eucharist … becomes the venue of God’s revelation” (Sabbath 2016. p. 62) allowing us to see, encounter and experience Him in our daily living.

Our attendance and participation in the various activities of the 51^st IEC strengthen our resolve to receive Christ daily through Holy Communion.  Impressive, awesome, amazing, astonishing are some of the adjectives to describe the different activities of the week-long event. Looking at the two (2) ways to live our lives, little miracles happened “as though everything is a miracle in one end while at the other end, nothing is a miracle” (Albert Einstien cited by Ignatius Fernandez, Life Lessons: A Christian Sharing. p. 15)

With my desire to connect my reflective thoughts to the vast minds of the world and ultimately with the Infinite Mind, I exchanged “calling cards” with national and international participants encountered. Its punch lines, “Mankind should be our business, … our trade.” Let us build the “bond of charity” (theme of the 34^th IEC at Budapest, Hungary in 1938) where the “Christ in us is our hope of glory” (Col 1:27) reflecting the theme of the recent Congress.  One of those I met and briefly exchanged pleasantries was a school director in Togo, South Africa who in spite of the language barrier being French speaking, both encountered the “Christ in us”. 

The life testimony of the Thai entrepreneur who shared how she was persecuted and eventually converted to Catholicism was highly impressive that Judy took the opportunity to pose with her after she delivered her public declaration and profession of faith.

With Ms. Sarindhorn Mativachranon who “survived and succeeded in life despite grim circumstances”

As a couple, Judy and I shared the “story of the Lord” in our lives in a joint breakfast fellowship of the BCBP Consolacion Chapter on March 5, 2016.  We claim, “for over two (2) decades, we continue ‘to go, grow and glow’ bearing fruits ‘seeking first the Kingdom of God…’(Mt 6:33) through our proactive membership in the BCBP Community from Mactan to Mandaue and now with the Consolacion Chapter”.

Blissfully, the glorious realization of hopes and dreams for our family was joyfully  attained through our attendance to the Family Lenten Retreat last March 12, 2016.  The theme was “Family and the Eucharist” through the able leadership of Sis Ann and Bro. William Roiles. It was a unique opening salvo for the many activities involving the whole family.  The day-long activity was facilitated by the Verbum Dei Catholic Missionaries headed by Rev. Fr. Michael Cheong.  Life lessons were learned and relearned.  The first miracle of turning water to wine at the wedding in Cana connects Jesus with the family. 

The institution of a successful marriage requires communication which can be expressed in five (5) love languages: words of affirmation; quality time;.giving of gifts; acts of service and physical touch. For the family, the message reverberates, “the Eucharist being a consolation, a promise and a calling”. nmg

A cheerful family picture at Hotel Pier Cuatro, Cebu City after the 

“Family Prayer Dynamics” courtesy of Sis Marissa S. Macaraig, BCBP Consolacion Chapter 

Personal humility is true humility

Humility is tantamount to servanthood. It is a measure of a “successful life” as pointed out by the Gospel according to St. Matthew. We are admonished, “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself with be exalted” (Mt 23:11-12).

Greatness is measured by “a successful life involving personal relationships, family experiences and spiritual involvement as well as our professional lives” (Sir John Templeton’s Golden Nuggets). “Great and respected people acknowledge that their greatness comes not from their personal self but from a higher power working through them. True humility knows that the personal self is a vehicle to a higher power”.

On the occasion of the installation of the governance or new set of servant-leaders (2016-2018) of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) Consolacion Chapter last November 29, 2015, humility is highlighted and emphasized in his homily. Rev. Fr. Clyde Salitrero, OCarm. is once upon a time BCBP Consolacion’s young member who took charge of our children before entering the seminary. Now, we are fortunate to have him back to officiate and celebrate with us the Holy Mass during the installation and thanksgiving.

"BCBP time is on time" with Sis Miriam Loren as coordinator

Rev. Fr. Clyde Salitrero, at the pulpit in Big Hotel, Mandaue City  

Before the Holy Mass, I briefly exchanged pleasantries with my cousins who are servant-leaders in one BCBP Chapter in Cebu who were among the invited guests.  “Gi-bugha!!”, metaphorically as in being “axed timber for firewood” in their leadership was a lamenting response.

Providentially, they must have been relieved by the homily of Fr. Clyde who stressed the importance of the virtue of humility in our service to the Lord as “personal humility”. Application of the lessons learned in philosophy and sanctity are classified under “intellectual and spiritual humility”, respectively.

Fr. Clyde pointed-out, “servant-leadership is not a bed of roses but nails and thumb-tacks requiring a lot of kneeling to pray...servant-leaders are broken to be shared”.  This is a “key note” that is thought-provoking and worth living.

During the last teaching night of the Chapter after the first Friday Mass (December 4, 2015), the governance laid down the platform or plan of action commonly termed “action plan” in the action group level, the basic unit of BCBP.  The platform for the next three (3) years is coined to The 3 Ps to stand for Presence, Participation and Personal Spiritual Growth.  The individual servant-leader of each service group presented their respective strategies encompassing or embracing The 3 Ps.

Every BCBP member committed to know, love and serve God in a personal way must be reminded that “the beginning of humility is triggered or ignited when we realize how little we know and how much there is to learn”.  “True humility can lead us to a prayerful attitude.  Prayer can bring us in tune with the Infinite.”  “When we are genuinely humble and grateful for God-given blessings, the door is open to a kind of Heaven on Earth, here and now”.

Truly inspiring and moving are the following lovely and analogical statements from the Golden Nuggets:  “When we are permeated with a lively faith and a sense of a sincere desire to learn, messages of love and guidance flow to us and through us like a beautiful river that has found smooth passage through our life stream.  To find contentment in the heart and a sense of fulfillment in the mind, it becomes important that we learn to praise and affirm life and the goodness of living”. nmg