Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
As the dawn was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?“
“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. [John 21: 2–7]

This is probably my most favorite story in the bible (I also love the beautiful story of Esau forgiving his brother Jacob, but that is a topic of another post). I love this story because it is a very human story that rivals the classics: disciples going back to what they know best (fishing) and not catching any, of depressing routine made even more depressing because of failure, the darkness of night mirroring the mood of the disciples who had lost hope, and Hope walking on the shore just as dawn is breaking.

Beautiful.

But imagine how depressing that whole activity was for them! They were proud fishermen who were given the chance to be fishers of men, and just when they were becoming good at it, Jesus dies. And just when they thought they could go back to fishing, they catch nothing, zilch, nada. It is like the world staring them right in the face and telling them, “You will not be able to go back to normal programming. You cannot be fishermen anymore. You have lost the touch. You have lost the feel of the water. You have been gone too long.”

And so all they could do at the moment was stare at NOTHING. At their empty nets and empty hearts full of empty promises. Three wasted years. They put their lives on hold following what they saw with their eyes and felt in their hearts as the ONE. The ONE wove beautiful stories, and talked about an equally beautiful God. The ONE was very charismatic–he brought people together, and made the Torah so alive; he performed miracles. He fed five thousand, made the crippled walk, cured lepers, and the blind he gave sight. So they cannot be blamed for trusting the Man. He was HOPE personified.

The bad thing about hope is that when you lose it, it becomes doubly hard to trust again. This is true for any person. Once you have had your heart hurt, it is so hard to have faith and believe again. The challenge is to love again like you never got heartbroken, like you’re falling in love for the first time all the time.

That is the challenge of the disciples in that boat staring at those empty nets.

We look at the empty nets of our country and our people. We’ve gone deeper and deeper into a quicksand of graft and corruption. We do not know where to begin to solve our country’s problems. Several months ago, there was a heavy feeling of despair when we heard about the almost-medieval execution of whole families, when our President has lost all trust from the people who voted her to power (well even that fact–that they voted her to power–is debatable). We’ve been duped by people who are supposed to serve us but ended up lining their own pockets. Corruption has become systematic, institutionalized, a way of life.

We look at the empty nets of our own lives. We have gone through deep shit. We have lost and lost again and lost our way. What was once very clear to us and what we held with deep conviction and certainty no longer gives hope and consolation. We feel empty–becoming shells of our former selves. We stop LIVING. We just survive, day to day, hour by hour. We go through life without direction, without a goal, and without meaning. We have had our hearts broken and it is the most terrible feeling in the world. And because of that we zombie out–sleepwalking through life–alive but really dead and without spirit. How could we go so low? How could we ever break our promises? How could we ever forget how to live life to its fullest?

And I love this next scene. Just as dawn is breaking, with the earth groaning under the strain of night giving way reluctantly to day, the sun bursts forth in hues of reds, yellows, and vermilion.

But that is NOT what makes the scene beautiful.

Because you have to look beyond the beauty of dawn. And you have to look beyond your empty nets and broken heart. And you have to look to that familiar shadow on the shore.

It is the Man.

Keeping his promise. Reminding us to REMEMBER who we are when we were with him. Filling empty nets full to the brim, almost to breaking. Making us hope again. Love again. Like it was our first and only time.

Just when we think that normal programming is no longer possible. Just when we find it hard to believe and love and hope again. Just when we think there is no future. Just when we think nets will always be empty and night will always be endless. All we have to do is look beyond the empty nets and our broken hearts. And to that familiar shadow on the shore.

Because emptiness?

It is not forever.

Here’s the article:

Does it seem that somebody else is always responsible for your failures? Are you ever at fault? Well, guess what. Foolish excuses, pointing fingers and living in denial are temporary band-aids that will eventually come undone and cause you nothing but heartache. If you are one of the people living in denial, stop pretending to be above failure. Take a one week excursion into reality and see how quickly your brain and conscience clear of stress and guilt.

If you choose to make the trip, here are 7 of the most dangerous excuses you need to stop using. NOW!

