Posted by Teejae
I was talking to an old friend last Saturday and she asked me how my lovelife was doing. I could only reply: "What lovelife?" We tried to dissect why that is so or why it seems so hard for me to find someone worth investing myself in. Last Sunday, I got my answers.
I got a text invite from to attend a Gawad Kalinga recollection on Sunday Afternoon. When I got there, there were a number of people who had already arrived. One of the people I saw was Tito Tony Meloto, Executive Director of Gawad Kalinga. I knew when I saw him that this was not just small meeting.
Tito Tony Meloto is a very influential man in my life, a father figure of sorts. I met him when I was 18, during the National Leaders’ Conference of Youth for Christ. Tito Tony was a no nonsense guy. He does what he preaches and he challenges every Youth for Christ to do the same. He always told me: You cannot compromise Jesus. [My real father was not good in being a priest in our family: he could deliver good “speeches,” but his actions would always betray his words.]
I felt so small…most of the people were full time ministers, former Corporate Executives who gave up their jobs and careers to be of service. Only 20% of us there had jobs outside the community.
I am so overwhelmed with all the talks; I don’t know how to make it all fit in this entry. I guess I will just get to the gist of what Gawad Kalinga is all about.
What I gather from the talks is: Gawad Kalinga is about being a Christian in action. What does it mean to be: like Christ? A Christian…from the perspective of the CFC community.
What did Christ do? Christ did pray and develop His relationship with THE FATHER. But Christ worked.
Jesus showed and brought the message of LOVE in action: bringing glad tidings to the poor. It’s about Jesus being in the frontline…preaching not just in the synagogues but on the streets…it’s about Jesus healing the sick… caring for the Children…recognizing no difference between the Gentiles and the Jews…LOVING EVERYONE GENUINELY.
It was no coincidence that I met corporate executives: some who have given up their jobs to volunteer full time and some remain to work in MNCs with the hope that they can bring the message of love to their workplace.
If we were to be a truly Catholic Charismatic community, we shouldn’t just be limited in prayer. If you were a true Catholic, how can you sleep at night knowing that 91% of your brethren are dirt poor?
Gawad Kalinga is not about Charity. We’re so full of that in the Philippines. Tito Tony said in his speech and I agree: We have become so good at giving alms that he have succeeded in making a country full of beggars.
The call of Gawad Kalinga is a concrete call TO LOVE. Not to feel pity towards the poor because I’m better and they’re unfortunate and therefore I am obliged to help. Gawad Kalinga’s call to me is to recognize that we are all equal and therefore deserve equal opportunities in life.
So to answer my question above, WHY AM I NOT MEETING A GUY WHO IS WORTHY ENOUGH TO INVEST MYSELF IN? WHY AM I NBSB?
God’s answer to me today was a resounding: DAHIL HINDI KA PA MARUNONG MAGMAHAL.
Most of what I heard last Sunday were thoughts I already had…about my Lupang Hinirang lyrics analysis…about my post on true Freedom in February (about the EDSA REVOLUTION)…even my recent commentary on the article by Ms. Celine Lopez.
But it’s not enough that I think. It’s not enough that I talk. It’s high time that I ACT!
When an "Ate" in the community approached me after the talks and said: We’re throwing a birthday party for all the September B-day Celebrants (kids) in our Gawad Kalinga site in Buwayang Bato. Can you come and help us? I knew I had to say: “Yes”.
I know I already have 2 parties slated on Saturday. And it can be very taxing for me to say yes to a third one. But no one said it would be easy, right. Jesus did bleed to show LOVE.
But it’s not about the sacrifice…it’s about the prize. It’s about waking up knowing you have shown God’s love to others.
It’s about making myself ready to meet the Perfect Man that God has prepared for me…
…getting married and having kids
It’s about the security of knowing that your children will grow up in a COUNTRY that THEY CAN BE PROUD OF.
I got a text invite from to attend a Gawad Kalinga recollection on Sunday Afternoon. When I got there, there were a number of people who had already arrived. One of the people I saw was Tito Tony Meloto, Executive Director of Gawad Kalinga. I knew when I saw him that this was not just small meeting.
Tito Tony Meloto is a very influential man in my life, a father figure of sorts. I met him when I was 18, during the National Leaders’ Conference of Youth for Christ. Tito Tony was a no nonsense guy. He does what he preaches and he challenges every Youth for Christ to do the same. He always told me: You cannot compromise Jesus. [My real father was not good in being a priest in our family: he could deliver good “speeches,” but his actions would always betray his words.]
I felt so small…most of the people were full time ministers, former Corporate Executives who gave up their jobs and careers to be of service. Only 20% of us there had jobs outside the community.
I am so overwhelmed with all the talks; I don’t know how to make it all fit in this entry. I guess I will just get to the gist of what Gawad Kalinga is all about.
What I gather from the talks is: Gawad Kalinga is about being a Christian in action. What does it mean to be: like Christ? A Christian…from the perspective of the CFC community.
What did Christ do? Christ did pray and develop His relationship with THE FATHER. But Christ worked.
Jesus showed and brought the message of LOVE in action: bringing glad tidings to the poor. It’s about Jesus being in the frontline…preaching not just in the synagogues but on the streets…it’s about Jesus healing the sick… caring for the Children…recognizing no difference between the Gentiles and the Jews…LOVING EVERYONE GENUINELY.
It was no coincidence that I met corporate executives: some who have given up their jobs to volunteer full time and some remain to work in MNCs with the hope that they can bring the message of love to their workplace.
If we were to be a truly Catholic Charismatic community, we shouldn’t just be limited in prayer. If you were a true Catholic, how can you sleep at night knowing that 91% of your brethren are dirt poor?
Gawad Kalinga is not about Charity. We’re so full of that in the Philippines. Tito Tony said in his speech and I agree: We have become so good at giving alms that he have succeeded in making a country full of beggars.
The call of Gawad Kalinga is a concrete call TO LOVE. Not to feel pity towards the poor because I’m better and they’re unfortunate and therefore I am obliged to help. Gawad Kalinga’s call to me is to recognize that we are all equal and therefore deserve equal opportunities in life.
So to answer my question above, WHY AM I NOT MEETING A GUY WHO IS WORTHY ENOUGH TO INVEST MYSELF IN? WHY AM I NBSB?
God’s answer to me today was a resounding: DAHIL HINDI KA PA MARUNONG MAGMAHAL.
Most of what I heard last Sunday were thoughts I already had…about my Lupang Hinirang lyrics analysis…about my post on true Freedom in February (about the EDSA REVOLUTION)…even my recent commentary on the article by Ms. Celine Lopez.
But it’s not enough that I think. It’s not enough that I talk. It’s high time that I ACT!
When an "Ate" in the community approached me after the talks and said: We’re throwing a birthday party for all the September B-day Celebrants (kids) in our Gawad Kalinga site in Buwayang Bato. Can you come and help us? I knew I had to say: “Yes”.
I know I already have 2 parties slated on Saturday. And it can be very taxing for me to say yes to a third one. But no one said it would be easy, right. Jesus did bleed to show LOVE.
But it’s not about the sacrifice…it’s about the prize. It’s about waking up knowing you have shown God’s love to others.
It’s about making myself ready to meet the Perfect Man that God has prepared for me…
…getting married and having kids
It’s about the security of knowing that your children will grow up in a COUNTRY that THEY CAN BE PROUD OF.
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