Ultimately the greatest gift is Love and fullness of life

Christ's heart was pierced with the soldier's lance after He had accomplished his mission on earth by dying on the Cross. He let His Heart be pierced and be opened wide so that the fountain of grace and mercy, the fullness of what He is about would flow freely from His Heart to the world so that the world would bear fruit and that fruit is love. Love that made Him come down from above and became one of us, man except sin;  love that kept him silent amidst all the afflictions He endured from his own people and even from his trusted friends who left Him alone. Betrayal did not prevent Him from loving. He did not open his mouth when He was mocked; reviled; questioned for all the good things He did to others. He knows what He is all about. There is no need for Him to defend Himself. Humility is to do good and then disappear, keep silent. There is no need to depend anything when one is doing good things out of love. Love is to depend those who are oppressed and mistreated, those that come your way and ask for help, but not ones self. “Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of Heart.” He says. He knows that what was going to happen to Him by emptying himself and becoming man was part of the big plan of his Father who loves Him and who loves us very much to the point of sacrificing Him, the only Son. Yes, everything was part of the plan of Love. He knows, that is why, "He loves his friends to the end..." He knows everything is bound to happen -- He, the Son of the most High God became man so that in our humanity, he can transform us and be with Him in the fullness of life in his divinity. That is all it is all about. He spared nothing to give us the Way back to the Father.... because He loves us.

When life doesn't make sense

 

Working with the people that have had experienced difficulties in life - poor, orphans, terminally ill, homeless, victim of imperfect world that we live- in, often times when I am with them I have nothing much to say but to just be a present to them and let them know that they are loved by God. One afternoon, I was looking for something to read and I came across this book , the title intrigued me and so I picked it up and I tell you, the book gave me more insight when life doesn't make sense. Seeing through the eyes of an eye-witness;  a fellow traveler with those who are suffering in the world, Fr. Groeschel's book entitled "Arise from Darkness" is worth your time especially for those who are going through darkness in their lives. No new solution is suggested in the book when one is going through tough times but the book gives a consoling perspective when life gets tough and doesn't make sense. I am sure all of us in one way or another have experienced such moment. For someone who is at this moment right now, I invite you to find this book, it is for you. It is worth your time. For those who have been there you can relate to his book's enlightened reflections. For those who are so blessed and have never been on the situation explained this book will help you understand life.

I have no intention to advertise but sharing something which I believe can help or I hope can be useful to others is worth my time. When we meet people who are going through difficulties, this book could be a help to us who may find ourselves the person chosen to accompany them.

God Bless.

Why "The Gift" Blog

Being a missionary for many years now I have realized the beauty of life when it is shared to people in a way that we don't calculate anything in return but absolutely a pure service. I have met so many people as I lived my life each day that I could have never imagined meeting had I continued doing what I was doing before. Not that being in an office, working 40hrs a week (or more) is not a good life. I do not mean that way in fact it was how I started experiencing the desire to do more to my life than just being in the office dealing with computer works, business, finances etc. After turning my life around and focus more on giving than receiving, I have this inner desire to make my little experiences known to others but I didn't know how. It is not easy to reach out to people out there -from other walks of life, culture, places. But I had this inner hope to be able to just share - not to keep to myself the joy I am experiencing each day living in freedom in the service of many.Then one day, as I was working on some inspirational talks to give to a group of young students, I came across a blog about faith. I started contributing a little to the blog until it dawned on me that maybe I should try to do blog. Maybe I can reach those out there like you whom I may not meet in my life by bringing some of my experiences to you through blogging, and that hopefully you too may find the joy in being a gift.


This desire gave birth to "The Gift"blog. Through the blog I found a way to express my few thoughts or reflections to some life's adventures from the people I've met and have shared life with.  You can tell from my writings that I am not a professional blogger, but what I have I want simply to share.  If it bears fruit, may God be praised!

I gave this blog the title "The Gift" simply because I have found that I have received the Gift by giving and I wanted to make known that we are all capable of giving the ultimate gift and in return receiving the ultimate gift we received.

