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| 1 | ![]() | MabuhayRadio / Is the NaFFAA Already Dead or Still Dying?
By Romeo P. Marquez A year has gone and the many questions posed to the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA) officials in 2009 are still awaiting answers. In the hope of finding some new information, we turned to its website, the http://www.naffaa.org. Not helpful either. From the last time we visited the NaFFAA website last year, the sections and pages were undergoing some renovation, explaining that "our website is being updated". W ell, as of Find out at: http://timecircumstance.blogspot.com/ {xtypo_quote} Editor’s Note: To read at least 15 articles written by Mr. Marquez about the NaFFAA scandals, please go to this URL: http://www.mabuhayradio.com/naffaagate/ {/xtypo_quote} | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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{xtypo_quote}To browse more spiritual readings, please go to: http://www.webprayze.com {/xtypo_quote} But Jesus wasn't interested in table etiquette, nor in helping us to avoid public humiliation! Still less is he urging a false humility in the hope that people, recognising our true worth, will give us a more prestigious place. Such a person would simply be a crafty status seeker -- far worse than someone who simply grabbed the best seat. Rather than our instinctively thinking we're the greatest, we should humbly recognise the dignity and worth of other people -- and leave the ranking to God. The Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7,10-11 Hebrews 12: 18-19, 22-24a L uke 14:1, 7-14 One Sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. (7) Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, (8) "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; (9) and he who invited you both will come and say to you, `Give place to this man,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. (10) But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, `Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. (11) For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (12) He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. (13) But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, (14) and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." Meditation Isidore Clarke O.P. Who's the Greatest? At a formal meal, seating arrangements are important. Usually the most-distinguished guests sit at the top of the table. To avoid the embarrassing situation described in today's Gospel a wise host will decide the order of precedence beforehand. Here Jesus makes fun of those pretentious people who scrambled for the most prestigious places, only to be demoted lower on the arrival of someone of greater importance. How ridiculous would the status-seeker then appear! All would have had a good laugh -- except the butt of Christ's observation! Beware, Jesus must be getting at you and me, whenever we have an inflated idea of our own importance! But Jesus wasn't interested in table etiquette, nor in helping us to avoid public humiliation! Still less is he urging a false humility in the hope that people, recognising our true worth, will give us a more prestigious place. Such a person would simply be a crafty status seeker -- far worse than someone who simply grabbed the best seat. This meal, like all the others in the Gospels, anticipated the heavenly banquet. Here Jesus is telling us that we are not the ones to decide which position we deserve. Our very presence at the heavenly banquet is God's gift. None of us deserves this. He will overturn our sense of priorities and will give the highest places to those whom the worldly consider to be the least important. The meal described in today's Gospel provides an interlude on Christ's journey to Jesus himself came to serve, not to be served. While Adam fell through his pride leading him to strive to become equal to Almighty God, the Son of God emptied himself of the glory which was his by right. Jesus became humble and obedient, even to death on the cross. The God of glory became despised and rejected. And yet it was precisely in his lowliness that Jesus revealed his true greatness. On the cross he showed the power and generosity of his love for his heavenly Father and for us sinners. Jesus, who lowered himself to become the least, was raised to become the first in the The crucified Christ shows us where our true greatness lies. Not in the honour or status we may bestow on ourselves, but in following Jesus along the way of the cross. Like him, we are called to serve, rather than be served, to give of ourselves, rather than grab for ourselves. Sometimes that will be costly, painful and humiliating. But, with the grace of God, this will bring out the very best in us. And God will give us a place of honour at his heavenly banquet. We Christians could easily make the mistake of thinking that this parable was directed at the Pharisees alone. If so, we should remember that the disciples were forever bickering among themselves as to which of them was the greatest. The sons of Zebedee even sought privileged positions in the Kingdom. The full meaning of this parable is brought home forcefully in the light of the Last Supper. As Jesus and the apostles celebrated the salvation God had brought to his people in the past, Christ committed himself to saving the world through his death on the cross. While he was preparing to be brought low, his followers were striving to exalt themselves. They started arguing as to which of them was the greatest -- immediately after Jesus had celebrated the first Eucharist and had prophesied that one of them would betray him. What a dreadful, frightening irony! This should warn all who are too full of their own importance. Possibly any one of us! Certainly we should take God very seriously. But let's be able to laugh at ourselves and our ridiculous posturing. That's far better than God and other people despising us as pretentious fools! Rather than our instinctively thinking we're the greatest, we should humbly recognise the dignity and worth of other people -- and leave the ranking to God. Supplementary A Heavenly Nudge {xtypo_quote} ...Behold an Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young child (Jesus) and his mother, flee to G od well knew the heart of Harod the king. God knew that His only begotten Son would not be safe in the land that Harod ruled. God had a plan. A divine plan. A journey to the safety of a foreign land where the Christ child would be safe. A heavenly nudge into the unknown for Joseph and Mary. A journey for which they did not know what would await them. A journey of faith! Are you willing to accept the heavenly nudge that comes your way? Are you willing to make that journey into an unknown land? Are you willing to trust God with your future? Perhaps you've lost your job. Maybe that will require retraining in a new field. It might mean a Be encouraged by these words from God in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope!" Heavenly Father, I trust You with my very life! I trust the plans You have for me - plans to prosper me and to give me a future filled with a bun dant hope! Thank You for your loving-kindness, for that is truly better than life! In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Have you ever felt a "heavenly nudge" from God? Describe it and what affect it had upon your life and/or the lives of others. GOD BLESS US O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi! For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com {xtypo_quote}To browse more spiritual readings, please go to: http://www.webprayze.com {/xtypo_quote} Monday in the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Psalm 119:97-102 L uke 4:16-30 And he came to Meditation by Don Schwager H ow would you react if Jesus spoke this message from the pulpit of your church? It was customary for Jesus to go weekly to the synagogue to worship and on occasion to read the scriptures and comment on them to the people. His hometown folks listened with rapt attention on this occasion because they had heard about the miracles he had performed in other towns. What sign would he do in his hometown? Jesus startled them with a seeming rebuke that no prophet or servant of God can receive honor among his own people. He then angered them when he complimented the gentiles who seemed to have shown more faith in God than the "chosen ones" of The word "gospel" literally means "good news". Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom to those oppressed by sin and evil (see Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus came to set people free from the worst tyranny possible – the tyranny of slavery to sin and the fear of death, and the destruction of both body and soul. God's power alone can save us from emptiness and poverty of spirit, from confusion and error, and from the fear of death and hopelessness. The gospel of salvation is "good news" for us today. Do you know the joy and freedom of the gospel? "Lord Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all our hopes and desires. Your Spirit brings us grace, truth, life, and freedom. Fill me with the joy of the gospel and inflame my heart with love and zeal for you and for your will". Supplementary Persevere! {xtypo_quote} The Lord will work out His plans for my life - for Your loving-kindness, Lord, continues forever. -Psalm 138:8 {/xtypo_quote} A Sunday-school class was discussing the story of Jonah. The teacher explained how the Lord punished Jonah for running away from Him by arranging for a huge fish to swallow the frightened man. For three days, Jonah cried out to the Lord praising and thanking Him from the belly of that great fish. On the third day, God ordered the fish to spit Jonah onto the beach. In closing, the teacher asked her students, "What does this story teach us?" One little boy quickly answered, "Well, I think the story teaches us that you can't keep a good man down!" He was right you know! And that's why perseverance is on my list of dynamic, life-changing values. But we all have experiences at times in our life when we are really down. Perhaps there is something happening to you this week that threatens to hold you back or knock you down. Now, confidently commit this situation to God in prayer. When Jonah had lost all hope, he turned his thoughts once more to the Lord. His reason? "For my deliverance comes from the Lord alone." Dear Lord, what has appeared to me to be an impossible situation is fast becoming a possibility! Thank You for showing me the way out of a tough situation. Thank You for encouraging me to have the perseverance needed to accomplish in this life all that You have for me to do! Amen. Describe a situation that threatens to hold you back or knock you down. How will using the life-changing value of perseverance help you to move ahead with possibility-thinking faith? GOD BLESS US O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi! For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com To browse more spiritual readings, please go to:
We need faith to shield us when we are tackling God-sized dreams. We need faith to shield us from the fears that can threaten to pull us down, discourage us, or even cause us to give up and quit. A shield of faith will help us to bounce back from discouraging news. It will help us to respond with optimism. It will help us to keep believing that with God, all things are possible. Tuesday in the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 2:10b-16 Psalm 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14 Luke 4:31-37 And he went down to Caper'na-um, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath; (32) and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority. (33) And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, (34) "Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." (35) But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. (36) And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." (37) And reports of him went out into every place in the surrounding region. Meditation by Don Schwager When you read or hear the word of God how do you respond to it? Do you hear it with indifference, selective submission, or with the full assent of faith and obedience? When Jesus taught he spoke with authority. He spoke the word of God as no one had spoken it before. When the Rabbis taught they supported their statements with quotes from other authorities. The prophets spoke with delegated authority – Thus says the Lord. When Jesus spoke he needed no authorities to back his statements. He was authority incarnate – the Word of God made flesh. When he spoke, God spoke. When he commanded even the demons obeyed. If demons, the fallen angels, believe in the power and authority of the Son of God, how much more should we believe in the power and authority of the gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ – with the full assent of our minds and hearts and entrust our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ? If we approach God's word submissively, with an eagerness to do everything the Lord desires, we are in a much better position to learn what God wants to teach us through his word. Are you eager to be taught by the Lord and to conform your life according to his word? "Lord Jesus, your word is power and life. May I never doubt your saving love and mercy, and the power of your word to bring healing, restoration, and freedom from sin and oppression." Supplementary Reading Shielded! {xtypo_quote} Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes...In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith. -Ephesians 6:11, 16a {/xtypo_quote} In the movie "Troy," the champion Achilles leads the Greek forces against the city of Troy. The warriors charge up the sandy beach to the city walls. When the arrows rain down on them, the warriors form a barricade by bringing their shields above their heads in a turtle formation. The arrows bounce off as they move forward as a unit - protected under the shell of their shield. The bigger the shield and the stronger the shield, that's all the better when attacked by negative thoughts and forces. There is nothing bigger or stronger than faith. Where do you get this kind of faith? You get it by asking God to give you faith. Ask Him to give you more faith. Ask Him to give you stronger faith. He loves to answer this prayer. You have not only because you ask not. We need faith to shield us when we are tackling God-sized dreams. We need faith to shield us from the fears that can threaten to pull us down, discourage us, or even cause us to give up and quit. A shield of faith will help us to bounce back from discouraging news. It will help us to respond with optimism. It will help us to keep believing that with God all things are possible: That when we go through the waters, they will not overwhelm us. That when we go through the fires, they will not consume us. The shield of faith will protect each one of us in the midst of fires. It will be a life raft in the storms, and it will be a place of refuge when we are besieged and pressured and oppressed. The shield of faith is provided by God for you and me. Take cover. God is our champion. He will not let us down. Thank You, Lord, for being my loving protector. I have such faith in You! Faith to carry on despite my fears. Faith to achieve despite my failures. Faith to believe again despite my heartbreak. You are my refuge and my strength. Amen. GOD BLESS US ALL! O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi! For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes
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To browse more spiritual readings, please go to: http://www.webprayze.com We can never intrude upon God nor exhaust his generosity and kindness. He is ever ready to give to those who earnestly seek him out. Do you allow Jesus to be the Lord and Healer in your personal life, family, and community? Approach him with expectant faith! Wednesday in the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Psalm 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21 Luke 4:38-44 (38)And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her. (39) And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she rose and served them. (40) Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. (41) And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. (42) And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them; (43) but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." (44) And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. Meditation by Don Schwager W ho do you take your troubles to? Jesus' disciples freely brought their troubles to him because they found him ready and able to deal with any difficulty, affliction, or sickness which they encountered. When Simon Peter brought Jesus to his home for the Sabbath meal (right after Jesus preached in the synagogue in Capernaum), his mother-in-law was instantly healed because Jesus heard Simon's prayer. Jesus could not avoid drawing a crowd wherever he went. No one who asked Jesus for help was left disappointed. Jesus' numerous healings and exorcisms demonstrated the power and authority of his word, the "good news of the kingdom of God." When Jesus rebuked the fever, it immediately left. When he rebuked the demons, they left as well. Why did the demons shudder at Jesus' presence? They recognized that he was the Christ, the Son of God and that he had power to destroy their kingdom by releasing those bound by it. Jesus came to set us free from bondage to sin and evil. Do you seek freedom in Christ and trust in his power to set you free? When Jesus and the disciples sought a lonely place to regroup and rest, they found instead a crowd waiting for them! Did they resent this intrusion on their hard-earned need for privacy and refreshment? Jesus certainly didn't but welcomed them with open-arms. Jesus put human need ahead of everything else. His compassion showed the depths of God's love and concern for all who are truly needy. Jesus gave the people the word of God and he healed them physically as well as spiritually. We can never intrude upon God nor exhaust his generosity and kindness. He is ever ready to give to those who earnestly seek him out. Do you allow Jesus to be the Lord and Healer in your personal life, family, and community? Approach him with expectant faith. God's healing power restores us not only to health but to active service and care of others. There is no trouble he does not want to help us with and there is no bondage he can't set us free from. Do you take your troubles to him with expectant faith that he will help you? "Lord Jesus Christ, you have all power to heal and to deliver. There is no trouble nor bondage you cannot overcome. Set me free to serve you joyfully and to love and serve others generously. May nothing hinder me from giving myself wholly to you and to your service." Supplementary Reading Commanded Blessings "If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, NIV) T here is a blessing that God has for every one of His children that will cause you to rise out of lack into abundance! It will take you from barely getting by to living in overflow. It brings supernatural increase! We were never created to drag through life constantly struggling. If we're going to receive His blessings, we have to come into agreement with His Word in our minds, hearts and actions. This commanded blessing is found in Deuteronomy 28. It tells us that if we will live a life that honors God and obey His Word, then all these blessings will chase us down and overtake us. It says that you will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. God will open up to you His good treasury and cause you to lend and not borrow. He will make you plenteous in goods and give you a surplus of increase. Today, let this truth sink down into your spirit: the Creator of the universe has commanded blessing upon you. Receive it today and choose to walk in complete obedience to Him! Father God, thank You for Your commanded blessing. I receive Your truth today which sets me free. Help me, by Your Spirit, to follow Your commands so that I may live a life that is pleasing to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen. - Joel & Victoria Osteen GOD BLESS US ALL! O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi! For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes
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In every age we Christians — yes, even conscientious Christians — experience the same temptation as the Corinthians. Our lives may not be sinful but they are frequently “off-center.” We too are often caught up in the foolishness of the wisdom of this world, forgetting to Whom we belong. We belong to Christ! Thursday in the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 3:18-23 Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 L uke 5:1-11 While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennes'aret. (2) And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. (3) Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. (4) And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." (5) And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." (6) And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, (7) they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (8) But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." (9) For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; (10) and so also were James and John, sons of Zeb'edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." (11) And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. Meditation by Dick Hauser, S.J. P aul seems annoyed when he writes to the Corinthian community: “The wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God.” No doubt the Corinthians were arranging their lives around fulfilling worldly goals — personal well being, material prosperity, professional success, health, long life. Paul is exasperated: how could they be so foolish! Had they totally forgotten the message he preached to them! But he softens his message by reminding them that “all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.” Paul doesn’t seem to be accusing the Corinthians of living sinful lives but rather of living disordered lives. Their lives were “off center, ” centered on worldly goals. They had not integrated these goals with living the Gospel so they must refocus their lives. Why? Paul puts it bluntly: You belong to Christ! In every age we Christians — yes, even conscientious Christians — experience the same temptation as the Corinthians. Our lives may not be sinful but they are frequently “off-center.” We too are often caught up in the foolishness of the wisdom of this world, forgetting to Whom we belong. Paul’s words remain important reminders to us: We do not belong primarily to this world; we belong to Christ. Consequently we also must refocus our lives. Jesus puts it succinctly: Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven ! Supplementary Reading By His Grace {xtypo_quote} But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out His special favor on me--and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace - 1 Corinthians 15:10 {/xtypo_quote} In this day and age, many people are filled with worry about their future. They live stressed out, wondering "What's going to happen if I get laid off?" "How am I going to handle it if my loved one doesn't make it?" Or, "My parents are getting older. How can I take care of them and my own family as well?" Here is the answer: God's grace is going to be there at every stage of your life to help you do whatever you need to do. God's grace is what saves us, but that's not all. His grace is His enabling power. His grace will give you the strength, wisdom and favor to accomplish what you could not normally accomplish on your own. His grace is sufficient for whatever you need in your future. If you're in a difficult marriage, if you're raising a child that's hard, if you're facing a sickness, one thing you can count on is that the grace of God will be there. Receive His grace today, by faith, and let Him empower you to walk through that difficulty into a place of supernatural victory in Jesus' name! Father in heaven, thank You for Your grace and mercy upon my life. Thank You for empowering me to rise above every obstacle I may face. Thank You for restoring my future and equipping me to move forward into the victory You have for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen. - Joel & Victoria Osteen GOD BLESS US ALL! O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi! For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes
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Sept. 3, 2010—Friday Meditation (Gospel-associated Changes: With Jesus Christ, Yes, We Can!) To browse more spiritual readings, please go to: http://www.webprayze.com
