THE SHRINE OF KAMAY NI HESUS

It has been an “informal” tradition of mine to go and visit churches during the year: during Holy Week (a sort of Visita Iglesia), during the Christmas season (to see the Belen) and sometime before or after my birthday (a sort of pilgrimage of thanksgiving for the gift of life and to ask for God’s blessing for another year of life).

A couple of years ago one of our Postnovices was invited by the youth of a barrio chapel to accompany them to Kamay ni Hesus in Lucban. I inquired why this place was so famous. I was told that it was connected to the ministry of a healing priest. I told myself that maybe I should go and see the place sometime in the future. The opportunity presented itself in 2012 some days after my birthday.

Although I live in Canlubang, Laguna, the trip to the Shrine took a good three hours. It was not in Lucban itself but outside of the town. I was first impressed by the size of the complex. It was huge. That was a good thing because with the number of people pouring in, space was a priority. (They ought to do something with the parking space, though.) The first thing I wanted to see was the church itself. It was already full of people. And all I could do was to take a peep. I will have to go back later.

To the left of the church was a hill. On top was a huge statue of Jesus Christ. It reminded me of the gigantic statue of Christ the Redeemer of Rio de Janeiro. To reach the top you have to follow a trail that zigzagged across the slope of the hill. Life-size Stations of the Cross were distributed along the trail. I made my way to the beginning of the trail, took a deep breath and began the ascent. I stopped now and then to take photos and to wipe away perspiration that was running down my face and body. On top I found men and women, adults and children taking some respite from the climb.

The way down was easier. On the left side of the hill were steps leading straight down to the foot of the hill.

Once down I went to the church again to see if there was enough space for me to go inside. The Mass was over and Fr. Joey Faller, the healing priest, had begun the healing session for the morning. I was impressed by what I heard and by what I saw. I heard Fr. Joey reminding the people in a kindly way that they were there to pray. He gave importance to prayer. Now that was something. And then I saw him praying over the sick without fanfare and inviting them to pray as well. There were no theatrics. The healing session was all simplicity. By doing that he did not call attention to himself. That impressed me, too.

I do not know if any healing took place. But I did see him helping an old man to his feet. He had been sitting on a wheel chair.

At Kamay ni Hesus, it is not Fr. Joey Faller who heals. It is God. Fr. Faller himself acknowledges that he is merely God’s instrument. And it is God who chooses who to make well.

I am sure that not everyone who came to Kamay ni Hesus for healing came away healed. Millions have gone to Lourdes and Fatima in the hope of being healed. Only a few do get healed. Why? God knows what he is doing. He has his reasons. And that should be enough.

This is what faith is. We entrust ourselves in God’s hands because we know we are in good hands. And no matter what happens, we know that everything will turn out all right for us in the end.

RUFFLED RAFFLES

Last Christmas my sister treated me for lunch at the Spectrum Restaurant of the Raffles Makati.

Its website describes it as “at the heart of a prestigious development – a striking 30-floor masterpiece, home to three sophisticated addresses in one tower: Raffles Makati, with 32 suites; Raffles Residences, with 237 one to four bedroom residences for private ownership; and Fairmont Makati, a hotel with 280 deluxe rooms.” While its grand opening is set for February 2013, the hotels and residences have been in operation since November 2012.

Raffles is new in the Philippines but it has been around for quite a while. The official site of Raffles states: “For 125 years Raffles has gone out of our way to give you the warmest welcome, the richest experiences and the fondest of memories. And today the legend continues all around the world. From the classic colonial splendor of Raffles Singapore (where it all began) to Dubai, Seychelles, Cambodia, Paris, Beijing, Hainan, Makati and Makkah, the Raffles name is synonymous with luxury, glamour and extraordinary adventure.”

I arrived ahead of my sister. Entering the lobby I was greeted warmly by a man (I do not know the designation of people in the hospitality industry) who at once entrusted me to a young lady. She volunteered to give me a tour of the ground floor. The ground floor, though, was not as expansive as other hotels (Sofitel comes to mind). She proudly brought me to the Long Bar. It’s called Long Bar, she tells me, because it is the longest bar in the Metro Manila area. So far so good.

But when I was finally brought to the restaurant, the unpleasant experience began.

I gave the name of my sister and the number of the table she reserved. The young lady at the reception couldn’t find her name. I brought out my cellphone and had my sister talk to her. After the conversation the young lady continued her search. She finally found the reservation in another sheet of paper. I was guided inside by another young lady. To my disappointment, a couple was already seated on the table my sister had reserved. The young lady was apologetic. She told me that they had taken breakfast there and hadn’t left yet. I sat in an adjacent table and waited for them to leave. When they had vacated the table, a busboy came and prepared the table. I took possession of the table as soon as the busboy left. When my sister arrived, she was dismayed to see that the table was not the table she reserved.

