SUMMARY ON FAITH

Sem. Garco Labor Concon


Life is a continuing process of development. It is a journey from a single step of the ladder up to the door of new life. We should undergo a process in order to become authentic persons. We cannot reach the valley of freedom without passing the road of difficulties. We cannot achieve the crown of success without hauling the bundle of failures. For after all, these are only useless and nothing because we cannot appreciate these things unless we have experienced the hardships and sufferings.

Thus, it is the same with our faith. We cannot have it if we will never undergo a thorough process. We must nurture and nourish this gift being given to us by God in order to deepen it and to have strong relationship with Him. This grace depends on our cooperation and decision where in it needs all the faculties of our being to work as a team. In other words, this faith does not only need the cooperation of our spirit, intellect, conscience but it also needs the cooperation and consent of our heart.

After I have finished all the reflections from step one to step ten, I could say that I am freer now, more focus and sensitive to the things and events of my life, and more loving to God and to others. In other words, I have deepened my faith to Him and became more human—who is aware of my weaknesses and shortcomings and able to maintain the good things in me. Besides, I have learned so many things and gained much knowledge and wisdom. It widened my horizon in life not only on my spiritual aspect but to the whole aspects of me as a human.

Furthermore, I learned to relate my past experiences to the ideas being given. I able to acknowledge the sacredness and meaningfulness of my past experiences and discovered the role of them to the shaping of my faith. It enables me to appreciate myself more and discern the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that is always working in me. Indeed, I recognize now the importance of these experiences and able to determine the pattern of my personal assent of my faith to God.

Indeed, when we go back to the idea of every step, we could really notice the array and order where in, it really starts from our self up to the recognition of the love of God to us and the calling to love others also. It is because I cannot share the things that I do not have. I must have the strong faith to God and the capacity to love in order to share it to others. I must pass the arrangement that begins from liberating my own self, focusing on the capacities of my faculties and finally, encountering Christ in order to grow in love.

With this, I already reached another dimension of my faith to the Lord…able to build a foundation from the abundance of His grace. Thanks Be to God!!!

A JOURNEY TO CHRIST...

Step Nine
Sem. Garco Labor Concon


Each and every one of us has a special story to tell about our life. We have different stories being formed from childhood up to our present situation. We discovered many realities in this world and gained abundant knowledge that widened our horizons in life. We became aware of the feelings of our hearts and the movements of our emotions. Besides, we acquired many material possessions, popularity, and achievements. We have developed our talents and abilities and most especially we have encountered many persons and have unforgettable experiences from them.

As I recall the time from my age of maturity up to this present situation, I could say that I have a very special story to tell. It is very special to me not because of the realities that I discovered and the knowledge that I gained as I grew up. It is not about the feelings of my heart and the movements of my emotions nor about the material possessions and developed talents but about the persons that I have encountered in my life. And one of these persons that I have encountered is Jesus Christ. Though I did not encounter Him personally, through the Bible, I have unforgettable experiences with Him which I considered very special.

I remembered the time when I was a child, my parents brought me to the Church. I was amazed by the image of a person hanging on the cross. I wondered why there were so many people and they were singing and there was a man who wore long and elegant garments who was always talking. I did not ask my parents about the matter because my mother was so strict in disciplining us—that is to behave in the public. I kept on asking what the reason was for the celebration and why the people were very happy aftermath.

When I was already elementary, only my parents went to the church every Sunday because we were being instructed to guard our house and to take good care of our younger brothers and sister. However, we had Bible in our home with so many pictures. I happened to read it because my mother got it from the cabinet for their seminar. From then on, I was inspired to read and there I read the Life and Teachings of Jesus. I met Him in the Bible and was slowly inspired by His teachings—to love our neighbors. I kept on reading it every time I was free. With that, I slowly understood my first experience in the church when I was a child.

When I was high school, there was this desire in my heart to follow Him. It was as if my heart was longing for Him. By that hunger, I decided to enter in the seminary with full inspiration and courage to become a priest. What I am now is the product of my encounter with Him. And I do believe it is grace that is given to me by God.

TO LOVE BECAUSE WE ARE BEING LOVED…

Step Ten
Sem. Garco Labor Concon


When we enter into the realm of love, we have so many definitions and notions about it. We speak according to our own perspectives that based also on our experiences.
We try to equate love with other virtues like justice, freedom, and charity. Love is that which we recognize as part of our human nature and that it enables us to fathom the kaleidoscopic realities in this world. Thus, it takes in all the important and principal issues of our life as a human being.