To those who have been given much, much is required. May we have the grace to discern properly how to adapt to new situations and to transmit our faith to the next generation, as faithful stewards of the mysteries of God revealed to us in Christ. And may we be willing to give space – surrounded by our prayer and our love – for those near to us who still need to hear and embrace the truth. Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Psalm 37:3-4, 5-6, 27-28, 39-40 L uke 5:33-39 And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink." (34) And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? (35) The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." (36) He told them a parable also: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old garment; if he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. (37) And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. (38) But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. (39) And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, `The old is good.'" Meditation by Edward Morse T oday’s gospel refers to problems associated with change. Jesus uses parables to teach about these problems, though his teaching is somewhat enigmatic. First, tearing a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one does seem silly. Other gospel writers record a slightly different parable, referring instead to a narrower problem of using unshrunken new cloth to patch an old garment, which causes the patch to tear away. (See Mark 2:21; Matthew 9:16). But Luke’s version points to the absurdity of ruining a new garment in order to patch an old one, when the patch will not even look right when it is completed – a doubly unsatisfying result. The parable of the wineskins provides a further example that putting the new into the old is fraught with difficulty. Luke adds the observation that those who drink old wine don’t want the new, for “The old is good.” As humans, we like what is familiar and proven, and often with good reason. But we are often faced with the prospects of change, which requires our discernment. All of this discussion arises from a question by the Pharisees: why do your disciples behave differently from our disciples or the disciples of John the Baptist? Why do they eat and drink, while the others fast? Human beings recognize when someone does not conform to their expectations. We are naturally curious, and in this case the Pharisees expected an answer. To the credit of these inquisitors, they had the courage to ask Jesus straight away, rather than to speculate. But I am not sure that they were satisfied with the answer Jesus gave them. In the record of Jesus’ ministry, we find events unfolding at their own pace, which is not always the pace the audience expects. Human history had to wait for Jesus to come, and the Lord himself is not going to be rushed. Jesus does not tell them the complete story of his ministry. He lets the story unfold, allowing some time for it all to sink in. Jesus was indeed doing a new thing, but it would not be clear to them at once. Even the disciples closest to him were often mystified and muddled in their thinking, needing correction and some remedial instruction, as well as some additional time and distance before they understood what Jesus was really telling them. It is important for us to remember that humans need time to discover the truth and to process it. Sometimes we want to dump the truth on others, and that almost never works out very well. Through the benefit of reflections by the apostles and many other saints, and always by the grace of God, we are allowed to piece together the meaning of the events recorded for us in scripture. In one sense, this is a new thing for every generation. But in another sense, we are intimately connected with those who have gone before us. Standing on the shoulders of giants, so to speak, we see something truly new was being done through the incarnation, death, and resurrection of our Lord. The new thing fulfilled the promises contained in symbols and images from the past, but reflected a new direction, a new way of living, and a new hope. As Paul writes, we are “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” To those who have been given much, much is required. May we have the grace to discern properly how to adapt to new situations and to transmit our faith to the next generation, as faithful stewards of the mysteries of God revealed to us in Christ. And may we be willing to give space – surrounded by our prayer and our love -- for those near to us who still need to hear and embrace the truth. Supplementary Reading Healing Words {xtypo_quote} Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing--Prov 12:18, NIV {/xtypo_quote} T he Bible tells us that life and death are in the power of our words. We can use our words to build people up and encourage them, or we can just as easily bring destruction with our words. When we use our words to bring healing, the Bible says that we are wise. Choose to be wise today and choose healing words. Look for the best in others and build them up. Choose healing words over gossip; choose words of freedom and peace over anger and judgment. Let your words encourage the people in your life by speaking strength, hope and victory. Remember, words are seeds. When you use your words to bring healing, you'll reap a harvest of health, strength and life in return. As you are faithful with your words, God will increase your influence. He will increase His favor and blessing upon you and lead you in the good life He has prepared for you. Father in heaven, today I choose to be wise and bring healing to others with my words. I ask for an increase of Your power and ability in my life so that I can live to honor You in all I do. In Jesus' Name. Amen. - Joel & Victoria Osteen GOD BLESS US ALL! O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi! For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes
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Jesus healed on the Sabbath and he showed mercy to those in need. All who are burdened can find true rest and refreshment in him. Do you seek rest and refreshment in the Lord and in the celebration of the Lord's Day? Saturday of the 22nd week in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 4:6b-15 Ps 145:17-18, 19-20, 21 L uke 6:1-5 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. (2) But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?" (3) And Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: (4) how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?" (5) And he said to them, "The Son of man is lord of the Sabbath." Meditation by Don Schwager W hat does the commandment "keep holy the Sabbath" require of us? Or better yet, what is the primary intention behind this command? The religious leaders confronted Jesus on this issue. The "Sabbath rest" was meant to be a time to remember and celebrate God's goodness and the goodness of his work, both in creation and redemption. It was a day set apart for the praise of God, his work of creation, and his saving actions on our behalf. It was intended to bring everyday work to a halt and to provide needed rest and refreshment. Jesus' disciples are scolded by the scribes and Pharisees, not for plucking and eating corn from the fields, but for doing so on the Sabbath. In defending his disciples, Jesus argues from the scriptures that human need has precedence over ritual custom. In their hunger, David and his men ate of the holy bread offered in the Temple (1 Samuel 21:2-7). On every Sabbath morning twelve loaves were laid before God on a golden table in the Holy Place. Each loaf represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel. No one was allowed to eat this bread except the priests because it represented the very presence of God. David understood that human need took precedence over rules and ritual regulations. Why didn't the Pharisees recognize the claims of mercy over rules and regulations? Their zeal for ritual observance blinded them from the demands of charity. Jesus' reference to the bread of the Presence alludes to the true bread from heaven which he offers to all who believe in him. Jesus, the Son of David, and the Son of Man, a title for the Messiah, declares that he is "Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus healed on the Sabbath and he showed mercy to those in need. All who are burdened can find true rest and refreshment in him. Do you seek rest and refreshment in the Lord and in the celebration of the Lord's Day? "Lord Jesus, you refresh us with your presence and you sustain us with your life-giving word. Show me how to lift the burden of others, especially those who lack the basic necessities of life, and to refresh them with humble care and service."
