Faith and the Ballot: Voting as a Catholic in a Compromised World

The moment we enter the voting booth, our faith must go with us. As Archbishop José Gomez puts it, “We have important obligations as citizens — but we have to carry out those obligations always in light of our duty to God.” In other words, our Catholic beliefs and our political choices are inseparable!

Christ’s Lordship extends beyond our private lives into society’s laws and leaders. The Church teaches that it has a duty “to pass moral judgments even in matters related to politics, whenever the fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls requires it”. Even in a pluralistic world, truths rooted in the Gospel and in natural law remain non-negotiable, because without God’s vision of man and creation, society loses any firm standard of good and evil. As the Catechism warns, communities that reject this divine guidance “do not admit that one can defend an objective criterion of good and evil,” often sliding into totalitarian ideology instead.

Catholics do not vote as secularists or as blind party members. We are citizens of heaven as well as earth, but we live in our country “to work for the common good of society, to obey just laws, and to respect society and government,” as Gomez notes. Yet we are also called to “render unto God” our faith – meaning we cannot forget Church teaching when we engage in public life. In practice this means our vote should flow from our faith-formed conscience. We seek politicians who respect life, uphold family, defend human dignity and religious freedom – the very values on which all just laws should rest.

Honoring Our Moral Heritage: Dignity in Society Formed by Judeo-Christian Values

While our country may not be a theocracy, we have an obligation to push for what is morally right as residents of society. If we silence ourselves using “not everyone believes what we believe in” as an excuse to allow what our faith teaches as evil, nothing will ever change. Imagine if our ancestors thought that way.

History shows the power of Judeo‑Christian values to shape decent laws and societies. Long before modern human rights, the Hebrew prophets and the Ten Commandments forbade murder and called all people to see each other as God’s children. St. Augustine observed that “the beginning of freedom is to be free from crimes… such as murder, adultery, fornication, theft…”, meaning that real liberty springs from following the moral law. Centuries later, Christians built on that foundation. For example, in the ancient Roman world infanticide and the abandonment of children were commonplace. Early Christians boldly condemned this, caring for orphans and persuading emperors to change the law so that exposing or killing infants was outlawed. They acted on the conviction that every human life bears God’s image, a vision starkly absent in pagan views of human worth.

Without that Christian influence, who knows what moral evils might be normalized today? The Church’s voice raised the standard of justice: it outlawed slavery among Christians, inspired hospitals and care for the poor, and brought the Gospel’s respect for life into law. As the Catechism explains, only a revealed religion “has clearly recognized man’s origin and destiny in God” – without it societies “borrow…ideology” for their goals, arrogating total control over people and their fate. In short, removing God from the public square unmoors us from truth. Catholics know that the security and prosperity of a nation ultimately depends on upholding universal values given by the Creator.

Principled Voting with Prudence

We recognize that no candidate is perfect, so prudence and conscience must guide us. But some choices are non‑negotiable. The U.S. bishops plainly teach that “a Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion, euthanasia, … or redefining marriage in ways that violate its essential meaning”. If a candidate’s main intent is to advance a grave wrong like legalized killing of the innocent, we cannot in good conscience support them, for that would mean cooperating with evil in a grave matter. This is echoed by Archbishop Gomez: he lists abortion, euthanasia, and the protection of marriage as “non-negotiables” that Catholics in good conscience cannot set aside.

At the same time, the bishops acknowledge the voter’s dilemma when all choices are flawed. If every candidate mishandles some moral issue, a Catholic may be forced to pick the lesser evil for truly grave reasons, rather than simply boosting narrow interests. For example, if one candidate supports life but handles the economy poorly, and another is fiscally strong but votes to legalize abortion, a conscientious voter may reasonably choose the first, so as not to advance the greater evil. The key is that we never abandon the core principles: life, family, religious freedom, and basic justice must always come first. The bishops emphasize that issues protecting life and the family have “a special claim on our consciences and our actions”. Other matters – taxes, trade, immigration – can be debated by faithful Catholics who apply the same moral principles in different ways.

Questions to Ponder

Every voter needs to examine motives and trade-offs. We might reflect:

• Are we choosing the greater good, or settling for the lesser evil?
• Are we sacrificing a minor good (like personal comfort, convenience, or party unity) at the risk of permitting a grave evil?
• Are our choices driven by fear of the other side or by deep moral convictions shaped by the Gospel?

These questions keep us honest. As Catholics, we should not be content to vote out of habit, fear, or mere convenience. Instead, we prayerfully weigh which candidate or party, on balance, will advance the common good without trampling essential moral values.

 

Four Categories for Discernment

In trying to put these principles into practice, I have found it helpful to group candidates into four categories:

1. Vote and Campaign For. These are candidates who line up with Church teaching on most or all key issues, while at the same time perform well in governance. They may possibly still have minor flaws, but nothing that involves an intrinsic evil. They defend life and family and largely promote justice and charity. For such candidates, we not only vote, but actively support and campaign for them.

