parishworks! 1Vol. 08 No. 48 Mar 23, 2013

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My Most Treasured MomentBy Claire Padilla

As a religious worker there are some things that you have to give up like personal appointments, family gatherings, some social obligations, etc. Needless to say for me there’s joy in serving, those are immaterial considering the blessing that we obtain from it. It is just a payback for all the graces that we have received and offer our thanks that he protected us and guided us in

The Cross on Calvary, A Challenge?By Glo V. Pineda (Education Ministry Chair, 2005-2011)

Beneath the cross on Calvary hill more than two thousand years ago, there stood Mary, the mother of Jesus; his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas; Mary Magdalene; and John the beloved disciple, weeping, praying, and suffering in silence.

What events led to this Cross? Do all Christians know and understand the meaning of this wooden cross, or are some of us, being the modern day addressee by Cleopas, a disciple of Jesus, as narrated in Luke 24:18, as “Are you the only resident (Christian) of Jerusalem who does not know the things that went on these past few days?”

The birth of a baby boy on a stable in a town called Bethlehem (Luke 2:7) two thousand years ago started the trail on the road that ended on a hill called Calvary. It is a story that continues to unfold till this very day for this cross became meaningful in God’s plan for His people.

The Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 21: 22-23, narrates that for the Jews, the crucified was cursed by God, the crucified was justly punished for his sins.

Loved Sinners By Susan Amoroso

“We are loved. Even before we were born we are already loved. Even when we hurt God and hurt our neighbors, we are still loved. God continues to love us even when we are sinning. We are still being blessed by God even if we sin. We are loved sinners. ‘’

Monsignor Chito Bernardo, the beloved former parish priest of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish (SAAP) gave a wonderful reflection on God’s love for us sinners last Thursday, March 21. He is conducting the three-day Lenten Recollection of SAAP on March 21-23, 2013.

“Even at the point of death we can ask Jesus to forgive us. Jesus ‘ love for the sinners is embodied in his most sacred heart, in his divine mercy,’’ the Monsignor said.

“When you confess your sins, count your blessings first.’’

The Monsignor centered his talk on the theme “faith received, faith shared.’’ According to him faith is a gift that we must share as Catholics because we have received it, owned it, treasured it , and most importantly felt it .

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Loved Sinners... from page 1

My Most Treasured Moment... from page 1

all our undertakings. Notwithstanding the pressure and stress, happiness always engulfed me everytime I serve. How time flies unknowingly it’s been quite a time that I devoted myself to religious works, and I’m so grateful I was given the chance to serve as a greeter.

We had a team building Seminar last March 9, 2013 with Emma Entao supported by Ms Lui Magpayo of AGC. It was a big quorum through which almost all the greeters were present. At the end there was an open forum with a question that runs like this “What is the happiest moment in your life that you treasure most?” Almost everybody shared their own happy moment. I have something in my mind but I have to keep it to myself. I raised my hand and said, I use to give presents to my children on special occasions but now that they are all grown up, I am so happy to receive a bouquet of flowers from them during my Birthday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas. I treasured this moment, why? Because they know that I love flowers and it makes me happy whenever I receive flowers.

Receiving flowers is only secondary; my most treasured moment was when I decided to dedicate myself to be one of the Greeters. To serve the Lord is one moment that I always keep in my heart. It is a treasured moment. I feel that the Lord is within my grasp, I feel strong, worry free and most of all healthy. God is so good to me. He placed me in a situation that even bundles of money can’t buy.

I’ve experienced so many trials in my life, when I offered them to God his grace turned them into something beautiful. How can we deny God? He is the only one who can understand us, who can forgive us and who can guide us.

Brothers and sisters no life is more secure than a life surrendered to God. Our lives are short; we can never tell when our Father will summon us into His fold. While there’s still time we have to give our best not only in serving but also in helping others especially the needy. There are so many ways of showing that we love Him, trust Him, the choice is yours.

Faith is a personal encounter with God.

Monsignor Chito disclosed that most Catholics have not shared their faith because they themselves have not felt and lived it. The personal encounter with God, the personal journey with Jesus is not there. There is no deepening of faith. Most of us associate the faith only with the sacraments and the rituals like going to mass and baptizing our children. “We have sacramentalize our faith.’’ he lamented.

According to him, if all the 85 million Filipino Catholics in the country go to Sunday mass, the local churches will not be enough to accommodate all church goers. Unfortunately, this is not true. Only some 35 percent attend mass. Secondly, most Catholics have only “ hand me down faith.’’ Because they can not share what you do not have.’’

He said most Catholics associate God with fear and punishment . This is a result of improper teaching or evangelization by their Catholic parents and Catholic

institutions like schools.

He explained: A child’s first encounter with his faith is with his parents. “Ang unang mukha ng Diyos ay mukha ng magulang.” Parents are the first important image of God, the incarnated God.’’ Parents must be the first to give the child the proper understanding of faith. Parents must teach their children that God is a God of love and forgiveness, not a God of fear and punishment. The year of faith is an invitation to experience and discover a new meaning of faith.

“We need to pray to have that powerful personal encounter with Jesus, making oneself a disciple, accept Jesus as our personal savior, to be born-again, ’’ he said.

“Faith is the beginning of eternal life. We are divinized when we become men and women of faith. When we receive Jesus in holy communion, we are in the process of divinization. Faith and good works bring salvation. We have nothing to fear if we live the faith,’’ he continued.

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Cross on Calvary, a Challenge?... from page 1

In the Greco-Roman world, crucifixion was reserved for rebellious army officers, hardened criminals and runaway slaves. The cross, for them, meant not only a cruel death but also a sign of social disgrace.

