Showing posts with label spiritual. Show all posts

Hayaan natin ang mga Kababayang Iba ang Relihiyon

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Maselang usapin ang relihiyon, personal itong bagay, may pagka-ispiritwal at may kinalaman sa pagkatao. Wala tayong karapatang manglait ng ibang relihiyon na sa tingin natin ay pangit ang  sistema dahil naiiba sa atin. Ang hindi natin alam, baka ganoon din ang tingin ng ibang tao sa relihiyon natin. Hindi kayang pangibabawan ng anumang uri ng simbahan o relihiyon ang likas nang nakaukit sa pusong pagmamahal sa Diyos na pinaniniwalaan ng bawa’t isa, ganoon din ang pagmamahal sa kapwa.

Respeto ang dapat nating pairalin kung gusto natin ay pagkakaisa bilang mga Pilipino. Dapat isipin na nakagisnan na lamang natin ang mga relihiyon na ating sinusunod o iba pang nililipatan, na isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit tayo nagkakawatak-watak ngayon bilang isang lahi. Hindi nakakamatay ang mga salitang binibitawan ng mga nagmamagaling na sila lang ang may karapatang makakaligtas sa araw ng paghukom. Hindi rin nakakamatay ang mga sinasabing pagkukunwari ang pinapakita ng iba na sila ay maka-Diyos kaya araw-araw nagdadasal o walang palya ang pagsamba. Hayaan nating mapaos ang mga nagsasalita dahil hindi naman tayo hihimatayin, maliban lamang kung magtapat sila sa ating tenga ng loudspeaker!

Mas maganda sanang sa halip na tingnan natin ang mga pagkakaiba ng mga relihiyon, tumingin tayo sa mga pangangailangan ng LAHAT ng tao na dahil sa kakapusan, madalas na mga resulta ay gutom at sakit. Ang mga pagkakaiba ng mga relihiyon ay gawa lamang ng mga taong nagtatag sa mga ito, mga taong may pansariling pakay kaya gusto nilang dumami ang kanilang nasasakupan.  

Ang gutom at sakit ay walang pinipiling hanay. Nadadanasan sila ng LAHAT ng tao, ano man ang relihiyon nila. Bakit hindi ito ang pagtuunan natin ng ating pansin, at hindi ang mga problema ng mga relihiyon nila na ang dahilan ay hindi pagkakaunawaan ng kanilang mga pinuno na ang hangad ay walang katapusang kapangyarihan?

My Encounter with a “Retired” Priest

By Apolinario Villalobos

First of all, I am not in favor of using the secular term “retired” to the priests who are advancing in age and who need to rest due to ailment. The ailing and aging priests are handicapped but they should not be considered as retired. The word is most inappropriate for them because of their spiritual vow which is supposed to be for their lifetime. The priests should not be treated like ordinary employees who retire at age 60 or 65.

I met a religious guy in Divisoria while I was taking my lunch in a sidewalk carinderia. He was neatly garbed in a black polo shirt and denim, but his age showed on his furrowed face. He was stuttering which as I learned later was due to a mild heart attack. I came to know about his real identity when he was addressed by the owner of the carinderia as “Father”. I got curious, so I broke the ice by admiring his bracelet made of cat’s eye beads. I was also glad that he accepted the coffee that I offered.

Like me, I found out that he has friends, too, living in Baseco compound. That noon, I found out that he walked all the way from the said place to Divisoria which for a guy his age, could be taxing. In all honesty, he admitted that he was a “retired” priest. He stopped saying Mass because of his stutter. In my ignorance, I asked him if “retired” priests with handicap like him are not allowed to co-celebrate a Mass, by just sitting on the side of the altar but still garbed in appropriate garment for the Mass. He said, he was not offered such invitation, yet. I asked such question because I witnessed Masses, especially, those intended for well-known personalities, with plenty of co-celebrators who just stand behind the celebrating priest. So, I thought, why is it not possible for a handicapped one to just sit on the side? All he told me was, it’s difficult to be retired, especially, if it is against one’s will.

My new-found friend is now living with his nephew who assists him in his continuing advocacy of reaching out to the children of financially-handicapped families. Some weekends, his nephew would be with him to distribute goodies that he would collect for weeks. When I asked him for future plans, he replied that for as long as his two feet can still carry him to wherever he wanted to be, he will never get tired of reaching out to his “children”.

Advocacies similar to what the priest practices are not difficult to develop in the heart of any person who is willing to share. All one needs is a resolute compassion. It can be done and the priest has proved it.