1. I’m Way Too Busy; the Family Will Understand!
My friend, your family needs you and not only your paycheck! Fast forward 20 years and think about this for a second — do you really think that your children will ever say, “I’m glad mom/dad got that raise 10 years ago instead of watching me at football practice or helping me with my homework.” Of course not!

2. I Would be More Successful if My Job Weren’t as Boring.
It’s not your employer’s fault now, is it? Did anyone force you to make that choice? Of course not! Assume responsibility and don’t be afraid to take action if you are convinced that you can change things for the better.

3. My Team Is Holding Me Back.
Then why not do something about it? Why not help them become better at what they’re doing so that all of you can reap the rewards later on? You do realize that constantly being on the lookout for excuses isn’t going to cut it, do you?

4. My Boss Makes Bad Decisions.
Yes, but he/she has the right to make any decisions he sees fit since, in the end, it’s his or her money or reputation on the line. If you want things to change, start being your own boss, nobody is stopping you.

5. I Don’t Have Time to Stay in Shape.
But will you have time to spend in the hospital? If that is not the case then I would recommend taking at least a few minutes each day moving your body, strenuously. Investing time now prevents years of misery later in life!

6. Cigarettes Are Bad for Me, But I Have a Stressful Life.
And what, are cigarettes all of a sudden the cure? This is a foolish excuse and nothing more, it’s all in your mind. If you want to give up smoking, you can give up smoking, stressful lifestyle or not.

7. Taking Risks Would Have Been Foolish.
Guess what: if you are serious about being successful, taking calculated risks every now and then is simply a must. Yes, there are foolish risks which should be avoided but, in the end, you simply have to take your share of calculated risks at a certain point.

Living in denial is not an option and rest assured knowing that hiding behind foolish excuses will get you nowhere. Are you about to let something like that happen or are you ready to take action?

The Birth of Israel

This was written in Sacred Heart Novitiate the day Fr. John Moran died– December 26, 1999. He was our “lolo” (grandfather) in the Novitiate, helping out the formation team in his own strong presence. A character, I was actually afraid of him because he always seemed to be always angry. And yet in unguarded moments, he was surprisingly gentle. I remember him being very patient with me and the giddy-ness of my youth. And he allowed me to joke with him over lunch. Sometimes, he would even allow himself to laugh with me.

He had wonderfully angry homilies. He would talk about an angry Jesus, or question happy priests, and even insult “plastic” students. He had something to say and he wasn’t afraid to say it. And he saw things from off center, always giving a different perspective, and provoking deeper reflection than what is apparent.

His sickness affected his legs so that he had a painful time walking. Together with Fr. Vic Baltazar and Aldwin Mahusay, we visited him in the hospital on Christmas day 1999 where he struggled to say mass for us in his hospital bed, saying the words of the mass while in so much pain. The next day, he died.

His last public act, a mass. His last public words, the words of consecration.

A priest ’til the end.

“Then Someone wrestled with him until the break of dawn… striking Jacob at his hip socket that it was wrenched as they wrestled. Then the Man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with the Divine and have prevalied…” Gen. 32: 25–29.

Ode to Fr. Moe: To Him Who Wrestled With God
Eric Santillan

You.
Wrestler wrestling
With God.

Struggling. Yet Celebrating.
Finding Meaning.

Challenger of the challenged.
Dared us to say yes and mean it.
Die for it. Live by it.

You. Who made a promise.
And kept it.
Lived by it. Died for it.

Radical thinker.
Designer of thoughts
Of angry Jesus’
And happy Jesuits
And ‘plastic’ students.

You cry the most beautiful cry
Of reality and truth
And pain and love
And gratefulness.

Until the end still
Wrestler wrestling
Struggling. Yet Celebrating.
Finding meaning
Amidst the pain.

One Christmas day
You were who you always were–
Wrestler wrestling–
Struggling… to make the sign of the cross
– a stole draped upon
your shoulders–
Celebrating Him who
wrestled you.

And in the end,
Wrestler wrestling
With God.
You let yourself lose
He struck at your legs.

And you won.

This is another one of those paradoxes of life. Life is upsized when we learn to downsize.

