Palm Sunday: Pangasinan Reflection

Sayan Simba na Palaspas o Domingo de Ramos. Ipapanunot na Simbaan ed sikatayo so inloob na Katawan ed Jerusalem tan sikato so inabet tan ingalang na saray totoo. Kanian, wala so bendision na saray palaspas Balet, amta tayo ya kasumpal na sayan inpamagalang dad Katawan, inabet na Katawan ed Biernes Santo so panludlurey, panagpabaing, inpanpairap tan say inpangipasak ed krus ya anggad sikato so inatey! Diad sayan Simba sirin, agtayo lilingwanan so panangaro na Katawan ya inter to diad kapegleyan na kairapan to.

Mutekteken tayo so inpanirap na Katawan. Sikato so Mesias, say Manangilaban tayo. Sikato met so ibabaga nen Isaias ya propita ya "intaryak so beneg ko ed saray nansiplat ed siak. Ag ko ra binaat nen pinabaingan da ak, nen binagut da ray balbas ko tan nilulukdaan day lupak." Tinoor toy so Ama to anggad patey, anggad patey diad krus. Sikato so Manangilaban tayo ya nanirap para sikatayon ran makasalanan. Tan lapud sayan inpanirap na Katawan, sikatayo so nagmaliw a makabaliksan ed say Dios.

Sikatayo met so maniirap. Nalilikna tayo so kairapan na laman tan kamarerwa. Maniirap tayo no nanaimatonan tayo ray kakaaro tan kakanayon ya maniirap. Maniirap tayo lapud saray kakulangan na arum: diad saray mauges tan makapoy ya salita tan gawa ya gagawaen dad sikatayo. Aaroman tayo met ni ingen so kairapan tayo lapud saray kasalanan tayo.

Say mundo tayo so apano met na kairapan: dakerakel so biktima na giyera tan poverty; totoon manaayaem ed lansangan; nanaersan ya ogugaw; saray manbobokboker ya mansasakit tan matatakken, saray walay walay ambelat ya sasakbaten ya problema, walay cancer tan arum ni ran liliknaen.

Diad sayan Simba, say kolor na silibrasyon tayo et ambalanga lapud say ambalanga so kolor na apoy. Kolor met na dala. Diad saray panaon ya manbibilay tayo ya singa anggapoy pibabali tayo ed saray kipapasen na arum, say petang na apoy na panangaro komon so mansiansia. Say inpanirap nen Jesus komon so mangiter ed sikatayo na sayan petang ya mangaro.

Komon say apoy tan dala ed say Semana Santa et panliuben to so kapusoan tayo ya mangasikaso, walay pibabali, ed arum. Tan saya komon so pananisia tayon dasalen:

Manisia ak ed Dios ya maaro, makankayaryan na amin.

Manisia ak ed Dios ya mapangasi. Sayan Dios so anawag ed siak ya magmaliw ya manangasikaso na Mundo tan say Simbaan Da, anggaman siopa ak tan antokaman so agawak, anggaman amta na Dios ingen ya dakerakel ni ran maoges so gawaen ko.

Manisia ak ed pakapanyari na panag-iter tan say pakapanyari na mangaro a singa inpangaro nen Jesus; lapud say panangaro so saksakey a dalan na kinasanto; tan say panangitban et mama-arap ed agnasabsabaan a palabo.

Manisia ak ya diad mabolos ya pangiter koy panaon ko, diad  saray talentok so mapaabebak ya ipikabiangan, tan diad mabolos kon isakrpisyo iray kayamanan ko, say Katawan so lawas asikasoen to ran amin iray nakaukolan ko, tan bendisionan Da ak na maandon tumang diad dalin tan diad tawen.

Siak so unaan ya mangiter; tan agko lara alagaren so arum.

Mansiansia ak ya mangiter anggan saray arum et agira mangiter.

Ag ak antakot ya naandian.

Manisia ak ya say sankarakepan ya panaon ya pangiter et natan, aliwan nabwas; lapud say nabwas et sakey labat tan ya rason na saray maagum.

Daiset tan gawaen kon simple labat iray nakaukolan ko, lapud manisia ak ya lapud diad panbawas kod say inkaagom ko, siak so magmaliw ya maliket tan masanto.

Siak so manangasikaso  na Katawan.

Ipawil kon amin iraya ed Sikara. Ipawil kon mabolaslas. Dakel so kekerewen ed siak lapud dakel so naiter ed siak.

