For many of our brothers and sisters in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Bukidnon, Christmas came and went in a wave of tears. Due to the wrath of Typhoon Sendong, many good friends in Cagayan de Oro spent Christmas on the streets. In place of the traditional noche buena meal, which is normally an occasion to test the limits of gastronomic endurance, they feasted instead on the simple generosity and tireless kindnesses of friends both old and new.

Pundits once observed that nothing brings out the best in Filipinos than the worst: the greater the tragedy, the more stirring the nobility. It is not for me to make the observation that cynics gnaw on and regurgitate in times like these, that it is a shame that Filipinos only seem to respond with compassion and fortitude in times of crisis. But I will make the observation that Filipinos have always responded splendidly in times of crisis, because it is precisely during times of crisis that one should respond splendidly. At the heart of the Filipino lies a reckless exuberance, which he or she ordinarily only brings to bear during madcap videoke nights and Pacquiao fights. It is this heroic sense of self-surrender that manifests itself in extraordinary acts of loving kindness precisely when one needs to show extraordinary love.

This is why, despite all that Typhoon Sendong has inflicted on our brethren in Mindanao, I am filled with hope. Mother Teresa once said, “Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.” Last Sunday, my family and I celebrated a quiet Christmas. And this year, in remembrance of those who have suffered so much but continue to endure, the city celebrated in joyous silence with us.

To borrow from a celebrity who had to take to the Internet to assure us that he is hale and healthy, “we’re halfway there.” And if we can only learn to “love without getting tired”, we will manifest a level of work, commitment, and dedication that not only rebuilds lives, but builds nations. No longer will we be “living on a prayer”. Our work, tireless and loving, will be our prayer. 

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My son, Juan, filling in for papa today.

I came in for a cleaning. I left with a root canal. And that’s why I’m smiling.

When I entered the Dr. Aileen J. Ansaldo’s dental clinic, I was feeling rather good about myself. Whereas most of my friends actively avoided trips to the dentist, I actually looked forward to them. In retrospect, these dental appointments were less about healthy teeth and more about my unhealthy sense of self-worth. In a very real way, I thought that the relatively excellent condition of my teeth, which manifests beautifully into the incandescent wonder that is my smile, was incontrovertible proof that indeed, “God loves me!” and that “I’m special!”

As the gap where my second lower bi-cuspid attests, I was wrong. Two years of attentive flossing could not overcome three decades worth of improper dental hygiene. Worse, because the fracture in my second lower bi-cuspid was masked by an ill-advised filling, the problem had deteriorated rapidly, and in relative anonymity. I would have lost more than a tooth.

Recently, much was made about how the current administration treated the travel request of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, in the end, argued that national interest should take precedence over individual constitutional rights.

I won’t even bother to discuss the ramifications of upholding national interest to the detriment of our constitutional rights. Teddy Boy Locsin has a wonderfully erudite entry on that in his Teditorial. But I would like to suggest a course of action for President Noynoy Aquino.

Why not have a root canal?

One of the reasons why I ended up voting for then presidential candidate Noynoy Aquino was because I agreed that “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” I believe that President Noynoy Aquino is sincere about wanting to stamp out corruption. I believe that President Noynoy Aquino is sincere about holding people accountable for past actions. But I also believe that President Noynoy Aquino is sincerely misled, perhaps by a passionate moral outrage that, unhindered by an even fiercer compassion for the redemptive qualities of justice founded in truth, was all too quickly fanned into an ill-advised foray into the morass that is retribution.

I don’t know. I may be mistaken. I am not privy to the workings of power, or what really happens in the hallowed halls of Malacanan. But I can’t help reflect on what I had, inadvertently, inflicted on myself today. I came in for a cleaning. I left with a root canal. And now, I’m smiling.

He's fine now, thank you!

Early this morning, we slammed the car door on Manuel’s hand. My son’s eyes grew wide. And, as surprise quickly gave way to pain, he let out a howl that shook the car from end to end.

Recalling what little I knew of first aid, I quickly asked our helpers to get some ice to soothe our little boy’s pain and reduce the swelling of his hand. To my astonishment, we had no ice at home. I asked our helpers to ask our neighbors for ice. Alas, the widespread use of water coolers (at least in our little corner of Pasig City) seems to have made cubed ice obsolete.

