(Talk delivered by His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales at the First Saturday MAGPAS catechism on August 6, 2011 at 10:20 a.m. at the Paco Catholic School auditorium)

A wise man was once asked what is most important in life, and he replied, "Become that person who always wants to be '(Number) One.' Buong buong nag-iisa. To know less than one would leave the world with nothing-- (one minus one is zero); more than one would leave the world in pieces."( Dalawa na. So the integrity of the person is very very important.) There is only one real person that you must be. (ISA KA LANG! And you must pay attention as to what kind of person you must be.) Become that one person! And how important is that one person? He is the only explanation to how s/he should be in the next life. (What you are now that will you be in the next life.) No other individual can influence the making of the future of each one other than one's own self. In the end there is going to be no blaming (wala kang dapat sisihin.) When the final reckoning is reached, you cannot blame anyone. "Anyone will be judged according to the way in which he or she has lived" (Acts 20:13). (That's very clear from the Books of Acts. Ang nagtatala, ang scorer sa ating buhay ang siyang magsasabi kung saan ka patutungo.)

Thus the task of every person is to be what s/he, in the plan of God is destined to be! Fortunately, it is not the person who chooses what s/he should become, despite the fact that personally one may decide to be an engineer, a doctor, a lawyer, a philospher, a businessperson, a politician, and a religious, not even becoming a priest. (So what if I am a priest? So what if I am a businessperson or a cardinal? Hindi yan ang mahalaga. You know what? I will not be judged by God as a cardinal. Would you be judged as a mother?Or a teacher? Or a lawyer? Or a businessman? YOu will be judge by God by the way you were called to live. To become a certain kind of professional is very much the person's choice, but to become a human in the mind of the Creator, God, while imitating God's goodness and holiness, is a task imposed on every human being from the moment of creation. (Napakaliwanag po niyan sa bibiliya, nung sabihin ng Diyos, lilikhain natinang tao na kawangis natin, kamukha natin, inuulit ang kabaitan natin, inuulit para sa buong daigdig and kabaitan ng Diyos. This is the task. This is what God wants you to become. Hindi gusto ko maging abogado, gusto kong maging pulitika, gusto kong maging pari. tulong lang iyan. Hindi yaan. Alam niyo mga imbento lang iyan, eh. Ang talagang gusto ng Diyos ay ang bawat isa ay maging larawan ng Diyos. So become what you must become.)

All of us are given a universal vocation (a call) as human beings, and we are called "to repeat, to mirror" the goodness and love of God as human persons, living in this temporary abode called the planet Earth. (Upang ulitin, salaminin ang kabaitan ng Diyos.) "God created humans in the image of Himself, in the image of God He created him, male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27). The earth is man's temporary home; it is the place where we live and have our own livelihood (dito po tayo naghahanapbuhay. Dito tayo nabubuhay.) It is the place where we prove to the Almighty God that we can be "trusted with something more," and He can continue loving us, as He did from the very beginning (Ephesians 1:4). Pansamantala lang tayo dito at hindi dito ang tunay na hantugan ng tao.) To become instruments that will, as living symbols, of a compassionate God be bringing  goodness and love among humans, the person needs to be open to the Divine Transcendent, through prayer, through reading, through study. (Ahh, gusto niyong maging larawan ng Diyos? A,  pagaralan at kilanlin ang Diyos na ito.) No one earns the intimacy and friendship of another without frequenting or spending more time in the relationship with him or her. (Gusto niyong maging kaibigan? Aba, kausapin niyo. Mamalagi sa gusto niyong maging kaibigan.)

