In the Light of Truth

"There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and there is nothing secret that will not become known and come to light." Luke 8:17


If I Bro. Carmelo Martinez, SDB would ask me again what's on top of my hierarchy of values I still would answer "Truth". (Bro. Melo has been our Values Clarification teacher in the pre-novitiate, and the best.)


I believe anything that is not founded on truth would be consumed by its own lies and swallowed by its own shadow. The verse suddenly popped in my brain as I was saying vespers with the community. I have met people who blind themselves by their own lies because the truth is simply too bright to look at. It is a sad sight for people who can see but refused to see the light of truth. There are people too who have been courageous enough to embrace the light of truth despite the initial fear. In the end, the truth has set them free.


As I try my best to become a good and holy Salesian, I nail it in my brain to always abide by the truth. There are lapses of course, considering the technical glitches in my circuit board, but the effort of staying with the Truth and living with the Truth is worth more than living in the comforts of the shadow.

Down Mt Tabor

I have heard of people wanting to go up Mt Tabor, the mountain of Transfiguration. Many times in retreats and recollections, a metaphor to the mountain is used to illustrate how we remove ourselves from the cares and worries of the world in order to be alone, atop a high mountain, and there be transfigured with Christ. The social weather we have today is full of pressure and concerns that the natural tendency for the post modern man is to recluse himself in order to cope better the problems he faces. For us Christian Catholics, this is going up Mt Tabor with Christ.

Yet we mustn't forget that what comes up must go down. Nobody can live forever, yet, in Mt Tabor. Life moves down below, in the very concrete circumstance of life. I believe it is wrong to assume that the experience of spiritual "high" is the very end of transfiguration. Rather, we are transfigured in order to be sent down, to bring the experience of God back to ordinary life and to ordinary people.

I think of many participants of retreats and seminars and how after a period of staying with Christ, they glow with the joy and holiness of the Encounter with Christ. The challenge for them is to sustain that experience even after the "high" has faded. We are not spiritual junkies.

I also think of people who recluse themselves, going into their own inner Mt Tabor, and who because of lack of courage to really face truth, could not take the step down back to the real world. Sadly, they are stuck in high in the mountain enjoying the solitude that will soon becomes loneliness then despair as the Spirit of the Lord does not rest on despairing hearts.

My experience of life taught me that Mt Tabor isn't just the "high" but it is also the "lows" of life. Even intense sadness can bring the transfiguration that Christ desires for us. But either high or low, we must go down Mt Tabor, to be in the world but not of the world.

Befriending People, not Friendship

I have a terrible realization these past days. There are times when people befriend friendship and not the persons. I mean, they make friends out of convenience, out of status, out of insecurities, but they really are not interested in the person. It is so easy to say that we are friends, but it is not that easy to prove it. Only time can tell.

I was sad because a friend recounted a story of how friendship that appeared to be real and deep is but a shallow relationship that verges on using people to get yourself on by. How does friendship really work? I don't have THE right answers, I can only offer my experience.

First, I believe friendship is all about PERSONAL ENCOUNTER. You meet the person and take him for who he is. You affirm the good and bear with the bad. And in this encounter, both persons grow and the relationship grows.

Second, friendship is very much like the banking business. You INVEST time, effort, energy, and gifts. It's not a matter of withdrawing the interest later, but more of investing in each other because there is much to be discovered and developed in one another.

Third, friendship is ART. You make one another beautiful so as to be the persons God want you to be. Holiness or sanctity or self-fulfillment could never be achieved alone. You have to work it out with others to discover the piece of God in you.

My prayer now is that should I have to undergo the relationship microscope, I be found worthy to be called a friend by people. It would be a sad case for me if I have become a parasite that has stuck to people to suck them of their goodness and goodwill. Yes, companionship and friendship is good, but we must remember it is all about dealing with people and persons.