2. Vote But Do Not Campaign For. These candidates may help prevent grave evils (like abortion or divorce) but carry governance or political concerns that prevent full endorsement. We vote to prevent greater harm, but refrain from active promotion.

3. Will Not Vote For, But Will Not Campaign Against. These individuals do some good things (perhaps on social or economic issues) but also support multiple nonnegotiable evils (for example, abortion or redefinition of marriage). They cannot be our choice at the polls, but if a worse candidate is running, we focus on other races and refrain from discouraging others to vote for them.

4. Will Not Vote For and Will Campaign Against. This category is for those who actively promote many intrinsic evils or consistently oppose fundamental Church teaching. Whatever good they may bring to the government, this cannot counter the amount of negative values they push. No matter their competence, we cannot in good conscience support them. In a democratic society, we even have the duty to defend the common good by campaigning against such candidates. Of course, this group also includes those who are both bad in governance and push negative values at the same time.

This framework isn’t about popularity or party, but about moral consistency. It is rooted in the idea that while we accept some compromise in politics, we must never legitimize grave wrongs.

 

Considering the Whole Ticket

It is not only individual candidates we should judge, but also the balance of power they will create. In legislative races (such as for the Senate or Congress), ask: will our chosen slate of candidates help enact good laws and block evil ones? A majority that honors life, marriage, and charity in its platform can advance the common good – funding aid to the poor, protecting religious freedom, and limiting abortion, for example. By contrast, a majority indifferent to morality can slip through harmful bills. Catholics should therefore consider how our vote contributes to building a government capable of upholding truth. As the Catechism teaches, we have a duty to help achieve the good of society in “a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom”. That means thinking not just of one office, but of how all our elected officials together will shape policy.

 

Defining “Good” and “Evil” in Politics

It helps to clarify what we mean by “good” and “evil” in political terms. Here, “good” generally refers to effective governance and policies that genuinely improve people’s lives – economic prosperity, opportunities for the young, care for the vulnerable, and so on. These are morally good if they respect the dignity of every person. On the other hand, “evil” in this context means policies that involve moral compromise or directly attack human dignity: for example, legalizing abortion or euthanasia, undermining marriage, or crushing religious liberty.

Even goals like fighting corruption or improving education, if pursued by trampling on life or human dignity, can become evil. We must always measure actions against the Gospel and the Fifth Commandment, “You shall not kill,” which the Church takes seriously from conception to natural death. Let us never be blinded by what is politically good over what are intrinsically evil. This becomes even more important when we are weighing what is “possibly good” versus something “evidently evil”.

 

Forming Conscience and Seeking God’s Will

Ultimately, voting is a profoundly personal act of conscience. The Church calls every Catholic to form his or her conscience by prayer, Scripture, and Church teaching – not by media or party rhetoric alone. Archbishop Gomez reminds us to strive to act “with the mind of Christ and the mind of the Church”. This means listening to the Holy Spirit and being open to correction. If fellow faithful show us something we missed, we ought to humbly consider it.

Remain vigilant against purely partisan loyalty. The magisterium never tells us whom to vote for, but it urges that truth and justice guide our choice. When we are confused, let us turn to the Catechism and the lives of the saints for wisdom. Let us pray in Eucharist and private prayer for guidance. As Pope Benedict XVI taught, our faith must be “eucharistic” in all things – it cannot be kept on the private altar of our heart but must bear fruit in public life.

Above all, seek God’s will, not just a winning ticket. The Kingdom of Heaven is at stake in earthly decisions. When faith guides the ballot, the result is not only a better country but the glory of God and the salvation of souls. May each of us have the courage and wisdom to vote as a faithful Catholic, trusting that Christ’s light will guide our way.

repurposing pride month // 2021.06.10

I can say with honesty and clear conscience that I love and value all people, and sincerely wish everyone's true joy and happiness, regardless of color, gender preference, and belief. But that doesn't mean I need to support beliefs contrary to those I fundamentally believe in. With Pride Month, as the Church teaches me in CCC 2357-2359, while I cannot support some of what this event stands for, I accept those supporting it with full respect, compassion, and sensitivity. I do not support same sex relationships/marriages, but I am not a homophobic nor a bigot, and my friends with this tendency can attest how much I love and value them unconditionally. Instead of fighting, let us celebrate how, in our humanity, we can love each other even when we disagree.

the bully version of modernity

There's a version of modernity that tries to bully us to ignore fruits of decades of established and well proven studies, as if believing tried and tested concepts ironically make one stupid. It's that version that calls logic and reasoning ignorance of reality, and calls emotional fits without academic bearing commonsense.

the problem with most Christians

The problem with most Christians (Catholics and Protestants alike) right now is that most know a lot about Christ, but do not know Him.

from a King's son to the Father's son

Here's the updated hope-it-helps story of my journey so far...

