See you in Sto. Domingo!
I'll head straight to the National Shrine after my arrival.
Blogging in the airport. :)
The blog of a group of Filipino Catholics and their frank commentary on anything that affects their lives as a citizen of the Philippines and as a Roman Catholics.
The Scriptures make it clear:
ReplyDeleteDouay-Rheims Bible
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/1-25.htm
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant.
http://bible.cc/matthew/23-11.htm
Douay-Rheims Bible
Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a
redemption for many.
http://bible.cc/matthew/20-28.htm
Unknown to many, even among the faithful, or simply because of many people's unwillingness to reflect
and meditate on it, the saints' contribution in the dynamics of salvation is not so much their eloquence
or performance of miracle, as it is their suffering. That's right! It's their offer of suffering for the love of
God and neighbor that pleases God most. The eloquence they have is not really theirs but God's. The
miracle that took place is not THEIR miracle, but God's. But the mystery of suffering - the pain, the
agony, the discomfort, the situation of being misunderstood, etc. - is something that followers of Christ
can rightfully claim as theirs and can offer to God.
And God, in His mysterious ways and divine wisdom has been mandated suffering to be 'salvific', the
power to save both one's self and OTHERS even! What that means is that if someone in England is
about to commit the mortal sin of murder because of anger and hatred, but another person in
Philippines, living a very simple and hidden life, and s/he happens to be suffering from a severe back
problem - an excruciating pain - and offers such suffering for the glory of God, God in His exercise of
mercy and justice may condescend to the potential murderer and give him light or re-arrange
circumstances in a manner where the meditated murder doesn't take place and the would-be-murderer
even becomes remorseful and repentant as to go to Confession and ask for forgiveness.
Such is the power of suffering, that is often overlooked because God's ways are not our ways.
And since sickness brings about suffering, we would do well to reflect more on the Saving Power of
Suffering:
APOSTOLIC LETTER - SALVIFICI DOLORIS
ON THE CHRISTIAN MEANING OF HUMAN SUFFERING
by JOHN PAUL II
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_11021984_salvifici
-doloris_en.html
...and unite ourselves with those who suffer on Day of the Sick:
MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER ON THE OCCASION
OF THE TWENTIETH WORLD DAY OF THE SICK
(11 FEBRUARY 2012)
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/sick/documents/hf_ben-
xvi_mes_20111120_world-day-of-the-sick-2012_en.htm