Matangtubig Experience

Note: My reflection on our half day exposure to Barrio Matangtubig in Quezon City as our output in our discussion about CHURCH in our Catechism Class (This will be publish at Tambuli Newsletter - a newsletter of the Daughters of Sacred Heart - Philippine Region) 

 What is Church?
 This is the main question that we should ask during our stay in Matangtubig Community. It's a wonderful experience asking the people about their opinion regarding church. I had with me Tavite as my partner in that activity and with Ate in our side guiding us in our interview. We focus our attention to the fathers in the community. During my convervation and trying to see the depth meaning of church I am amazed with their answer. Church is Jesus, Church is healer, Church as a Teacher, Church as the provider. This are answers that based from their own experiences of healing, teaching and providing food. Church is Jesus that is show by the people surround us. Church is always in our side in our daily household chores, in our way of living. Church works, church loves us – This is according to the group of mothers that we asked. Church is somehow a reationship. If we are regularly visiting our church, the relationship will become intimate and we can't recognize the church if were not use to visit or have time to talk and pray. Church for me is a church were we understand one another. A laughter that is genuine. A group of people who binds together eventhough there is a differences but we are bind because of the church, helping one another with the common good. Church is a church of the poor and I need to inculcate how the poor should gave an utmost care and love. Matangtubig experience is an experience that will remain whenever the life I will face afterwards. Reggie O. Cruz Seminarian

God's Whisper

Note: My Journal entry this morning October 22, 2011, I want to share to you the wonderful experience I had

 I was cleaning the chapel when I heard a voice "Come kiss me, love me, no one sees but you feel good and happy. Come touch me and put me in your heart. We're working together, inspire one another, I am glad that you're mine. Even no one appreciate your deeds. I am here to appreciate you. Look at yourself before when you are sad. I brought people to made you happy. The
sun was shining and you felt the heat of it. But I hug you and say "you're doing a great job" Don't bother people surrounds you. What important is we love one another. Come on kiss me, love me, no one sees. only between two of us. I Love you and you love me too

Psalm of Comfort

' Note: An output in our scripture class with Rev. Fr. Dominic Nolan about Psalms.. I made this one I hope you like it 

 My Lord , Oh my Lord you are my soft and pure cloth who wipe away my tears in my humble eyes in every tear drops My God you comfort me your soft cloth sip my painful memories In every sin, you're trying to save me you give me grace to fight what is evil and defend me to do good things whenever the situations – you are my soft and pure cloth Lord, how pure and gentle is your name my God, who loves me intimately you take away my tears, your cloth catch my sins to save my soul from the earthly spirits and purify me with your softest cloth My Lord is my soft and pure cloth In every sin, I know you become dirty dusty, messy but you accept them all to show your endless Love to show your compassionate heart

The Spirit Walk

I would like to share to you a moment with nature where in God communicates with us, sharing his intimate friendship in such a simple way. I was staring on this insect but no one recognize its name but I learnt a lesson that really touches my heart. You are unknown insect long black one, yellow in every side with several feet. You are every where, I touch you and bend and trying to be a stone, you move around in any direction, trying to find a safe spot. You stop when someone touch, bend until you create a circle. At glance, I see you as a pest but you molded my thinking after a deep moment with you. I see your kindness, your friendship, your intimate care. Accompaniyng me with the unconditional love. You are my God! Continue to love though most often I hurt you and say “ I am here, look at me, I am with you, feel, discover and love me” you became whole and continue your journey and walk with every possible way. I don't know yor name, I asked someone but he never knew but he said you are always there. Thank you that I appreciate you, thank you for a moment. Ilove you very much.
 Note: This was created during our activity on our Friday Modular Classes about VIRTUES. when I shared them to other formand. They like it. I hope you like it too.

Between I and God is LOVE

This is me when he had an opportunity to visit
Center of Eco Living and Learning (CELL) in Silang, Cavite 

(Reflection based on the Article of George A. Aschenbrenner, S.J.)