There is the accompanying intimacy with persons who mutually need each other, between persons, and also between God and human beings. (You want to be a friend of God? Frequent the presence of God. You want to listen to God? Makinig sa gustong sabihin ng Diyos.) "I call you friends because I have made to you everything that I have learned from my Father" (John 15:15). (Kaibigan tayo sapagkat wala akong sikretong itinatago sa inyo. Alam niyo bang paano maging kaibigan ng Diyos? Makinig. Makikita niyo, lahat pala ay inilalahad ng Diyos sa inyo. Walang sikreto ang Diyos. Basta magpakabait ka, mahal ka ng Diyos. Maraming sasabihin ang Diyos. Between friends there are revelations and sharing of knowledge, joys and sorrows. Thus the person that lives the mission to be God's human agent of goodness and love needs to be close to God, so greatly trusted by Him in order that without any hesitation (pag kaibigan ka ng Diyos walang takot) or fear s/he may be able to speak of divine goodness and love to another and live with similar holiness and kindness. (Pagnakaibigan ka ng Diyos, hindi ka magaatubiling ikwento ang Diyos sa ibang tao. Pag nakilala mo pala ang Diyos at alam mong mahal ka ng Diyos, hindi ka mahihiya, hindi ka matatakot, hindi ka magpapabukas na sasabihin mo, "Ganyan kabait ang Diyos!")

Skills in Making Friends
(Dito papasok ang mga kabataan).

Young people are skilled in making initial acquaintances even with near strangers and thus they are ready to share with relative ease whatever grace of kindness they learned from the Master, Lord Jesus Christ. (Alam mo ang kabataan madaling kaibiganin. Lalo na yung batang bata, ano? Sobra ang pagbubukas sa ibang tao.) The child, innocently, openly and without hesitation, will go even to a stranger. So, in other words, the property, the trait, the description of an open person would be the child. The question, "Master where do you live?" (Ginoo saan kayo nakatira? Inosenteng tanong ng batang lalaki). It is a question that conveys a message of initial search for friendship. (Dalawang disipulo, si Juan  ang isa na ito. Panginoon saan kayo nakatira?) And that question was rewarded with a life-time's love and disciple's commitment. The young disciples John and Andrew were once asked that familiarizing question along the river Jordan, "Master where do you live?" and the whole world was never the same after that question. (Hindi lang yung daigdig ni Juan at ni Andres, nung sabihin nila, "Saan kayo nakatira?" at sumagot si Hesus, "Halikayo tignan niyo.") And the world was never the same.

It only takes a little effort to express the tiniest quest and the result can be long lasting. Simple questions can sometimes become prying inquiries. "What is your name, where do you work? And the answers are given that can become introductions to a grace-filled future opening to more graces that can only recall both the icons of God and the presence of God Himself. (Maraming ganun. Kung minsan sa jeepney. Kung minsan din mapapahamak ka. "Ano, kumusta... pautang nga? Saan kayo nakatira... puede ba pari makautang naman.. Ganun yun.)

Great friendships and much love were born of questions that turned out to be quests. "Are you happy this way? (Masaya ka ba sa buhay mo? Uy, sa iyo ba ito?). These are questions that led to many vocations. Priests and consecrated persons, women who became nuns, young men who became priests, found their way into the consecrated state in this fashion. And, of course, many happy marriages also found their way to the altar through innocent questions that opened the quest for greater friendship. (Yung skills of making friends sa kabataan iyan.)

Relationship is the key to what people need to become the man or woman that God wants them to be. God Himself is three persons--Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Lover, Beloved and Love. Giver, Receiver and Gift. Don't you notice that these are three different roles. (Tatlong papel. Tatlong pakikitungo. Tatlong persona. Ang tanong ko ngayon..) Where do you find yourself now?Are you the GIFT today? Are you the GIVER today? If you are, then what have you given? "Kung mayroon kang naibigay ngayong maghapon, naging larawan ka nga ng Ama! Kung may napagkasundo ikaw dahilan sa pagmamahal, naging salaming ka ng Espiritu Santo. Kung may tinanggap ka ng buong puso, ikaw ang Anak. Ang tanong, Nasaan ka ngayon?)

Relationship is important because it alone defines one's role and identity in friendship, in love, in community, in family, even in worship. Before God, I am only a creature who needs to represent Him in all my community and doings. In the family one person may only be a child, or a parent, or a sibling. Relationship defines my task and responsibility.

The Need to Become Communicators

Important as relationship is, relating is only possible if there is communication between people because communication unites people in union and binds them in communion's sharing. In this manner the person in any society, in any congregation or family, needs both the skills and openness of a communicator because without basic communication, relationship is not possible. Communication. (Makitungo ka. Makipagkaisa ka.)

