St. James the Apostle by Peter Paul Rubens. Inset: Icons of St. John the Apostle and St. John Chrysostom.
Sharers in the suffering of Christ
The sons of Zebedee press Christ: Promise that one may sit at your right side and the other at your left. What does he do? He wants to show them that it is not a spiritual gift for which they are asking, and that if they knew what their request involved, they would never dare make it. So he says: You do not know what you are asking, that is, what a great and splendid thing it is and how much b
eyond the reach even of the heavenly powers. Then he continues: Can you drink the cup which I must drink and be baptised with the baptism which I must undergo? He is saying: “You talk of sharing honours and rewards with me, but I must talk of struggle and toil. Now is not the time for rewards or the time for my glory to be revealed. Earthly life is the time for bloodshed, war and danger.”
eyond the reach even of the heavenly powers. Then he continues: Can you drink the cup which I must drink and be baptised with the baptism which I must undergo? He is saying: “You talk of sharing honours and rewards with me, but I must talk of struggle and toil. Now is not the time for rewards or the time for my glory to be revealed. Earthly life is the time for bloodshed, war and danger.”
Consider how by his manner of questioning he exhorts and draws them. He does not say: “Can you face being slaughtered? Can you shed your blood?” How does he put his question? Can you drink the cup? Then he makes it attractive by adding: which I must drink, so that the prospect of sharing it with him may make them more eager. He also calls his suffering a baptism, to show that it will effect a great cleansing of the entire world. The disciples answer him: We can! Fervour makes them answer promptly, though they really do not know what they are saying but still think they will receive what they ask for.
How does Christ reply? You will indeed drink my cup and be baptised with my baptism. He is really prophesying a great blessing for them, since he is telling them: “You will be found worthy of martyrdom; you will suffer what I suffer and end your life with a violent death, thus sharing all with me. But seats at my right and left are not mine to give; they belong to those for whom the Father has prepared them.” Thus, after lifting their minds to higher goals and preparing them to meet and overcome all that will make them desolate, he sets them straight on their request.
Then the other ten became angry at the two brothers. See how imperfect they all are: the two who tried to get ahead of the other ten, and the ten who were jealous of the two! But, as I said before, show them to me at a later date in their lives, and you will see that all these impulses and feelings have disappeared. Read how John, the very man who here asks for the first place, will always yield to Peter when it comes to preaching and performing miracles in the Acts of the Apostles. James, for his part, was not to live very much longer; for from the beginning he was inspired by great fervour and, setting aside all purely human goals, rose to such splendid heights that he straightway suffered martyrdom.
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![ST. JEROME EMILIANI [1486-1537]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6dKQTchkJaA/R0lo013dyBI/AAAAAAAAB_4/XzUAPDESwwQ/s1600/St.+Jerome+in+prayer,+small_1.jpg)
A Gymnasium Of
ReplyDeleteThe Kingdom Of God
Tagaytay
by. +Bro Allan Encinas
Old folks in this place often relate that in the past days people were used to sleep early at 6: o=clock in the evening because it was the best thing to do, and the best choice they had. There facilities offered except such those that one can see and, in fact, the house has now. And they also remembered with delight the beautiful scenery, the serenity, the coolness and freshness of the florae, and the abundance of fruits which were then available. They could never forget it...then, they stopped their story with pride.
Tagaytay was and is really beautiful, and natural and serene. Without any doubt it could have been the reason why on the seventies and eighties many religious families attracted to set their novitiate and formation houses in this place. Some religious structures that could be seen already from their age is the Parish Church in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes B it is managed by the Franciscan Capuchins, the Divine Word School of Theology B run by the SVD, and some Convents of the Sisters. Later, in 1987 the Somascan Fathers transferred their Novitiate and Major Seminary to the new building in Tagaytay.