Idayew ko so Katawan lapud say kaabigan Da ed siak natan tan naan  ed ando lan ando. Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Lent: Pangasinan Reflection

Nangelan tayo so sakey ed saray milagron ginagawa ne Jesus: say inpamaoli tod bilay ed si Lazaro ya kaaro ton malet. Diad say inpangigangan na Katawan ed si Lazaro ya ompaway ed lobok, ibabangat nen Jeus  ed sikatayo ya say patey so aliwan nepeg ya pansampotan na saray anak na Dios. No ingen, say kiolid bilay, tan say andi-anggaan ya bilay. Tinalo na Katawan so patey, tan inpanengneng to so pakapanyari to ed say bilay na too – a nanlapu lan lamang ed Sikato.

Diad sayan inpamaoli na Katawan ed si Lazaro, bibirbiren tayo ya say bilay tayo et nanlapo ed say Dios; walad say Dios sirin no kapigan to iter yan bilay tan kapigan to oyosen yan bilay. No kapigan to ipikabiangan, tan kapigan to bawien. Nanlapo ed say Dios so bilay tayo, agtayo kayaryan iyan bilay. Inpalima, inpabayes, papaasikaso na Dios labat ed sikatayo iyan bilay. Ta lapud say twa, amin ed nanlapud say Dios, amin et kayaryan na Dios – sikatayo et steward tayo labat na Dios: manangasikaso itayo labat na Dios!

Diad sarayan arapan ya panaon, diad Arkidiosis tayo, mabetbet yo lan narengel so sayan salita: Stewardship. Tagapag-alaga. Manangasikaso. Tan saya so kabaliksan to: sikatayo so manangasikaso na mundo lapud sikatayo so pinalsa na Dios, nanlapo tayod Dios, sikatayo so kayaryan na Dios. Kumadwa, sikatayo met so manangasikaso na saray ma-spiritual na bengatlan bendision tan langkap lapud sikatayo so abinyagan. Kumatlo, sikatayo so tatawagen ya manbilay a maliket, aliwan masiblet, tan mapaabeba ya manangasikaso o steward tan saya so dalan ya magmaliw tayo masanto.

Stewardship calls us to conversion. We are not owners. We are tenants and stewards. Diad sayan panag-asikaso tayo, aralen tayo ya saray nanaawat tayon bendision, say bilay tayo tan saray resources tayo so ipikabiangan tayo para say mission nen Kristo. Sikato ya so dalan ed kinasanto tayo komon.

Diad saray arapen ya bulan, nanengneng tayo so pangekal na Archdiocese tayo na say arancel system para saray silibrasyon tayo na sakramento tan sakramentals.

Anto tan so arancel system? Panlalapuan na saray ibayar tan saray gagastosen na say parokia nipaakar ed saray kimey tan uusaren na simbaan, a singa say kuryente, saray panaglinis, saray apostolates, tan arum nira? Panlalapuan na say suporta para say pamaakaran na Simbaan? Manlalapu ya ed saray iiter yo no sikatayo so manpabinyag, manpakasal, manpamisa. Walay fixed ya manlalapud sikayo para say simbaan. Saya so arancel system: say fixed ya iiter ya kantidad ed serbisyo para saray sakramento.

Sayan sistema ya arancel ya panlalapuan na suporta para say simbaan et ekalen la na Arkidiosis tayo ed sarayan arapaen ya panaon. No saya et gawaen la, nepeg met balet ya sikatayo so walay pasimbalo nipaakar ed say pakatalus tayo nipaakar ed say Simbaan tan say kilalaban tayo. Sikatayo so nilalaban unong ed say agnasabsabaan tan agnatokor na panangasi na Dios. Say panangaro na Dios so mabolbolos ton iiter ed siktayo.

Tan lapud ag-ontutondan mangiiter so Dios ed sikatayo, tan lapud say Simbaan so panlalapuan na sarayan bendision tan grasya na Dios diad saray sakramento to, ontan la sirin ya sikatayo so andi-saew met ya mangiter tan mangipawil ed say Dios tan diad simbaan ya anggapo met so kasalat. Ta say twa, anggapo so kasalat tan kantidad so bilay na Katawan para sikatayo.

Diad say arapen ya Ambelat Agew, lukasan tayo so kapuspusoan tayo para sayan panag-pasimbalo. Diad isabi na Inkioli, sikatayo komon so magmaliw a maliket, aliwan masbilet tan mapaabeban manangasikaso na Dios. Ontan pa komon.

(Based on the Meditation “Stewardship and Conversion” by Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, DD.)

"Do you believe ...?

Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"  She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world." (John 11, 26-27)

Jesus is asking us the same question, "Do you believe...?