My first reaction was one of despair. My health card had just expired last week, and I had no money, or access to any money, to rush my son to the doctor. The sheer ridiculousness of the situation threatened to overwhelm me. My wife and I have always tried to live simply. We got the health card precisely because we wanted to be prepared for any medical emergency. We decided that I should not use a credit card because we wanted to be prudent in the use of whatever money we have. And now, as my son bravely whimpered through the pain, I could not see any way to help him.

But my initial despair, much like my son’s reaction to the car door that hurled itself with alacrity at his hand, quickly gave way to the sort of joyful hope that characterizes not only the Christmas season, but the celebration of the Eucharist at Mass. We chipped away at the ice that lined our freezer. As we were looking for ice, we stumbled upon the Nexcare reusable cold and hot first aid pack that we thought we lost sometime ago. And my lovely wife Tina put a waterproof Lightning McQueen bandage on Manuel’s hand to commend him for his courage.

What could have been a sad, painful encounter with a car door for Manuel turned into a happy, gentle reminder about the need for vigilance when entering or leaving the car. It was also a gentle reminder for Manuel’s dad, who couldn’t imagine dealing with the situation with as much grace and good cheer as his son. People say when God closes a door, He also opens a window. In our case, God slammed the door. But only because He opened a window into what really matters: to wait in hope, act in faith, and to bear with love.

Let’s chalk this up as a win. My family and I have a great day ahead of us!

Dr. Benie A. Sy, Angelo Rodriguez and the Alpha, Tukod Network volunteers.

When I switched from using a PC to using a Mac, I was an insufferable Mac evangelist. I would begin my “conversations” with my friends by making snarky remarks about Windows-based PCs:

“Should it really take a laptop five minutes to use whenever you turn it on?”
“Wouldn’t it be great to just use your laptop without worrying about viruses?”

And I would often end with the self-righteous observation that “Windows is like the Galactic Empire. The Mac OS is like the rebel alliance.”

My early days as a Mac evangelist have long been tempered by three realizations. First, I suspect that George Lucas intends to spend the rest of his life ruthlessly, callously and joylessly expunging everything that was transcendental and amazing about the original trilogy, Star Wars: A New Hope. Second, if there is any multinational corporation that has assumed the dimensions of the Galactic Empire, it is Apple. Third, I probably turned off many people entirely from trying out what was once the coolest, most intuitive and most dynamic OS on the planet simply because I was insufferably negative and unbearably preachy.

Preachers often do well only with those who are already inclined to believe. When I would talk with some of my friends about the virtues of using the Mac, many of my friends who were involved in graphics design or web development would wholeheartedly agree with every statement that came out of my mouth as if it bore the stentorian sanctity of Gospel truth. Of course, these people would oftentimes already be using a Mac.

Like many people who have a renewed relationship with Jesus Christ, when I first came to revisit my faith, I was insufferably negative. I realize now what a douche I must have been. If you have to tear something down to feel good about yourself, then there’s not much good there, period.

I was also unbearably preachy. What I failed to realize then was that many Filipinos, much like myself, have been “sermonized” into submission. We refuse to explore our faith because we never felt that we could. 

This is why it is important to celebrate the vision and the courage of clergymen such as Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma. He knows that by and large, many Filipinos’ hearts are in the right place. However, due to the massive responsibilities heaped upon the Catholic clergy, the Church hasn’t had much success engaging the ordinary churchgoer as fully as the Church wants to. Thus, the Alpha Course.

The Alpha Course is a short series of brief talks, long discussions, and satisfying meals where we engage people to explore the dimensions of their faith in Christ. And while most traditional evangelization relies heavily on a charismatic presence to bring people to a personal relationship with Christ, there are no such onerous start-up requirements in the Alpha Course. All you need is a humble heart, a generous spirit, and a killer pasta sauce. Well, perhaps not the pasta sauce.

Dr. Benie A. Sy and his crack team of Alpha volunteers (with special thanks to the tireless and tirelessly enthusiastic Tukod Network volunteers) are currently running an Alpha Course every Thursday in Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School.  One hundred and fifteen students (115), from sections Dalton and Lewis, have begun exploring their faith. And if the videos they have been posting on Facebook are any indication, then they are certainly having a lot of FUN exploring the FUNdamentals of their faith. 

