SUPERSTITION, FENG SHUI, et al. vs. FAITH

I find it quite appalling that although we are now in the 17th year of the 21st century, a lot of people still adhere to unfounded beliefs or fallacies such as: superstition, old wives' tales, feng shui, horoscope, et al.

These were practiced by old folks back then probably due to lack of proper guidance, or simply false information which cast a shadow over the truth.

Out of the many superstitions people observe, one of the most common is "pagpag", a Filipino tradition of not going straight home after coming from a wake or funeral, and instead going somewhere else first or partaking of a meal to supposedly "shake off" the bad luck or evil spirits they were exposed to and thus avoid attracting them to one's home. 

Another belief is that immediate family members of the deceased should refrain from escorting guests out of the funeral parlor or elsewhere, for the preposterous reason that by so doing, another family member would follow suit. Truth be told, but when my mom died, I walked with some guests not only to the door of the funeral chapel, but all the way to the parking lot (since I never believed in superstitions anyway) and only after a span of 43 years did my dad pass on. Quite a lengthy period of time for someone to follow, don't you agree?

There is also the perception that family members should desist from getting married within the same year, or "sukob" because it would bring bad luck. Another wedding myth is that a bride-to-be should refrain from trying on her bridal gown because the wedding will not push through. A friend of mine who happens to be a stickler for perfection, tried on her bridal gown three times, and to this day, she and her husband remain happily married and in fact celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary just recently.

The practice of Feng Shui (a Chinese philosophical system) is also quite popular among those who either had a new house constructed or moved to a new abode. So-called believers of this theory seek advice from Feng Shui experts (and even shell out a substantial amount) to guide them as far as proper positioning of doors and windows, arranging objects, etc. are concerned to ensure prosperity and a harmonious environment. This maybe true for the Chinese based on their ideology or religion, but I believe not so for Catholics.

Advocates justify their adherence to such beliefs or practices with the flimsy excuse that there is no harm in believing or practicing them, because they have nothing to lose anyway. That is where I disagree. Belief in these fallacies allow them to rule over your lives and thus make you willing victims of fear such that if these delusions are not adhered to, something bad will happen. 

What you lose is the matter of greatest significance which is FAITH, for God alone determines the course our lives will take. The only thing of utmost importance needed to cope with trials we encounter in life is FAITH, coupled of course with the power of prayer. No amount of positioning of doors or windows, or taking meals after coming from a wake can change what lies ahead. Our future, such as the path our lives will take and when and how we will leave this world, had already been laid out for us by our Creator the moment we are born.

People with lesser faith or worse none at all, are bound to adhere to these unjustified beliefs in supernatural occurrences. Besides by so doing, you become an easy prey to the evil one because you tend to lean more on his side rather than on God's.

If your FAITH is truly intense, you need not fear for you are assured that in times of adversity God will bear most, if not all of its weight. 

Bear in mind that there is no such thing as coincidence, everything is providential. There is no such thing as luck either, only blessings.

Keep the Faith.

FAREWELL NONOY ( A TRIBUTE TO A DEAR FRIEND )

SMC Corporate Accounting (Head Office Accounting in our Ayala days) is a very close knit family. To this day, we regularly see one another at least once a year for our reunion, on top of having an informal get-together every time a balikbayan colleague pays us a visit. So you could just imagine how despondent we feel every time we lose a member of our family. 

No words could ever express the sentiment of losing not only a colleague, but a dear friend as well. When Nonoy informed me he had the Big C, (details withheld out of respect for him) I was so shocked that I couldn't immediately say something in response to what he just told me. It was something I never really expected, much more wanted to hear. When I finally regained my composure, but still groping for the right words to say, I simply told him " Kaya natin yan Noy. Nothing is impossible with God and the power of prayers." Deep inside though, I knew those words were not, and will never be enough. But how would you react in a situation such as that, and what could you possibly say to alleviate a person's state of undergoing pain?

Though distressed, I was blessed to have a very strong support system in Rudy Dolosa and Dante Hermogenes, my pillars of strength in those trying times. Only the three of us knew about Nonoy's condition at that time, and in deference to his family's request, we kept the matter to ourselves. The three of us would update each other regularly about Nonoy's condition and I couldn't help but be emotional whenever I talk to both of them, in the same way that I could also feel the anguish in their voice and words.

We also got in touch constantly with Nonoy individually to console him. Dante would talk to him everyday. I tried to be strong whenever I talk to him so he would not feel that I was breaking down inside. When he said he had given up on getting healed, I told him not to lose hope, trust God and believe that miracles are real.

He had already accepted his fate such that it came to a point when he no longer requested for healing prayers, but just prayers to alleviate his pain.

