Joy, golf, clunkers and hamstrings

Man comes home from a golf game exhausted and despondent. His wife asked, “What happened?” “It’s terrible”, the man says “Harry died at the 10th hole.” The wife exclaimed, “That’s horrible!” “It is” the man continued, “Can you imagine, I had to hit the ball then drag Harry, hit the ball then drag Harry.”

That was from Bo’s video in my post last month illustrating how the past can hamstring the present. Dwelling on past sins keep us from seeing the needs of others and prevent us from loving God in them. So, he says “Bury Harry, so that we can hit the ball, hit the ball, hit the ball.” You know what he means – repent the fall, renounce the sin, avoid the occasions that go there then move forward.

Going to confession is not like going to a body shop where the dings and dangs get tapped back into place, spackled, sanded and painted over. Going to confession is like going to the dealership and getting a brand new car. So if you have a clunker sitting in the garage, if you have given up on God’s forgiveness or on yourself because of repeated falls, then drive over for a new car and do it right next time.

Maybe you’ll recover if you focus on Jesus first, on others next and lastly on yourself last. If you forget, think of J-O-Y – Jesus first letter, Others next letter, Yourself last letter.

Best to stand down to help Iranian protestors

Acc. to this article, it is best to stand down and do nothing to help the Iranians.

" Yet, doing nothing seems better than the alternatives. The millions of people in the streets of Teheran
and other cities protesting the fraudulent election testify to the fact that the regime is far from stable.
And, the one way to strengthen the regime is to appear that we are backing its opponents. It is
troublesome to think that we must sit by and do nothing. But, it is less trouble than strengthening
Ahmadinejad and his fellow thugs." ( Source http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/iran-do-nothing )

And this seems to be confirmed from the chatter in Iran where one of the administration's talking points include the oppositions' collaboration with foreigners. Moreover, I saw videos where the ex-patriates seems not to want or expect a high-profile involvement from Westerners - like it would hurt their cause rather than help it. I'll bounce this to the Iranian sympathizers for confirmation.

For now, one can always pray.

More Macho to Heal than Kill

Whenever I write about Christians' love for enemies, I get feedback that questions my manliness - like I need to grow a pair. There had been 3 soldiers and 2 lawyers in my family tree, so the killer instinct runs through my blood. (The soldiers were with the Spanish Guardia Civil, the Resistance against the Japanese and the US Armny,.) And since I did not go to a junior seminary, I spent a few afternoons during my adolescent years trying to Kung-fu someone at the school backyard. I am now ashamed of what I have done and if I can do things over, I would walk away. So, I am not a wus nor am I gay. I want to be like Jesus; check him out then you'll get it.

Christians do not love their enemies as a cop out - like the "slave morality". Where I come from, Christians can obliterate all the Muslim villages because they have the upper hand and a rich uncle with lots of fire power. The government actually started an all out offensive with the war on terror after 9/11. (You do know that there are christians and there are Christians. Those who know Christ personally vs. those who take on the Christian culture.) That campaign stopped for whatever reason. After that, the real Christians went to the Muslim villages to rebuild homes and mosques and provide medical assistance.

Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=equPto3vcoU
Other reference: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleid=458555



It takes more gumption to restrain oneself in the face of someone who hurt your own. It takes self-mastery to pay back with good. So, when Christians love their enemies, they go above and beyond the natural tendency for revenge; they do something "super" natural. That takes more strength and power - more "machismo".

Can you direct me to find the Church's teaching about

The Church is my family and I love her. If ever I ask questions or criticize, it is because I feel that I can be real and authentic with my family and I want her to be her better self always.

That said, I think that whenever people are being kidnapped, tortured, unjustly detained and murdered, the Church needs to speak out and up, loud and clear, in no uncertain terms. So I searched the Vatican web site for articles , http://www.vatican.va/ , about the Church's position on the human rights violations in Iran and found nothing. Then I went to the Bishops Conference site, http://www.usccb.org/ , and still found nothing. If you see something, please send it my way.