His Excellency, Most Reverend Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, has endorsed the Alpha Course for use in the 45 parishes of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. Why? Because evangelists shouldn’t preach. We should engage. Exploring the big questions in life should be FUNdamental.

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Where do good stories come from? Some of the best stories are rooted in ideas. One could argue that the enduring appeal of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy stems from his sustained, sublime execution of what one commentator has called “theology set to music“, and what yours truly opines is “music set to theology”.  But in our modern age, perhaps as a reaction to the increasingly complex and unrewarding fast-paced lives that we lead, we find that a surprising number of good stories are rooted in character. And in the richly imagined universe of Game of Thrones, there are few characters more interesting than Tyrion Lannister.

Many viewers of the critically acclaimed series remember Tyrion Lannister for his outrageous pronouncements, witty one-liners, and his seemingly boundless capacity for depravity. But to reduce the dwarf son of one of the richest and most powerful families in the fictional kingdom of Westeros to a walking snark machine is to overlook one of the most finely wrought characters in fantasy.

It is true. Tyrion is outrageous. 

Tyrion is witty. 

Tyrion is depraved.

But Tyrion is also the only Lannister you would root for. He is kind to young Jon Snow. He slaps his nephew Joffrey when Joffrey refuses to offer his sympathies to the plight of the now-crippled Brandon Stark. He also seems to be (for now) the only Lannister who agonizes about the state of his soul. 

Tyrion once said, “I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples, bastards and broken things.” So do I. And, like many people who watch this series, I’ll be rooting for Tyrion. 

Photo Credits:

Picture of Tyrion Lannister comes courtesy of HBO.

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The Champion Philippine Dragon Boat Team

I admire passion, even when it is misplaced. Last night, I read the following status update on Facebook: 

Allow me to offer a gentle rejoinder. The author of the status update above seems to assume that in order for the Philippine Dragon Boat Team to receive the recognition they deserve, the Azkals have to give up the recognition that they do not deserve. Does that have to be the case? One does not have to extol one team at the expense of the other. That is unfair. That is, also, very un-Filipino.

Filipinos have big, generous hearts. Anyone who witnessed the impassioned generosity of the Filipino people during the Ondoy crisis would readily attest to that. We have more than enough space in our hearts for a multitude of deserving sporting teams. What we need to develop as a people is our stamina.

Mother Theresa once said, “Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.”

We seem to labor under the assumption that to prove our extraordinary love for one team, we need to render all other teams ordinary in comparison. This need not be the case.

We love our Philippine Dragon Boat Team. We love our SMART-Gilas Basketball Team. We also love our Azkals. We don’t need to prove our love for one team by putting down another. We just need to spread the love.

Photo Credits:

Image of the Philippine Dragon Boat Team comes courtesy of Perry De Venecia Photography.

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Juan and Manuel. Future stand up men.

When it rains, it certainly pours. Just the other day, a student enthusiastically announced, “We have no class!” At the risk of sounding too critical, I responded, “I believe you mean that we have no school. Stay classy!”

That was just another reminder about how much I love teaching. Whenever young people are excited enough to make an impassioned declaration, a teacher must be prepared to do one of two things. If their enthusiasm outweighs the wisdom of the course they have embarked on, then we must gently remind them of the options available to them. On the other hand, if their enthusiasm threatens to exceed something truly exceptional, then we must allow ourselves to be swept by it.

The students of the University of Asia and the Pacific have decided to take a stand on an issue that most adults tread softly around: the sanctity of life. It’s time to be swept up by it. 

Photo Credits:

Picture of Juan and Manuel comes courtesy of yours truly.

Cesar Millan is the “Dog Whisperer”. As demonstrated on his show on the National Geographic Channel, he has the uncanny ability to “speak” to dogs. It’s not because Cesar Millan has telepathic powers. Human words, whether spoken or projected (as in the case of Professor Charles Xavier of the X-Men) are practically useless at establishing trust with a dog. You have to speak a language that they understand. According to thinker Malcolm Gladwell, Cesar Millan “speaks” dog. He uses his body, through a complicated and compelling combination of postures, gestures, and rhythmic movements, to do what words seem insufficient for: establish a relationship with a dog.