Supplementary Reading We are His Representatives {xtypo_quote} We are, therefore, Christ's ambassadors…" - 2 Corinthians 5:20, NIV {/xtypo_quote} As believers in Jesus, we are called to be His ambassadors or representatives in the earth. In the natural, ambassadors are privileged. They are diplomats with the highest rank. They walk in the authority of the name of the one who sent them. As God's ambassadors on this earth, we walk in His power and authority. We are to promote relationship with Him. The Bible also calls us "ministers of reconciliation," which means we are the ones to bring the message of hope in Jesus to the world. When you see yourself as God's ambassador, it will change the way you think. It will change the way you act. It will change the way you approach people. Today, remember, that you are a representative of Almighty God. Look for ways to promote relationship with Him. Speak words of healing that will draw people. Show kindness because it's His kindness that leads people to repentance. Look for ways to bless others as we work together to build His kingdom. Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me as Your ambassador. Help me to understand the authority You've given me. Show me ways to reach out and be a blessing to others and build Your kingdom in the earth. In Jesus' Name. Amen. - Joel & Victoria Osteen GOD BLESS US ALL! O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi! For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes
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{xtypo_quote}To browse more spiritual readings, please go to: http://www.webprayze.com {/xtypo_quote} And Christ will win. He has counted the cost. He has faced our worst enemies and conquered. We must not be afraid to share his sufferings, so as to share his victory. But we need to take stock of what we must do and what it might cost. Or we shall only deserve to be mocked. Twenty-Third Sunday of the Year Wisdom 9:13-18 Philemon 9-10,12-17 L uke 14:25-33 Now great multitudes accompanied him; and he turned and said to them, (26) "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. (27) Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. (28) For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (29) Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, `This man began to build, and was not able to finish.' (31) Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? (32) And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace. (33) So, therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Meditation by Simon Francis Gaine, O.P. Facing the Challenge J esus has had his disagreements with learned scribes and Pharisees along the way to Jesus is in some way already bearing his cross as he makes his way to We too are in conflict with sin, with Christ at our head, and we too may have to bear the brunt of what opposition to our faith can still do. The crowds had no idea of anything like this, supposing that Jesus was going to win a war on behalf of their race, their nation, its structures of family, blood and clan. But Jesus tells them that if they follow him, they must hate their own family. This stark way of speaking, characteristic of Jesus's language and times, tells the crowds that, when the time comes to choose, we must put God and his Christ before everything we hold dear, even the very things we expect God and Jesus to preserve. And, finally, Jesus advises us all to think over the cost of discipleship. If the crowds were actually going to war, the only intelligent thing to do would be to assess the odds of winning before risking everything. Don't start building a tower until you know you can get it finished, or you'll only deserve mockery! A virtue of good thinking must indeed apply to the whole of our faith. So where do we stand today? We need the zeal of the crowds and the learning of the scribes and Pharisees. We need to have thought over the challenge of discipleship in a time when it is taxing, when we more and more feel a relentless opposition towards our faith and religion, sometimes in the name of science and good thinking, attacks that are more militant, more planned, more zealous - and that sometimes seem justified. The worst thing we can do in this situation is to lose our zeal for the Gospel of Christ. It might be tempting to carry on our religion in an unintelligent way. We could declare that you can't argue for the existence of God anyway, treat religion as something only emotional, something about our feelings separated from thinking and in a world of its own, see religion and science as so far apart that religion can be insulated and protected from science. E ven if we could muster up enthusiasm for such a religion, it would be to maintain it without real thinking. Religion and science may be distinct, but it is false to imagine that they have always been or are necessarily in conflict. In fact, our whole scientific tradition in the West is the fruit of faith in creation, and draws so much from Christian philosophy and theology. Science and religion ultimately belong together peacefully in the same world. So we cannot withdraw from the challenges our culture presents us with today. We cannot withdraw from thinking about faith. Others have shifted our culture against faith; it is not impossible that we too can shift the culture once again, if we are prepared to be both zealous and thoughtful. It means that we must put Christ first, be ready to suffer and to risk occasional defeats, even if we know that the truth is ultimately victorious. And Christ will win. He has counted the cost. He has faced our worst enemies and conquered. We must not be afraid to share his sufferings, so as to share his victory. But we need to take stock of what we must do and what it might cost. Or we shall only deserve to be mocked. GOD BLESS US O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi! For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Top-Ten Reasons Why Meg Whitman’s Candidacy Is a Losing Proposition By Goliath Letterman H ere are the top-ten reasons why Meg Whitman – despite her zillions in campaign funds – will lose the Nov. 2, 2010, election for governor of California: 10. Meg Whitman has hired at least 999,999 political consultants, campaign staff and field operatives but like her, 99.99% of them have not voted for 28 years or more or they are registered voters of other states. 9. Voters know that if Ms. Whitman becomes the governor, she will turn the Golden State into Goldman-Sachs country. 8. In spite of a degree from the Harvard Business School, Meg Whitman still needs to go back to college and take up more management courses. Ask eBay executive Young Mi Kim why Ms. Whitman’s needs more schooling in anger management. 7. Ms. Whitman knows how to turn a push into a shove, to use a cliché. But each shove as the California governor may cost the state treasury a minimum of $200,000 settlement per incident. Again, please ask Young Mi Kim for the settlement’s computation. 6. Meg Whitman’s stint at Goldman Sachs investment bank makes her a part of the mortgage-meltdown problem and not part of the solution. People know the adage that those who have profited from the destruction (of the housing-mortgage industry, for instance) should not have a role in the reconstruction. 5. Ms. Whitman has experience in dealing with executive pay and, therefore, she may be able to solve California’s pension-fund crisis. She can simply do what she did as director of Goldman Sachs. Like voting for big bonus packages for five top Goldman-Sachs executives, including the CEO’s 2001 bonus package of $11.5-million, more than 19 times his salary. In her two years on the executive-compensation committee, the five men were paid $79-million in bonuses – thanks to Meg Whitman’s concern for the lowly stockholders. 