It is the end of School year and I’m glad that I already done with my paper works in my job and I’m ready to court a girl that I totally in love with. I text her in my cellphone that I will go to their house to express my desire formally. So as a preparation I take my bath, select a nice outfit, take the necessary things to do. I buy a dozen of donut, 3 liters of bottled cola and cute stuff toy.
But when I’m in their house disappointment and frustration appear. We had a nice conversation in texting her in my cellphone and all of the sudden she didn’t entertain me that much. After all of my preparation, it’s like an early Holy week. She didn’t tell me why, I don’t know what the problem is and I found out that he likes a Man who is rich, better-looking and not a teacher. She didn’t NOTICE and APPRECIATE my LOVE to her and how I SACRIFICE for the TIME and PREPARATION.
Why I use this kind of heartbreaking story of mine? To make you cry? or to make pity on me?
It is because this one event of my life suddenly sprouted after I read the article of George A. Ashenbrenner, a Jesuit on Examen of Consciousness.
In our life, God try and continuously court us in different situations in our day to day encounter But most often we see the bad side of life. The crucial part of it example your day is very stressful a lot of work to do, I break up with my girlfriend, my parents seems never like me etc. But most often we didn’t NOTICE how God is moving, touching and gently love us. We forgot small and simple events but Examination of Consciousness is a helpful exercise or it can be a prayer to articulate God loving message to us in every beat of our life.
As I quote “Examen gives our daily contemplative experience of God real bite into all our daily living” God reveal to us in such a moment that it touches our heart and make us feel better. This is a stage of life that we appreciate his love and care.
The first element is enlightenment and guidance to the Father allowing him to help us in our discernment for the whole day. It is also a manifestation that we are human that we need his presence and help in evaluating his moving graces.
It’s really strike me to this statement “Only the truly poor person can appreciate the slightest gift and feel genuine gratitude” In the second element of Examen it teaches me to be like a poor person. APPRECIATE little things in life, valuing small blessings and found out an everlasting Joy with the slightest light, blessings that only a poor person experience.
I remember an afternoon of July 6, 2011; I decided to walk around until I notice myself going to the Divine word Garden in Christ the King Seminary. The place is awesome; the scenery gives me a comfortable heart. It gives me happiness and the funny thing is I see tadpoles in a small pond and remember my childhood days that after the heavy rain, my cousins and playmates come and we go to our backyards and collect tadpoles and I remember how we laugh looking at tadpoles near in bamboo trees.
In that moment of looking my history, I thank God for that opportunity to brought me to this place to recognize his presence and LOVE. That simple scene in a day really touches me and God reveals his loving presence, it is not extravagant one but like a poor person this simple event is something special to both of God and me.
After the enlightenment and thanksgiving of the wonderful gifts of the almighty, it is the time to examen what happening to you in the different phases of the day.
I agree with the operative questions that Aschenbrenner said. We should ask yourself; what has been happening to us? How has the Lord been working in us? What has he been asking us?
I learned in praying that ninety percent of the time in praying is LISTENING. Perhaps we are too busy with our work and didn’t notice or observe our movement in a day but this third element of the examen trying to remember how God dealing with you. Awareness of How God works with you. It gives you a clear vision of the day where God trying to call you to make some changes and begin a new life with him.
I remember in that day also when I go the Divine Word Garden and ride a jeepney going to our spiritual year house because it’s too early to go home. I decide to myself to go the Seminary House in 42 Rosario Drive to play basketball. I see the clouds seem to pour out rain but somehow my mind and heart said to go on to my plan to play basketball but it seems that I feel coward because of minimal shower of rain that may cause a heavy rains and I might not play. But I fight my cowardness and be brave to go whatever happened and thinking that the Lord will take care of me.
In that event God telling me to be brave and trust him, he tells me to enjoy the rain, enjoy playing basketball, and enjoy my gift to you. It tells me to be relaxed, calm and ignore if I will going to be wet on rain afterwards. In this part of our consciousness examen God telling me to show braveness in all times because he knows his sheep and he never wants his sheep to be in danger.
On the final element of Examen, we have hopeful resolution in the future. As a quote in the article “We must be honest in acknowledging our feeling for the future… by hoping it will go away. This is a moment of asking the graces you need to the future to carry out yourself and be ready for tomorrow. Asking God to assist you in eliciting the events of our life that you need to make sure that you’re intimate relationship with the ALMIGHTY flourished and grow. It is also the time to pray his grace to make an intact communication between you and God.
I want to leave this reflection in a one event to relate the message that I learned through reading this article. Today, I started again to play Basketball and it is very frustrating that in my initial attempts I failed, but I notice myself that in giving my TIME in it I develop the art of shooting and dribbling the ball by regularly playing with it and it very helpful in your hearth and body playing this kind of sport. It is also applicable in Examination of Consciousness, regular doing this art of praying really help yourself in relating to God and also it may helpful in relating the hearts of others. God require us this as the prophet Micah said “To do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God” (MICAH 6:8) May I find God and love him through this prayer and may I enjoy his presence and what he requires me to do in my life.