The Cost of Ownership

No matter what you own, there is a maintenance cost. We can speak in dollars — insurance, taxes, interest. Or even in time — cleaning, updating, protecting. But the hardest maintenance cost for most people is simply sentimental value.

We transfer our feelings and memories onto an object and decide we can’t let go because we’ll risk losing the feeling or memory. Before long, we become surrounded by these visual reminders of our memories and no longer have room to make new ones. It’s hard to move forward in your life when your past is crowding your present.

Creative Downsizing

The answer, of course, is to get rid of some of this stuff. But that’s way easier said than done. We often need to be compelled to do this with a move or a lifestyle change. Imagine how much richer life would be if we moved the junk out and made room for new opportunities instead of grudgingly making room only when it was forced upon us.

My husband and I are currently simplifying our ‘physical’ lives down to a couple of boxes and two backpacks. That’s a big change from our starting point in a packed 3500 square-foot house.

We’re leaving on October 1 for Ecuador and 3+ years of exploring the world. We’ve been working for a while to get to this point, as you can imagine, and along the way we’ve found a few creative downsizing strategies to help you simplify a little (or a lot) of your life.

1. The Reverse Birthday Party

For my 39th birthday I picked 39 of my favorite things — things that were special but not quite special enough to make it into my one box. There was the silk scarf from France, the leather purse I bought on my honeymoon, a cocktail ring with more bling than my lifestyle required, and several other little treasures.

I wrote out a tag for each item detailing its history and why it was special to me. Then I put them all on a shelf in my living room and invited all my friends over for my birthday party. The rules were simple:

• If you find something you like, write your name on the back of the tag.
• If you are the only one who wants that item, it is yours.
• If more than one person wants the item, a “face-off” would occur and a democratic vote would decide who won.
• In lieu of gifts to me, winners of the items could donate to our trip in an anonymous box on the bar.

This kind of party accomplishes a few things. You get to share and make wonderful memories with your good friends and continue to see your favorite items used by your favorite people in the future — much better than an anonymous eBay sale. And your friends help you get through the pain of giving up the more sentimental things. Take a picture of you with your friend and the item and you’ll still feel like you own it in a way.

2. The Craigslist Store

I can’t say enough about the wonder that is Craigslist. Just about anything can be sold or given away on this site. We’ve sold everything from a $500 dresser to a $5 box of random cords, and we’ve rarely had an ad out more than a week without a bite.

The key to successful Craigslist selling is to set up your own store. Do you have several pieces of furniture to sell? Put them all together in a staging area. When your buyers come by, they get a chance to see your other items and you can wheel and deal to get rid of more things. People love a deal, so throwing in a rug you don’t think will sell for much with a piece of furniture a buyer is waffling on may help make the sale.

Think of your downsizing project like your own little retail store and you’ll sell twice as much in half the time.

3. Put it in a Box with an Expiration Date

People tell me all the time they can’t get rid of things for all sorts of reasons. But you know, reasons don’t really matter for this trick. It is all about “Out of sight, out of mind.” Take a few things you don’t use, but think you can’t live without (even though you haven’t used them in 2 years), and put them in a box. Label the box with the current date and the contents and a sell/donate date. Set the sell/donate date 1 month out, 6 months out, or whatever. I will be blown away if you end up going back for even 10% of these items before the sell/donate date.

4. Take a Photo and Clear Your Space

This is one of my favorite ideas, especially for old clothes. Do you have a photo of yourself on the night when you looked really hot in that outfit (you know, on that unforgettable night out with your friends)? Keep the photo and get rid of the actual outfit if you no longer wear it on a regular basis. If an occasion arises someday that requires a similar fancy outfit, treat yourself to something new and stylish. Sometimes a photo that acts as a visual reminder is all you need to re-experience the joy of an item, and having it out of your space lets you live in the present instead of being cluttered by items you no longer use.

5. The Rule of One Thing In, Two Things Out

This is the lazy man’s solution to downsizing, and it can be effective over the long-run. You simply decide that for every new item you bring into your house or office, two items will go. New socks? Get rid of twice as many old socks. Mom sends you new towels? Get rid of twice as many of the old, raggedy ones. See how this works? It’s a smaller effort, but an everyday one. Once you get to your perfect balance, you simply keep this up with one thing in, one thing out.