We are all unique and different from each other. But one thing remains the same -- all of us want to be happy. I am no exception.

When I was young, I saw a glimpse of happiness in my parent's love for me. Though we weren't rich, they gave me all the things I needed and wanted. They helped me learn values, exposed me to the sacraments, and most of all, taught me who God is. I was able to study in private schools, and had toys most of my neighbors were envious of. I guess you could say, in my own innocent way, that I was living like a king's son!

But, of course, even royal families are not perfect. While I thought of myself as a king’s son, my family had a lot of troubles. As early as I can remember, my parents already separated many times, and it didn’t help that my father was an overseas engineer in the Middle East.

And so, as I grew older, I began to look for a deeper and more lasting happiness, or as I would call it, “that elusive it”. My search intensified especially after my parents separated back in 1992 for the fourth and final time. I was 13 years old at that time. As a result, I searched for this elusive "It" by exposing myself to different people, ideas and philosophies – some were good, most were destructive.

At first, I sought "It" in my own achievements. I worked hard to please many people and to be prominent, but it was also primarily to boast to myself. It was easy, especially since I belonged to the cream section (or the number one class). I wasn’t a genius, but I had enough brain muscles to work with. Opportunities came in waves. It was easy for me to become a prominent student leader in my high school – student council officer, school organ editor, president of various organizations in and out of school, and even more. (Sayang lang I didn’t become an artista.) Yet "It" was still missing.

Second, I sought "It" in my friends. I did everything to please them, making myself as "in" as I could. That was a success as well. I was always one of the cool guys. However, hardheaded and stubborn, I only cared about myself and people who I believed cared about me. Sadly, at the end of the day, the pain was still there. Yes, "It" was still missing.

Third, I sought it in psychology and philosophy, in ideas which made me feel as if I was better than others. I attended retreats to do mischief. I’d challenge myself to steal just for the sake of being able to do it. I almost even considered Satanism, and got me a Satanic bible! But somehow – I don't know how – something pulled me back from this evil. I guess part of it was the fear of alienating myself from friends. Part of it was also fear of failure. Once again, I was at a dead-end, and "It" was nowhere within sight.

Confused, I tried getting into a romantic relationship, hoping I could find "It" there. Everything went well at first. My life began to look "normal" again – I seemingly "returned" to God and got hold of my studies. But it was not meant to last. When my relationship ended, everything else seemed to crumble, too. I even thought of suicide. Good thing I never took that thought seriously. However, faced with despair and loneliness, I was slowly giving up my search for "It."

The loneliness ended in my college days when God led me to an "angelic" professor, Tita Belen Pereras. She was the instrument that God used to bring me to Christ's Youth in Action, a Catholic community for college students. She invited me to attend an 8-week series of talks called the Christian Life Series (CLS). I surprised even myself when I said yes, because I had already decided not to join any organizations in college, much more a religions one, after being disillusioned by my “successful failures” earlier.

But I went through the CLS deeply motivated, despite the fact that I already "knew" the things they talked about. I was in Catholic schools since grade school, attended Mass every Sunday and simbang gabi, and read Bible stories as a child. I knew a lot already, I thought. In fact, “I’m so Catholic, if someone asked me who invented trains, I’d probably answer ‘Jesus’.”

Why, then, did I continue? Even if the talks were on the basics of our Christian faith, something about the people I met there – how the speakers shared with passion and joy, how my discussion group opened up, and the way they talked without inhibitions – something struck me in a way nothing had. These people were sincerely happy, and they sincerely just wanted me to be happy, too!

Before I knew it, by September 12, 1996, around 2PM, I decided to commit my life to God, and have a personal relationship with my Holy Father. As I surrendered to God's Spirit and committed my life to Him, I began to feel what I'd been looking for – abounding and eternal happiness! I said to myself, "Hey, now you've found rest, you've found what you thought didn't exist."

I realized then that I was not searching for a “what”, but for a who. I wasn't searching for "It", but for Him! I didn’t need to be a king’s son, but God’s son -- the Father’s son! There were still a lot of questions to answer, but from then on, everything made perfect sense to me, and nothing else meant more.

Broken family, failed relationships, realization that I was in the wrong college course, feeling like I’m a stranger in my own home… those all became silly things compared to what God put in front of me. Those pain cannot separate me from my God. As Paul said in Romans 8:38-39, “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I decided back then that the only logical response to this crazy but real love was to infect others. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:15, “no one hides a lamp under a basket.” I imitated those who introduced me to God. I gave up my bad habits, I became courageous in talking about God, volunteered as a lay missionary of charity, became a vocal defender of our faith, and even talked to random strangers and groups of people about God and His Church among others! But my brightest lamp? My smile reflected God’s love. (May dimples eh.)

