I am in LST library (Fr. Ralph Gehring Library; Sorry if there are no photos - sunod lang). Trying to think-think-think! I am not here actually for that purpose. I am suppose to get something and return a book (FYI - the book is The God Delusion). Well, I was not able to get that "something" and I forgot to bring the book - why did I forget? Mama Mia!
So, I am here stuck-up and thinking of Who? Well, Who is a Volleyball player so, those who are close to me, or those who are fed up listening to who I am thinking already know this person. I spend almost 10hours yesterday just viewing her photos - obsessed! And you may want to ask why did I re-vive or restore? or use my blog again? well, she has one. So I guess I better do the same. Well, I was actually reading hers and I out of sheer coincidence (wee di nga?) decided (tignan mo coincidence ba yan?) to use my old blog again. By the way to those who would unfortunately read my blog I have 20 excellents posts before; I deleted it, it was actually well commented. Bravo for me! I had this "topak" before even up until now (obvious ba?). The truth is I already gave up on blogging that is why I deleted it but for some reasons (obviously not out of the quality) I saved the first five articles of the blog. It is what is left of before so better keep it. And may I make my defense for the Pentateuch of my blog. It is like this post not well written and similarly to egoistic, self-centered but it was my first "writtings". You are actually reading my first 'Masterpiece' although it's not!
Back to this Who? well, see she made a whole lot of difference in my life. Tama ba? She don't know me. She's some popular chic in the school. I am just another student but she made me write again. Well she did not made me self-centered again. I am so she did not.
This who... whoever! You may not read this because you don't have the time or you don't waste your time reading another person's blog but I still have a message for you: You are cute. Di ba? You hear that all the time and I say that to almost every girl I met but this time its different not because I have feelings for you. But because your cute, you just fashioned a new spirituality for me and I thank you.
So, this may serve an Introduction to my new blog. This will serve as an archives for my LST works no matter how bad it is. But I won't post my first assignment in Liturgical Inculturation! (Hindi niyo rin naman babasahin eh!)
To all my friends: Let's blog! Kahit atin atin lang! Blogging it's not about eloquence - it's about expression!
God bless!
and have a nice day!
My goodness! Mama Mia!
Kagandahan
Minsan gusto mo dito
Friday, July 01, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Our Choice: Moses or Korah?
Korah, a Levite, together with 250 Israelite leaders protested against the appointment of Aaron as priest. They rebelled against Moses. For they believed that he and the whole Jewish community needed not the spiritual leadership of Moses, and why he and Aaron should assume it? It is Korah’s intention to attain priesthood for himself for he like Moses and Aaron a descendant of Levi, a rightful heir to priesthood. Dathan and Abiram like Korah refuses to recognize Moses as the leader of the Jewish community for his promise was in vain, that they should have reach by then the a land flowing with milk and honey. After Moses had warned them the earth trembled and swallowed the rebels. Some Commentators would suggest that Psalm 106 would tell us: “When they became envious of Moses in the camp, and of Aaron, the holy one of the Lord[1].” This for the psalmist and some commentators is the reason of their upset in Moses. But was it?
Commentators agree that Korah was a well versed man, eloquent in speech, and that he was able to attract Israelite leaders to follow his lead. He was unsatisfied with the leadership of Moses and he sought it. In addition he was disappointed not to inherit the priesthood that should have been his. At first glance or read we could sympathize with Korah’s ill feeling toward Moses and Aaron. But was it? Nachamanides disagree, this may sound true or it may be, but in context, this was the time when Israelites were already confused, they were still in the wilderness and they are having difficult life there, the spies have returned and all of them except two gave a negative report on the lands. This was an opportunity for Korah to seek and claim power from Moses. Together with Abiram and Dathan, Korah wanted to mislead the people by accusing Moses of deceiving them.
Ne(c)hema Leibowitz gave a different opinion on this matter. She said there are two kinds of disputes: first is the pursuit for Heavenly or good cause, her example was Hillel and Shammai (the two leading rabbis of the 1st century[2]), their discussion was for the good of their community, and another good example of this is done in Sr. Helen Graham’s class in Pentateuch. Korah’s dispute on the other hand falls on the second kind – a selfish dispute. He did not seek the good of the community rather he smeared Moses, claiming that he is not at all needed as leader of the community. He tried to create a division in the community.