I told her that we might have to turn a blind eye since the establishment only opened a month ago. Being with the service industry for some time, she told me that no business can ever offer its client any excuse for poor service. And she was right. Raffles should not have opened its restaurant if its employees are not ready to give superior service to its guests. After all Spectrum is not a carinderia. I would expect value for our money. Frankly speaking its buffet is more expensive than that of Spiral of Sofitel and yet it doesn’t come close to what Spiral offers. Spiral offers the widest choice of dishes spread out in 21 dining ateliers!

I am not saying that the food served was inferior. They tasted good. But the service turned out to be the fly in ointment. What should have been a wholly pleasant dining experience was marred by inferior service. The reservation was not found quickly enough. And this in spite of the fact that the reservation was paid. Moreover, the table was given to us was not the table she reserved.

Unfortunately, the poor service reflected badly on Raffles. Those who serve the guests are the frontliners of the business. They are the face of the business. Something was amiss either in their training or in the process governing the operation of the restaurant, starting with reservations and ending with the departure of guests. Either way it did not speak well of Raffles.

We find this way of judging also in everyday life. Do we not make an inference about the parents on the basis of their children?

It is true that children might turn out badly in spite of the best efforts of their parents. Yet without the positive influence of parental upbringing, it is almost certain that children will turn out badly. That is why the Church acknowledges that parents are “the first educators of their children.” The adjective “first” is not merely first in time but first in responsibility.

Such a responsibility no parent will ever consider a burden. Instead, they will see it as a great privilege so much so that at the end of their lives, parents will consider successfully raising their children as the first of their lifetime achievements.

[The photograph is a piece of honeycomb on a chocolate cup served at Spectrum at Raffles.]

TAAL VOLCANO

Scientists say that in pre-historic times Taal Lake and the volcano island did not exist. Instead there was a giant volcano. The time came when it erupted so violently that the volcano disappeared and in its place a lake and an island was formed. According to Wikipedia, its last eruption was in 1977 and there have been 33 recorded eruptions since 1572.

It has been designated a Decade Volcano. Decade Volcanoes are the 16 volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas (Wikipedia).

Taal Volcano and Lake are wholly within the Batangas Province. And to make sure everyone knows that, Governor Vilma Santos wanted to put on the island a giant sign “BATANGAS” similar to the “HOLLYWOOD” sign. That earned a lot of criticism and had to be shelved.

Taal Volcano and Lake are unique. Taal Lake is found in Luzon which is an island. In the lake is the volcanic island. In that island is a small lake and in that lake is another “island”. According to the website of Crater Lake Resort, within the island are four craters. The main crater is in the center of the island while the dormant volcano crater can be seen at the edge of the island. The third and fourth craters are called “Twin Craters” which were formed during the eruption of 1965.  According to the Lakwatsera de Primera blog, Taal Volcano is the smallest active volcano in the world. It used to be one of the largest volcanoes in the world towering at 18,000 feet.

The Taal Lake is also known for the tawilis. Sardinella tawilis (sometimes obscurely referred to as the Freshwater Sardinella) is a freshwater sardine found exclusively in the Philippines (specifically, Taal Lake). It is unique in that it is the only member of the family Clupeidae that is known to exist entirely in freshwater. (Wikipedia). According to a news report in the Manila Bulletin, its population has dropped in recent years due to overexploitation and the fish kills in the lake.

Many years ago when we were young priests (it was in the 1980s), we attended a one-week course in Tagaytay. During a one-day break, three of us decided to explore Taal Volcano. We hiked from the Tagaytay ridge down to the bottom. I don’t remember anymore the name of the place, but it was there where we managed to get a boat to bring us to the island. When we reached the island, we immediately hiked towards the rim of one of the craters. I was expecting to see molten lava churning violently at the bottom of the crater. What I saw instead was sand and steam escaping from a vent. Everything was quiet. The only thing I was aware of was the smell of sulfur.

Many years later (2006?) I tagged along with another confrere who was going to visit the island. We took a boat at a town farther away. The asking price was not tourist price. We paid P300 per person, I think. The hike was not difficult. It was mostly level ground. There were no steep inclines. All along I thought that we were going to a crater. It turned out that our destination was the lake within the island.

The last two times I visited the island was on the occasion of a community outing. We took the regular tourist trail. The trek was less than an hour. (The return trip would be a lot faster, however.) But on the way up, unless you hired a horse, you should be prepared to sweat it out...buckets and buckets of perspiration.

Once you reach the top, however, the view was so spectacular that you wouldn’t mind the complaints of your tired legs anymore. And with the proliferation of digital cameras, you’d spend the time taking pictures, including the obligatory jump shots.

Wikipedia says that viewed from Tagaytay Ridge, Taal Volcano and Lake presents one of the most picturesque and attractive views in the Philippines. I agree. And since the last eruption was around 35 years ago, we may be lulled into thinking that everything will always remain peaceful and quiet. But Taal is an active volcano. And because of its proximity to populated areas, it has the potential of causing a huge toll on life and property. This is why an erupting volcano seems to me a good image of anger.

When anger takes over, we lose the use of reason. And with the loss of reason, we turn violent. And like an erupting volcano, we engage in destructive behavior – especially hurtful words and/or actions directed towards people we may really care about. Although we may feel sorry after we have calmed down, the damage has been done. Feelings have been hurt. Bodies have been inflicted with pain.