Many could have noticed how dialogue has strengthened relationship  (Makipag dialogo ka. Makipagusap ka sa kanya. Makipagkwentuhan ka. Masama ang loob, galit sa akin. Try to ccommunicate.)  Dialogue is the practice not only of exchanging ideas, but of sharing of interests and experiences. (Sa dialogo, magkukwentuhan.) In a mutual exchange a clear harmony is slowly identified binding the two individuals in the bond of common interests. An outgoing person easily makes friends and discovers relatives and acquaintances. (Alam niyo makipagkwentuhan ka at hindi magtatagal...Tigasaan ka ba? ... Ang lolo ko ay tiga riyan.. And you may find out that you are related. Ang daming gangyang pagkakataon, na makipagkwentuhan kayo... a netrwork of relationship. Iyan ay makikita natin sa pakikipagistoryahan, kwentuhan at bahaginang, makikita natin. Aba, kung hindi man magkaibigan, magkamaganak ay ang ating mga ninuno ay magkaibigan.) However, a reticent person (yung walang kibo, yung walang kwento) is  personality that dilly-dallies and loses many opportunities to make friends. A communicative person makes a lot of friends. Yung bukas kang makipagkwentuhan. Iba kasi bukas sa pakikapagkwentuhan kaysa daldalera. Hindi iyan ang katangiang hinanahanp natin kundi yung katangiang bukas magpa-alam, yung bukas na magbahagi, yung bukas na makinig. Eto po ang katangian ng communicator. These are the competencies that we are looking for. Competency in communication. Competency in relationship. Competency in opening to others. Eto po ang ugat ng ating sinasabi. Pag sarado ka hanggang doon ka lang. Kasama mo puro marurunong lang. Alam niyo limitado masyado ang kanyang daigdig. Kaya, in a sense, yung bukas ang kalooban, eto po and magaling maki-relate. Kanya ang ating modelo rito ay para ring Ang Santisima Trinidad. Bukas ang Ama sa sinasabi ng Anak. Bukas ang Anak sa ibinibigay ng Ama. At ang spiritung pinagkakaisa sila. Ang modelo talaga ng buhay natin ay ang tatlong persona sa iisang Diyos. Lahat ay nakikinig sa isa. Hindi nalalamangan ng Anak ang Ama ay hindi nalalamangan ng Ama ang Anak, ang ang spiritung pinagkakaisa sila. Ang modelo talaga ng buhay natin ay ang tatlong persona sa iisang Diyos. Eot po ang competency na sinasabi natin. Dapat maalam ang nagsasalita tungkol kay Kristo, maalam siya, marunong makisama, makibahagi, relating and communicating.

One foreign missionary who for many years worked in our part of Mindanao is known to be "estoryador kaayo" ... na nag-mission dun sa amin. At talagang istoryador. Isang araw siya ay nagpunta sa bahay at balita na talaga ito na walang tigil na kakakwento. Sabi niya, "I'll pass the night with you, Bishop." "Okay." Naku, eto na nga. After dinner, alas-siyete po  ang aming hapunan dun sa Mindanao. Alam niyo nailigpit na lahat ng pagkain, nalinis na nung katulong. Alam niyo hanggang ala-una ng umaga nagkukuwentuhan kami dun sa la mesa. Talagang istoryador. Hindi ako nilubayan ng taong ito.) But the friends he left behind had phenomenal memories of that missionary's ministry. He knew what simple but sincere communication is and thereby he left behind living memories of his friendship. (Pag may tao palang ganun, hindi mo siya malilimutan. Now almost 30 years after I still remember him. Ganyan po ang taong sinasabi sa atin. The young... and now the old... must be people of competence. Ang competence na iyon sinasabi natin  isa sa mga skills yung marunong makitungo, relate and commune, makipagkaisa sa pamamagitan ng istorya. So ito po ang mga hinihingi sa tao na maaaring magsalarawan ng kabaitan at kabanalan ng Diyos. Lumipat tayo sa the need for character. Dapat ang tao na ito ay magsasalarawan ng character.)

The Need for Character.