The Call of Jeremiah is a call of all

Note: This was published in our English School Paper - The Resilience Vol. 2 no. 1 and my last article as a school paper adviser.

I would like to quote from the Book of Jeremiah Chapter 1 verses 4 – 9 it is indeed very inspiring. The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am

Prophet Jeremiah

too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. Whooaa!! Another chapter of school year end and I would like to congratulate all in your triumph to succeed in this year of studies but we know that some of our students did not surpass and failed but it is a part of life that we must to learn to our mistakes and failures. Today, let us reflect to this life event of a prophet Jeremiah. He is very young in that time and he is worrying that he cannot do his work that God given to him. He is very afraid but God assure that everything will be alright and our Almighty is in control. Looking at the picture of the event we may relate to this experience to our own. God give us a role to portray. Every one of us has a mission that we must to reflect and contemplate. We must search for our own self where we may go and find out the destiny that God set to us. We know that it is hard to portray and walk in the path of God’s will but remember that the Almighty given us a gifts to continue our journey, inspired to continue and the power to respond to the call of Yahweh our God. It is the end of my journey as a Teacher after five years of being in a field of education and maybe after you read this article I will be a Seminarian and be formed by the Missionary Society of Saint Columban to be future servant of our Lord. It is a life changing moment and I do not know what will happen next but I trust God in everything. It is a very hard road for me but I am ready to respond to God’s call. I wish all of you to always be sensitive to the call and be ready to react. Let us Praise God’s Always. I will leaving you with a quote on the same book of Jeremiah chapter 1:10 saying See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” I challenge you young readers to be worthwhile pilgrims of God and create a better place and change for a better and be ready to a brand new school year. Goodluck and Godbless!

Game Over! A Brand New Game Will Start

Note: This was my students - My top achievers. This essay is dedicated to my school and to my former students. I passed this essay to the columban newsletter I hope they will publish it.

Way back June 2006, it is my first teaching year. a very exciting part because it is my first time of meeting classes, first time of everything. Hoping for the best, seaching for anew beginning, a vocation that I thought will be last..

Now the year 2011. March 25, 2011 will be my last teaching day. March 28-29 will be the Final examination period and It will be the last. the last day of my teaching career, my last day of so-called Teacher.my last day of being a public school teacher, my last day of being a MAKATA, saying GINOONG REGGIE by my colleague, GURO o MAESTRO by my students because of teaching Filipino language, reading and literature for almost five years. very memorable phase of my life. I never forget all the headaches, the struggles, sad moments, frustrations the highest peak of triumph, unforgettable and memorable. All of them remained even though I will now leaving to the place where so many dust after the hard day work, seeing trucks getting sand on the lahar area and many more.

I grew up to be more strong and seeing the reality in everyday teaching endeavor, students with different problems at home and to the society, dilemma on teaching life, worrying about Head teacher observation,many days of sermon to the students, going to different home to follow-up students, competitions, organizing contest and many more.

My teaching vocation will now going to an end. Like in the Game it will be over, like in the day it will be the night. In the book it will be the last page but there is something new will come.

On May 15 it will be my first day of my religious vocation. giving 100% time to the Lord. Loving him very much, giving him the utmost time and sharing my talents and time for the betterment of mankind.

I am now ready to face another vocation, facing my toughest and exciting formation in life and hoping for a best.

Holy Trinity, bless me always..

My Latest Journey

Note: Last essay that I created before the Final Screening in Columban.

