The First Sunday of Advent was celebrated last November 28, 2010. The MDMEC brought in their families to attend the Advent Recollection at DAR Training Room . It was a jam-packed session with our Resource Speakers.
The morning session, was handled by Bro. Tony de los Reyes, a Founding Member of the Catholic Lay and Apostolic Preachers of the Philippines (CALAPP). Bro. Tony expounded on the teachings of 2Timothy 3:1-5 and Romans 6:23. He then said that the real significance of the Advent is the 3rd Coming which is the fulfillment in oneself. He then asked, “Are you an authentic Christian that God expects us to be?” and “Are you ready to face the Lord?” because according to him, “God does not stop until you are satisfied and you are fulfilled.”
After Bro. Tony’s talk , the group was told to break up according to families to be able to answer the question,
“Satisfied ba kayo sa Magulang/ Anak/ Asawa na binigay sa inyo ng Diyos?”
In processing the inputs from the group we had answers from the following representations:
Shepherd Meddy Bugarin (as mother of six children ) said she is satisfied with her 6 children because she can relate and discuss issues with them. Their children also help one another in their studies. While one of the siblings is under a scholarship grant, she strives to maintain the scholarship, with the family in mind as her support and inspiration.
The grouping also gave them a chance to plan for their Christmas exchange gift giving.
Shepherd Fe Guballa (as mother of eleven 11 children) said she is satisfied. “ Kung may pagkukulang ang tatlo (3), meron pang walo (8) akong naasahan magpuno at sumoporta sa aming mga hinaing. Pero ito ay mga pagkakataon at ang bawa’t isa ay nakakaranas ng ups and downs and who ever can support and fill in the shortcomings of one or two, they strive to do it.”
Shepherd Mylene Pineda ( as a parent) She said, “mahirap pala kapag malalaki na ang mga bata. They have their own decisions and meron na silang sariling lakad. She asserts that there is no such thing as “Black Sheep” in the family and hopes na makita niya ang isa’t isa sa kanilang anak na nagmamahalan, nagtutulungan at hindi nagkakasakitan. Hence she said, they work out things because of the Sacrament of Marriage at ang panindigan ang pagbubuklod ng Pamilya.”
Marela Bugarin (as daughter) said , “ Satisfied kami kasi hindi naman sila nagkulang… (sa baon lang!) Satisfied kami kasi lagi silang nandiyan. Strict pero naiintidihan namin kung bakit”.
Jan Pierre Pizarro ( as a son) Said he is satisfied because my parents are supportive kahit na strict. Maswerte kami kasi sila ay mapagmahal at parang mag-kaibigan ang aming samahan.”
Reina Morales (as a daughter) said, Yes, she is satisfied kasi walang choice. Kahit kulang ang aming mga baon, at stricto sila sa amin. Naiintindihan namin yuon. Malungkot lang kami kung minsan kasi ang trabaho ng Daddy kept us away from him during the week and our mother also had to be away with him.
Shepherd Mon Giron (as a husband) said, He is very satisfied. “ Kasi sa kanilang pagsasama, pinatawad ako ng aking asawa sa aking mga kasalanan at mga pagkukulang at patuloy pa rin niya ako pinatatawad .”
Beng Pizarro ( as a wife ) says, “I am very satified at feel na feel ko ang kanyang love everyday!”
We relish the moments of group discussion because we saw each family held hands as they prayed before and after the dialogues. We saw how the children felt good when they had the chance to open up their hearts to their parents. Likewise, the parents felt the satisfaction of listening from the heart and with the heart for their children .
The afternoon session was tackled by Fr. Allan Abuan, SJ and a graduate of our ME Class 216.
Fr. Allan explained that Advent is a celebration of the Lord and His second coming. As Fr. Allan traced the Salvation History (when God started to intervene) he cited the Descending and Ascending Lines.
By the Descending line, The Father sent His Son and the Son sought the Holy Spirit to redeem mankind.
By the Ascending Line is the 2nd coming where the Father shall lift us up. Through the Holy Spirit, He helped saved us so that we can become like the Son to be able to go back to the Father.
Therefore, we can speak of three moments with God as:
- the period of preparation – recognizing St. John the Baptist as the apostle who
went ahead announcing the coming of Jesus
- the period of fulfillment - The Birth of Jesus Christ
- the period of celebration - ang pagdiriwang . Ang salitang “diwa” ang ating
tugunan
Ang DIWA – as the coming of Christ at ang
pagdiriwang, to reckon with the Savior. |