As a missionary of the gospel, I met young and old people, rich and poor, orphans and abandoned. I  worked with the homeless people in the street of the Bronx. I have been blessed to help build houses of poor family in South America. I have had the chance to meet some good Jewish communities as well as good Islamic communities. One experience I will not forget was when a friend of mine was diagnosed of a terminal and incurable disease. I witnessed the stages of her "cross". It was an eye opener at least to me to realize that sometimes, the "why" things happen is hard to answer. That sometimes we just couldn't figure out a way out; a scape... I committed myself to accompany her and it was an experience that showed me what the vision of Truth and trust could do to transform even a soul in agony. As her physical condition worsened I saw her interior transformation from anger and rage to acceptance and forgiveness and at the moment of her death, abandonment, peace and joy as she was being prepared by God for the final face of her journey. I have had privilege to accompany some people who have been in very difficult situations or moment in their lives that made me realize the importance of friendship and companionship to everyone no matter who the person is. Time spent as listener can change or even save life. I knew a good priest who had experience seeing a young man took his own life from losing someone who means a lot to him and could not see hope of saving a relationship. It was a hard lesson in life.

The gift journey is my way of sharing reflections of my journey to those whose time are mostly spent at this new technology and the experiences I have by going out in the world and experience life at the front line where the "actions and activities" happen when I meet people who are in need. Life is so precious to contain within oneself. It is meant to be shared and be lived to its fullness, only then each one of us can experience to be a gift to others and at the same time to experience receiving the ultimate gift.

I will conclude this blog with one more sharing. If you think I have shared something worth reading, I hope you'll comment on my last blog as well as share it with other people whom you think would be willing to be a gift to others and themselves. When we love ,we want to give the best to the one who means a lot to us. Sharing something that can help them experience joy is worth the effort.

God Bless.

It is Time

What lies ahead is not for me to know but to believe
What today may bring is not for me to wonder but to ponder in awe
What makes life worth living is not the the days I am given  
But the time I live it with love and self-giving

Sand Glass Timer...

Of friendship

I was cleaning out things in my room preparing for the coming spring semester when I found this little paper in my desk drawer. It's about the "Anatomy of a True Friend". This is the description:

Life is a journey, the gift-giver part 2

Have you heard the saying that when we go to bed at night knowing we did not spare our energy  during the day to make a difference in the lives of others, we are going to have a good sleep? The reason behind is that there is a certain joy that transforms in us interior peace. Peace and joy that cannot be replaced by taking pills to help us sleep.

The gift we received give it as a gift and we'll find true joy that surpasses understanding.

The Gift-Giver matters ...

Brother John went home for the holidays and coming back fondly shared some highlights of his visit to his family. He is from upstate New York and this was his first homecoming after his return from Africa and was excited to share to us his time with his nephew Vincent, his brother's 12 year old son. Vincent has not seen his uncle for five years but hears a lot about him from his dad and from the letters John sent home. Knowing his uncle even not seeing him the boy loves John and looks forward

Aim for joy than just happiness

Christmas is a very special day of the year and this year God has given me a gift that I thought would be worth to share. I experienced once again the truth that there is a big difference between happiness and joy.

Happiness is like the fancy paint of a car; Joy is the engine that takes the car to its destination.

Forgiveness founded in Love, your GIFT

It was night when Jesus was betrayed by the very persons he considered his friends. He trusted them; he shared life with them; he accompanied them; taught them all about himself and treated them as his own, yet they turned their backs on him. It must have been painful to experience betrayal. Yet we must not forget that it was also night when Jesus accepted the Will of God "not my will but thine" and thus saved us... because He loves. 

