PONDO NG PINOY – 2 Homily of His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales during the Mass for the 2 nd Anniversary of Pondo ng Pinoy at La Salle Greenhills Gym on June 17, 2006 at 9:oo a.m.

There is a Chinese axiom that says “when you drink from a stream, always remember the source.” Every grace has a mission; as it is given, it leads to the giver. Or as the Book of Proverbs reminds “a gift opens the door to the giver and gains success to the great.” (Prov. 18:16)

PONDO NG PINOY is now two years old and as we have received much we are truly being led to the great. And as we remember to celebrate our giftedness we remember two features of PONDO NG PINOY.

PONDO NG PINOY as the Philosophy in life underlines the value and the power of the small. Within a culture that has been won over by the powerful and the great, most people, like the weak and the poor, have lost out in a global race where only those with long legs win. The big and the strong always won. That was the impression and the belief until Jesus Christ came to live with mortals.

No one is initiated directly into big crunch. In truth the wisdom of nature is based on the learning of the small. PONDO NG PINOY brings back that wisdom in little things, little steps, small bits and small bites that also have the power to feed even a potential giant. A practical mind inspires that when one gathers thin sticks he ends up with a very useful broom. A builder gathers innumerable gains of sand, and using cement, he binds the sand into strong building blocks.

The Philosophy of PONDO NG PINOY assures us that there is power in little movements (for) as long as they remain united. Thus anything --- be they forces of mind, threat of arms or the chains of greed --- that divides of keeps the small ones apart is regarded an obstacle to sufficiency and progress.

On the other hand, PONDO NG PINOY has a Theology of its own. We call it the Theology of the Crumbs. Crumbs --- little good acts ---are the building blocks of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said “the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed…” (Matthew 13:31). Small beginnings matter. Common place smiles make friends. The “reign of goodness” is defended by humble acts of kindness.

"The Kingdom of heaven is like a (pinch of) yeast mixed with three measure of flour…” (Matt. 13:33). In the domain of kindness no one ignores the influence of whatever is good.

"Come enter the Kingdom prepared for you, for I was hungry you gave me to eat, I was thirsty you gave me (a cup) to drink.” (Matthew 25:34-35). In the community (company) of God, His Kingdom, no act of compassion, goodness and love no matter how measly (petty) or small is overlooked.

"At the gate there was a poor man, Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with what fell from the rich man’s table.” (Luke 16:19 – [21]31).

The way to the Kingdom of Heaven is a path cluttered with so many powerful contrasts between the big and the small --- “the devil showed him kingdom of the world and their splendour,” and “bits of crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table.”

the strong and the weak;

the rich and the poor; (Rich man and Lazarus; the wealthy and the poor widow and her mite);

and the proud and the humble --- “The rich man: I am not adulterous, I pay this, I pay that; and the poor sinner praying ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’” (Luke 18:11-13).

As will slowly become obvious PONDO NG PINOY is not all about collecting money; it is not literally the gathering of crumbs, although it may tremendously translate into much gathered resources. The Holy Book tells us that it is “the humble who will possess and enjoy untold prosperity.” (Psalm 37:11).

But what PONDO NG PINOY is doing is transforming a community (of believers) into a family of people and individuals who have become persons with a vision of what they want to be --- men and women with fullness of life, believing in (and loving) a Triune God, witnessing to the Kingdom of God, living the test of Paschal Mystery, and with Mary as mother and companion, allowing no space, no room and neither an occasion for a poverty of life among them where the (poor) persons are denied the rights and the wherewithal of a dignified human person. (Deus Caritas Est, 20).

Two years after the Lord has inspired us to take the first step to become a Local Church that journeys with a vision --- with the destination of the pilgrimage still far --- but the path (is) sure, we can now pray the prayer of Jesus to His Father.

"Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I myself knew that you hear me always, but is peak for the sake of all these who are standing around me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me,” (John 11:41).

Our prayer is a prayer of thanks, because the Father has always listened to us as we pray. We have prayed (and made effort) not just for ourselves, but for others, especially for those who need gifts more, and those who need God most.

But PnP is not just a movement propelled by prayer.

PONDO NG PINOY is a “lived” prayer, a prayer that is alive in every participating member. It is a live, acting and working prayer, because every .25 centavo speaks “a plea,” a prayer to Jesus for the poor.

Unworthy as I am, but in the name of the Local Church in Manila, most specially in the name of Jesus, Lord and Saviour, thank you all for believing that small as our beginning, but relying on the power of the good, a holy and compassionate God has put on our way, we can still make it with others to the gates of the Kingdom.

God bless!

+GBRosales
PONDO NG PINOY-2
La Salle Grenhills
17 June 2006