watch and pray

Watch and Pray

Here is the official statement regarding Charter Change.

Character more than Charter Change: CEAP Official Statement on charter change

Character more than Charter Change

The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) is against the present moves to change the Philippine Constitution.
We would have been open to a Constitutional Convention. But with the recent acts in the House of Representatives – making itself a Constituent Assembly without regard for the Senate or the nation as a whole – even if the decision is now to have a Constitutional Convention instead, we feel that the better move is to postpone the changing of the Constitution. It is not that we think the Constitution is perfect. It is not. It needs changes. But the way things are going, we believe that suspicions of vested interests of our legislators would be minimized or avoided if, for now, we just bracket off these moves on Charter change.
CHARACTER, more than Charter, change is needed.
Change our charter, and what would we really achieve if we do not also change our character? A Constitution may be the fundamental law of the land, but if we do not also follow the fundamental promptings of our conscience, what will we really have changed?
To be sure, character development is a lifetime task and challenge. And if that is all we do, it may be argued, then we may never get to change our Constitution at all. We agree. But if there is also no desired change in what we believe and how we behave, then Charter Change no matter how beautiful it may seem to be, will not really lead to the betterment of our nation.
We decry the act of the House of Representatives in making itself the Constituent Assembly. We can grant that our legislators may have good intentions. But the impression given by their act is simply arrogance of power and lack of delicadeza. We commend them if, having realized not just the political consequences of their decision but also its moral implications, they now call for a constitutional convention. But we suggest that they and, indeed, we -- all lay aside even the thought of changing our Charter now.
Charter Change now is being presented -- wrongly -- as the equivalent of institutional reform. It is not. And those who are against Charter Change now are being portrayed as against reform. We are not. We are FOR reform – but the right ones at the right time. We are for reforms that really help the poor; changes that strengthen democracy; moves that improve politics as it is practiced today. If those rushing Charter Change are really sincere about reforms, then let them first reform the electoral system and restore its trustworthiness – starting with a thorough revamp of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Make the 2007 elections truly credible. Then, when the necessary safeguards against self-interest shall have been set, and after a massive education campaign, maybe we can resurrect the plan to change the Constitution. Until then, let the present Charter stay.
In the schools, colleges, and universities that we run we shall continue teaching our students, aside from the curricula they come to us to follow and learn, love for our country, respect for our laws, and willingness to give our best for God and others, beyond interests of self.
We accept that the call for CHARACTER change must start with us and must always continue. As we do this, to the nation we pledge our cooperation in everything that is for the good of our people, and we vow vigilance in preventing what may lead to the nation’s ills.
We watch and pray, as Jesus in the Agony in the Garden told his disciples, so we do not fall into temptation. We urge our members to pray that we, our legislators, and our nation as a whole may have the humility to ask to be guided by the Holy Spirit and the strength of will to follow His lead. May we not yield to the temptation to make another Constitution for our country but forget to remake the constitution of our hearts.
What we more urgently need to do now is to watch, pray, and work to change -- not our Charter but our CHARACTER.

For and on behalf of the Association,
The CEAP Board of Directors
FR. RODERICK C. SALAZAR, JR., SVD
President/Region 7 Director
Author: Fr. Pres. Roderick C. Salazar, Jr., SVD16 / December / 2006

"dash"

http://thedashmovie.com
how do we use our dash?

perfect harmony

ph#1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ussdvB5R67A
ph#2http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiAyKakjoJ8
PH#3http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zBNySfb_TE
PH#4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlM454ZBwZo
PH#5http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5hBXXH4mdc
PH#6http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTXFyJtcSgY
PH#7http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcP6MWylBlE

laudamus te

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPTZDYL94n8

vienna boys choir-silent night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOGfH728_7I

the healing of a blind man

The Gospel According to St. John (9:1-23)[1]
The Healing of a Blind Man

(As a sign that he is the light, Jesus gives sight to a man born blind.)

IX 1 Now, as he walked along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, he or his parents?”
3 “Neither,” answered Jesus. “It was no sin on this man’s part, nor on his parents’ part. Rather, it was to let God’s work be revealed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 with that he spat on the ground, made mud with his saliva, and smeared the man’s eyes with the mud. 7 Then Jesus told him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” (This means “one who has been sent.”) And so he went off and washed, and he came back able to see.
8 Now his neighbors and the people who had been accustomed to see him begging began to ask, “Isn’t this the fellow who used to sit and beg?” 9 some were claiming that it was he; others maintained that it was not, but just someone who looked like him. He himself said, “I’m the one, all right.” 10 So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “That man they called Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes, telling me to go to Siloam and wash. When I did go and wash, I got sight.” 12 “Where is he? They asked. “I have no idea,” he replied.
13 They took the man who had been born blind to the Pharisees. (14 Note that it was on a Sabbath day that Jesus had made the mud and opened his eyes.) 15 In their turn, the Pharisees too began to inquire how he had got his sight. He told them, “He put mud on my eye; and I washed and now I can see.” 16 This prompted some of the Pharisees to assert, “This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath.” Others objected, “How can a man perform such signs and still be a sinner?” And they were sharply divided. 17 Then they addressed the blind man again, “Since it was your eyes he opened, what have you to say about him?” “He is a prophet,” he replied. 18 But the Jews refused to believe that he really had been born blind and had subsequently gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the man [who had gained his sight]. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Do you confirm that he was born blind? If so, how can he see now?” 20 The parents gave this answer: “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But we do not know how he can see now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. [Ask him.] He is old enough to speak for himself.” (22 His parents answered this way because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that anybody who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”)


The Lessons Taught by the Story
1. Triumph of light over darkness. The primary lesson that the evangelist meant to convey is the acting out of the triumph of light over darkness. Jesus acts out here the truth he proclaimed in viii 12, “I am the light of the world.”

2. Apologetic lesson. In addition to the light/darkness, sight/blindness drama, the evangelist had a second purpose in presenting this story to his readers: that of apologetics. In the preliminary interrogation of the man by the Pharisees we hear some of the doubts that bothered the authorities about Jesus during his ministry. The problem of his violation of the Sabbath was certainly an authentic part of the early tradition about Jesus. In many interrogations of the man the real issue is whether or not Jesus has miraculous power and, if he does, who he is. Through the blind man responses reveals that Jesus is, the “Son of Man,” and brings to complete faith.

3. A baptismal lesson. Chapter ix served as a reading in preparing converts for Baptism. The Church found a baptismal lesson in this chapter, the response of the blind man to the question of Jesus, “do you believe…” as great scrutiny and the use of spittle and anointing become part of the rituals or ceremonies of baptism. It is also a good symbolism, the blind man stands for the human race… if the blindness is infidelity, then illumination is faith… He washes his eyes in that pool which is interpreted “one who has been sent”: he was baptized in Christ.



Prepared By: Frt. Melencio D. Balay, Jr., SVD

Submitted to: Fr. Willy Villegas, SVD
[1] Raymond E. Brown, S.S. The Gospel According To John. (New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1966).