| Brothers and sisters, thank you for giving time to read this BTB newsletter. This email letter is the only way to reach all of you to share thoughts, articles, opinions and experiences which may help to enlighten us on issues regarding life and spirituality. Sometimes topics may vary according to situations and timing to gather clearer point of understanding, not to invite you to take sides on matters, but to broaden and touch us to remind everyone of looking things in spiritual perspective, like in today’s topic I am about to share. May it be of my personal encouragement to attract some of us to reflect on the issue of my newsletter today?
Not only some or few people, but a majority is rude and cruel in giving opinions about the BLOCK 5 Street Children. Everybody can make their own opinion, in our democratic society; everyone is entitled to freedom of opinion and speech. For information, Block 5 Children are the very less fortunate little children of our community, and BTB is having program of catechizing them, a spiritual balance to counter evils in our society. As I say, remarks on the street children on judging them at their very young age are a sin. Let me explain, in the next passage;
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it?” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
The Scripture and the Children:
The scripture tells us that Jesus did not reject the children, He loves them, and revealed that the Kingdom of God is in them no matter what type of children they are, may it be children of rich or poor families, all are equal in the kingdom of God. The stern message in this gospel is the strong indication that Jesus is unhappy when you treat children basely. Actually, Jesus was preaching all around towns and villages, thus the situation and stature of people and families gives us the impression that economically, socially, and educationally, all are less. Therefore, it is a fact that people, especially children in those time and condition are “street children type” to compare today. The rebuking of the disciples of children is a clear indication that those children are “equivocally” street children.
Why do I am very particular of this scripture verse and the nature of children in this gospel? It is because street children are the subject matter of this gospel. It is here I take the basis that street children are to be respected, given care and attention, their nature and condition should be understood, and none of us has the right to say anything against them, curse them damnation. Examining further Mark 10: to in-dignify the children is a sin. The verse singled-out children as the picture and emulation of the Kingdom of God, at their young age, they possess the qualities of a pure of heart where none of us have, yet we’re the one who castigate them, very ironical!
To say hopeless things to the children is like saying hopelessness for you to the kingdom of God. It is the qualities of being pure you are against to, where Jesus imply that we should imitate in the children. Children have different natures according to their environments and families. We do not deny that the upbringing of a child reared by a good parent is far opposite with that of a parentless street child.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
But all child are the same, each one are born with all the capacities to achieve in life, only that potentials veer away with the different conditions and situations where each one were born, and their families crucial to their future.
Street children are a case in front of us. It is a litmus test if we are following Christ, a catalyst to separate us for being true or not. To praise Christ is to praise everyone he loves including street children. He said “love one another”, this command encompasses every creature on earth, no one is left behind, no one is marginalized, and everyone fits in the kingdom of God. I know many of us despise the children, I thought to consider that such act was our recklessness as humans, but think again, we are to be judged in the final day. I hope we’ll not forget that Jesus came down to save us whatever class or stature in the society we’ve been. If we cannot help the less ones amongst us, or have nothing to give them materially and positively, better not to use words that may hurt people doing their best to touch the lives of the depressed in whatever terms we can, just to make alive the “loving of one another”.
MORE GENEROUS BROTHERS AND SISTERS PLEDGING HELP TO BTB:
Good news, with the almighty knowing the great works Father Richard is doing in our small neighborhood, the BTB is gathering support from more generous people in our Parochial community that indicates our street children are getting more sympathy and attention to bringing them more hope and dignity. Bright future for our children is coming, I suppose that with more generous sponsors, education of our children is bringing us to life. We will maintain anonymous condition for our friends who came in contact and gave their words for support, we will let you know in the future newsletters whatever new developments and progress we’ve had with our sponsors.