I was accepted by the Domnicans and the Franciscan Capuchins to give priesthood a shot. I went with the Capuchins for a year, before ultimately deciding that that is not the direction God wanted for me. I then started to become a lector in our parish, and in about a year, I not only became an officer of the lectors, I became part of the Parish Pastoral Council as the head of the Education Ministry. Everyone was in their golden years, and the Youth Ministry head was the only one near my age back then.

My apologetics (or defense of the faith) work was also prospering. I was talking to Baptists, born again Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Iglesia ni Cristo, Mormons and atheists, and was able to get them to respect and look at Catholicism differently. I was able to meet and talk to my heroes, like Mary Beth Bonacci, Steve Ray and Tim Staples. And my Catholic website back then was even listed by prominent organizations globally as a place to browse.

In the work front, I was also climbing the ranks. Recognitions and promotions were pouring. Financial stability was achieved. Friends were also growing in numbers. Everything seemed to be going well, right?  Wrong!

I wish it was all peaches and cream from here. But just as Paul still struggled after encountering Jesus, sin got the best of me: I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I also see in me a war with righteousness that made me captive to the law of sin. (Romans 7:22-23) Despite the long list of good things that came my way, I still fell back. Waaaay deep!

Following a failed wedding engagement, I instead found myself engaging in an extramarital affair. Worse, I ended up living with that woman outside marriage. I was counseling and teaching a lot of people about chastity and the theology of the body. Many were thanking me for putting their relationships and sexuality in the right track. Yet here I was in a whirlwind romance gone wrong! In a few months, I became a father out of wedlock.

Darkness in the past was a sad place, but this time I’m in an even darker place. In fact, probably the darkest moment in my life. When you turn your back from God, you really do lose light and life, however overflowing they may have been.  I lost focus at work, I lost my prayer life, stopped receiving the sacraments, and alienated myself from positive friends. I also found myself getting deeper in sins of the flesh. Name it, I probably did most of it. I felt like thrash. Literally.

I couldn’t recognize myself. I was like the Prodigal Son who left his house with all its treasures, only to find himself wallowing in mere scraps of life. I felt trapped. Fighting with foul words in front of the children, finding myself deep in debt, and turning into a repulsive and disgusting person already. I was getting worse, and I'm not making her better. Everything I learned and lived in the past went down the drain. I knew this relationship was wrong, but what will happen to my children if I leave? With St. Paul in Romans 7:24, I cried, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

But you know what’s good with having God as your Father? He remains faithful to you no matter what. In those darkest moments, God was my most persistent stalker (daig pa trolls ng facebook). As the Psalmist in Psalm 139 reminded me through a song:

Yahweh, I know you are near,
standing always at my side.
You guard me from the foe,
and you lead me in ways everlasting.

Lord, You have searched my heart
And You know when I sit and when I stand
Your hand is upon me protecting me from death
Keeping me from harm

Where can I run from Your love?
If I climb to the heavens You are there;
If I fly to the sunrise or sail beyond the sea,
still I'd find You there.

If the greatest lover is your greatest stalker, you’d give in sooner or later. I heard in my heart God whispering gently yet with passion, “Do you honestly think I’d leave your children, if following me means you need to leave this life?” It was a light bulb of the brightest kind moment for me. How can I make excuses from following a God who always keeps His promises?  Like the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, I saw God running towards me even when I was just about to make my first step. Whose heart wouldn’t melt?

Doubt would try to creep in from time to time, but God also sent me a father figure in Mike Joseph, and through him a group of men who encouraged me to trust in God. God was really rallying for me. How could I still doubt? I started to pray again; started reading the Bible and receiving the Sacraments again. I ended my sinful affair, and trusted God to guide me and my children in all of this.

But of course, the darkness won’t just allow me to return. Months before transferring to my new home, the stock market fell, and with it the money needed for the house. I gave up back then and decided to just live with my mom in the province, and from there bear the challenges of a very loooooong commute to and from work.

But God couldn’t be outdone in generosity. Without me asking friends directly for help (I didn’t even tell them what’s happening), close friends called for no reason and volunteered to lend me money when they found out what’s happening. Unfortunately, as awesome as that was, I was still short by a significant amount. But God was not finished.

Another friend called me out of the blue, and, upon finding out my dilemma, readily offered his house for me to stay in while I solve my financial problems. The struggle with the long commute no longer existed. Now, I just need to find more funds.

Three days before the deadline, I sensed God asking me to recompute. I was telling God, “I couldn’t even count how many times I computed this everyday for three days. Why would I recompute now?”

To my surprise, the needed amount I kept recomputing for three days suddenly appeared! It’s as if someone deposited money into my bank account without any trace. No transaction record, no new deposits... the amount just got there somehow. At any rate, I now had the funds, and with that a new place to stay at!

That solved, the next question was where will I plant myself as I walk back to God? After all, no man is an island. Just as I was thinking about that, the same friend, Peter Bautista, who volunteered his house during my financial struggle, invited me to join him in BCBP to help strengthen the community. I was hesitant at first. What could a broken man like me offer to BCBP? But I sensed God telling me this is part of his “Balik Ama” or “back-to-Abba” program.