In the course of Jesus’ public ministry, according to the Gospel of Matthew 16:24, Jesus told His disciples: “If a man wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and begin to follow in my footsteps.”

Such doctrine was “subversive” to the Roman empire that those who advocated it suffer the cruel death that the world had for them.

Fr. William Bauch in his book, The Word In and Out of Season, remarked that “for Christians we have a tendency to read it as an extreme statement. It seems to be an advertisement: “Come, join our faith and suffer! Actually Jesus is giving us the common sense wisdom of human life. If you want to follow a medical or engineering or legal career, you must deny too many nights out on town, take up the cross of vigorous study and follow the teacher. What Jesus is saying therefore, is an insight of life itself: there are no free rides. No crosses mean no growth; no pain, no gain, as they say.”

During the wilderness sojourn of the Israelites in biblical times (Numbers 21:4-9), “Moses, upon Jesus’ instructions mounted a bronze serpent on a pole, and if anyone who had been bitten by a snake looks at it, he will recover.”

John, Chapter 8:28; 12:32-33, states that “On the Cross, the Son of Man is raised up.” For John, in the cross itself, Jesus is triumphant.

Jesus likens himself to the bronze serpent effigy. Just as people then were healed from the poisonous venom of the snakes and had their lives restored by focusing at the bronze figure, so too people of all times will be healed from the scourge of death and will be granted eternal life by believing in the Son of Man lifted up on the Cross.” (The Gospel on the Cross p. 67, by Fr. Gil Alinsangan, SSP)

Jesus died by crucifixion. God chooses the cross, a symbol of death where criminals and political offenders were executed, as the instrument of salvation.

The suffering and death of Christ on the cross gives us an insight on the breadth, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love. At the foot of the cross, Christians received the grace of a true sense of sin within the experience of God’s forgiving love in Christ Jesus.

Catechism teaches us that it is not the very sufferings and death of Christ that saved us, for this would make His torturers and executioners our saviors. Rather, we are saved by Jesus’ perfect self-giving love His Father and for us, a love lived out to the death.

The cross of Jesus is a challenge for you and me. The cross means to lay down one’s life so tat others may have it to the full.

The cross is not a decoration. It is not something we use as an earring or nose ring. It is a sign of a radical way of living that demands making choices.

It is a Call.But remember, there is the promise, “Whoever loses

his life for my sake with find it.” (Mt. 16:25)

Youth Lenten Recollection - March 20, 2013. Speaker: Jan Carlo M. Silan

(Former MoAS Coordinator, now a Light of Jesus Community preacher and

Makati Feast Builder)

Congratulations to the sixteen graduates of PREX Batch 33-2013. The

three-day (March 15-17, 2013) Parish Renewal Experience (PREX) was

successfully conducted by Monsignor Dennis S. Odiver, the indefatigable

beloved pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish (SAAP).

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Coordinator Matthew Lizares Parish Works Staff Managing Editor: Susan Amoroso Web Editor: Emilio Medina Writer/Contributor: Jennifer Reyes Photographers: Ann Lopez, Irene Gonzales, Noemi Sta Anna, Rio Angeles Graphic Artist: Jessica Samantha Lim Bulletin Board Editor Harley Dave Punzalan Powerpoint Coordinators Ellie Medina, Ging Santos, Vince Eduard Reyes, Mria Rhea Pia Libao, Leomar Alvarez, Jorge Gomez Jitomo II, Jenila Yadao SAAP Facebook Admin Karen Ann Phoa

Contributors:Glo Pineda, Claire Padilla

Spiritual AdvisorRev. Msgr. Dennis Odiver

PublisherSt. Andrew the Apostle ParishN. Garcia St. cor. Kalayaan Ave.Bel-Air II, Makati CityPhones: (632) 890-1796 / 890-1743 media@saaparish.com

Parish Works is the official weekly newsletter of Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish.

Sunday Mass Schedule 6:30am - Filipino

8:00am - English 9:30am - English 11:00am - English 12:15n.n - English

3:30pm - Filipino 5:00pm - English 6:30pm - English 8:00pm - English

Answer key: 1) Beat, Beard; 2) Slave, Death; 3) Flogged; 4) Crucifixion;

5) Beating

Puzzle CornerMarch 24, 2013 - Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord . Readings: Isaiah 50:4-7 / Psalm 22 / Philippians 2:6-11 / Luke 23:1-49By: Karen Ann Phoa

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1. “I gave my back to those who _ _ _ _ T A B E me, my cheeks to those who plucked my _ _ _ _ _ D E A R B; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.”

2. “Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a _ _ _ _ _ E V L A S, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even _ _ _ _ _ T H E A D on a cross.”

3. “So no capital crime has been committed by him. Therefore, I shall have him _ _ _ _ _ _ _ L O G E G D F and then release him.”

4. “With loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N X O I U C R C I I F, and their voices prevailed. The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.”

5. “When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home _ _ _ _ _ _ _ T N I G E A B their breasts; but all his acquaintances stood at a distance, including the women who had followed him from Galilee and saw these events.”

Holy Thursday (March 28)6:00 a.m. Mass of Chrism (San Fernando De Dilao Church)5:00 p.m. Thursday of the Lord’s Supper6:30 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration

Friday of the Passion of the Lord (March 29)12:00 p.m. The Seven Last WordsBy: Rev. Fr. Hans D. Magdurulang

3:00 p.m. Celebration of the Lord’s Passion Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross andHoly Communion6:00 p.m. Solemn Procession

Holy Saturday (March 30)9:00 p.m. The Easter Vigil in the Holy NightMass of Vigil

Easter Sunday (March 31)4:30 a.m. Salubong5:00 a.m. First Easter MassRegular Sunday Mass Schedule6:30 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m.12:15 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.