March 29, 2024

There are many things that we don’t understand. After exhausting human intelligence and science we cannot still understand and explain. They are realities called mysteries.
Our profound silence will answer it for us. Deep silence is an essential part of faith.
We learn from prophet Isaiah 55:6-9, Seek the Lord while He be found, call Him while He is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked thoughts; let him turn to the Lord for mercy; to our God who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the Earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.
Our constant communication with God and his revelation in our deep communion will naturally and logically build our faith foundation and clear our vision and mission. The mysteries of life will naturally unravel answers from our profound and intimate communion which is actually prayer in the deepest sense.
Our constant prayer will not end in vain. Prayer builds our intimacy with God that will make our conduct always in conformity with the gospels.
The book of Psalm will affirm it, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18,“This is the essence of prayer and deep silence is prayer. We ask ourselves, “How often do we pray?”
Human actions and behaviors can be confronted with erroneous and scrupulous conscience. At one point, we fail or we fall. To prevent our life from such untoward incidents, we must always wed our conduct with that of the gospel. St. Paul writes to the Philippians and to us all, “Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Surely, it is an assurance that we are in the right direction, right relationship, right vision, and right mission.
Our capability to transcend our outlook in life and our core values will be our strength to understand people especially difficult people, the things and events around us.
Generosity can be misunderstood as having favorites or being unjust. We see the parable of Jesus in Matthew 20:1-16a. The last verse is strikingly powerful, “Are you envious because I am generous? Thus, the last will be the first and the first will be last.”
I thank those who donated guitars for our “Broken Guitar Project.” Three new guitars were donated by Jonel Malinias, two brand new guitars from Arnold and Jennifer Rimando for Aguid, two brand new guitars from Joan Acmor.
The learners from Baang, Madungo, Aguid, Tetep-an Sur, Tetep-an Norte, and Kilong are using the guitars. Rest assured that your donations are helping our youth in Sagada.
If you want proof, you are invited to join us in our daily live streaming mass at 6:30 a.m. The youth can already accompany our liturgy. It may not be perfect but at least from zero knowledge they now sing and play the instruments for the holy mass. Equally, it is a personal human development.
The Broken Guitar Project was born because of the church’s concern for the youth especially those suffering from boredom and those showing signs of anxiety and depression due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It started during the enhanced community quarantine. With God’s grace, 41 young men and women were the first batch of graduates.
The community saw the goodness of the project and they supported it and the learners increased. Eighty-three learners graduated for the second recital.
Sixteen learners from Aguid, Sagada comprise the third batch of learners. The barangay officials led by Punong Barangay Domingo Kelly appreciated the project and commended the church leaders for the sacrifice to teach and hone talents.
For now, I am hopeful that the bass guitar donations will be arriving soon for the continuing music training. We will be having the Broken Guitar Project IV to include drums, ukulele, bass guitar, keyboard, beat box, and other percussion instruments. Actually, we already had this in Kilong but other barangays are clamoring for more guitar lessons. Residents of Aguid are persistent. Let us not frustrate them.
We let the youth be involved in finding solutions to social issues by letting them participate in creative and innovative ways. Music, dance, and arts are creative ways that can attract their attention. These young people can be generous with their time, treasure, and talent if they are guided properly.
Reach me at [email protected] or at 0908-727-6735.