The person God chooses to exist and thus capable of imaging His goodness and holiness is a person who in his own self and person possesses moral excellence and an adherence to what is right. (Yung tao palang di karakter ay yung merong moral excellence. Nakatataas ang kanyang pagpapakilala na kilala niya't niyayakap ang mabuti at iniwawaksi ang masama. Mataas na antas ito para maging karakter.) This challenge or rightfully called the mission of man, but there are some who distinguished themselves in this role of being excellent persons and moral examples of life. (Yung mga taong napakataas ang pagpapahalga sa kabutihan at pagwaksi ng kasamaan, ito pala ho ay mataas ang antas bilang tao.) Our Lord Jesus Christ cited on one occasion the kind of person who was clsoest to Him, John the Baptizer. (At ano ang kanyang description sa ganitong taong may moral excellence?) I-quote natin sa salita ng Panginoon. "What did you go out into the desert to see? (Ano ang inyong pinagmironan dun sa disyerto?A reed shaken by the wind? (Tambong hinahampas ng hangin. May laman ang sinasabi ni Jesus. Ano bang klaseng tao itong si Juan. Ito ba ay parang tambong na kung saan umihip ang hangin ay dun? He is describing a man of character. Kung saan ang takbo ng pulitika doon? Kung saan takbong ng negosyo doon? Don't be imprisoned by the words that you say. What kind of a person?) A man dressed in fine clothes? A man living luxuriously in royal courts? A prophet? (Sabi niya mas higit pa sa propeta! t sinabi niya, pinakamataas siya sa uri ng mga propeta). He is more than a prophet!" (Luke 7:25-26) Character is defined by one's moral excellence and total adherence to what is morally right, not so much for what he says but for what he is.

Character is not caught in the air. (Ah, may character yang taong iyan para bang tape na ilalapat mo sa kanya. You give him a tag.) A person grows into the stature of moral excellence (dahan-dahan lumalaki iyan sa kanyang stature, antas) How? By laboriously cultivating healthy thoughts and ideas and doing so, the ideas rightly ripens into an act. Yung iniisip niya magiging gawa. The person knows that the repeated good acts mature into a habit (ulit-ulitin mo yang ginagawa mong mabuti, magiging ugali iyan, at ang ugali ripens into virtue; virtue will eventually be crowned by Character, and iultimately [possessed by destiny). As the saying goes, Plant a thought, reap an act. Plant an act, reap a habit. Plant a habit, reap a character. Plant a character, reap a destiny.

Pag may character ka ikaw ang yayakapin ng iyong destino. That's why you will ultimately be possessed by destiny.

A strong character earns steadfastness because of the assurance that what is right it seeks, and what is wrong it rejects. For the man of character there not any middle way between right and wrong, neither even when there is the promising compromise of some gain. (Hindi maaaring mapagitna ang taong may karakter). It's either right or wrong. What is right is right; what is wrong is wrong. "All you need to say," Jesus Christ said, "is yes, if you mean Yes, No, if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One" (Matthew 5:37).  Ganun ang description ni Hesus sa taong may karakter. Hindi maaaring mamangka sa dalawang ilog. Pumili ka. Yes or No. Good or Bad. Holy or Evil. Sabi ni Jesus, huwag kang pagigitna.)

Also an important part of building and sustaining a strong personal character is the regular practice of self-denial. (Hindi pala ito maaari na haligapin mo siya sa hangin. Hindi. Dapat pala sinasanay ang sarili sa pagpigil, sa sakripisyo. Self denial). Mnay times young people are satisfied with simply doing one's best in helping others, forgetting the role of self-sacrifice and the practice of discipline of self and one's desires. (Kung minsan ang kabataan... ah, nagawa ko na ito, eh. Ummm, no. Sinunod ko na ang sinabi ni teacher. No. Sabi ni Nanay ganun. No. Sabi ng pari, No. Dapat may pagsalungat sa sarili. Dapat may practice ng self-sacrifice. Dapat mayroong disiplina. Kita niyo ngayon, ang hamon sa atin, higit pa sa ibinabalita sa dyaryo.) Remember the remark of the disciples to the Lord Jesus that they were not able to repel the evil spirits away: and Jesus replied that some spirits can only be driven out by the discipline of prayer (Mark 9:29).  Hindi sapat ang bendisyon. Sabayan mo ng disiplina ng panalangin.