Prayer:
O’ Lord, thank you very much for your kind eyes on us. You’re always keeping us safe at your side, bringing us hope in the midst of desperate situations, in times where we seem lost, where to gather strength in a flash of negative remarks from our friends in the program of BTB. We humbly submit ourselves to you, whatever talents and blessings you gave us, continue helping us , guide us with your Holy Spirit, grant us always patience, love, and perseverance among the trials we encounter each day. May you bless BTB and father Richard and the Street Children. Amen.
| |||||
The Ministry of Sharing and Spreading the Word of God
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
IS BLOCK 5 CHILDREN HOPELESS?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
TRUSTING ONLY TO GOD One afternoon, I was about to serve for my schedule as lay Minister, at the front gate of the church itself, as I was about to turn to, I was stopped by the Church guard, his face was mad and a bit angry, say these words “Sana mamatay na yang mga street children na yan!” hindi na magbabago yan! (I pray that those street children die!, they will not ever change!”) . Another sampaguita vendor beside conformed and uttered the same words to me. They know me that I am conducting BTB at my place, gathering the street children every Friday, and have program for them, planting Christ in their hearts. At a sudden thought, I don’t like to argue with them, I hold myself to say anything, but only said, “who’s fault?” because their statements meant to point at me. |
MY UNDERSTANDING OF SERVING GOD
We often asked ourselves, how can we serve God? Serving is “work”, fulfilling the faith we profess to the almighty, because faith without works, is dead.
James 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
In the verse above, I’d like to reflect on what really matters in the eyes of God, of who among us is really loving Him? Is just by saying Lord!, Lord!, Lord!, and I love you Lord, is enough? Or to believe and have faith in Jesus will save you?
Let me go to discuss with you my personal experience and understanding of serving our lord Jesus Christ, by bringing into action “Love one another” in our community. I am particularly bringing into view the “Breaking the Bread Ministry”, a small hand of God for reaching the poor young street children of Bago Bantay, specially the BLOCK 5. Out of knowing, I have never imagined in my life to be with the class of Street Children, never thought either to be with a BTB who’s concept is to tend the most hated, ignored, and rejected members of our community, I have never felt and realized the insults that not can only hurt any ordinary human beings, but to vilify them at their young and tender age, is a condemnation to rob them of their chance for a bright future in life. Instead of helping them, carve them to be productive part of our society, we turn to be instruments of their destruction. We play the role of multiplying the aches of our society by making the street children potential and future criminals in our own neighborhood. We continue to throw a blind eye at them, they’re hungry, homeless, parentless, sick, beggars, and their rowdy and rascal behavior is not their making, we maltreated them, our insensitive and inhuman ways with them is what had made them.
Are we following Christ? If we are sincere in our hearts of loving the Lord Jesus, we should follow His very words. In the case of children, we should be reminded of Matthew 18:2-6
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)
No matter what kind of child that might be in the scripture, surely I imagine a child seemingly the same as of our street children today, thinking that Jesus preaches in small towns and villages around. Not only that, a better example of a child in Matthew 18 is a child poorly in stature, a child even the apostles in Matthew 10:16 prohibited of coming to Jesus because these children might interrupt our Lord because of their poor and rascal behavior?
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
(Mark 10:13-16 ESV)
What is the matter with us when it comes to street children? I presume we outcast them because they have nothing to give us? We are good only to others whom we can have benefit for us? Is this what Christ teaches?
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 18:10 ESV)
In the gospel, Jesus have shown love to the children, are we not to follow Him? He strongly emphasized that children are clean and pure in heart and is a guiding example for all of us. Training them and teaching them about God and good things are for us.
We have responsibilities. Not only as parents to our own children, but to those children as well who’ve lost their parents, guardian, and obviously street children who roam the streets for food and shelter. Jesus spoke in parables of a good Samaritan, the prodigal son, the lost sheep, these are examples how God wanted everyone to be equally enjoined in His kingdom.