Final Thoughts on the Benefits of Downsizing

I like to say that downsizing will upsize your life. I know it sounds catchy, but it’s true. Since my husband and I started downsizing over 4 years ago we have more money, time, and opportunity than I could have ever imagined. There is no way we’d be planning a trip around the world if we were still weighed down with all the miscellaneous stuff we had acquired over the years.

So start small, like we did, and slowly integrate the 5 methods above into your current (cluttered) lifestyle. I promise, you’ll find yourself in a clutter-free state in no time.

Betsy Talbot is one half of the blogging team at Married with Luggage. When she’s not writing, she’s paring down, saving up, and getting ready to travel the world with her husband Warren. Betsy shares her secrets on saving money in the free ebook How We Saved Enough Money to Change Our Lives (and How You Can, Too!).

This Saturday, my novitiate batchmates in the Society of Jesus will be ordained to the Priesthood. We entered together on May 30, 1999. I left the Jesuits October of 2006 but have remained in touch with them. I join their families, the Jesuit community and the church in praying for them on their special day.

I am dedicating this poem to them as they continue their lives of tending the sheep, and taking care of the flock. May the God who has begun the good work in them bring it to fulfillment in their lives. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam Frs. Chris Fajardo, Jhaw Haw, Nono Levosada, Lito Ocon, Tex Paurom, Roy Ragas, Karel San Juan!

This is also for those who have yet to be ordained: Ogie Cabayao, Jordan Orbe, Bong Dahunan, and Tony Basilio. And also for those of us who have left (I’m listing us here in the order we left): Jude Alban (who is now a diocesan seminarian for La Union, Eman Nobleza, Aldwin Mahusay, Louis Tin Maung Oo, Eric Santillan (me!), Aldrie Lim, and Renel Dimacali, who have been called to a different kind of tending and taking care of sheep–much less dramatic, but equally as difficult. The degree of difficulty is always relative anyway.

Peter’s Lament

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water… (John 21: 4–7)

it was after i came out of the water
and saw him smiling
that i suddenly felt cold.

i refused a coat against the cold dawn air
choosing to shield myself instead
with my guilt and remorse.

BRAVE PETER.

COME. EAT.

that other meal
where i offered my heart, soul, life
happened a lifetime ago.

now i only have my guilt to shield me
from the cold.

i looked for anger in his eyes
bracing myself against the blows that were sure to come.

but how do you defend yourself against love?

PETER. DO YOU LOVE ME?

i used to be brave
i used to be so sure…
now i do not know.

i’m a shadow of my former self.
…but yes. i love you. still.

PETER. DO YOU LOVE ME? STILL?

my whole being protested.
life has become so complicated.
i’m no longer the same man who promised my life to you.
i do not even know what a promise means anymore.
…but yes. still.

PETER. DO YOU LOVE ME?

you know everything.
you know…

i searched his eyes. afraid to see his unbelief.
i asked him the same question in my heart.

you? do you love me?

he embraced my doubts. put a coat on me.

… YES.
STILL.

8 Day Retreat 2006. Mirador Jesuit Villa.

As we move through our daily routines we are often faced with obstacles and challenges which can lead to some degree of stress and anxiety. So to become more relaxed and free of tensions it is important to break away from your ordinary routine and find ways to de-stress. This process can be very simple or more in depth, but why not try something new and different? Here are 8, not your everyday ordinary, ways to de-stress and release tensions.

1. Massage your ears. The ear massage is a fantastic way to release endorphins in your brain and make you feel good. The beauty is that it only takes a few minutes. Start by gently rubbing your earlobes with your thumb and index finger. Then squeeze the outer edges of your ears all the way to the top. These parts of your ears have tiny reflex points that can relax specific areas of your body. Finish by using your index fingers and middle fingers to massage behind the ears on the bony part of your skull.