4. The California governorship is not yet being sold on eBay. 3. Meg Whitman is a New Yorker, if not a Yankee carpetbagger, who will exploit and turn California’s Main Streets into extensions of Wall Street. 2. Meg Whitman is the ultimate “flip-flopper” of a candidate. During the primary campaign, she touted herself as a conservative. After she won the primary, she became a moderate. Now, she is trying to become more liberal than Jerry Brown. Pretty soon, Ms. Whitman will be more popish than the Pope. And . . . 1. Meg Whitman has hired all the scriptwriters in Hollywood. She has a script prepared for any issue, as she believes in the dictums that “the less talk, the less mistake;” and “no talk, no mistake.” But voters do not like a corporate robot as their governor. # # # | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA (© 2010 Journal Group Link International) C HICAGO (jGLi) – Unbeknown to Filipino Kundiman singers, the natives of the Philippine deep must also be enjoying the whole time as their singing lasted during the hour-long concert. The young Filipinos of musical minds residing in Chicago area had a reunion of sorts for the first time Sunday (Aug. 29) to get their fellow community members interested to visit, if not revisit, the Philippine Wild Reef at the Shedd Aquarium nestled on the edge of Lake Michigan at Chicago’s southeast side. After Consul General Leo M. Herrera-Lim thanked the Filipino concert performers for showcasing their musical talents and Bryan Schuetze, vice president planning and design of the Shedd Aquarium, who welcomed both the performers and concertgoers at the Shedd Aquarium, the performers started warbling Filipino songs to the delight of aquarium visitors, mostly Filipino community members. The aquatic Philippine natives may not be hearing the Kundimans (love songs) being performed beside them because of the extra thick glass separating them but it was obvious the Philippine fishes swimming in the dark must be enjoying the gestures and the body languages of the performers. In fact, in some still photos taken during their performance, the Philippine fishes appeared to be crowding behind the singers. FISHES ATTRACTED BY PERFORMERS? P aul Aquino, a soprano, was pleasantly surprised when told by this reporter that while his fellow musicians were singing, the fishes that are natives to the Philippines behind the glass must also be enjoying the sight of their concert as aquarium visitors crowded around them. “Siguro enjoy din ang ating mga isda,” (Maybe the fishes are also enjoying) Mr. Aquino, a native of San Nicolas, Pangasinan in the Philippines, said, “habang kami ay kumakanta at tumutogtog.” (While we were singing and playing the band.) Aside from Mr. Aquino, a cum laude Bachelor of Music graduate from the University of the Philippines, the other performers were Isidora Miranda, also a cum laude Bachelor of Music graduate from UP who completed her Masters degree in Violin Performance and Musicology at Western Illinois University; and Daven Taba, a tenor and pianist from Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija who recorded a song as part of the album, “The Road to M.A.S.” They were joined by Chris Zamora, guitarist for award-winning singer and Hollywood actress Lisa Zane and songwriter and performer David Pomeranz, and a member of The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP); Jay Espano, actor in theater, film and television and 50 plays for Tanghalang Pilipino, Gantimpala Theater Foundations, etc. The other performers were Olga Natividad, Filipino actress for Tanghalang Pilipino Theater Company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and recently had a principal role for a PBS TV documentary, “From Du Sable to Obama: Chicago’s Black Metropolis;” Emily Morales, soprano, a UP alumna, who last performed on Broadway with Tony-winning South Pacific Broadway Revival at the prestigious Lincoln Center Theater; and Rica Goldyn, soprano, a graduate of master of music Vocal Performance Program at Chicago-based North Park University and a graduate of University of the Philippines’ College of Music, and has been a member of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. INSPIRED BY APO ISLAND T he Philippine Wild Reef at Shedd Aquarium is home to hundreds of Philippine fish species that were imported from the Philippines in 2003. Among these species are Butterfly, Angel fish, Square Block Anthies, Whitetip and Blacktip sharks, Unicorn Tangs, Stingrays and Groupers (Lapu-Lapu). Majority of them live in the Celebes Sea of the Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Philippines and Indonesia, considered the heart of the Coral Triangle. The Wild Reef was patterned after Apo Island, a marine protected area (MPA) off Dumaguete City in Negros Islands in the Philippines, spearheaded by a recent Chicago visitor, Dr. Angel C. Alcala, a marine biologist and herpetogist. About 40 years ago, fish population around Apo Islands was declining due to overfishing. Subsistence fishermen used destructive methods, such as dynamite blasting and cyanide poisoning, to get enough fish for their families. These practices severely damaged Apo’s coral reefs, further depleting fish stocks. Eventually the waters surrounding the island were fished out. In 1974, Dr. Alcala (director of the marine laboratory at Silliman University in Dumaguete City) and Oslob municipality (Cebu) started a small marine sanctuary, the region's first, at uninhabited Sumilon Island (about 50 km from Apo). Dr. Alcala and some of his colleagues at Silliman University visited Apo Island in 1979 to explain how a marine sanctuary could help reverse the decline in their fishery. When fishermen saw the marine sanctuary at Sumilon Island, teeming with fish, they started supporting the concept. At present, only three percent of the entire Philippine archipelago has MPA’s. Dr. Alcala said ideal MPA’s should cover 30 percent of the entire archipelago for Filipinos to have a sustainable fishing industry. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net) # # # | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | ![]() | MabuhayRadio /
S an Francisco, California – J-Ricz, a singer-songwriter-producer releases sophomore album entitled “Musicphiliac”. The anticipated album available on August 31, 2010, is fully written and produced by J-Ricz bringing in a new wave of vision and creativity to the music scene. All details are available at: www.jricz.com Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, J-Ricz brings fresh new R&B/pop music to his fan base locally and nationally. J-Ricz' roots are from the Bay Area's R&B male group, “Next Phaze”. As his career and music evolved, J-Ricz made his debut as a solo artist in 2008 with the album, “Genesis.” The album has been well-received also internationally, especially in the Japan market, where the album is currently distributed by Inpartmaint Inc. J-Ricz' singles “Do For You” & “Beautiful Life” have become one of the top sellers on iTunes Japan alongside artists such as Ne-Yo, Alicia Keys, & Jay Sean. “Musicphiliac” has been highly anticipated for success and J-Ricz' newest single titled, “Go” is already receiving great remarks from fans, producers and industry professionals alike. The new album encompasses an evolution of J-Ricz' music career as first songwriter, then performer and now producer. J-Ricz' record release party