Heeding that call was the greatest decision I made. I found myself surrounded again by people in love with God, brothers and sisters who pray for me, and support me when I’m down. I found a community that keeps reminding me of God’s love, and keeps showing that the best life is a life in the Trinity. I am once again surrounded by joy.

I also found myself serving fervently again. I am able to serve as formation head in the Governance team of BCBP Marikina Chapter, share my faith, and even help others know more about the Bible through the Great Adventure Bible study. It’s easy to imagine God teasing me, “Is your return worth it?” (Ayos ba balik mo?) To which I can only respond with a resounding yes!

My kids? They remain the jewel of my eyes, and I find them growing into children I am proud of. They pray every night, read the Bible, and are fans of The Chosen TV series. God really does keep His promises!

I’m still on my journey towards Him with a lot of sins I need to work on. I know stumbling again is not impossible, but I am confident that I can't lose Him again whatever happens because of the love He's shown me so concretely. I've found the happiness I was looking for. It’s not a happiness that’s temporary and disappears, and I know it can never be taken away from me. Why? Because I am truly living the way I was meant to live – as the Father's son!

Thank you for reading, and if my sharing helped you in any way, I ask that you always include me in your prayers. I love talking to people, so if you want to talk, feel free to message me. We’ll have fun. God bless us all!

quick quote: know thyself through prayer

i was not in a homicide

I think the distinction between murder and homicide, and how the court differentiates their degree of seriousness is remarkable.

Murder, which is pre-meditated, is definitely more serious than homicide, which is somewhat more of a spur of the moment type of thing.

But it also makes me worried, for it makes me realize that I am a murderer and not a homicide participant. Why? Because I am fully aware that with the sins I am committing, I am putting God on the cross to die. And yet, here I am, falling into sin time and again.

So yes... it was me... I murdered an innocent man!

My restitution is to die to my old life, and live the new life that God gives me. I wonder how many more years it will take before I finish my sentence.

a sign of contradiction, the light of the world

When Jesus was still walking our world, people kept asking, “Who is He that He does those things? Who is he to say that? How dare him?”

To most people, He was a sign of contradiction. For them, He was someone who didn't conform to what the world was saying. He was someone who spoke against the world even if it meant death.

In that regard, yes... we can call Jesus a sign of contradiction, but not because He was childish enough to pick a fight with those who didn't get Him. It was because He was showing us what it means to be a light to the world.

God has given us infinite love, He has given us grace... and with this comes the responsibility of sharing the light. Again, not because we want to start a fight, but because we want others to see, to understand the love and the light that we have received from Him.

God is not asking you to punch those who choose to live a different life, but He is asking you to always live your Christian life, to tell others of His greatness and to stand up against evil even if that means being unpopular... That even through these small ways you will be a living witness for Him... And together with Jesus, be a light of the world.

empty or rich?

Growth in spiritual life requires continuous sacrifice, for it is sacrifice that gives us grace... and it is grace that brings us closer to God. As St. Teresa said, the more we sacrifice, the more we open ourselves to God's grace. And let us not forget, God's grace is infinite.

But these sacrifices sometimes leave us with a feeling of emptiness, of being stripped down of what we have.

We may lose our friends for standing up for God when they are choosing to live a different life. We may find ourselves hungry when we give what we have to those who need more than we do. We may find ourselves feeling empty when we see everyone around us living a grand life in materialism. Everyone around us may have all the material riches of the world, and we may find ourselves having none.

But let us not forget what we gain in our sacrifice. Let us not forget the grace that we receive. Let us not forget God, who enters our lives. If we forget, then we have gained nothing with our sacrifices. If we lose sight of the reason of it all, all of the sacrifices are in vain. And that is a greater loss.

So press on. Continue to run the race. For even if you have losses, what you gain is infinitely more than what others offer. You may feel empty, but you are actually rich, for you have the source of all richness in you.

life is only to get close to God... nothing else matters!

“Life is only to get close to God... nothing else matters!”
Venerable Tescelin

If I can capture that thought in my whole life... in everything I think and do, I am ready to die. We often miss that point, but it is the only point we should consider -- we are here to be closer to God! If you value other matters, that is your loss.

the real deal superhero

Following the parade of superhero movies like Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Thor, Green Lantern, and most recently, Captain America, it can be fun to imagine Jesus flying around like Superman, with the voice of Darth Vader and mind-manipulation powers of X-Men's Professor Xavier. Now that would be evangelization par excellance, reaching to the far ends of the earth... and way beyond.

That's a little too sci-fi for me, but being God, I don't see any problems with him doing so. Not only would that be more effective and a lot faster, it'll also drop the jaws of his flock in awe. That's evangelizing with pizzazz!

But before we stroll into the far ends of fiction, wishful thinking or what could've been, let's step back to reality... a far better reality!