Do I believe that there is a reason for the sickness and the pain I am suffering now?

Do I believe that God is a loving God when I continue to see the worried look of a friend and the continued tears of anguish and sorrow?

Do I believe in the justice of God as I visit the young man imprisoned for a crime he was never aware of nor capable of commiting?

Do I believe that God really cares when there is an unexpected death in the family?

Do I believe in God's power in the midst of the powerful earthquakes and tsunamis, killing
thousands of innocent people?

Do I believe in God who is my Father when I see the anguish of a mother over a son lost in
drugs and violence?

Do I believe ...?

I may not find the reason for the pain and suffering in our lives. I may not be able to see the meaning of a sudden death, the terriblr catastrophies, the painful anguish and sorrows in our lives.... I believe. I TRUST in my God, all powerful and merciful, loving and just.

Jesus, I TRUST in You!

The Secret is Silent Prayer

A Meditation for Priests

Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, DD

8 April 2011

‘And the fire on the altar shall always burn, and the priest shall feed it, putting wood on it every day in the morning...This is the perpetual fire which shall never go out on the altar. (Lev 6:12-13)

When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him ...  They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us ...?” (Luke 24, 30-32)

Every now and then, a younger brother priest would come up to me with these words, “How can we keep the fire of our priesthood alive? After only a few months after ordination, I already feel bored. I feel dry. I am not excited anymore. I might not last.” A priest who is not at peace with himself will not be able to inspire peace in another soul. O priests, you bright candles enlightening human souls, let your brightness never be dimmed. (Divine Mercy in my Soul, Diary of St. Faustina, 75).

Lost Fire

Every priest knows that feeling of the well drying up and the fire dying. The ordination honeymoon seems to end so quickly and monotony soon sets in. Burning out, running on empty —the feeling is all too familiar

The onslaught of all these feelings boils down to prayer, or more specifically, the lack or neglect of it. Indeed, pastoral action is attractive and so emotionally rewarding, and priests tend to be consumed by it. But when we sacrifice personal prayer for the sake of pastoral action, burn out, boredom and monotony will set in fast.

Unfortunately, the first victim in this boredom and burn out phenomenon is the Mass. We offer the Mass haphazardly without noticing it because we no longer examine our consciences anymore. We rush the prayers and omit the songs forgetting that the face of God is more important than the face of our wristwatch. We rehash old homilies ad nauseam. We put on the Mass vestments like we put on our ordinary shirts and pants and after we unvest, we just throw them on the table of the sacristy, in a rush to go to another appointment. The source and summit of our Christian life has become just a duty to do and a source of revenue. Sad! Why? How can we reverse the path?

In our desire to invigorate our seemingly humdrum life we begin to indulge in “other pursuits”. We explore hobbies and sports – photography, golf, tennis … We pursue further studies. We join more socials. Buy more gadgets. Take longer and farther vacations.

But the happiness continues to evade us. “In our age, as in every age, people are longing for happiness, not realizing that what they are looking for is holiness”. (Jerry Walls). The fire cannot be ignited again. We become mediocre and lukewarm and get accustomed to bland, tasteless water. We just submit to the reality that the wine of the Lord is no more.

Find Him where You Lost Him

It need not be so. You will find God where you lost Him. You lost Him at Mass? You will find Him again there. “... The whole Church draws life from the Eucharist, all the more then must the life of a priest be "shaped" by the Eucharist. So for us, the words of institution must be more than a formula of consecration: they must be a "formula of life". (Letter of John Paul II to priests on Holy Thursday 2005, n.1).

Where in the Mass can we recover the Lord? As a brother to a brother, I encourage you to look at the silent prayers at Mass that we tend to gloss over or even totally ignore or forget because of haste or lack of concentration. “Even before the celebration itself, it is commendable that silence to be observed in the church, in the sacristy, in the vesting room, and in adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the sacred action in a devout and fitting manner.”(GIRM, 45)

The priest’s silent prayers in various parts of the Mass are personal prayers that will help us to see ourselves not just as ministers for the validity of the sacraments but as fellow worshipers of the priestly people. The silent prayers prescribed for the priests during the Mass are not for the people but for us. These silent prayers remind us that we are not only there to bless; we also need to be blessed. We are not just at the ambo to teach; we are there to be taught also. We are not just there by the altar to minister; we also need to be ministered to. We are not just functionaries. We are not just tools. The Lord has calls us His friends.