2. Finger paint. If you thought that getting messy and painting with your fingers was strictly for kids, think again. Finger painting allows you to have fun, be artistic and play in a child like way. It gives you permission to express your creativity and spontaneity without expectations. So why not be the creator of some new abstract art pieces. Visit a nearby children’s store and pick up a set of finger paints – ages 10 and up.

3. Strip down your living room. Take note and see how much stuff you have laying around your house, especially your living room – the place where you often wind down and relax. Then, declutter and learn the powerful art of Minimalism. Get rid of anything and everything you don’t use or need. Give away or donate decorations and household items. An open and clean space creates a place of peace and tranquility. It’s also easier to relax when you are not surrounded by stuff such as laundry, work, electronics and even reading materials because your subconscious mind doesn’t feel like you have things to do.

4. Try laughing yoga. We all know that the power of laughter has a wonderful effect on our mood and is one of the best feel good things we can do. However, the opportunity to laugh like this doesn’t always come easily and often. A fun and crazy way to make yourself laugh uncontrollably is to find (google) a class, club or yoga studio in your area that offers laughing yoga. You may have to step out of your comfort zone but you will be in for a wonderful and hilarious surprise.

5. Procrastinate. Make a list of things to do and then don’t do it. Call it your procrastination list. Then make the decision to engage in something you really feel like doing. If and when you become inspired to do something on your procrastination list then go for it. Maybe you really don’t have to do those things on your procrastination list or perhaps someone else may want to do those things for you. I believe that if you’re not accepting, enjoying or enthusiastic about what you’re doing then you shouldn’t do it. By procrastinating you often let go of resistance and become more relaxed.

6. Be brutally honest. Have you ever felt frustrated with yourself because you wanted to say something to someone but didn’t in fear of what might happen, what that person might think or how you might make them feel. Instead of bottling things up inside you, which causes stress and tensions, why not let it go through the power of honest speech. Express your emotions and tell people how you really feel without being rude or obnoxious. Be loud and bold. Notice how relieved you feel.

7. Dance in the rain. How often do you see people getting upset and running for cover when it starts to pour? Next time it rains, have a little fun, get wet and do a little dance. Engage all your senses and enjoy the moment. Even sing if you want to. You will be surprised how refreshing and rejuvenating it is. For those of you who live in colder climates, try dancing in the snow or making snow angels.

8. Enjoy a staycation. Instead of travelling somewhere on a holiday, stay at home and enjoy a local vacation. To make it an adventure, get a map of some nearby hiking trails and plan some day hikes. If you’re in a colder climate consider cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing. Try a new activity such as outdoor photography. Visit some local cafes that sounds interesting and that you’ve never been to before. If you need a break from your kids, recruit a friend or relative to baby-sit. Have fun and get to know your area.

As we get caught up in the moment of being busy sometimes we just need to step back, let go of what we are doing and pursue new little passions that dissolve tension and creates stress free, happy experiences. I sincerely hope you give one or some of these a try and remember to have fun, be in the present moment and watch your anxieties melt away.

Jai Kai is a Success Coach, Yoga Instructor and Blogger for SharingSuccess.tv. He enjoys teaching people the art of perusing passion. You can subscribe to his feed here.

From GettyImages

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important.

“There’s one more thing,” she said excitedly.

“What’s that?” came the Pastor’s reply.

“This is very important,” the young woman continued.. “I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.”

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

“That surprises you, doesn’t it?” the young woman asked.

“Well, to be honest, I’m puzzled by the request,” said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. “My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, ‘Keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming.…like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!’

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder “What’s with the fork?” Then I want you to tell them: “Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.”

From the Situationist

You are then supposed to count how many items appear on both lists.

TierneyLab examined the responses. And the results are fascinating. Things appearing much more often on ‘expensive’ lists than ‘happy’ lists include:

• children
• marriage ceremonies
• divorces
• taxes
• most cars
• boats

Items that were on more ‘happy’ lists than ‘expensive’ lists included:

• meals with friends
• alcohol
• bicycles
• pets
• hobbies
• adult education
• church and charity
• books, music, artwork
• quality beds

And, finally, there was some overlap where things were both expensive and happy/fulfilling. These include:

• houses
• higher education
• travel
• electronics
• certain vehicles

The results are by no means scientifc, but it does make us think. Are the intangible things (things like love, charity, fulfillment, world peace, etc.) over rated? Have people changed so much over the years (i.e. become more “shallow”, etc.) that material things are now able to bring us fulfillment?