Why some are rich and others are poor? Why some are healthy and others are sickly? Why did God permitted so many things of good and bad in this world? I suppose in the middle of it, between the good and evil, there is the Word of God (scripture). We are given freedom, to fall to sin or not. In our case, the street children is a reality given by God, we have our children in our own families and God extended in our view the street children and other sinners. What’s the purpose? In our tributary of environment, God made a calculation that we can handle the less ones accordingly proportionate to our blessings from Him. To act, is the key point. To answer to the call is critical. Before any blessings comes to our lives, God already had made a preparation on whom you should share those blessings, making you instrumental in His ways. But in majority, we loss this sight. We fall to greediness, and not share those blessings. Not every blessing is about money or material things. Some of us blessed in different forms ;
1. health- to be physically able to reach the poor and do good things.
2. Compassion- to show love and kindness to the poor.
3. Prayer- to be meditative and prayerful for the less and sickly brothers.
4. Talent- to serve as part of his church growth and evagelization.
BTB has began and it will go forth the same as the Lord Himself commissioned His disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God in all the earth. We operate in our own personal resources of time, money and talents which we accept is limited. God’s plan as it is, He did not call others who are vast in resources to administer BTB? Perhaps those who are blessed so much didn’t hear the call? Remaining blind by the pleasure and wealth of this world? Or why others are not with us is because their blessings are used for social display only? Or maybe street children is not a good class ministry either?
We cannot change the behavior of street children overnight, we are with them only .60% percent only of their time, and 99.4% is still spent in the streets and their usual lives. But imagining the ratio, I calculate 90% of them have shown to us affection, love, respect, kindness, memory of God and prayers they brought home to their parents and within their usual environment. Their sense of belonging to the BTB have given them dignified feeling and recognition at last. Although changes were gained, but their rowdiness and misbehavior's’ is natural and innate in them before we stepped into their lives, a mountain of complexities and professional solution is not enough, because social balance in their lives at the beginning were already lost. We are not the solution, but God had shown love to the children, as in the gospel, His loving hand reaches to them through us, even we are weak, fragile in faith, and unworthy to be inside in His divine embrace to the children.
James 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
In the verse above, I’d like to reflect on what really matters in the eyes of God, of who among us is really loving Him? Is just by saying Lord!, Lord!, Lord!, and I love you Lord, is enough? Or to believe and have faith in Jesus will save you?
Let me go to discuss with you my personal experience and understanding of serving our lord Jesus Christ, by bringing into action “Love one another” in our community. I am particularly bringing into view the “Breaking the Bread Ministry”, a small hand of God for reaching the poor young street children of Bago Bantay, specially the BLOCK 5. Out of knowing, I have never imagined in my life to be with the class of Street Children, never thought either to be with a BTB who’s concept is to tend the most hated, ignored, and rejected members of our community, I have never felt and realized the insults that not can only hurt any ordinary human beings, but to vilify them at their young and tender age, is a condemnation to rob them of their chance for a bright future in life. Instead of helping them, carve them to be productive part of our society, we turn to be instruments of their destruction. We play the role of multiplying the aches of our society by making the street children potential and future criminals in our own neighborhood. We continue to throw a blind eye at them, they’re hungry, homeless, parentless, sick, beggars, and their rowdy and rascal behavior is not their making, we maltreated them, our insensitive and inhuman ways with them is what had made them.
Are we following Christ? If we are sincere in our hearts of loving the Lord Jesus, we should follow His very words. In the case of children, we should be reminded of Matthew 18:2-6
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)
No matter what kind of child that might be in the scripture, surely I imagine a child seemingly the same as of our street children today, thinking that Jesus preaches in small towns and villages around. Not only that, a better example of a child in Matthew 18 is a child poorly in stature, a child even the apostles in Matthew 10:16 prohibited of coming to Jesus because these children might interrupt our Lord because of their poor and rascal behavior?
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
(Mark 10:13-16 ESV)
What is the matter with us when it comes to street children? I presume we outcast them because they have nothing to give us? We are good only to others whom we can have benefit for us? Is this what Christ teaches?