Jesus chose twelve Apostles and some more disciples. Nothing might look spectacular there, but here's the catch... They're not even the scholars of their time, and neither are they famous for having the greatest of strength nor wittiest of tongue. They're just plain men who simply loved Jesus. For crying out loud, some of them are even great sinners before they met Jesus.

If we think about it, it really doesn't make sense. It's crazy and a waste of a wonderful concept compared to the super fantastic option of the superhero Jesus above. But God still chose to do it that way. Why?

To name one, to show that His grace is enough to conquer the world! Just look at what those not-so-great followers did in God's name! Look at how Christianity reached people from the four corners of the earth! If you'll ask me, that's definitely grace in action! But wait... Doesn't that make God the “only” superstar in the story, taking credit for everything?

But hold your horses for a minute before answering that question. In fact, don't answer it at all.

Everything comes from God. All good things come from our great good God. So if it means that apart from Him we can't do anything, there's really no problem... Because it really doesn't make sense to do great things without the only source of greatness. Right?

And on the contrary, he isn't selfish enough to take all the glory. He has given the greatest honor that could ever be given to His disciples by allowing them to partake with Him the mission of bringing his people to His flock. Even if it doesn't make sense, He chose to enlist people to help Him do the job, even if He doesn't need any help at all! He has given them something they don't have and empowered them to do great things! And believe me... It's not merely for His glory.

So why? Because He no longer calls us slaves, but friends. We are actually adopted to his family. Imagine that... from slaves to a member of literally the highest family ever! By empowering people to do great things, He is teaching us how to live in communion... how to be one with Him and His creation. He continuously shows us that it is love that changes people and not force nor prestige.

Apart from God we can't do anything, for He is the source of all goodness. He doesn't need us, but He chose to empower us to teach us something -- that He loves us and that as adopted members of His family, we are called partake of His love and longing to make all things new. And finally, that His grace is sufficient to make you a superhero! No flying needed.

a season of rain

In the spiritual life, they say that it’s not how many times you fall that counts but how many times you rise up again. Although it sounds very enticing, it’s actually a difficult thing to follow. I mean, if I’ll count the number of times I fell, it’s much easier to think about the disappointments and the desolation it brings rather than reflecting on how I can rebuild what I destroyed.

But having gone through all my downs and failures, with its setbacks and frustrations, I couldn’t be more honest to say that there’s no better thing to do than to stand up, right whatever wrong was done, and accept that it was just another season of darkness in one’s life that needs to be overcome. To put it simply, rising up again is definitely better than giving up to darkness.

It has been a continuous source of relief for me that I can still do something as long as I breathe--that a struggle, however pathetic it may seem, is still a sign of life. From my sinfulness to my freezed and failed works for God, I can’t say I haven’t appreciated that speck of light waking up once again offers.

The key is to just keep doing what God asks you to do the best that you can however the devils trick you into thinking nothing's happening. There have been a lot of times in my struggles when it seems that everything I was doing didn't make sense and helped no one. I couldn’t be more surprised to hear about people who’ve been inspired or revived by the works I could never take credit for given my situation at that time. Although I couldn’t quite comprehend how the efforts given did what it did, it’s a miracle from God that those struggles beared much fruit. What seemed to be a dying toil was used by God to do His work!

I still have a lot of battles to fight. A heck of a lot of battles. But even if I’ve been dilly-dallying most of the time in the past, I certainly still hold bits of life in me. And whatever God wants me to do with it, I pray that I’ll have the courage to capture what God wants me to grasp.

I’m constantly working on my "resurrection", but every day is a start for me. These toils, however delayed or lame, are always welcome breathes of life. They're my reminders that I can draw strength from Jesus--from His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension--when I’m pushed to the corner.

Service to others for God doesn't really help others as much as it helps me. The miracles God make humble me but also remind me that every thing is possible with Him. So even the struggles will end in His time, if only I hold firmly and keep my faith, hope and love in Him.

Don’t be dismayed when life seems to be constantly giving you dung! Christianity isn’t about peaches and cream, but about life and living it to the fullest despite the hardships life offers! There’s no other way to live other than to live the way Jesus lived. He is, after all, the Way, the Truth and the Life. Believe me, you’ll be surprised how fulfilling all of those struggles are if you’ll only live it rather than escape it!

We are in a season of darkness. John Paul II calls it the culture of death. We all have our difficulties and struggles. But just as darkness is followed by rain, ours will, too. It is that rain of grace that will wash away all our fears and disbelief. Let’s not lose hope just because we can’t seem to see the light Jesus has to offer. Let us, like the father in Mark 9:24, pray “I believe, help my unbelief!” and learn from Him.

the quest for the lost gold bars

It seems everybody wants to be rich lately. Well, there's nothing wrong with that, especially if you're planning to share your riches to those in need. Unfortunately, as I often notice, most people lose sight of one thing -- why they want to be rich.