Long before the settling down of the Novitiate house and the Major Seminary into this place, the Fathers had scouted on the highlands of Cavite and secured the authorization for the purchase of the land that was issued on 1984. Thereafter, by the year 1986, they were authorized to pursue the construction of the building of the new seminary. And before the end of the same year the actual construction was done under the supervision of Fr. Ernesto, whose untiring commitment we should always remember as he joins now our Lord in his peace.
On October 16, 1988, the official opening and the blessing of the house were done. The late Bishop Felix Perez of Imus presided the rites and consecrated the altar of the chapel. The ribbon cutting was officiated by Mrs. Teena Sarino and Sec. Fidel Ramos of National Defense, who became later the President of the Philippines. Many people attended the celebration, the most of them coming from our St. Jerome Parish in Alabang.
Continuation of +Bro. Allan Encinas, CRS Article
ReplyDeleteFor years, until now, and we hope, for the coming more decades, Tagaytay will attract young youth desirous to consecrate their life on the footsteps of St. Jerome Emiliani. According to the ancient tradition of the Somascan Congregation, the chosen place could satisfy the prerequisites of salubrity and amenity. Every year at the end of May or at the beginning of June in Tagaytay, the most beautiful event is celebrated: the first Religious Profession that is sometimes in good number, sometimes only one, but always does it give great joy to the Congregation. The brothers who commit their lives to the great demands of perpetual vows and Diaconal Ministry also do their profession and ordination here in Tagaytay. Priestly ordinations, on the other hand, are professed to be done in bigger churches, especially St. Jerome Emiliani Parish in Alabang.
Indeed, all the present Filipino young religious spent some years of formation in Tagaytay. It is for this kind of service that our community became that Apalaestra-gymnasium@ mentioned in the old Somascan Constitutions, where not only novices are trained for the future life, but also where confreres come back to strengthen, review their journey and to prepare for the next steps. It is by this time spirit that it has become a tradition that a brother comes to Tagaytay for a longer preparation for the perpetual profession, diaconate and priesthood.
Truly it is nice to trace back and remember the past experience in the providence and grace of our Lord, and also worthy to reminisce those many people and confreres who worked B are presently working B in these 13 years of existence of our Tagaytay Community. To them we extend our gratitude and constant prayer: to Fr. Adriano Lomazzi, whose zeal and energies brought to realization this project; to Fr. Grato Germanetto B then the first superior of the Tagaytay community B whose diligence enriched our field with abundance of trees, gardens, and built the Catechetical Center with many sport facilities; to Fr. Valerio Fenoglio B Somascan pioneer to the Philippines; he was assigned as superior in Tagaytay on 1995 B whose enterprise brought forth the novitiate building novitiate building; Fr. Luigi Cucci B our present superior and novice master B whose patience and prayer guide and direct our community life; Fr. Cesare, whose generosity and insights boost and enrich our spiritual formation; to Fr. Gabriele Scotti B the commissary of the Somascan Fathers in the Philippines B who generously, among the many duties, gives his time and availability for this Somascan Community of Tagaytay; and to all the religious who in few or many years put their talents at the service of the formation of our new generations. Some confreres might be in or out the of the country , but still it will be our raising of hands together in prayer that will testify that we are one and bounded though from a distance.
Now, we are very few, but we hope that all the thirty-two rooms of the Seminary and the nine rooms of the novitiate will be filled with generous young people eager to continue in our country the spirit and the work of charity of St. Jerome. But, meanwhile as a community we put our trust in the Lord who is very merciful and have true hope in him alone and we shall never be disenchanted.
Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine,
ReplyDeleteet lux perpetua luceat eis.
Te decet hymnus Deus, in Sion,
et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem.
Exaudi orationem meam;
ad te omnis caro veniet.
Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
THANK YOU SO MUCH BRO. SAM FOR REMEMBERING OUR BELOVED BRO. ALLAN ENCINAS.
ReplyDeleteWe commemorrated his Return to the Home of the Father in the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. We still remember his smiles, his jokes, his inherent goodness and his warm friendship.
MAY THE LORD GRANT HIM ETERNAL LIFE!