Nonoy is a man of unwavering faith and had been very active in a Catholic charismatic ministry when he was still based in the U.S., not to mention the years he spent in the seminary.

In one of our conversations, he recounted that he had already been administered with the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, and in the same occasion his priest friends who were his former classmates at the seminary held a " mass for the dead " for him even if he was still alive. His family also held a " wake for the living " for him so he could listen to the testimonies accorded to him, since they believe it would be useless to pay homage after he is gone because he won't be able to hear them anymore. He in turn responded to what his daughter poignantly referred to as " a dying man's last lecture on life " to his family.

A couple of days before he passed on, I asked how he was as I customarily do, and he replied " I'm still walking in the Valley of Death ". I tried to console and remind him again that God answers prayers. It is very difficult to choose the right words to say to someone going thru a very difficult situation. Little did I know that it would be the last time I would get to talk to him.

People say it is easier to accept death if you are aware that it is bound to happen soon. I however believe there is no such thing as being ready because when it happens the grief and pain have the same considerable impact on you.

Farewell for now, Noy. May the love and mercy of our Lord be with you. ln behalf of our Accounting family, thank you for the memories and most especially the friendship. We will miss you but for the time being only, because one day we will all be together once more.

May you rest in peace, as memories of you live on.

MY DEVOTION TO THE SENOR NAZARENO

January 9 had always been a red letter day for me ever since I could remember. 

This is the day when thousands of barefoot devotees of the SENOR NAZARENO commemorate the Traslacion (transfer or passage) commencing from the Quirino Grandstand back to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

A bit of trivia. The event being celebrated on January 9 is the Traslacion and not the Feast of the Black Nazarene which takes place on Good Friday. Also, the real name of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (popularly known as Quiapo Church), is St. John the Baptist Parish, whose feast is on June 24, in honor of its patron, St. John the Baptist.

I am no stranger to the Traslacion as my childhood days were spent in the Tanduay/Arlegui neighborhood of Quiapo, Manila. Our place was ideally situated halfway between the Quiapo and San Sebastian churches, and a stone's throw away from Aviles and Mendiola streets. It is also a mere walking distance from San Miguel Brewery (San Miguel Corporation now) where my father used to work, and where Malacanang Palace is presently situated.

As a child, it had been a regular thing for my brother and I to tag along with our mom to Quiapo church to hear mass, after which we would go up the stairway situated at the back of the main altar to kiss the foot of the SENOR NAZARENO. It had been an almost daily routine for us to visit the SENOR, as we call him.

It had been customary in our neighborhood not to remove our Christmas lights and lanterns until after the Traslacion had taken place. As we eagerly anticipate the procession which passes by our street towards the end of the day on its way back to the Basilica, kind-hearted neighbors would prepare pitchers of water, sandwiches and boiled sweet potato for the devotees to quench their thirst and hunger after walking for several hours. 

Unlike now where the SENOR is conveniently placed on an andas (carriage with wheels) which enables it to glide along easily, in those days the image was borne on the shoulders of burly men (Hijos de Nazareno), such that due to its immense weight, the image would fall several times. Then and now, there is a rope being pulled by men on both sides of the andas that serves as a guide to keep the image aligned at all times. 

I take my hat off to the thousands of barefoot devotees who brave the scorching heat of the sun, hunger and thirst while traversing the streets of Quiapo. Watching them, I can't help but feel a sense of guilt. Why can't I be brave enough to be like these men and endure what they go through? Why am I afraid to be quelched by the sea of people who comprise the crowd? Don't I love HIM enough? This is nothing compared to what HE went through for us. I could only blame myself. Mea culpa SENOR.

This year was exceptionally hazardous, as a terrorist threat to disrupt the proceeding was imminent. Threat notwithstanding, it did not avert the faithful from going through with the Traslacion, armed with their strong faith that the SENOR would not allow the plan to prosper. HE will send his battalion of angels, led by no less than their Commander in Chief, St. Michael himself, to safeguard them. True enough, the intention to inflict havoc did not materialize.

A very touching scene in the Traslation is the "Dungaw", or a solemn ritual  where the the image of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is brought to the balcony of the San Sebastian church, to meet her son as he passes by. This incident takes place at the wee hours of the morning as the procession nears its final stretch.

Finally after 22 hours, the procession arrived at the Basilica. The SENOR is finally safe at home. All throughout this time, the crowd who had not diminished a bit, is grateful that no untoward incident happened.

The SENOR must have been very exhausted too, but I'm sure HE was delighted to be in the company of thousands of devotees who love him dearly and would risk their lives for HIM.


One thing is sure, for as long as there are people who profess their love for the SENOR NAZARENO, this tradition will live on in the hearts of the Filipinos and the generations to come.