Konsensiya ang sabi dito but I am putting it in another way.

Modeling God's Goodness, One looks at God. But if you are witnessing to God's holiness, the person listens to God.

It is obvious that no one can image God without looking at and experiencing the goodness that a loving God is in my personal life, in my family life and in my friends. To witness to this God of love who is love Himself, one must listen to God first. (Pakinggan mo ang Diyos. Saan mo mapapakinggan ang Diyos?) Listen to His Word (Salita ng Diyos). Study His revelations (Pag-aralan mo ang kanyang pagsisiwalat ng kanyang sarili, sa libro? Hindi! Sa creation muna. Sa kanyang nilikha. Hindi mo ba makikita ang panginoon Diyos sa sinag ng araw or paglubog nito sa takipsilim. Yung kislap ng mga tubig niya sa mga batis, yung ganda minsan ng langit sa umaga, yung sari-saring hugis ng alapaap. Sa patak ng ulan. Sa pagtubo ng halaman. Ang kaberdehan ng damo. Ang kaasulan ng kalawakan. Sa pagasayaw ng mga hayop.

I'll tell you what. Ito personal ko.. 20 years ago. I was making a month's retreat with my companions in Malaysia. Mga 30 pari kami run coming from different countries. Nagkaroon kami ng tinatawag na desert day. It's a one day of going around, wala kaming pagkain maghapon kundi tinapay, tubig, saging. And we go back in the evening. Napadpad ako sa isang gubat. At nakaupo at nagbasa. Humahangin. Alam niyo yung bang mga dahon gumagalaw. Talagang nagsasayaw sa harap mo. Yun lamang mga dahon na iyon... Siguradong nandito ang Diyos! Sabi ko, Diyos ko huwag kang magtago diyan, magpakita ka nga sa akin! Hindi nagpakita ang Diyos nguni't nagparamdam sa akin. Yung bawat kibot ng halaman... Diyos ko nandiyan ka, alam ko! Nagtatago ka, pero damang dama ko. This is what I mean. You want to be intimate with God, listen, mention, witness, observe, take Him, in the way He shows himself, hiding in creation. Pag hindi mo nadama iyan, anong klaseng Diyos ang kilala mo? Kundi yung nakasulat, nakatitik lang sa... Ito ba ang Diyos mo? Na diyan mo lang makikita, sa bibliya? Ay angaw angaw pang panahon, hindi pa natutong sumulat ang mga tao, ang Diyos ay nagpapakita na sa atin, sa pamamagitan ng kalikasan. And then you say you want to be a witness of God? Why wait for this paper? Gayong madidinig at madarama natin ang Diyos sa ating kapaligiran. Later, then you can study God in the Bible. Mas matagal na ang panahon na walang Bibliya, kaysa sa panahong nagkaroon ng Bibliya. At huwag mong sasabihin sa akin na ang Diyos ay hindi nagpapakilala nung wala pang Bibliya? No way! Ang Diyos ay dapat makilala sa ating kapaligiran. Sa biyaya at maging sa mga nahihintay katulad ng mga payak na tao, yung mga naghihirap na mga tao, mga nagugutom na mga tao, mga pobre. God is there.)

Above all, the Christian believer needs to listen to Jesus, ngayon may Hesus na, ang salitang nagkatawang tao, the Incarnate Word of God. In so doing, any person can be that much sensitive that s/he may detect God's presence in this world and life. God is present in His creation.

The person of any belief or even without any acknowledged belief, hears and listens to God at any moment that He communicates with any human person. For God acquaints every person to the goodness or lack of goodness related to the behavior and conduct of each person. Nagpapakilala ang Diyos sa kabutihan na nararapat mong gawin at kund saan nagaakit sa iyo ang masamang hindi mo dapat gawain. Kapatid, dito mo unang matatagpuan at makikilala ang Diyos.