The silent prayers of the priest at Mass, if properly prayed, will open for us that sense of awe and amazement as we perform our holy duty. “This amazement should always fill the Church assembled for the celebration of the Eucharist. But in a special way it should fill the minister of the Eucharist.” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 5).

Say Manangasikaso na Liwawa tan Bilay

Inagew-agew, kabangon tayo, amta tayo ya no onlimata tayo, tampol ya naneng-neng tayo so kaliber-liber tayo. Agtayo la asasikasoen ta parte laya na bilay tayo. Say pakanengneng tayo lapud say mata ya walad sikatayo et sakey labat tan ya regalao para sikatayo. Sayan regalo ed nanlapud Dios. Inter ya Dios ya ed sikatayo – mabolos ya inter, anggapoy bayar, anggapoy kasalat. Kanian, saya et tatawagen ya regalo!

Amtak asali yo la so manakar-akar ed gilig na dayat tayo diad San Fabian. Sakey ed saray sankarakepan ya beaches ed interon bansa tayo. Laut la no manakar kayo no kabkabwasan odino no mansironget la. Nanengneng yo so sankarakepan ya sunrise o sunset. Onlokso so puso. Tan makaliliket kayo. Saman ya marekep ya secenery, anggapoy bayar to iman. Agtayo babayaran na anggan anton kantidad so Katawan pian naneneng tayo so sunset, saray kolor na rainbow. Anggapo so ticket ya kekerewen na Dios ed sikayo pian nanengneng yo so lupa na naka yo, apo yo, tan say kagangana na asawa yo odino say kumanet na lupay masiken yo. Amin ya naneneng-neng na mata tayo et regalo na Dios. Anggaman say mata na pananisia, regalo na Dios.

Say pananisia ya mangibabangat ed sikayo ya sanaagi tayo lapud sikatayo so nagmaliw ya anak na Dios. Amta na Dios ingen ya diad ag mabayag, sikayo so mabetbet ya mankasalanan ed Sikara. Balet, anggaman ontan, bibirbiren itayo na Dios ya anak Da ni. Agayla so Dios! Masyado yan Dios tayo! Akin et onya? Duma so pakanengneng na Dios ed sikayo; tan duma so panagnengneng tayo ran totoo ed Dios tayo.

Nen abinyagan tayo, inawat tayo so kandila. Sayan kandila et sinelselan. Saya et simbolo na “liwawa nen Kristo”. Diad panamegley na sayan binyag, sikatayo so nagmaliw ya anak na liwawa. Tan sirin, nepeg labat ya sikatayo so manbibilay a walad liwawa – aliwan diad kabilongetan na kaugsan, say kabilongetan na takot, odino kabilongetan na agom, imon tan bosol.

Say silew nen Kristo et regalo na Dios met ed sikatayo. Saya et asikasoen. Aliwan para sikatayo labat yan silew. Say liwawa a manlalapud sayan silew na pananisia so nepeg ya ipikabiangan tayo ed arum. Ed sarayan panaon, nakaukoklan iray teachers – saray managbangat. Managbangat na liwawa. Sarag tayon manbangat lapud diad balang dili tayo,  walay liwawa nen Kristo ya mandarlang. Tan si Kristo so nepeg ya isinag na sayan liwawa ya walad sikayo.

Say katekista et say ibabangat to ed si Kristo. Say katekista so toon nabet to si Kristo, kabat to si Kristo, inaro to si Kristo tan aaroen to si Kristo diad pangaro tod arum. No say liwawa nen Kristo ya walad sikatayo et onsisinag ed arum lapud say pan-istorya tayo nipaakar ed say panangaro nen Kristo, saray kimey nen Kristo ed bilay tayo, no panon ya inaro tan kakasian itayo nen Kristo, tan saya et ibabangat tayo ed saray anak, apo, asawa, kakaaro – sikatayo so katekista na Katawan. Aasikasoen tayo so liwawa ya inregalo na Dios ed sikatayo.

Naawat tayon sakey ya regalo, inter tayon anggapoy saew ed arum so sayan liwawa. Ipawil ya mabolbolos ed Dios ya mandarlang iyan silew. Onya so twan kabaliksan na say steward na Dios. Say manangasikaso na Dios – say manangasikaso na liwawa tan bilay. No manbolag-bolagan, tan manelek-telekan tayo ed saray akis tan pankaukolan na saray anak yo tan saray walad kairapan na bilay, sikatayo so husgaan na Dios ya anggapoy kakanaan ya manangasikaso to.

Ontan pa komon. Amen.

(Based on the “Meditation on the Fourth Sunday of Lent: Stewards of Light and Life” by Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, DD)