My second question is why? I know a little about the Shah, SAVAK, the Baath party and what went on in the last 4 decades that complicates the US-Iran relations. However, the Catholic Church is universal, transcending nations, cultures and peoples. So the American experience on Iran should not in any way restrain the Church.

Is it none of the Church's business? Back in the seminary, I studied the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church (Lumen Gentium) and the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World and it pretty much states that Muslims and even agnostics and atheists (the good ones) are related to, if not part of, the People of God - the Church. If they're related or part of the Church, then we must hurt whenever our relatives are hurt or if a part of us is injured. But I don't hear a cry of pain and anguish. And that silence sounds like apathy.

Is it because some Muslims hate and persecute Christians in their lands? You all know the Gospel verses to address that and a glance at the crucifix is enough to remind us of who we are supposed to imitate, follow and morph into. So, I think we need to contact our bishops and raise this concern because it is evil, wicked and sinful not to say or do anything when others are being oppressed - even if they're Muslims or Jews.

Later the Lord will say, "I was tortured and you turned a blind eye or hardened your heart." To find out when, just note the present date.

(Cross posted from

http://divine-ripples.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html#2648985042535349612 )

The good Samaritan and 9/11

Christians have 2 great commandments. The second is to love their neighbor. When asked to define "neighbor", the Lord Jesus told the story of how a Samaritan helped the man who belonged to the religion that hated him.

I know what the Koran states about Christians. But true Christians do not hate back not even after 9/11. Our leader was also tortured, but he loved back instead. We have a chance to do the same by supporting the Iranians' present struggle and cross out the circle of hate.

Inspiration for Philippine Velvet Revolution Dies

In prayerful remembrance of Mrs. Corazon Aquino - the servant leader of an oppressed people.

A people led by a simple housewife and the Spirit of God has overcome a powerful and oppressive government. That housewife in the person of Cory Aquino has gone to her heavenly home. Our hearts & prayers are with her.

The video depicts the historic bloodless revolution with the song about unity in the background. It is the paradigm used by Mahatma Gandhi to free India from Britain and by Lech Walesa to free Poland from Russia. It is inspired by the Lord Jesus Christ who died to free us from the reign of Satan.

As we recall the past, we look to the future and see where oppression needs to be overcome by unity - this time by the unity not just of one nation but of the whole world. Let us now support the Iranians in their struggle.

Why I was at a candle light vigil for Iranians

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7HpSuyaOwY

I was there last night because, I am convinced that if everyone in the world would stand for the oppressed then no power can resist that pressure. (If you care to find me, I am at the end at 2:01 - 2:04.)

Today it is the Iranians, yesterday - the Rwandans, Albanians in Kosovo, people of Sierra Leone, decades back the Salvadorans, the Jews, and the list goes on. Who will it be tomorrow?

In the video, the clothes are mostly black for those mourning the loss of their loved ones or green for the political party that opposes the current regime. So, there's just a couple of hundred folks tops. Why is there little show of solidarity for the Iranian people from others? There was more turnout for Michael Jackson.

I think people need to go beyond the stances of their governments and see their brothers and sisters even in the so-called rogue states. And it is being done by groups like Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders. What bothers me is that I have heard nothing from my Church about this. People are dying and being tortured abroad and there's not a word about how to address that situation. From a dogmatic standpoint, these Iranians even if they're Muslims and secularists are related to, if not part of the People of God. Review the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church "Lumen Gentium" and "Gaudium et Spes".

We'll soon be hearing less and less from Iran because, the regime is tightening up the information leakage. It does not mean that things are stabilizing. Even here, there is caution if not fear. I took pictures and was approached by someone to have his picture deleted because, he was going back to Iran sometime later.

At the end, people are formed by those who love them and those who refuse to love them. The Iranians need us now.