Indeed, we cannot deny the fact that people today talk about love apart from where it came from. In other words, they talk about love apart from its source and origin. In so doing, there is a tendency to have wrong definitions of it that may demean and devalue its nature. They use and practice it according to their own definitions which is really apart and different to its true meaning.

When I was in high school, I perceived love like an emotion and affection towards a girl. If I had a feeling to her and able to express in a gentle manner with matching chocolates and roses, there was already a concrete practice and action of love. It is as if the true meaning of love is being practiced through the certain actions that I had done to a girl. Thus, I could not see the vast spectrum of meanings of it because I was blinded by a certain definition that seemed to bring me to ecstasy and elation.

However, when I entered the seminary, I slowly found the true meaning of love and its origin. I learned that love does not only limit on a particular relationship between a boy and a girl but it encompasses all the relationships and virtues of life—it is far beyond the limits of one’s own notions and definitions. It is because the origin of this love is God and we only participate in the vastness and richness of this reality.

Therefore, we cannot think about love away from God because it is eternal and sacred. On the one hand, it is eternal because it has no end. The love of God to us is everlasting even we, as human beings turn away from Him by not loving others. On the other hand, it is sacred because it comes from God who is sacred and divine in nature. It is originated from His divinity that it inherits its nature from Him.

In this way, God first loves us by creating us and providing us all our needs in living. Hence, there is a call for us to love because we are first being loved by Him. It is a call of not only loving Him in return but loving others as the outward action to concretize this virtue. To love Him is not enough to realize and practice the true meaning of this virtue, it is also to love our neighbors so that we may say to ourselves, “yes” to the commandment of God and humble ourselves before His presence.

AN UNKNOWN…

Step Eight
Sem. Garco Labor Concon

Through the ages and through the course of history, many people had their personal testimonies about their experiences of spirit. They strongly affirmed that spirits are supernatural beings that exist together with us or what they called, “not like ours”. Although they had different experiences during their times, what is common in their statements was their reactions over that event. They had a dreadful feeling towards it…

One of these testimonies that I remember is the experience of Ate Inday in my apostolate area when I was still in fourth year college. I was assigned in Sumilihon and we had BEC meeting there every Saturday Night. She shared to me that when she was leading a rosary for her neighbour having an unknown sickness in her haunted home, her neck was grabbed that she could not even breathe. She did not see someone who had done it because her two companions were at a distance from her. She struggled and prayed hardly to God in order to be saved and finally the “spirit” as she called it, left afterwards.

Other testimony that I remember is the experience of my uncle when I was still a baby. There were two voices of “witches” who happened to pass over the roof of our house. Because of his pride and haughtiness, he went out to our backyard and shouted “kung isog mo, ali diri” while sharpening the bolo in his hand. Suddenly, the wind blew fast and all the lights in our house went off and the voices of witches that shouted, “waakwaak” were heard around the house. He was terribly afraid and hurried back into to our house while shouting the name of my father. My father replied while getting a flashlight and after a moment, the lights were back and the voices and winds were gone.

All these experiences are proofs that spirits really exist. However, these spirits are not the same spirit that I experienced when I was about to follow the Lord and enter the seminary. I remembered the time when I cried because I could not get my form 138 in order to complete the requirements in the seminary. I had a remaining balance of almost one thousand pesos in the school and the secretariat refused to release it unless I could pay the certain amount. After I cried, I did not lose hope and I tried to find the solution of my problems. I approached my auntie and she gave me the amount that I needed.

I experienced the spirit of courage and inspiration which I believe were coming from God. I had this courage to struggle with the difficulties at that time and I believe that God was with me. Amidst the difficult and complicated situation, I was encouraged to go on. I did not know the process, all I know is that it is there. The spirit of God is always there to help and always carrying the hardships that I felt at that time. I did not know it was there. what I knew only was that it was already working.

A GIFT AT HAND…

Step Seven
Sem. Garco Labor Concon

It is somewhat a consistent idea as human beings that we have different notions and definitions of conscience. As I scrutinize my mind, these different notions and definitions are the result of the different situations and circumstances of every human being. In other words, it depends on different experiences and disposition where we could come up to different perspectives. Besides, it relies on the different milieus especially the orientation of the family, society and religious way of thinking.