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 18:10 ESV)
In the gospel, Jesus have shown love to the children, are we not to follow Him? He strongly emphasized that children are clean and pure in heart and is a guiding example for all of us. Training them and teaching them about God and good things are for us.
We have responsibilities. Not only as parents to our own children, but to those children as well who’ve lost their parents, guardian, and obviously street children who roam the streets for food and shelter. Jesus spoke in parables of a good Samaritan, the prodigal son, the lost sheep, these are examples how God wanted everyone to be equally enjoined in His kingdom.
Why some are rich and others are poor? Why some are healthy and others are sickly? Why did God permitted so many things of good and bad in this world? I suppose in the middle of it, between the good and evil, there is the Word of God (scripture). We are given freedom, to fall to sin or not. In our case, the street children is a reality given by God, we have our children in our own families and God extended in our view the street children and other sinners. What’s the purpose? In our tributary of environment, God made a calculation that we can handle the less ones accordingly proportionate to our blessings from Him. To act, is the key point. To answer to the call is critical. Before any blessings comes to our lives, God already had made a preparation on whom you should share those blessings, making you instrumental in His ways. But in majority, we loss this sight. We fall to greediness, and not share those blessings. Not every blessing is about money or material things. Some of us blessed in different forms ;
1. health- to be physically able to reach the poor and do good things.
2. Compassion- to show love and kindness to the poor.
3. Prayer- to be meditative and prayerful for the less and sickly brothers.
4. Talent- to serve as part of his church growth and evagelization.
BTB has began and it will go forth the same as the Lord Himself commissioned His disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God in all the earth. We operate in our own personal resources of time, money and talents which we accept is limited. God’s plan as it is, He did not call others who are vast in resources to administer BTB? Perhaps those who are blessed so much didn’t hear the call? Remaining blind by the pleasure and wealth of this world? Or why others are not with us is because their blessings are used for social display only? Or maybe street children is not a good class ministry either?
We cannot change the behavior of street children overnight, we are with them only .60% percent only of their time, and 99.4% is still spent in the streets and their usual lives. But imagining the ratio, I calculate 90% of them have shown to us affection, love, respect, kindness, memory of God and prayers they brought home to their parents and within their usual environment. Their sense of belonging to the BTB have given them dignified feeling and recognition at last. Although changes were gained, but their rowdiness and misbehavior's’ is natural and innate in them before we stepped into their lives, a mountain of complexities and professional solution is not enough, because social balance in their lives at the beginning were already lost. We are not the solution, but God had shown love to the children, as in the gospel, His loving hand reaches to them through us, even we are weak, fragile in faith, and unworthy to be inside in His divine embrace to the children.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
What a Catholic should be
Today, every catholic should be more as little better and different. Why? Because, there is as need, a need to be more of a quality Catholic. It means, enough to be of a simple, Sunday Church going Catholic, where daily life as a Christian is stagnant and boring, no progress, unproductive. So many of us are like that. We've been born and raised as Catholic by our parents and we don't mind any more of our obligations as faithful. What I'd like to do here is to encourage every one of us to start reading the Word of God. Let us grow as Catholics and understand why we are Catholics, learn the basics of our faith. Read a little everyday and by that, we'll be able to share our faith with other non-Catholics that many of these fallen away brothers of ours are under the shade of wrong view of our Church. To start, the following might be of help for all of us to make our life as Catholic happy and interesting.
1. Read the Bible. You can start and organized by having the daily Bible Reading of the Church.Read them, from 1st reading to 2nd reading, the Responsorial psalms, an the gospel reading of the day. Reflect on all o f them. Study each readings. Search, find the backgrounds explanations, and understand them. It is more better to relate the readings to your own life, how the Word of God speak to yourself.
2. Listen to Music. If you love music, and before your were listening to radio songs , try going to listen to christian songs. there so many stuffs out there of praise songs. Mostly there are Catholic song artists that are very good. In these, your time or day will be a day of praising and prayer.