Two versions. First, those who attempt to be rich but eventually lose sight of their heroic reasons. These are the people who had good intentions, but eventually got lost somewhere along the way. Sometimes with full awareness, most of the time, without them even noticing it. Second version. Those who from the very beginning see getting rich as their goal in life. Those who end their purpose in getting rich. They got lost even before they started.

But Mother Teresa tells us... “God does not call us to be successful but to be faithful.” Anything short of God is nothing. As one of my fave line goes... “if you're not happy without it, you'll never be happy with it.” Never forget that only God suffices... for “our hearts are restless until they rest in God.”

You may have everything in the world, but if you lose sight of what is truly essential you'll just find yourself empty, wondering what in the world is missing in your life. You don't have to take my word for it. Just look at the saints who defined being rich in very radical ways. What they found were the real gold bars.

a love/hate relationship that's all about love

Love the sinner, hate the sin. We constantly hear the Church tell that, and a lot disagree by saying that we can't separate the sin from the sinner -- i.e. what a person does is who he is. But I say, that is not the point.

The problem is that we have come to a point when we measure a person's value by what that person does. The Church doesn't see it that way, learning from Jesus' example.

John teaches us, God loved us first! We know how to love because He loved us first (1 Jn 4:19). But what does God's "first love" concept really mean? We first need to review the fundamental concept of what it means for God to be God.

The primary concept we need to remember is that for God to be God He has to be complete -- i.e. He doesn't need nor long for anything that will increase His happiness or who He is. This should make us understand what it means for God to create us out of love. This means that He doesn't need us to be happy. God is not a dependency addict who got bored and decided to create man. When He said He created man for man's good, that man experience His love and find joy, He means it.

Keeping that in mind, we should see what the Bible says in a new way. God knows us even before we were born (Jer 1:5). God knows we fill fail Him, even hurt Him. Yet He created us! In fact, created us with a promise of love. Love that promises to pull us back to the light, love that even lead to His death and humiliation on the cross.

This should tell us how to deal with people who hurt us or people who don't jive with our thoughts. This is what the Church wants to keep reminding us on. Hate the sin, not the sinner.

Pope Benedict XVI answers the question, why did Jesus die on the cross when He could've brought the angels to show His glory or prove to people that He is God? His answer, because God knows it is not power that will change people but love. It is not hate or show of supremacy that will make others jive with us. It is love!

When someone hurts you, you don't react by pushing them away or casting them out of your life. Rather, you embrace them more, even cast yourself away for them, to win them. This will not be easy as we have been accustomed to stay away from the dirty ones to keep us clean, versus getting our hands "dirty" to help them clean up.

We do not throw tantrums, but rather patience, understanding, and a helping hand. We do not make people feel bad, sad and worthless, but rather hopeful that someone loves them despite of and in spite of who they are, but cares enough to help them draw nearer to God.

Impossible? Yes! But the Church also tells us to let God be God. Let Him do what He needs to do. You just need to let Him use you. You don't need to make a miracle. You just need to trust that He will make the miracle for you.

It is not our job to judge others, even if they are hard criminals. Jesus reminds us about righteousness and exalting oneself when He said that even people like Pharisees who are by the book abiding citizens can be the worst, and tax collectors people at that time see as vile can be pleasing to His eyes (Lk 18:9-14). In fact He even challenges us to love our enemies (Mt 5:44)! Why? Because it's all about love!

Understandably, sometimes this can mean us being firm or even being silent when faced with a difficult person or situation, but the question we need to ask ourselves is, "Are we reacting out of love or merely out of irritation? Is our reaction focused on ourselves or on others? Is it borne out of love or just out of us being hurt? Am I doing anything for a positive change or am I just plain angry?"

The answer to those will tell you if you're moving towards a mature relationship with God, or going further from the love and happiness God has in store for you.

feed them yourselves

We are all called to God's communion--being created through love and in God's image. As St. Augustine said, God invites us to delight in Him, for our hearts are restless until it rests in Him. The bad news, unfortunately, is that this intimate and vital bond can be forgotten, overlooked, or even explicitly rejected (Gaudium et Spes).

Today, more and more people are giving a negative response to the question, "How are we to live?" More and more people are becoming spiritually poor, and they do not even know they are hungry. This brings death to all of us, for we are all God's children--we are a family. Thus, as Pope John Paul the Great said, we live in a "culture of death".

At a time when people are making the wrong decisions, it seems as though the sun has set and darkness is about to surround us. This reminds us of Jesus' sermon on the mount, when the Apostles said to Him, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." (Mt 14:15)

But the good news is that God never ceases to call every man to seek Him and find life and happiness (CCC 30). He does not want to leave His people hungry. Jesus tells "us" what to do... "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." (Mt 14:16)

However, the question is not “what do you feed them?” but “how can you feed them when you yourselves are not nourished?” The reality is that while we are all called to feed the poor, we are also poor ourselves--for God offers us infinite love and asks we give the same to our brothers and sisters. We cannot say, I have eaten enough and will no longer eat. There is infinite treasure in our faith, and we are all called to consume and share incessantly.