Some people perceive conscience as innate in every human person. As long as we are human being, it is a package deal already that we have conscience. It is already part of our being and our nature that we possess conscience. Besides, conscience is not something to attain and achieve because it is in-born in us that it already rests in the core of our being as human.

Some say conscience is the love to act morally. Conscience is to have an affection of doing what is right. If we are committed in sincere heart to do the things in a moral way out of love then we can consider it as conscience as the impetus of acting in that way. In other words, if we fall in love to doing what is right and avoid evil in every action that we have done, then we could consider it as conscience that is working in us.

I remembered last month when I was about to come back here, my money was only five hundred pesos and it was only enough for my fair. We had a financial crisis in the family because it was not yet harvest time of our farm. Suddenly, one early morning a woman in her middle age went to our home and asked for financial assistance. Her son was fined worth of three hundred pesos. He hit a woman who scolded him because he was drunk and has done unbecoming actions.

At first, I felt hesitant to help her because of the cruel action of her son but when she cried after telling that she loved her son very much and that her son will be imprisoned if he cannot pay the amount being asked, I was deeply moved as if my conscience was telling me to do something. I was touched by her words and without further delay, I gave to her the said amount even my mother seemingly opposed to it. By that, she was very happy and thankful to me and went with a smile painted on her face.

Thus, I could say that conscience is not only innate in every human person and the love to act morally but it is also a gift coming from God. It is a gift that needs to be nurtured and to be practiced always especially when the situation needs it. After that event, I did not expect that my parish priest would give me money and accompanied me to the terminal. When I went to Nasipit and visited the parish priest there who was also my friend, he gave me sufficient amount of money for my allowance in which I did not expect also. Hence, I could say that if I will always follow my conscience, God will provide a hundred folds.

DIGGING THE PIT

Step Four
By: Sem. Garco Labor Concon


The silence of the library seemed to deaf my ears as the only man alone in the vicinity that served as a porter for my companion for their research. I brought my book so that I could peacefully reflect the chapter four because it is a very quiet place though scary like a haunted house where the ghosts dwell. My mind seemed to recall many ideas of strange stories that I read from the book of the mysteries of the unexplained. I could not stop thinking of those stories to the fact that I am interested to witness some strange circumstances as it were that would be considered as horrible.

A couple of minutes passed when I felt bored of waiting some mysteries and eventually some of my companions were approaching to the place where I was. I could not do anything but to start reflecting my experiences before thereby not from the ghosts but from the images of God that being discussed by Gallagher in his book. These experiences are already inculcated in my mind and served as preparatory events where I could reach the true God that is worthy of believing.

As I recall my experiences, I had many images of God as I grew up. One of these images when I was a child was that, I had the image of God as punisher because my parents told me that if I would do something wrong, God will punish me for my fault. As an adolescent, I had this image of God as a director of history. I perceived God to be the director of my destiny. Even if I would struggle to develop myself and gain prestige, still God will be the one who will direct my actions. Thus, one of the results of my experiences was that, I was acting in mediocrity.

However, when I started to read the bible in our home when I was already high school, I realized that those images of God that I experienced were not precisely the same to Jesus’ words and actions. By that, I started to go to mass every Sunday in order to purify the wrong images that I experienced. In the process, I encountered Jesus as a loving God who possessed the virtues of life and redeemer for my sins. I began to embrace a meaningful life which I believed it came from the grace of the true knowledge that I gained.

Therefore, I could say that I was able to dig a six feet deep pit of faith out of the roughly road of wrong images that I experienced. In the process, I was able to go deeper on my faith in Jesus who is willing to accompany me in all the pains and hardships in life. I no longer knew Him according to my own definitions and perceptions of what He is but I knew Him in the person of Jesus who suffered and died for me. Besides, my faith serves as gaggles in order for me to see the true God which I now found in Jesus—which is the model of love.

MIND OVER EVERYTHING

Step Six
Sem. Garco Labor Concon


Many times we considered our minds as the dominating factor of our whole being. It is often regarded as one of the important faculties since it is being used most of the times. In fact, our mind holds the knowledge of our past and present memories about all the experiences that we had. It serves as a bank where we could stock the knowledge and learning that we gained.

Our mind has the capacity to understand about the things that we encounter. It has the capacity to analyze and construct explanations. In other words, it is the home where our reasons dwell. This faculty takes the big part in every affair of our existence. Thus, it has a significant role as we journey our faith because of the fact that this faculty is very powerful.