Our Charismatic Youth Ministry in Our Lady of Grace Parish.
 We had a one day recollection in this place near NLEX Sta. Ines, Mabalacat, Pampanga

Struggles, hinders coming my way

But God never want me to astray

He always reminded me and say

“Never stop but continue to play”

It is a roller coaster journey up way to my vocation. This coming March it will be my life changing moment. Maybe, after this month there will be two paths that I may walk to – way to my vocation as a teacher and way towards to more committed religious life and I pray to guide me to find a way to the “calling” that I have. I’m very happy that God gave me hope to continue my journey. Sometimes I lose my hope but he always reminded me to never give up. I remember a Filipino worship song “Sa Diyos lamang mapapatag ang aking kaluluwa, sa kanya nagmumula ang aking pag-asa at kaligtasan, O Dios ikaw ang aking kaligtasan, nasa iyo ang kaluwalhatian, ikaw lamang ang aking inaasahan ang aking moog at tanggulan” In God my soul will feel relieve, my soul became calm and relax because God is in my side, God embrace me, he is always let me feel his spirit, his everlasting love and care. He guards me from harm.

The month of February in the year 2010 is a confirmation by God to find myself and be ready to discern in my call to the priesthood and I gave myself time to retreat and talk to God more often. It is not an easy journey, pains and downfall coming my way. There are times that I question God’s love. But I’m very happy that today in this moment of my life the vocation is still burning and alive. I know there are a lot of pains and sacrifices that coming my way to achieve to be servant of the Lord but I’m ready to ride to a roller coaster. Ready for adventure, never frighten to the speedy moment and ready to shout and praise God and give my love to God our creator.

I hope and pray that my vocation in priesthood nurtures by time and experiences. Became bloom and transform by people who will be used by God to mould me to become a great Priest someday. When my journey to vocation as a priest accepted by Columban everything will be changed and it is start of a more meaningful life coming my way and a life that changes the heart of people of God, humble and faithful servant of the Lord.

My journey is not the end yet

God has a great plan to set

Never think of something not best

Because God creates me to be the best

LAUS DEO SEMPER! God Praise Always!

Reggie O. Cruz

Servant of the Lord

February 15, 2011

10:17pm

Number 6:24-26

"The LORD bless you and keep you;the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace"

I found this passage to a page on facebook - 100% katolikong Pinoy. It is a nice reflection before I will take my sleep this evening and be ready for tomorrow journey. Truly the Lord is within us and he bless us always. He wants us to be happy and inspired. One day I'm been in a bad condition, I' very lonesome but I found myself writing essays and making a blogsite for english essays. So this is a product of blessing of God. He wants me to Keep me, to shine upon my face in times of weary and difficultie. He always put me to a dusty and rocky road but an meaningful journey in finding a true peace inside. God never leave me.

Sometimes I thought he is nothing, but he find ways
I lose him but he always see to it that I may trace
I found myself confused but he is solving a maze
He is giving me pain to gain something and realize

God grace is always with us and He is always to give us light and heat to survive

1 John 2:15-16

Today, I'm very lonely and uninspired but the Lord trying to make me happy. This passage from the Book of John really Touches my heart. allow me to quote it.

"Do not love the world,
Nor the things that are in the world
If anyone love the world,
The Love of the Father is not in him.
Because all that is in the world,
is the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life;
which is not from the Father
but from the world."

It is a beautiful passage! To start with this year 2011. I said to myself that it is the start of my vocation journey. Everyday it seems to be serious and thank God this day I open a Marian Retreat book by Bernard J. Lefrois, SVD and materialism and earthly pleasure is a main concern. In our life it is hard to detach with the things we have. Let us be simple with our example - Cellphone is one of them- it become a part but a addiction to us Filipinos. We want a extravagant life - a house, car, jewelries it is like we salivate with this thing that we forgot to see a happy thought of praising God and serving the Almighty by the means of other. We center thyself with selfish happiness rather than sacrifice thyself for the happiness for mankind to develop so called Authentic happiness. Because we own by Christ not for own self. We create by our Lord to help one another not to go on with our comfort zone.

Happy New year to all!

Praise God Always! I Love you Lord