3. Join church Ministries. To make yourself fully attached to God, join Ministries in your Church. In your spare time, be involved in the service, in this way, you will be full immersed to work and service to God. Join only one ministry, that depends in you also.
4. Join Bible Fellowship. For you to grow in the word of God, join study courses in your church.
These are some few things you can do. If you'll do these four things, you are already full. There are other so many things to do, it's up to you, you decide and create more for yourself. What is best for you is to enjoy being a Catholic.
1. Read the Bible. You can start and organized by having the daily Bible Reading of the Church.Read them, from 1st reading to 2nd reading, the Responsorial psalms, an the gospel reading of the day. Reflect on all o f them. Study each readings. Search, find the backgrounds explanations, and understand them. It is more better to relate the readings to your own life, how the Word of God speak to yourself.
2. Listen to Music. If you love music, and before your were listening to radio songs , try going to listen to christian songs. there so many stuffs out there of praise songs. Mostly there are Catholic song artists that are very good. In these, your time or day will be a day of praising and prayer.
3. Join church Ministries. To make yourself fully attached to God, join Ministries in your Church. In your spare time, be involved in the service, in this way, you will be full immersed to work and service to God. Join only one ministry, that depends in you also.
4. Join Bible Fellowship. For you to grow in the word of God, join study courses in your church.
These are some few things you can do. If you'll do these four things, you are already full. There are other so many things to do, it's up to you, you decide and create more for yourself. What is best for you is to enjoy being a Catholic.
Monday, February 22, 2010
LENT SEASON
LENT SEASON. This time, we should not forget the moment and suffering of our Lord Jesus, lent has started, this is a very special season to come close to God, and personally be with our saviour in His journey to redeeming us all. Life is all to be offered to God, for this is His, we do now own it, and as He offered His life for our redemption, we should now at this time let us offer the same to Him. Our Lord wanted us to be with Him in His heavenly kingdom, and He did all the suffering in the cross just because He loved us very much, and we are invited to be with Him to co-journey with Him, and share the love and forgiveness for us all. As Christians, disciples of Christ, we are bound to commit our life to Him, our God. Our salvation is a gift, and this is the time to be thankful to our Lord this gift of Love. At one moment, redirect our eyes to our Lord, and walk with Him this season. Make Easter be fully joyful through valuable time spent in the whole season of Lent.
Looking for You
He is looking for you. That's it, in many times of our lives, we have forgotten Him, we thought that we can go on with out Him. we take care of our own selves, thinking that we can survive trials and sufferings in our lives by our own. We can solve problems by ourselves, and we can get things done and go for success by our own. What we do not know, there is a silent partner in all the things we do with our lives. He makes things accomplish for you, and He made you safe up to this day, this very day and moment, He had taken cared of you. We can,t see Jesus, we can,t feel Him, that is because He was gone 2,000 years ago, but not away from us, because He had promised that He will be with us always. This is the Lent season, and is very timely to adore God this 4o day journey with the Lord in our quest for peace and satisfaction in each our lives. Jesus is just there beside us, looking at you, He makes constant reminder to let Him be part of your life. To feel Him, you will find Him in prayers, we need to be in touched with Him constantly in our lives. I invite you that in this season of Lent, take His hand, that had been reaching you ever since, walk with Him and tell Him how sorry you were of your sins. Now is the time to look for Him, for He had bee looking for you ever since.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Breaking the Bread in facebook
Breaking the Bread has new account in facebook, and all announcements, events, anything for discussion for spiritual upliftment is posted there. I hope that Breaking the Bread will become your choice to evangelize more of the word of God.
Friday, January 15, 2010
FIESTA EVENTS January 2010
January 17 is the day of the feast of our Sto. Nino Parish Shrine and many events has been prepared by the Parish and all the religious and social organizations of the Parochial area of Sto. Nino. Since, so many programs was held involving all church ministries and zone areas for the entertainment of the public and visitors. Some photos are here for showing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)