featuring J-Ricz' show and a number of collaborations is slated for September in the San Francisco Bay Area. For media inquiries contact: (650)488-8397; info@thelunaco.com For more information on J-Ricz log on to: www.jricz.com Christina N. Luna US Office: +1.650.488.8397 Twitter: christinaluna AIM: vokaluna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jesse Jose A Cup O' Kapeng Barako I love watching beautiful women parade their wares. So, when the recent Miss Universe pageant came on TV, I stayed up late to watch the show. And it was worth it. Talking about beautiful women and legs galore, sexy bodies and enchanting faces and all kinds of galore ... boy, I tell ya, I was going bananas salivating all these galore of wares that these women had. My favorite was Miss It surprised the heck out of me that she even made it to the finals and finished as Fourth Runner-Up. Siguro maganda siya sa personal, but on TV, she ain't that hot to look at. Dear Readers, I have a strange taste on how a woman should look like. So don't take my word here, literally. My type is the she-devil type and the type who's luscious all over. A temptress in looks and a tempest in bed. B ut let's move on, ha? ... and talk about Miss Raj. So, when THE question came, the final question and the answer that would decide who's going to wear the crown that night, the question for Miss Raj came from one of the randomly-selected judges, Actor William Baldwin, and the question was: "What is one big mistake you made in your life and what did you do to make it right?" And, this is Miss Raj's answer: "THANK YOU so much for that question. You know what, Sir, in my 22 years of existence, I can say there is nothing MAJOR, MAJOR, I mean problem, that I have done in my life. Because I am very confident with my family and the love that they are giving me. So THANK YOU so much that I am here. THANK YOU, THANK you so much." Susmaryusep! Say what? Carabao English 'to, eh. And she graduated cum laude from a private, exclusive school in the At saka ang daming "thank you" ang sinabi. Style yan sa ASAP, that musical show on And the use of "Sir" in her answer: Only restaurant servers and hotel clerks at mga tsimoy at tsimay lang sa atin use that word, "Sir," in answering questions. And to say that "in my 22 years of existence ... there is nothing major, major, I mean, problem that I have done in my life." Again, what the heck are you saying, girl? Q uoting the words of Diane Sawyer, ABC's prime time news anchor, "She's never made any mistakes in her life before? Is she Miss Little Perfect?" Come on now, Ms. Sawyer. Don't be too harsh on her. Perhaps, she didn't understand too well the question that was posed to her. Perhaps, her English was deficient. Perhaps, she was awfully nervous that she lost her poise and composure. Kaya, nagkandabaluktok ang English. It can happen if you're NOT a native speaker of the English language, you know. It had happened to me plenty of times. Especially, when I am angry or distraught or whatever. Or perhaps, she's more fluent with Taglish (a combination of Tagalog and English), which is really the usual way of talking in the Perhaps, what she meant to say was: "I've made a lot mistakes in my life, but the uncompromising love and support of my parents, who were always there for me no matter what, had allowed me to overcome those mistakes. I suppose I am a lucky girl to have loving parents such as them ..." Or, something like that, anyway. Something that makes a little bit of sense. Or, she could have asked for an interpreter, just like what Miss Mexico did, who answered the question posed to her in her native tongue. She won the title despite of that. With that interpreter by her side, Miss Raj could have spoken in Taglish. Or, whatever language she would be comfortable speaking. Nothing wrong in admitting that your English is not that good. What was wrong, I think, was her deficiency in speaking the English language, and her inability to say correctly what she meant. A lot of could haves ... Sayang, many Filipinos all over the globe have said. "Miss Hopya" or "Miss Little Perfect" or "Venus" to many, could have been the "Miss Universe" Sayang, indeed. "Miss Hopya" man o hindi, well, she won the world title of "Miss Little Perfect," thanks to Diane Sawyer. JJ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | ![]() | MabuhayRadio / The Eco-politics of War
By Erick
O ur country and the rest of the Southeast-Asian region have been on the lookout as tensions in the South China Sea grow by the show of force by both the United States and China through their naval military drills. As Washington renews its “ties” with Asian countries (particularly claimants over the disputed South China Sea’s Spratly Islands), Beijing is not far behind, doing as much as possible the "soft power" approach in dealing with its neighbors. Why the growing interest in the The focus on Editor’s Notes: Please refer to the following articles about the RP Should Turn Attention to Spratlys, Says RP’s Ex-DENR Chief Kalayaan Islands Should Not Be Treated as Just ‘Regime of Islands’ Kalayaan Islands Part of RP Territory under Proposed Federal Constitution RP Should Draw Up its Archipelagic Map to Protect its Right to Spratly Islands Analyzing the NBN-ZTEgate from the Viewpoint of China’s Expansion of Influence in the Philippines W hile It's important to note that the trajectory – the military part of the national economy is nearly three times larger, proportionately to the rest of the The change in leadership in Most of the job creation has been by the public sector. But because the job creation has been financed with loans from China’s Economy Is Now the World’s Second Biggest As for the Chinese economy, with its fast-growing industries, it needed all sources of energy available within its reach. Obviously, it will use its firepower to protect its claim over the group of islands near its territory. Can the present Chinese leadership sustain this, amidst the growing domestic dissension among its elite members in the ruling Communist Party? Moreover, there are rumors going around that have circulated in According to some of my sources, this is just the tip of the iceberg and that the money involved could have reached trillions of dollars. If it’s true, like the There could be a lot of reasons for the continuing conflicts in the South China Sea but no matter what, everything boils down to economics. This was proven in the recent past as we witness the big anti-terror war lie of the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | ![]() | MabuhayRadio / Death Penalty Sought for Killer of a Filipino-American Couple