How close can a human person come to God in one's conscience is shown in the episode when Adam after having disobeyed God hid from Him. Even in the moment of escape and hiding, God was pursuing the fallen man. Gaano kalapit ang Diyos sa tao. Kapatid babanggitin natin. Parating katabi natin ang Diyos, kahit sa mga sandaling tayo ay lumalayo sa kanya. Yaan ang ganda ng konsensiya. Where are you Adam?, sigaw ng Diyos dun sa Paraiso. Ano ang sagot ni Adan. "I heard the sound of you in the garden ... I was afraid... I was naked ... I hid" . "Takot ako. Hubad ako. Nagtago ako." And Yahweh answered, "Who told you that you are naked? ... You must have disobeyed!"(Genesis 3:1-13). (Yung pag-uusap na iyon nagpapatala sa atin na may konsensiya na bumabagabag kay Adan. Nagtatago.Natatakot.) This is the reason why people who do not look up to Jesus, the love and the pardon of a loving Father, do such foolish things and violent acts after committing a fall like harming themselves (suicide) or hurting others (murder). (Palawakin ninyo ang pagninilay sa mga nababasa niyo ngayon. Bakit nagpatiwakal ang tao? Eto... binabagabag ng konsensiya. At ang konsensiya po ang tinig ng Diyos. Una pa iyan kaysa Bibliya. Hindi pa naimbento ang Bibliya, may konsensiya na ang tao. Kayo tignan mo si Adam nagtatao, natatakot.)

Man is always with the reach of God's voice, which is older than the Bible. The teaching of the Church on the matter remains a beautiful and kind reminder to all in one's personal, social and public life. And now I am going to quote straight, word for word, from Gaudium Et Spes, ang turo ng simbahan bagay sa konsensiya ninyo, konsensiya ko, konsensiya ng lahat. I am not going to add, or comment in anyway. No more. Wala nang komentaryo. Babasahin ko lamang ang turo na simbahan.

"Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, tells him inwardly at the right moment: do this, shun that, avoid that. For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. His dignity lies in observing this law, and by it he will be judged. His conscience is man's most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is along with God whose voice echoes in his depths. By conscience, in a wonderful way, that law is made known which is ffulfilled in the love of God and one's neighbor" (G.S. 16).

Walang makatatakas. Ito daw ang kaloob-looban ng puso ng tao. Konsensiya.

Conscience reaffirms what Jesus taught that the highest form of imaging the goodness and holiness of God is through the witnessing to a life lived in love and lived for the love of God and for others. Young and old people who volunteer to serve in the missions, people who serve the very poor, people who teach, people who promote the goodness that can be shared with sick and the helpless are people who best reflect the image of a loving God. What more do we think that people who love God can still offer to God and others? One of the most inspiring stories of people who image the compassion of a merciful God was told by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. (Dito ko po wawakasan ang pakikipagbahaginan ko ngayon.)

"Our friend Punjabi girl is in terrible pain, when I saw her she was crying loudly. I left when her mother came. Let us pray much for her. I wish I could suffer more spiritually if this would give her relief. (Isang mayamang babae nagiiyak.) What a contrast between the rich and the poor. My people in Kalighat are living martyrs and yet not a word. A young boy suffered horrible pain. At last he said he was sorry to die because he had just learned to suffer fo rlove of God?" (Blessed Mother Teresa, COME, BE MY LIGHT, p. 180).

Naintindihan niyo? Tatagalugin ko. Dun daw sa Puinjabi, mayamang lugar may isang babaeng dalagitang grabeng sakit. Sa sakit nagsisisigaw. Nandun si Mother Teresa,dumating na at umalis at magdarasal kung ang dasal ay makakatulong. Samantala dun sa Kaligat naman, isang lugar na napakadukha ay mayroon din isang binatilyo naman, pobreng pobre, mamamtay. At ang sabi nung bata ay, hindi sumisigaw pero ang sabi, pinagtapat kay Mother Teresa, alam kong ako ay mamatay. Ako ay nagsisisi, nalulungkot na ako ay mamatay. Bakit? Sapagkat, babago ko pong natutunan ang magtiis ng sakit sapagkat nadamang magmahal sa Diyos.

+G.B. Rosales
August 06, 2011