It is not that anger is always bad, for there is such a thing as righteous anger (for example, Jesus cleansing the temple). It is when we allow anger to take hold of us that is the problem. For by then we lose control and become like a raging bull, unreasoning and unreasonable.

Let’s get hold of ourselves so that we don’t hurt the people we love. For if we fail, we end up having to say: “I’m sorry.” What is wrong with that? Nothing. But still it is worth keeping in mind that “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”

DOWN UNDER

Think of Australia. What comes to your mind?

The Sydney Opera House. Koala, kangaroo, cassowary and Tasmanian devil. The Sydney Harbour. The Olympics. The Canberra Parliament House. The trams of Melbourne. Bondi Beach. Gold Coast. Blue Mountain. Hunter Valley. Aborigines. Crodocile Dundee. Steve Erwin (killed by a stingray). Russel Crowe. Nicole Kidman. Eric Bana. Kate Blanchett. Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain and Batman). Hugh Jackman. Air Supply. Bee Gees.

Just a trivia fact that came to my mind just now. If you turn the map of Australia upside down, it’s somewhat like the map of the continental USA.

Historically, Australia was like a giant Iwahig Penal Colony. In the 18th and 19th centuries the British government sent their convicts to penal colonies in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, and Norfolk Island. One-tenth of all convicts transported to Australia were Catholic, and half of these were born in Ireland. Several Irish priests had been transported to New South Wales as convicts. Hold on. Don’t be scandalized yet. They were convicted for their involvement in the 1798 rebellion against British rule. In other words, they were patriots involved in the struggle for freedom for Ireland.

My first time in Australia was with a group of deans of engineering schools that were considered to be Centers of Excellence. The trip was funded by the Philippine Government through the Department of Science and Technology. I chose the Sydney group because my sister and her family were living outside Sydney. Another group went to Melbourne. Two other groups went to the US of A.

We visited the University of New South Wales and the University of Technology. The purpose was not to have a good time but to bring back something that we can apply to our own schools. I was able to confirm one finding of an action research regarding library use. When the library index card cabinet was replaced by a computerized system, the library use skyrocketed. This was in those days when the computerization of the library was just beginning.

I also learned and experienced many other things in Sydney.
On our arrival at Holiday Inn, I went to the front desk to inquire about our address. I couldn’t get what the young man was saying. After the third try, I gave up. I later learned that he was saying: “New South Wales.” So much for the Australian accent. But I did get the hang of it soon.

On my first night in Sydney, I went out of our hotel to take a walk. I was surprised to see the streets almost empty. It was just around 7 or 8pm. Where are the people? I found out that that was the usual thing. Their malls and stores close at 6pm, if I’m not mistaken. I wonder how the stores earn.

Filipinos are scattered all over the world. You find them everywhere. It was not unusual to have met a Filipino family in Sydney who invited us for supper. After supper they brought us around so that we can have an idea how Sydney looked like at night. One place I could not forget was King’s Cross. They pointed to scantily dressed (read: sexy) beautiful women scattered along street corners. You don’t need a PhD to know who they were. But what I didn’t know was that they were really men!

Many Australians seem to like going bare-foot. At noon break I saw a woman take off her shoes and walked across a grass covered park for her lunch. At the outskirts of Sydney where my sister lived, I saw many more Australians walking into stores bare-foot.

Do they go topless in the beaches (the women, that is)? I didn’t see anyone go topless at Bondi Beach. (Well, I didn’t go around looking for them. So I may have missed them.) But I did see two in another beach…but not up close and personal. (And I certainly am not sorry that I wasn’t close enough.)

What I like about Sydney was that it was clean and not congested. I never encountered any rude Australian while I was there. I remember wanting to ride the monorail in the city. I went to one of the stops but didn’t know how to get the ticket from the machine. But someone who saw my predicament was so kind as to approach me and volunteer to assist me.

During the period we were visiting the two universities, I made use of the radio alarm clock of the hotel. At the appointed time, instead of the alarm, the FM radio started playing early morning music. That was OK. But I stopped in my tracks when I heard the host say something. I stopped because I couldn’t believe my ears. Did I hear what I thought I just heard? He was asking his listeners to say over the radio how they were having sex with their boyfriend or girlfriend. And people were calling in as if they were just being asked how they liked their eggs done for breakfast. In Australia Mo Twister would have sounded like a puppy.

Every culture has its good side and its bad side. Every country has its virtues and its vices. St. Paul gives us this practical advice: “Test everything. Hold on to what is good” (1Thess. 5:21). But we need to go one step further. “Cultures are also called to purify themselves of their share in the legacy of sin, embodied in certain prejudices, customs and practices, to enrich themselves with the input of the faith and to enrich the universal Church itself with new expressions and values" (Redemptoris Missio, 52; Slavorum Apostoli, 21; and Toward a Pastoral Approach to Culture, 10).

Especially in this Year of Faith we need to purify our culture (and that includes ourselves) from whatever makes us less credible disciples of Jesus Christ.