As I read the chapter six of Gallagher’s book about the ‘wondering mind’ of St. Thomas, I recognized the great value of my mind. I scrutinized it and recalled all the unforgettable experience since childhood whether they were good or bad. I even remembered some of my realizations and understandings on some of the particular periods of my life. Moreover, I overhauled all that being stored there and highlighted some memories that led me to deepen my faith to God.

Furthermore, since childhood my mind received constant learning and training because of the fact that I keep on studying since elementary and up to now. And not all that, my mind also has undergone a discipline together with its learning and training. That is why my mind has significant duty in shaping my faith to God since childhood stage.

St. Thomas would assert to that also by constructing five ways of proving God’s existence by using the mind. According to him, human mind could arrive at certainty about God’s existence. Thus, I do believe that my mind has a role for my faith. It is not only on proving the existence of God as purely cognitive function, as many would say, but somehow on managing and organizing all the faculties to work hand-in-hand in shaping my faith.

It must be concerned on external element that would help us to assent the revelation being given by God apart from the grace which could be considered as interior helps of the Holy Spirit. Thus, my mind helps me to decide the way of faith that I should take that is gradual in process to which it is oriented in order to arrive the correct dimension of faith.

EMPTINESS INSIDE…

Step Five
By: Sem. Garco Labor Concon


It is my concrete experience that my heart is always searching for the deepest truth in this temporal world. As they say, there are many things in this world that cannot be explained by our own self but by our heart. It is the heart that serves as impetus in order reach for the supreme goal of life. Thus, I could say that only my heart knows everything about this aspect and has the explanation.

Though only my heart knows the reason thereby its own reason at hand does not know, however, there is still emptiness inside of me as I continue searching the deepest reality. As I ponder on it, there is a longing of my heart which I believe only God can fill in. In other words, even my heart knows every detailed explanation of many things in this world and has reasons to argue over but still do not reach to the inmost, ultimate and absolute desires, it is still empty and useless.

When I was a high school student, most of the times my heart was always seeking for pleasures. It was always inclining to many girls as if I had fix feelings everytime I met them without knowing that they were already many in my heart. The passion of my heart engrossed to worldly things that could satisfy my whole being. I had this desire to be in as a member of a group and to be recognized as an important person that could make some mysterious and incredible actions.

I had a feeling of being superior of my classmates because of their intellectual incapacity. I felt that my heart was always in a right track and knew every reason. As if it seemed that it was a firm heart that was strong and brave. I always trusted my heart that every moment that I would speak, it comes from its abundance. Besides, my success and achievements fascinated and captivated me as if my heart was in a stable state.

However, when I was in a fourth year level, I felt that I was still dissatisfied for what my heart have done and found. I found out that my heart was in a fidgety and hunger despite all firmness that I felt. I felt emptiness which I believe only God could satisfy it. In fact, I was crying after hearing our school monthly mass. I felt that my heart has this ultimate and supreme desire to be inclined with the will of God.

Thus, when the seminarians had their vocation campaign, I asked them some details for the exam which I did not hesitate to take. I felt that I was always inspired and alive on that time. Surprisingly, I was accepted and able to enter the seminary with all the zeal and courage to follow the Lord. By that time, I could say that my heart was in union with God. I felt that I was relaxed, joyful and satisfied…

TRANSCENDENTAL...

Step Three
By: Sem. Garco Labor Concon


When I read this chapter, I discovered a lot within myself regarding the supremacy of my reason over my faith. In other words, I cannot believe a certain reality unless I perceive it and grasp it with my own sense. It seems that have fallen into a futile skepticism where I cannot believe in something it has not undergone a certain observation and investigation. In fact, I can hardly distinguish the myth from reality and the lie from the truth. I study everything apart from my own self and look at the things objectively without including my very own self as the main subject.

I remain in the state of doubt where I can hardly distinct between the real and unreal. The result is that I cannot trust the things that exist beyond my own senses, including the abstract realities of this world. I usually begin with a “what is next” question and find the logical answers with all the premises and proofs. I keep on questioning all the times without finding answers that would satisfy my desires. My passion is focusing on the discovery of the things that exist as beings-in-this-world. It is as if my mindset and orientation are pointed towards investigating facts through the general and intelligible principles by looking at things from different angles and perspectives.

However, I noticed that I still arrived at wrong answers because I began with a wrong question. It is not to begin a “what is next” question but to ask what the meaning is of everything to my life. It requires a trustful desire in order to understand something even without explanation. It is an understanding that comes from within, an attitude and not an explanation at hand. In other words, it comes from the heart that knows no reason and not from the mind that is always constructing explanations.