“You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?[3]” We may agree that if God is with us who needed a leader? If God is with us therefore we are holy. What is the need of Moses? Do we need a mediator, when we are ourselves are holy?
As articulated, Korah claimed that holiness is an inherent quality of members of the community but not to be aspired. However, as Yeshayahu Leibowitz, an Israeli philosopher contends: holiness is the objective of a life lived in relationship to God and God’s will. A path set before them.[4] Holiness therefore is not something you gain because you are a Jew or Christian, it is not claimed either by position even by priest or bishops not even the Papacy assures holiness rather it is what one follows – the will of God.
Holiness is a gift from God, if we allow God to direct our lives we are able to share in the Holiness of the Lord. Korah sees it the other way. He did not want direction, he wanted to master his own ship, for he enough can gain holiness- it is ontologically given. He sees his “Jewishness” enough to give him holiness and that priesthood could gain him more holiness. His view of holiness is paralleled with his desire for power and self centered motives.
Martin Buber states that Moses’ goal was holiness and that holiness is our constant choice between God and our selfish ways in contrast to Korah’s view of holiness. Oftentimes we suffer from the same perspective as Korah’s in our particular community. Sometimes we regard our being professed as holy, that we are called ‘religious’ and we are already holy. Holiness is not an attribute but a constant choice – a fundamental option. Everyday of our life we have a chance to be holy. To decide whether we work over our selfish desire or follow God’s will. For a religious it means to live faithfully the vows we have. Obedience is difficult, like Korah, we hope we could simply just run our lives without anyone deciding where we limit ourselves. But this obedience is not an end itself; it helps us to follow God’s will and to achieve the fullness of freedom which is the freedom from the desire of the self. We have the right to free speech, just like Korah, but if we malign our brothers we have abused this freedom, we did serve its purpose – to have a healthy relationship with our fellowmen. The punishment of Korah is an effect of his egocentricity, if we seek too much our desire, we drown on it, we are swallowed by our desire, it is Korah’s desire that swallowed him. He deserves the punishment. However, we can be like Moses who humbled himself and followed God’s will, he seek for the good of the community. Everyday, we have the chance to choose to be like Moses or to be like Korah or his followers.
Disclaimer – most of the commentaries from Jewish scholars is taken from A Torah Commentary for our Times.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The Deity and The Creation
When I look to the eyes of a child, I see the innocence, the truth. I must admit that even I read various self-help books but I still have my shortcomings. Human indeed, I even commit blasphemous sins, and people would criticize me and my world would go to deep of misery because they brought me there. They punish me for not being like the commoners, I reach too absurd ideas not customary to their beliefs. Erroneous it was. It is true that I am sinner like everybody, like the cheaters, like the cynics, like the saints, the adulterers, and anyone who said they never sinned but their soul burns in hell, including me. I speak not like that. However, I cannot simply tell that there is no hell, even if I wish there is none. God or did humans created this hell? You, did you ever punish someone for his mistakes? Did you reprimand a man for his view in life? Then you have made hell!
Those who criticize and rebuke, have you known the whole truth of what is right? No, you never did nor will you know. You are no Jesus! A righteous man speak neither to condemn nor to change that man, he speak to feel what the other suffer. The man who seeks advice does not need your comment or opinion, he need yours understanding, caress, your support. A disapproval of his state is the least he need. To ignore his presence is apathy the worst thing you can do. To love the person that is only obligation you have for him. To be in good terms with him is not enough you need to touch the soul.
Let the person see the inner light in him, the good in him. The more we denounce a man, the further he goes far from God. Cruelty will arise from a man who lives in callousness. It is not tolerance but the truth that the Supreme Being is not a being of angst, a being that punishes the non-believers, and a being that is selfish and envious. God is the divine being, that in the same time your friend that forgives your mistakes, your parent who cares for you and the divinity that loves you. Incase you are in agony or pain that you cannot bear anymore the harsh realities, you feel like you are the child, feeble and fainthearted, Look for God not the judge but the lover.
