by Megs S. Lunn
B.A.G.E.T.S
Last March 4, 2012, I attended an open Lenten Recollection at the Immaculate Adoration Convent, Polo, New Washington, Aklan. We were so blessed to have Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD and Ms. Fatima Soriano to be our very special inspirational speakers. The topic was about “Peace in our hearts.”
In the acronym BAGETS of Fr. Jerry, I have learned so much. I am now very willing to share it with you in this column. While, Fatima Soriano, was born blind, she also survived an end-stage kidney failure. With all her courage and strength to survive an ordeal of sacrifice, she managed to sing to us many of her composed songs that inspired all the more the two thousand witnesses to the goodness of the Lord.
What struck me is the song, “Journey Back To The Heart” which she composed in spite of her blindness. It tells the people to be good to continue to care, to love more and to share. As Fr. Jerry Orbos said, “it is only through humility and joy that we will have peace in our hearts.”
B–alik Panginoon. We go back to Christ through sacramental confession, at least once a month, so that we can be able to be at peace with God.
A-lis galit. Learn to forgive. To forgive is to ‘give-for’ the Lord whatever burden one has in his heart. When one learns to forgive, he will release the prisoner in him. For it is not the person who did wrong to one that is in ‘prison’, but himself. When one learns to forgive – one will have deep joy from peace.
G-awa mabuti. Do good and avoid evil. Do not be envious of those who gained their wealth by doing evil. Learn to love in concrete – feed the hungry, clothe the naked, serve water to the thirsty and provide shelter to homeless. The only legacy that one can leave behind is good education and a good name. Fr. Jerry reminded us that doing good, is the only universal moral law.
E-xpress your love. Let God make you stronger in your life. Make Him your strength. We have 168 hours in one week and all that He ever asks is an hour of you to hear a mass every Sunday. Do not postpone the expression of your love. Invest for eternity. Learn how to appreciate and say ‘thank you’. Also, express your love to people. The only dosage to love is to love more.
T-anggal bisyo. Keep away from troubling your body. For our body is made to be the ‘temple of God.’ “What does a man gain if he profits the whole world and losses his soul?”
S-acrifice. Sacrifice….but with a smile and in silence. The only way to heaven is sacrifice.
These are practical lessons and are easy to understand. I don’t need to be proud and egoistic to be able to digest it. Life is a do-it-yourself project. It is the only life one will ever build. If one lives it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. Remember, our life tomorrow is the result of our attitude and the choices we make today.
To be a good Christian, is to be a loser. We need to be willing to ‘die-a-little’ for people will not spare from persecution. It’s a sacrifice to be good, but do good anyway.
So, are you BAGETS? I am young and feeling ‘bagets.’ Today, do not hesitate to forgive and live in peace because “life is beautiful and life is good.” /MP
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