Thus, I could say that I must start from the right question in order to arrive at a correct answer. I must break the wall that divides the aura of my beauty and nobility as a being in order to have the attitude of believing that would lead me to another dimension. I would avoid the state of doubting and begin to embrace another realm that would make me authentic. It is the realm of faith as a pre-requisite in finding the true meaning of life and the true essence of all things. Through it, we could recognize the ultimate reality—which is the Lord and receive His grace. It is a grace not of the things that we receive and possess, but rather of our relationship with Him by recognizing Him as our master and we, as His servants.

SOMWHERE THERE IS A DEAD RAT

Step Two
By: Sem. Garco Labor Concon


As I see the azure sky that revealed its beauty and the setting sun on the edge of my horizon, I started to scrutinize my mind about the complicated situation of our society today. My mind was very busy thinking the hornet’s nest of controversy that wrapped the minds and hearts of our fellow countrymen. It is a controversy that led me to ponder deeply as if I was in the middle of nowhere that even my shadow would seem to eat me.

I was very sad thinking about the causes and effects of our country’s poverty. This situation is like dead rat that smells bad. The situations in the book of Gallagher, “Free To Believe” chapter two ‘Seeing through System’ are similar to the situation of our society today. I keep on thinking how do the people deepen their faith amidst the topsy-turvy situation. How do they pray when there stomachs are empty? After escaping our false self, where do we begin to escape when we smell the “dead rat”?

The author says that we must study the system in order to beat the situation. We must search for dead rat that smells bad even if it is very difficult for it to find because its unpleasant odor is everywhere. It is likely to say that we must study the root cause of this complicated situation. True enough, we knew already the series of horizon vis-à-vis our situation, and it flashes from time to time, but we did not still dig the bottom line of it.

In fact, we are still in a bondage situation if we cannot escape the system that is very artificial and unnatural, even if we have already escaped in the first step. We cannot move and work our plans because of the bad odor of the system. In other words, our religious potentials and abilities are paralyzed because we are suffocated by that odor. The result is that we go back to our false self and live in worldly allurements and humanly world without giving emphasis to our spiritual needs.

Thus, I finally arrived to a conclusion that we must educate and evangelize our people in order to beat the complicated system. We must bury the dead rat so that it cannot produce harmful effects to our body due to its bad odor. Though it is not easy task because it is a gargantuan duty to make a move inside the pit of bad odor but we have trust in ourselves and in the Lord.

ENCOMPASSING...

Step One
By: Sem. Garco Labor Concon


It has been said that only ten percent of an iceberg will be seen floating and the ninety percent is still submerged under the water. In fact, as regards many things in this world, I believe that I perceive their whole reality, but the truth is that I only know those things partly. In other words, it seems that I grasp that reality fully, but beneath the façade of that reality lies the deeper truth which I do not know. It is because my understanding and knowledge as a human being is limited. I do not know everything about the reality in this world totally, even my very own self.

Thus, when I was an adolescent, I found myself uneasy and uncomfortable many times. I was so engrossed about the things that would satisfy my needs without looking at myself from afar. I was playing in bigness out of my littleness. There were so many questions about myself, about the things I perceived, hence, I was living in a slumber of ignorance and in bondage of insensitivity. Most of the times, I did not even recognize myself especially my talents and abilities neither did I appreciate the things that I have done.

Furthermore, I was living in a nutshell, in which my actions and notions were being dominated by the different situations and circumstances. My being as a person was covered with shame, ignorance, and fear in which I could not show myself to others and develop my capacity. I had no confidence in sharing what I had as a person. Because of this, I seldom had shining moments as a youth.

When I entered the seminary, I had a chance to develop and improve myself. I knew myself slowly and started to show myself to others and appreciated every thing that I have done. I came out slowly from the nutshell and awakened to the vast spectrum of problems and anxieties. I began to walk through the path of freedom to my future by doing what is right.

Despite all that, I noticed within myself that I am still dissatisfied with following the right path and developing my talents and abilities because I still did not reach the supreme goal of my life. It is because to be good is not enough to achieve it. It is neither to be talented and intelligent nor to be powerful and rich. It is to attain the ultimate freedom as the first stage of life’s journey in order to reach the ultimate goal—which is God.

It is to throw away my old self and live as true and authentic human being. It is because faith is a decision to follow the Lord and thank Him for what He has done for my life.