By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA (© 2010 Journal Group Link International) C HICAGO (jGLi) – Illinois state prosecutors have served “notice of intent to seek death penalty” against the suspected killer of a Filipino American couple in outlying suburban Rockford, Illinois, last year. Winnebago County State Attorney Joseph P. Bruscato’s “notice of intent to seek death penalty” will be up for oral argument on Sept. 22 before Winnebago’s 17th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Ronald White in Rockford. Bruscato’s assistant, Marilyn Hite Ross, will “introduce the following statutory aggravating factors during the death penalty sentencing hearing” after Omarrian T. Jones, 25, is convicted of murdering Reynato “Ray” V. Cardino, 77, and his wife, Leticia “Letie” V. Cardino, 75, in their home at 2623 Pleasant View, Rockford in the early evening of July 8, 2009. The notice says one aggravating circumstance that will make Jones eligible for death penalty is when the “murdered individual was killed in the course of another felony.” The slain couple “received physical injuries inflicted by the defendant substantially contemporaneously with physical injuries caused by one or more persons for whose conduct the defendant is legally accountable.” The other felony present was one of the following – armed robbery, armed violence, robbery, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking, forcible detention, arson, aggravated arson, aggravated stalking, burglary, residential burglary, home invasion, calculated criminal drug conspiracy” or attempt to commit any of these felonies. The notice added the “murder was committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner pursuant to a preconceived plan, scheme or design to take a human life by unlawful means, and the conduct of the defendant created a reasonable expectation that the death of a human being would result therefrom.” MURDERED VICTIMS ARE 60 YEARS OR OLDER T he murder was intentional and involved the infliction of torture and the murdered victims were 60 years of age or older and the “death resulted from exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty.” During the arraignment last April 12, Jones pleaded not guilty. But trial was delayed as there was a question of Jones’ fitness to stand trial. Judge White later found Jones “fit to stand trial.” Jones was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the “blunt instrument” killing of the elderly Cardino couple. If convicted of murders, Jones could be sentenced to natural life or death penalty. Deputy State Attorney Hite Ross clarified that although former Illinois Gov. George Ryan pardoned all the prisoners in the Illinois Death Row and there is a moratorium in carrying out death sentence, death penalty is still in effect in the state. It was reported that Jones was believed positively identified after samples of skin taken from the fingernails of the victims’ eldest son, Reyle Cardino, 51, was traced to Jones thru DNA tests. Reyle got a piece of Jones when Reyle surprised Jones as Jones was killing his parents. Jones reportedly threatened Reyle, “you are next.” A very calm Reyle gave Jones a spirited fight. Jones fled and left the bloodied Reyle, who sustained wounds in his face. Reyle managed to ask the help of his parents’ neighbor, Walter Pacula, across the street. Mr. Pacula called 9-1-1. Ray Cardino, a retired mechanical engineer, worked part-time assembling bikes at Wal-Mart, while Letie V. Cardino, a retired licensed architect, worked as building inspector for the city of Rockford. Reyle Cardino also sustained injuries as he fought off the killer of his parents he was visiting that night. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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JGL Eye By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA (Journal Group Link International) Maria Venus Raj’s Miss(ed) Opportunities C HICAGO (jGLi) – My kababayan (region mate) Maria Venus Raj from the Bicol Region was an answer away from becoming the third Miss Universe from the Philippines but she just panicked big-time with her answer. For her performance, I am adding an award to her as the “Miss Congeniality Universe” instead of just the fourth runner-up honors. There was no doubt that many things must have been going on in her mind as she turned to face the question from actor and beauty-contest judge William Baldwin: “What is one big mistake that you’ve made in your life, and what did you do to make it right?" And her answer: “You know what, sir? In my 22 years of existence, I can say there is nothing major, major, I mean problem that I have done in my life,” said Venus Raj with a wide smile on her face, adding that she thought it was a “great questions.” There was no doubt that Miss Raj was under tremendous pressure of putting a brave face in the light of the tragedy that befell her best friend and mentor, 2009 Miss International semi-finalist Melody Gerbach, who died in an accident a few days before the pageant. But for a cum laude graduate, Miss Raj was expected to do better than she did. As the Bible says, “for those much is given, much is expected” (http://bible.cc/luke/12-48.htm). She should remember that as a contestant, she should be ready to answer “canned questions” with “canned answers” anytime. The question posed on her was eliciting an answer that should inspire the youth, who look up to her as their role models. NO READING OF HER MIRANDA RIGHTS, EITHER M iss Raj should not be nervous with her answer because she was not being asked by a police or an inquest fiscal, who would arrest her if she gave a wrong opinion. All she had to do was to remember one of her mistakes, revisit it on the spot and remember how she corrected her mistake and how she was able to avoid the same mistake. She does not even have to mention her mistake. By telling Mr. Baldwin “there is nothing major, major, I mean problem that I have done in my life,” she suddenly went on a denial mode that speaks volume of her insincerity and her mental dishonesty. She should have said, “like any human being, I am not perfect. I have had my shares of mistakes. But I make sure that after I reviewed my mistakes, I make sure that I will avoid the incidents that caused my mistakes.” That is all the judges and millions of viewers needed to hear from her. The pageant also made a genius out of my friend, former Philippine President Joseph E. Estrada, who has been criticized for delivering gibberish English. As a result, Mr. Estrada has preferred to speak in his native Tagalog although Mr. Estrada speaks good English. But in answering his critics, Mr. Estrada said the trouble with these Filipino Anglophones (English-speaking Filipinos), “akala nila ang pag-e-English ay ang kaisang-isang paraan na makakatulong sa problema ng ating bayan.” (They thought speaking English is the only key to solve the problem of a nation.) “JOSEPH ESTRADA” EFFECT If you noticed during the pageant, Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete needed an English translator posed on her by Olympic gold-medal figure skater and judge Evan Lysacek to answer the question: How she felt about unsupervised Internet use among the young people. Miss Navarrete’s answer: "I do believe that Internet is an indispensable, necessary tool for the present time," she said through an interpreter. "We must be sure to teach them the values that we learned as a family." Without speaking English, Miss She did not need English to win the coveted title. She only needed a lot of common sense that Mr. Estrada wanted to tell the English-loving Filipinos that is needed to solve the nation’s problem. In this case, the winning Miss Universe's question. # # # Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at: (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nat King Cole singing "Dahil sa Iyo" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIXpJZzLMrU Lettermen singing "Dahil sa Iyo" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNjbQEkTNmI Tadao Hayashi - "Dahil sa Iyo (Instrumental)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39YCw22cSfg Charmaine Clamor - "Dahil sa Iyo (Jazipino Version)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig7JlULJzhE The scenes of Old Manila, as remembered by former Board of Investments Gov. Ben Sanchez, are shown in this video. Governor Sanchez sent to this website views of Manila, which was then considered the "Pearl of the Orient." http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4933039399110729804&hl=en# |