To change the ways of the child, the child that only love, the child that never wants but only need, the child that the times we look to its eyes we feel the joy that the child can only bring.
Those who criticize and rebuke, have you known the whole truth of what is right? No, you never did nor will you know. You are no Jesus! A righteous man speak neither to condemn nor to change that man, he speak to feel what the other suffer. The man who seeks advice does not need your comment or opinion, he need yours understanding, caress, your support. A disapproval of his state is the least he need. To ignore his presence is apathy the worst thing you can do. To love the person that is only obligation you have for him. To be in good terms with him is not enough you need to touch the soul.
Let the person see the inner light in him, the good in him. The more we denounce a man, the further he goes far from God. Cruelty will arise from a man who lives in callousness. It is not tolerance but the truth that the Supreme Being is not a being of angst, a being that punishes the non-believers, and a being that is selfish and envious. God is the divine being, that in the same time your friend that forgives your mistakes, your parent who cares for you and the divinity that loves you. Incase you are in agony or pain that you cannot bear anymore the harsh realities, you feel like you are the child, feeble and fainthearted, Look for God not the judge but the lover.
To change the ways of the child, the child that only love, the child that never wants but only need, the child that the times we look to its eyes we feel the joy that the child can only bring.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
About a few days ago we started our second semester. The feeling of being in "boring" classes excites me. The first day seem a little strange, there were few students roaming around the campus, some of my colleagues are still not present, and my cousins are still enrolling. The usual NDMU atmosphere have changed. I got this Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho, actually I started reading that book a day before the opening day. I carry the book with me so I can boast that I have a new Paulo Coelho literature with me. I immedietly look for my friends especially that coquettish girl - Vanessa. She is not present on the first class but Louella is there to recede my loneliness. Ahh by the way I still haven't change I am still that arrogant intelligent guy everyone knows. So I quickly blend in with the crowd but still stand out. I easily find ways to enjoy the first day by being the nice guy, amusing everybody with my not so close up smile. I only saw Vanessa on our Statistic class, she still has the glow that beguile half of the class. Ofcourse I am not one of those commoner who would easily fall for a murderous beauty that she has. I somehow ignore her alluring smile as she entered the class. After our class I tried talking to her and it was a success. Did I say was? It was a success but we still don't have the same closeness we had before. After I bought a notebook for the semester I went home to get a rest: I lack in sleep for a week. It's Nova's birthday by the way.
The second day I went to school at about 9:45 with luck, I easily spot Louella with -uhm- Vanessa and Polsci Friends. I lend them my precious books have a little snack, and a wonderful discussion with them. The first class is cool but we are only twenty something in the class. I love the literature class we are numerous and a lot of intellectual students. The Ecology class was suppose to be fun but the bright guy I respect most left class for another schedule. I got tired after three hours of class and three hours of doing nothing. The Educ136 class terrifies me a lot, we are just five AB students against forty education students. With the divine providence I had Louella as my classmate. I believe the recently misfortunes I had is just the few challenges I must encounter. My infatuation with Vanessa is just a trial. ugly schedules are part of life. Terror teachers will always be there. I am the valiant, wise, resilient man so why worry?
The second day I went to school at about 9:45 with luck, I easily spot Louella with -uhm- Vanessa and Polsci Friends. I lend them my precious books have a little snack, and a wonderful discussion with them. The first class is cool but we are only twenty something in the class. I love the literature class we are numerous and a lot of intellectual students. The Ecology class was suppose to be fun but the bright guy I respect most left class for another schedule. I got tired after three hours of class and three hours of doing nothing. The Educ136 class terrifies me a lot, we are just five AB students against forty education students. With the divine providence I had Louella as my classmate. I believe the recently misfortunes I had is just the few challenges I must encounter. My infatuation with Vanessa is just a trial. ugly schedules are part of life. Terror teachers will always be there. I am the valiant, wise, resilient man so why worry?
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