To the reader that is grieving the lost of someone that used to share the joy of life with and is experiencing darkness;  in search for an answer and is hoping for the dawn to come, I would like to offer this reflection. You have loved and you still have that love in you. To love is wonderful. You were betrayed but you did not betray the person. Nothing was  taken away from you. You are whole even the pain is there. Jesus was betrayed too but He loved his friends to the end even they turned their backs on him. "Forgive them they know not what they do" he said. There are things that sometimes hard to understand or maybe bound not to be understood. Maybe it is better for you not to know the reason. By not knowing, it will not hurt you more and maybe this is the reason why the person has decided to leave; cut off any communication or did not want to say a word or did not intend to tell you the reason for leaving. It hurts but it could be that the person does not want to hurt you more. The love you've given the person is still in you and you chose to continue to remember the love  and the good memories. You do not hate the object of that affection. You are on the right track of being free. Forgive the person; pray that the person may find peace and happiness and by doing so you will set yourself free. Know that Love is the GIFT you are searching for and you have it in you. Keep on loving for love alone can save. Offer that love that was betrayed to Love Himself  who accepted to be betrayed because He loves. Tomorrow will come and you will see the dawn that gives you hope for only love conquers darkness. The Passion of Christ was only a prelude to His Resurrection. Your faith is being put to the test but with Love himself within you? You are safe, you have put your trust to someone who will always be faithful and will never abandon you. Because He loves you!

By the way, it was also night when Jesus came to the world. I believe in God's plan He chose to come in the darkness of night so that the world can see fully His Light. Light that will guide the world to the path of life, peace and true joy -Jesus. A blessed Christmas to you.

Thank you for your email.

I am searching but it is night...

When one lost a loved one how does one celebrate Christmas? How do we give comfort to someone who is experiencing a lost of someone who means a lot to you? My thoughts are with the families from Newtown, Connecticut.  Like all of you, my prayers accompany them in this difficult times.

I received an email from a reader sharing her perspective of  hope as THE GIFT that can help a grieving person.  Here is part of the email:



"Love can cause you terrible pain as much as it gives you so much joy when you have it and when it is taken away from you ... it is pure pain. Yes I mean taken away; snatched from you. This is what I am experiencing now. My faith is being put to the test, purified..I am confused, what had gone wrong, I asked? My hope is being challenged to a highest degree. I see cloud, obscurity. I am powerless, I can't do much to save what was taken away, I am obliged not to act; I am bound to accept the unfortunate turn of event. I did not know it was coming until it came and hit me unprepared. The person whom I thought I was helping and in good faith I've shared life, joy and good memories suddenly without clear reason and explanation just turned back away from me, cut-off any contact and disappeared. It is night...

I am grieving. I wish I am numb so as not to feel the pain, the sorrow. Emotional pain is harder to endure than physical pain. There seems to be no end to it, no cure. Every day is a struggle. How could one forget the good memories shared? But remembering causes pain? Tell me? I am dying inside. It is true one needs to wear the shoes of a person grieving to understand how it feels to lose  someone. No word could explain my grief. Where do I find consolation? When does healing begins? What should I do so that I can move-on with my life? My will says turn to God, the Love Himself.  I think dying is part of turning to God so that my whole being will submit without hesitation and accept the reality  that everything is over.  In surrender, in letting go and abandon the rest to God, maybe the  glimpse of hope is a promised consolation.

I want to believe that in time the pain of grief will just be a memory of the past. But grief does not actually disappear, one just learn to live with it in hope.  I know, I must be still and keep silent...I want to close my eyes hoping that this night will be over or it is just a dream.

In silence I realize that "true virtue is recognized in time of trial”. Acceptance, abandonment. The Lord knows everything and sees the heart. There is no need to search for reason. If we believe that things happen for a reason and that God permits this to happen then we should know that the ways of God is "high as the heaven from the earth". Acceptance even it overpowers comprehension is a gift I ask from God. I trust God. Submission for He never abandons.

It is night... But Christ came into the world in the middle of the night? Our Hope came in obscurity to free those in bondage of hopelessness and bring them hope.

It is night...  I have to remain and be still and wait until my Hope leads me out of darkness...
It is night, the gift I received this Christmas... Is this the gift I want? It is the gift I was given. I know night precedes dawn... I will wait and hope that the glimpse of dawn will come soon. I will wait...