Delete

I am not really big on collecting things because I know how difficult it is later on to properly dispose of them. But there are just certain things, letters and files that are hard to just dispose of. More than the monetary value, it is the sentimental value that I take into consideration. It's whether this thing makes me remember someone or something that often dictates to me whether this thing stays.
It's not good to be without an appreciation of the past. But that's it, we appreciate the past because it has shaped the person that we are today.
Today is the present moment. It should not be a vicarious living of the past.
God, give me the grace to know when to let go.

A big heart

I wanted to title this reflection "Envy" but it sounds so negative I had a change of heart.
One of the most common roots of unhappiness is envy. It closes the heart and narrows our vision. It isolates us from others because we see them as threats to our well-being. Envy makes us suspicious, it takes away our capacity for delight. Envy takes away our joy because we fail to see and to appreciate the gifts that we have; rather, we focus on what others have that we don't have which, according to us, is a cause of injustice with us as the victims.
Instead, a big heart enables us to see people and circumstances in a positive way. They are not perfect but they are trying their best.
A big heart enables us to be more merciful and less judgmental.
We become more grateful and more forgiving.
We are more willing to give people a chance, and that includes ourselves, too.

Class

Class is not a matter of wearing the right dress, of speaking a European language, of picking the right wine, of belonging to an exclusive club, of hobnobbing with the rich, the influential and the famous.
Class is a sparkle that comes from within that keeps one grounded. Class makes one comfortable with being pleasant with all and to all, not being blinded by fear or by any sense of superiority.

Tears

Tears heal.
They heal us of our false invincibility.
They heal us of our superficial calm.
They heal us of our pretenses.
They heal us of many illusions.
Tears clean us.
Tears clean our eyes.
Tears clean our bottled and pent up emotions.
Tears clean our hearts of rancor.
Tears cleanse our heart and soul.
Tears open us up to new beginnings.

Invisible to the eye

Life with God always calls us to transformation. We are always on a journey. We can never say that we "have arrived".
In this journey one thing that we commonly do is to make resolutions. We do it after our daily meditation, after a retreat, or after a deep experience. And this is not bad. But we shouldn't be content at this.
Jesus calls us to go deeper, to look at what we value the most, what it is that moves our thoughts, words and actions. Often this deeper motivation is hidden. It can even be sugar-coated or packaged in a way that we can no longer see it in its truth.
The spiritual journey is to see this truth - in its imperfection and its various contradictions. And this imperfection is okay. Jesus is merciful to the weak. It is the arrogance of the haughty that Jesus hates.

Take heed

Yesterday evening I had a huge shock. It was around nine in the evening and my brother and I were walking towards his office. I saw so many homeless people sleeping in the underpass, in the parks and everywhere else. I was really shocked. I never expected to see such a sight here in the Philippines.
I hope I don-t get over the shock. I hope sights such as this continue to question me. I hope I don't become dumb and indifferent as sights like this become commonplace.
Jesus said that we will always have the poor with us. May their presence be a call to conversion, to a gradual and radical conversion. God can build His Kingdom by Himself, but God engages us in this wonderful adventure.
May I take heed.

Personal transformation

My transformation is not my gift to God. My transformation is God's gift to me.