Well, we have centered our lives over money and finances (guilty as charged!) that it does seem the two are correlated. The more money you have, the more happy you “can” become. But even as we point that out, we see a lot of exceptions to the rule. We see people who do not have savings in the bank give off the most genuine smiles to us. We see people who are filthy rich wallow in self-pity and die of loneliness. To say though that money and happiness are NOT connected to each other is an irresponsible sweeping statement. It sounds a lot like what wealthy government or church people would say to poor people under their care.

Perhaps this quote by Laura Rowley of MONEY AND HAPPINESS expresses this correlation: “Money is a tool that ultimately expresses our core values. Beyond basic needs, money helps us achieve our life’s purpose and support the things we care about most deeply – family, education, health care, charity, adventure and fun. It helps us get some of life’s intangibles – freedom or independence, the opportunity to make the most of our skills and talents, the ability to choose our own course in life, financial security. I have found that the people who invest the time to figure out what they truly value and then align their money with those values have the strongest sense of financial and personal well-being.”

Psychologists have spent decades studying the relation between wealth and happiness,” writes Harvard University psychologist Daniel Gilbert in his best-selling “Stumbling on Happiness,” “and they have generally concluded that wealth increases human happiness when it lifts people out of abject poverty and into the middle class but that it does little to increase happiness thereafter.”

Since World War II the gross domestic product per capita has tripled in the United States. But people’s sense of well-being, as measured by surveys asking some variation of “Overall, how satisfied are you with your life?,” has barely budged. Japan has had an even more meteoric rise in GDP per capita since its postwar misery, but measures of national happiness have been flat, as they have also been in Western Europe during its long postwar boom, according to social psychologist Ruut Veenhoven of Erasmus University in Rotterdam. [From the Newsweek article: Why Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness by Sharon Begley]

But in the end, I would like to think that the most important commodity you can buy with additional wealth is not any material thing; it is choice. If you have P1000 in your pocket, you can decide between going to an expensive restaurant or buying take-out fastfood for lunch. But if you have only P100, 7/11 is your bestfriend. Or if I have a car (which I do not currently have), I could go buy groceries in the groceries offering the best prices, instead of making do with the nearest grocery store to my house. Poverty, then, is not just the absence of money, or cars, or houses, it is the absence of choices and the opportunities that you could have had, if you had the money (or the connection, or the friends) with you in the first place.

What about you, what do you think?

We had the mass in my favorite chapel in Sacred Heart Novitiate, the Immaculate Conception Chapel. It has one of the most beautiful statues of Mary ever. I hope you could go to Sacred Heart Novitiate, in Novaliches, Quezon City, philippines, and pray in that cute little chapel and behold the beautiful Mary praying with us and praying for us as we start our journeys this year. May she be there for the long haul. And may we continue to be pleasantly surprised at the many things happening to us.

Having this mass here at this chapel started with a conversation. A year ago, when I was about to take my vows, and my family was here, I talked with mama. She told me that she thanked God that morning because, “Who would’ve thought?” That this girl from this obscure town of Mambayaan, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental would be in Sacred Heart Novitiate 50 years later—praying here and walking its hallowed hallways?

That conversation eventually flowered into a germ of an idea.

And eventually with things falling into place, the family decided to push it just a little bit further, “Who would’ve thought?!” that this couple who wedded in this long-lost Jesuit church in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental would now be renewing their vows 25 years later in a Jesuit chapel in a Jesuit Novitiate. In the chapel I used to visit without fail, every morning for two years here in the Novitiate. Who would’ve thought?! Who would’ve imagined?!

My parent’s lives are full of those– who wouldve thoughts’. They were both orphaned at young ages. My mom and her sisters had to be adopted by two aunts. Dad had to work as a bellhop at a hotel/inn owned by an uncle and I remembered him telling me once that he had to knock on guest’s doors so he could iron their clothes and earn extra income. WHO WOULD’VE THOUGHT?!

