FATHER II

This Sunday, 20th of June 2010, we are to celebrate again Father’s Day. I miss the men of my life – my fathers!

By God’s grace, my seminarian son successfully finished his baccalaureate degree in Philosophy in a formation house located “upstairs” (that’s how we call it as our house is situated by the seminary’s foothill). A few months before graduation though he already told me he may not immediately go into Theology for two (2) reasons: first, he acknowledged that he needs to develop his public speaking and might decide to teach even just for a year therefore; and he wishes to further his formation in an institution that also teaches “Psychology in depth” (whatever he meant by that).

Yes, I was also surprised to know that there are still institutions that do not believe teaching seriously the science of human behavior can help. My nostalgic feeling associated with Father’s Day led me to think to probably find out if this has relation to the crisis faced by the clergy today (or is it only today ba?).

Just this morning before I wrote this, my officemates and friends told me my son made the right decision, after them telling me their sad, disappointing stories about some seminarians, or priests or pastors or lay ministers or nuns or the exes of them – meaning, an mga nag-quit na. Susko, Ginoo! In other words they are very downright frustrated why the supposed people who are “very near” God turned out more evil than those who are not. Reminds me of an ex-nun friend who exclaimed, right after getting out of a monastery: “kon makasasala didi sa gawas; mas makasasala sa sulod.” Bitter? Pinsar ko, because it is better I kept it to myself in order for us to remain friends.

Honestly? The psycho dynamic of man/woman is quite simple. And it applies for practically everybody. The main difference is our uniqueness because, as has been said, no two (2) individuals are exactly alike. The big problem is cowardice because of pride – the mother of all sins. So, the majority of us remain living dead – unaware of even his/her very self.

After reading Fr. Jocis Syquia’s EXORCISM, I fully understood the psychic world and the evil spirits’ unrelenting strategies to put off intending people’s pursuit to help evangelize for God’s greater glory by following Jesus Christ – the God-Man. And I had no iota of doubt about everything Fr. Jocis’ presentation of facts in his book. It is a very interesting book, a must-read. Thank you, Father!

Human language speaks differently, however. But yes, they are very closely connected. I read somewhere sometime: every inch of this world is claimed by God, and counterclaimed by Satan. To win the war as a child of God, we need only to straighten up and face our enemy: our very self! This has to be taken care of before we are unconsciously defeated by Satan who hides in our individual passions – money, sex, food, position, etc. The war is presented in either or all of these wrong passions versus the passion of the Christ.

I do not know if I am correct, but judging from my personal inventory psychology is the missing link to deeply understand our self, which self-understanding will eventually lead us in turn to understand others. Life teaches. We greatly learn hands-on, through our experiences. Most often though we choose to stay on what we consider the “safe side”. This is caused by our neurosis (please refer to my old articles). This neurotic lifestyle, manifested in our addictions to whatever our wrong passions are, crucified us by making our lives or living difficult. Kaya sabi ko awhile ago, living dead tayo – dead men/women living!

Balance is the way to find Heaven of Earth. Sa proseso daw na pagdaraanan para maging ministro o pastor o pari (however they are called) the great part is spent in learning about God. But because my understanding of God is very simple, that He is Love, I find the process (if it is true at all) rather difficult to reconcile.

Fact is, kung ang God very simple, tayo’ng mga nilalang N’ya ang opposite. Sabi nga, human being is a complex being. But what is it exactly that makes us complicated? To find the answer we need to search. But in searching we need to consult (in the words of Jesus Christ: confess your sins to one another). Dito dapat papasok ang humility dahil sabi nga, ”two (2) heads are better than one.”

Thing is, no one can be a jack of all trades. Our wish o kahit na dream of becoming so makes us one day realize that we became pala masters of none. That is why we need the help of others. This is the reason why we greatly need to heal. You see, we are sent back here on earth to learn what must be learned. And it is impossible to learn without getting healed first. When there is something that pains us, siempre pa, it’s difficult to focus, ‘di ba?

We need to see and submit to authorities experts on these matters, of healing (to explain to us the why's – the personal questions very unique in our life – to understand because when there are things/matters we do not clearly understand we will find it difficult what is there to repent about because many things are hidden to us by our pride. This is the first step. After this we ask to God for His mercy to grant us our need to be healed, for it is only when we are truly healed that psychosomatic unity happens. Until then we remain sick, with the affliction called “psychosomatic illness”. The big question is: kaya kaya natin ‘yan, lalo na kung nasa posisyong tinitingala na tayo ng tao at ini-enjoy na natin ang mga akala nating tunay na karangyaan o “entitlement” na kasabay nito?

The decision to remain an average/mediocre human being is a decision to remain in pride, thus, to decide na bumaba or be humble ay lubha’ng magiging mahirap, that without God’s help is impossible to do. That is why we need badly God’s help to arrive at this point. It is only in His Grace that we can be beyond human or superhuman, for that matter.

People, if they wish to serve the real God which is in Jesus Christ, need a strong psycho-spiritual foundation. There must, therefore, be a strong balance in studying both the God and the man (we) because we are both God and man. That is what Jesus came here for when He said: “I will be in each and every one of you.” It will be when He is already in us that we become superhuman. This is then the “point of no return” to the temptations of this world because we are already under the Law of Grace (Confraternity of Blood: MY WAY OF LIFE).

The way I look at things, I think it would be better to do the right thing early on while they – religious students – are yet in the formation process. Maybe the medical doctors’ advice, prevention is better than cure, can also apply here? What do you think, dear Fathers?

See you when I see you, friends…HAPPY FATHERS’ DAY, mga tatay, papa, daddy, ug iba pa! Salamat san pagpanginano san iyo tagsa nga pamilya. We pray for you. God bless you and everyone.