An Ilocano, a Bisaya, and an i-Fontok were interviewed regarding dreams. They were asked, “If one day, you wake up and you find P10 million tucked in your pillow, what will you do?” The Ilocano answered, “I will donate half to scholarship programs and half of it I will use to build a decent house.” He received a loud applause.
The Bisaya replied, “I will donate half to health apostolate.” He was applauded well.
It was the turn of the i-Fontok and he answered wittingly, “If I wake up and find P10M on my pillow, I will sleep again. So that when I wake up, there will be another P10M.”
On the third week of Advent, we will discuss about dreams. The third Sunday of Advent is dubbed as “Gaudete.” Gaudete means “You rejoice.” Dreams punctuate advent stories.
The Catholic Encyclopedia provides good explanations of dreams. There is something mysterious in sleep which seems, from the earliest times, to have impressed man and aroused his curiosity. What philosophy of sleep sprang from the observation of this phenomenon, we do not know. But like all phenomena the causes of which are not obvious, sleep came, in the course of time, to be considered as the effect of the Divine agency and as something sacred.
Medieval theologians added to the reasoning of their predecessors a more careful, and to some extent more scientific, study of the phenomena of sleep; but they found no reason to depart from the moral principles contained in the writings of the Fathers.
St. Thomas Aquinas, summarizes the best teaching of schoolmen. To the query: Is divination through dreams unlawful? He replies: The whole question consists in determining the cause of dreams and examining whether the same may be the cause of future events, or at least come to the actual knowledge of them.
Dreams come from internal and external causes.
There are two kinds of internal causes that influence our dreams. One is animal, inasmuch as such images remain in a sleeping man’s fantasy as were dwelt upon by him while awake. The other is found in the body. It is indeed a well-known fact that the actual disposition of the body causes a reaction on the fantasy. Now it is self-evidence that neither of these causes has any influence on individual future events. Our dreams may likewise be the effects of a two-fold external cause. This is corporeal when exterior agencies, such as the atmospheric conditions or others, act on the imagination of the sleeper. Finally, dreams may be caused by spiritual agents, such as God, directly, or indirectly through his angels, and the devil. It is easy to conclude then what chances there are to know the future from dreams, and when divination will be lawful or unlawful.
Modern theologians, while profiting by the progress of psychological research, continue to admit the possibility of dreams supernatural in their origin, and consequently the possibility of dream-interpretation depending on supernatural communications. As to ordinary dreams, they readily grant that, because the imaginative faculties of man acquire sometimes a keenness which they do not possess otherwise, it is possible in such cases to conjecture with a certain degree of probability some future events; but in all other cases, by far the most common, it is useless and illogical to attempt any interpretation. As a matter of fact dreams are now seldom heeded; only the ignorant and superstitious ponder over the “dictionaries of dreams” and the “keys to the interpretation of dreams.” “As idle as a dream” has become a proverb expressive of the popular mind on the subject, and indicating sufficiently that there is little need nowadays to revive the laws and canons enacted in past ages against divination through dreams.
Dreams are channels of messages. People may interpret it the way they like. Dreams can bother people especially when dreams are bad. Dreams may inspire people too. Good dreams are meant to be realized.
In the scriptures, we read how God made use of dreams to convey his message. We read from the gospel of Matthew 1:20-21. “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Good dreams are made at home. Dreams too are realized at home. It is in a quality sleep that dreams are made. Families must have quality time for one another. A little child must find himself in the loving embrace of the mother and father when asleep. When a child feels secured and safe from his environment, he will have a good rest, a good sleep. The child will wake up morally boosted to realize the dream knowing that his parents are dreaming and working with him. The family can never be stripped from its role for a child to dream. The digital lifestyle must not steal this role from the family. If it does, dreams will forever be virtual. Peaceful sleep is necessary for a good dream. A good dream is inspirational.
I continue to encourage families and parents to give their children quality rest where they can sleep well, feel the security from their parents, and where they can dream well.
St. Joseph is a proof that dreams are important elements of life.
Last week, I woke up blessed. The music and the lyrics I dreamt were crystal clear. The first thing I did was to write the lyrics and record the music. It’s a country touch and baritone. Here is the lyrics.
In case you want to hear the music, you are invited to my concert, Marcsongs Christmas Concert for Sagada at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Dec.29.
Advent Light
I saw the light from the first candle of Advent.
I am reminded of my life.
So I close my eyes
and I saw Baby Jesus wink his eye. He said,
Chorus:
“Rend your heart” and feed your soul.
Dry the tears to see the sky.
There is the star to show you the way
You are beloved the image of God.
Follow the light and you’ll find your way
Follow the light. Oooooh Oooooh
Follow the light. Oooooh Oooooh
Repeat chorus
Coda
Reach me at [email protected] or at 0905-165-3669.