After working his way through college, daddy worked as a lowly clerk in Mindanao Motors Corporation, what the old folks in Cagayan de Oro used to call Ford (because they were selling this brand). He went up the ranks and eventually became one of the managers of the company.

On the other side of the fence, fresh out of college and looking for work, my mom had to discern among three companies, and she wasn’t sure which to choose. Those were simpler times, when the company you started working in, became the company you worked for for the rest of your life! So she had to discern. And who would’ve thought, the Jesuit who helped her discern, Fr. Andres Bolinas, is buried here! And the companies she discerned about: a bank, Coca Cola, and, who would’ve thought, Mindanao Motors Corporation.

And so it came to pass. Mama, after careful discernment, chose Mindanao Motors Corporation or Ford. And sealed her fate. She is still working there now. And so it came to pass. Boy meets girl. And girl meets boy.

But Who Would’ve Thought?! It’s a great question to ask. It speaks of surprises. Of expectations being exceeded. And of hopes bettered. It is about reality exceeding imagination. WHO WOULD’VE THOUGHT. We all have our own Who would’ve thought experiences. Experiences of surprise, and expectations exceeded, hopes bettered, reality exceeding our imagination.

And these things still happen. Today in this world of cynicism and bad news. We can give many cynical explanations as well: Coincidence. Sheer luck. Fate. It is written in the palm of your hands. Purely human effort.

And yet we also believe. In a God who dreams great dreams. Who hopes great hopes. And expects great expectations. Greater things than what we could ever imagine, or dream or hope about. That’s why we are surprised. That’s why our dreams and hopes are surpassed, and our expectations exceeded. Because, I guess, He hopes for us. He dreams for us.

This is what the Gospel was all about. A Jesus who dreams and hopes for His disciples and asks the Father to fulfill his dreams and hopes for his disciples.

A God who dreams and hopes.

And we believe in this God. Who, when He dreams, dreams only the best. Who, when He hopes, hopes only the finest. We believe in this God. Who takes our best efforts, blesses them, gives them back to us in ways we never expect. We are so humbled by this– that our best efforts could do so much and reach so far when placed in the hands of God. We believe in this God. Who surprises us, and is, in many ways, the God who fills the gaps– of our efforts, of our labors, of our pains. We believe in this God. Who makes us exclaim, Who would’ve thought?! Yes.

Who would’ve thought, but God himself. Only Him.
We believe or we wouldn’t be here.

For we can only look back, in hindsight and thanksgiving, and humility. For twenty-five years of surprises. For twenty five years of exceeding hopes. For twenty five years of realized dreams

This is six minutes of amazing.

The video was introduced to me by Fr. Jet Villarin in the recollection I attended just before my birthday. The day before, I saw AVATAR in 3D, and was reminded of the movie when I saw this video. I just had to download it myself and look for the lyrics of the song.

Africa is the land where it all began. The birthplace of the human race. And like the movie Avatar, the song reminds us that we have lost Africa. We have lost our roots. We have lost the old forgotten words and ancient melodies that make us who we are. For us, a tree is just a tree. We have ceased to see the mystery that is all around us. We have lost the very thing that connects us all together.

And the challenge for us is to “cure what’s deep inside”, because we should be “frightened of this thing that we’ve become”. This cure is crucial, because the very survival of the earth depends on it. To care for nature is to care for the future–for the generations that will come after us. If we don’t do it now, we lose our birthright. And generations after us will look back at our generation and look with scorn for the blatant sin of omission.

And so the world awaits. For what we will do.

Hopefully we do things right. For the generations before us and the generations who will live after us. We plant for ourselves and for the future.

And just hopefully, we would see the rains down in Africa once again.

Africa
Perpetuum Jazzille (Originally by Toto)

I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She’s coming in 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way,
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, Hurry boy, It’s waiting there for you

CHORUS:
It’s gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never have

The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what’s right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what’s deep inside, frightened of this thing that I’ve become

CHORUS

(Instrumental break)

Hurry boy, she’s waiting there for you

It’s gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa, I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa, I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never have