This is why body language is so important. When words just don’t seem to be enough, we affirm it with what we actually do. And what these young persons did, last Monday in Il Ponticello Ristorante was to affirm words with deeds. In the words of Casca in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the young Pro-Life advocates of Live Real cried out, “Speak hands for me!” 

Live Real is a youth group that seeks to promote a more fulfilling way of life by encouraging people to read and understand The Theology of the Body. But at times, words fail us. Words, whether delivered in a seminar or a homily at church, cannot readily establish a relationship with the people who are subjected to them. The aim of Live Real is not to produce theologians or Catholic apologists. Rather, their aim is simple. They want people to be comfortable in their own skin.

My fantastic host, Ynez Alcid!

In the Catcher in the Rye, the main character, Holden Caulfield dreams of being able to save children from falling off the edge of a cliff by being the catcher in the rye. He misquotes Robert Burns, “If a body catch a body comin’ through the rye.” Of course, the correct quotation goes, “If a body meets a body, coming through the rye.” But while Holden may have been inaccurate, but I also suspect he may be more true.

The world seems to be an increasingly love-less place. But while that may be accurate, that doesn’t have to be true. If there is one thing recent events have shown us, especially considering the rabid nature of the debate on the proposed RH Bill, it’s that people still care enough to fight passionately about their right to love. 

For the young people of Live Real, love begins when you discover who you are. And through a series of short, casual talks which spill over into long, meaningful discussions over dinner, people discover more than just how love begins. They begin to understand how love flourishes.

You no longer have to wonder. After you go through how rich and fulfilling love can be you can attest: my body is truly a wonderland.

Margaux Romero of Pure Fashion. And the deadly red velvet.

If you are interested in Live Real’s series of casual dinners on the Theology of the Body, kindly contact Antonio Gonzalez at +639178232375, John Paul Atienza at +639178913219 or email yours truly at johndborra@gmail.com. Special thanks to engaged couple Conrad Alampay and Margaux Romero (Pure Fashion) for the lovely red velvet cupcakes. I am now several pounds heavier! 

Winter is coming? In the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, the fantasy series that the critically-acclaimed HBO series Game of Thrones was based on, that is almost certainly true. 

Work is suffering? My cousin Miko Borra, a Game of Thrones enthusiast who made the transition from watching it to reading it with the seamless facility that formal schooling never quite managed to inspire in him, concurs. He’s reading A Storm of Swords, and despite the many deadlines he has to meet, he can’t seem to put the book down. 

Yesterday, my wife and I got our copies of the latest book in the series, A Dance With Dragons. Just how good is the book so far? My wife Tina, the “moon” to my “sun and stars”, my Khaleesi, has said maybe ten words, if that many, ever since we started devouring George RR Martin’s latest offering. 

Winter is coming? Yes. And we are already hibernating.

Photo Credits:

Picture of A Dance With Dragons comes courtesy of i09.

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Chieffy celebrates our first goal.

Let’s celebrate the result.

The Philippines beat Sri Lanka, 4-0 in a World Cup qualifying match. In doing so, the Azkals treated the Filipino fan to a level of football that was, in glorious spurts, only previously reached in a FIFA 2011 tournament on a Sony PS3.

Let’s celebrate the result.

The legend of Filipino midfielder, Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong, only grew after the match. A substitute who made his mark years ago by coming on to score two crucial goals in the 2004 Tiger Cup, Chieffy can no longer be left off any team. His tireless play and enthusiasm is the glue that holds this team together. For a team composed increasingly by players whose football skills are almost a direct result of the irresistible charm of their proud Filipina mothers, it is important to have a strong Filipino role model on the squad. On the field, Chieffy is the father, brother and uncle these Azkals needed to grow.

An entire nation erupted in joy as our Azkals turned jubilantly to the sea of fans who braved the rain and perhaps the burden of their own fevered expectations and acknowledged their role in this historic victory.

4-0.

And just like that, we’re a nation that celebrates football.

There’s nothing else to say. Let’s celebrate!

Photo Credits:

Picture above comes courtesy of Fritz Dalida and Soccer Central Philippines.

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