By the Jal-o River

I am posting hereunder some relevant quotes which I have personally edited in Photoshop that might be useful for the Christian's 40-day Lenten journey. I am assuming that you are already familiar with the basics of this life-event of our quest in returning home to the House of the Father . I take advantage of the contemporary tools to approximate my so called personal legend. The season of Lent will start on Ash Wednesday (February 13), but I am posting this note early this year as I am aware of those in search for devices they will be needing for the forthcoming 40-day intramural in the desert of life. Our perspective for reflection is geared towards our celebration of the Year of Faith. The Pope has already released his Annual Lenten Message last February 1, 2013 and I took the initiative of highlighting the gist of that message. " Faith is knowing the truth and adhering to it (cf. 1 Tim 2:4) ; charity is 'walking' in the truth (cf. Eph. 4:15)...(F)aith is gen...

       The landlord planned of leaving for a far off place. But before doing so, he saw to it that everything in his ranch are well taken cared of. For his flock, he hired a couple of shepherd. He called them by their name and entrusted to them his beloved sheep. "Please take care of my sheep until my return", he implored each one of them. Then he set forth on a journey into that far off place. On their first day alone with the flock, the elder of the two called for a meeting. He informed the other shepherd of his plan. The younger one however found the plan too conservative and presented what he thought was a better, radical and contemporary way of pasturing the flock. The discussion progressed for hours without the two reaching a consensus. A recess was agreed upon and the two shepherds have their lunch--separately, I should tell you, for even in such thing as lunch they could not agree what meals to have. After their siesta, the m...

KANTA KU JAE-O Naga-eumpat ako sa bueogsukan kung Aeatubang Sa ilaya nga akon ginhalinan Sa kabukiran sa unhan pa it Benitinan Kun siin may maberde pang kagueangan. Iba eon ako makaron Ilig ko bukon eon it masueog Kon amat matin-aw pero eaban hay maeobog Bisan pa ako mat a ra sa gihapon. Naga-ilig ako sa dagasanan sa Kipot Sub-eangon ku rong sili pati sa kahoy rong siga ku mga aninipot Iya eon lang sanda mapabilin kumo ginahingabot Sa ilawod nga anay anda man nga palibot. Iba eon ako makaron Ilig ko bukon eon it masueog Kon amat matin-aw pero eaban hay maeobog Bisan pa ako mat a ra sa gihapon. Padayon rong haganas bisan pa sa tig-ilinit Sa kurbada sa may Takasan ni Ambit Sa balsa makaron ag ku baroto anay ni ‘lo Pantit Sa akon nga sueog naga-eupsi ro imo nga panit. Iba eon ako makaron Ilig ko bukon eon it masueog Kon amat matin-aw pero eaban hay maeobog Bisan pa ako mat a ra sa gihapon. Dag-onan ku nga ginadags...

( The following post is an anecdote involving Batch '84 of then Roxas Memorial School of Arts and Trade [RMSAT], when it was being renamed into Roxas Memorial College of Arts and Trade. The incident took place sometime in December of 1983 at the "campus oval". See related story at this link . )         Responding to a cue, the adjutant snappily approached the corps commander and attentively listened to the instruction. Then, he turned around and marched into the middle of the field. Having reached his unmarked destination, he stood at attention and sounded off a command. As in a domino effect, the entire battalion set itself, from company to another, into its desired position.       Yes, all of the entire battalion were in their proper place save for one.        Prior to the dispatched, a staff sergeant of a platoon gave in to the call of nature. Since he was positioned behind the entire corps, he assumed tha...

My 12-year old daughter raised a question while I was nursing a hangover one Saturday morning. " Tatay , what does synchronicity means?"  I stammered for words understandable enough to her curious young mind. Here is my answer: Late in 2009, I was finalizing the idea of constructing a blog to be called "By the Jal-o River'.  That title is based on a favorite psalm of mine which begins with this word, “ By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept. ” I prepared the design of the header in MS Publisher as I was ignorant then of Adobe Photoshop. Hereunder was that design. Last year, however, a friend based from down under sent me a copy of a book by Paulo Coelho. The title of the book was, “By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept.” I was amused. But what took my breath away and paused to consider this " meaningful coincidence " (Karl Jung’s) are the similarity of the characters' circumstances with my own " personal legend " (Paulo...

Paskwa sa Banwa. It's Christmas time in Balete. And every morning starting last Monday, people wake up early for the Dawn Mass at the parish church. It is a panaad , a personal devotion and a pledge to fulfill with the hope of getting something in return come Christmas Day when such sacrifice finds its culmination. It has been ingrained in us. Gifts to receive on Christmas Day or during its long season. We expect to at least receive one from our one of our elusive godparents. This expectation is extended to our doing the Misa de Gallo and the Aguinaldo Mass. It is us and our loved ones that should receive Christmas presents. We often forget that Christmas Day is the birthday of our Lord, or at least, the day we commemorate his "pitching his tent to dwell among us". We often appropriate to ourselves the attention that is rightfully of the Lord laying on the manger. It is us that should receive comfort this Christmas while Jesus remains languishing in cold and dir...

Grupo Oeonungan is the political organization that has been ruling the Municipality of Balete since 1998. It has consistently won every political battle from its inception up to the present.  It is composed of all the incumbent municipal officials, all the punong barangays, SK Chairpersons and 98% of all elected barangay kagawads in the entire constituency of the municipality. On Sunday, December 16, 2012, the group is supposed to having its Christmas party together with its supporters and allies. It had planned out all the details about the event as early as November in anticipation of a heavy turnout. In an emergency meeting, the Mayor informed the rest that the core group has suggested and agreed to forego with the party and instead donate its budget to the victims of Typhoon Pablo through the Sagip Kapamilya of the ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.   This notable gesture on the part of the group attracted the attention of the municipal employees who have been preparing f...