The new evangelization asks us to give our brothers and sisters something to eat, but it also calls us to first bask in God’s infinite love--to know Him and experience Him more and more--that we may have something to give.

What can we feed them? The Church does not lack in providing us means to reaching God. The internet itself is filled with solid Catholic sites that offer us all the resources we need. It is not even a question of whether you have time to pray and experience Him. The question is, “What are you feeding yourself?”

you're under arrest! (examining your Catholic life)

Seven years ago, a non-Catholic knocked on our door. Having just committed myself to God that time, I resolved to share the joys of my faith to her. She was glad to see that I'm taking my faith and the Bible seriously. Then, in the middle of our conversation, she asked, "But do you know that the Holy Spirit is not a God?" All I could answer her--without any decent proof at all--was that she was wrong.

I knew the truth of what I believed in, somewhat disappointed that she didn't get it, but sad that I couldn’t defend it. After that incident, I asked myself, how can I say I love my faith when I don't even know and love enough to defend what it's all about? Why didn't I even try to explain it decently?

knowledge not necessary... or is it?

I knew what was wrong... I didn't find learning or studying it exciting and necessary. I have an idea of its importance but I wouldn't get high marks for studying them, nor would I get any money. Maybe it's because we were so used of being Catholics that we thought there's no such thing as nominal Catholics, or that once we're baptized, there's no other thing to do or know. In other words, we're just Catholics because we were born Catholics. But have we ever "grown" as Catholics?

While it is how much we love or yield to God that determines if we go to heaven--and not how much we know--knowledge has a purpose. "Not on bread alone does man live, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." How can we expect to go to heaven and spend the rest of our lives in bliss with Him when we don't even find joy in knowing Him?

It may be true that no Catholic will go unnourished. The Sunday Mass he attends nourishes him. Unfortunately, even most of those who attend the Mass are not even aware that they are receiving Christ when they receive the Holy Eucharist!

It is also true that an ignorant Catholic who doesn't even know the fundamentals of the faith may live a virtuous life. But with more knowledge of God and His Church, they will love Him more still--more than they already do! They will be nourished with more.

Reality speaks for itself. Most Catholics can't even explain, to those who are starving to know, how Jesus is God, or how His death saved us! Most don't even know what the Bible is all about. For some, serving Him is enough; knowing Him doesn't matter at all. One knows he loves God, isn't that enough? Why do we really have to know our faith to live it?

Frank Sheed tells us. Knowledge serves love. It removes misunderstandings that are in the way of love. Each new thing learned and meditated about God is a new reason for loving Him even more. How we live our life is more important than what we know, but what we know enables us to live our lives more in accordance to His will. As Pope John Paul II puts it, reason brings us to faith.

The Church doesn't command us to go deep into theological studies, but it definitely doesn't lack giving us encouragement to grow in our knowledge and understanding. Vatican II calls all Catholics--not just the priests and bishops, but even the laity--to fill the hunger of those who seek the Truth. How are we to provide when we ourselves have nothing or very little?

Do we really appreciate the treasures we have as Catholics? Do we lose sleep knowing we are in the fullness of Truth in the Catholic Faith and others are not? We call God our friend, our Father, but do we really exert effort to know Him more? Are we like pagans who believe in senseless things, or are we Catholics who seek authentic understanding of our faith in its fullness?

love demands that you give

So you know your faith, and continue to grow in understanding it deeper. Why share it? Because God said so!

St. Peter reminds us to “always be prepared to satisfy everyone that asks the reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15). If we believe that our Church is where the fullness of God’s Truth is, and God calls us to love our brethren, why hold ourselves from giving this light to those who are lost in the dark?

Other than ignorance of our faith, another major reason is an allergy or fear of arguments. Arguing with someone doesn’t seem to be charitable to many, yet we should remember that Jesus Himself gave more than a handful of fiery words to those who needed it. The key is to discuss in charity.

The other person may have other motivations, but it is important that you talk not to win the battle, but to give witness to God’s Love and His Truth. It’s easy to be arrogant when you know you’re right, but as St. Paul tells us, do everything in charity (1 Cor 16:14). The other person may get to your thickest skin, but be patient. After all, Jesus did tell us to love even our enemies!

the right time to engage is now!

In the early centuries, Christians died for their faith. In the 17th century, Catholics were persecuted for being Catholics. No, you're not necessarily under arrest, but nobody's asking you to be silent either.

Go ahead… let your love for God push you to learn, and tell the world about Him in your words and in your actions. Not doing so is like Peter denying Jesus three times (Jn 18:15-27). Doing so is like Peter winning about 3,000 for God (Acts 2:14-41). When Jesus asks what you have done to the lost sheep He sent your way, what would your response be?