Saint Francis of Assisi

We know about countless of individuals who made an immense history in changing the world. Whether they may be still young ones up to the adults, a guy or a girl, disabled or not. Inspiring, intriguing, name it, these composes the life of the individuals whom sacrificed their lives in order to endow change. Some of them were heroes, saints and the like. There is just one saint that really caught my attention and he is no other St. Francis of Assisi. Aside from Mother Teresa, I am really hooked up with this saint. It was my Tita who first introduced the said saint to me since I was high a school student through his movie Brother Sun and Sister Moon.

Saint Francis was born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone. He was a Catholic deacon and preacher. He also was the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, more commonly known as the Franciscans. He is known as the patron saint of animals, the environment and one of the two patrons of Italy.

I was in my utmost curiosity while watching the movie and after watching, I vastly honored him as if he still exists. Let me tell you about what I’ve watched about his life.

Francesco, the spoiled son of Pietro Bernardone, a wealthy textile merchant, returned home from fighting in the war between Assisi and Perugia. Struck by a feverish illness that forced him to desert the war, Francesco lies on his bed tormented by visions of his past when he was a boisterous, arrogant youth. During a long recovery process, he slowly finds God in the midst of all, in poverty, chastity and obedience, experiencing a recovery not only of his body but of his soul.

Healthy again, Francesco returns to his normal life as a rich young man. However, to the consternation of his parents, he begins to spend lots of time surrounded by nature, flowers, trees, animals and poetry as he becomes more and more reluctant to his prior life style. His father's obsession with gold now fills him with revulsion and this creates an open confrontation with Pietro. Francesco rebuffs offers to take over the family business and throws the textiles out the window. His father, frustrated, beats him and ends up humiliating him in front of the city's Bishop and population. Francesco renounces all his worldly possessions and his "noble" family name Bernardone and leaves Assisi naked and free from his past in order to live an ascetic and simple life as a man of God and nature.

He goes toward the ruins of the chapel of San Damiano, where he hears God's voice asking him to restore it. Much to the dismay of his family, friends and the local bishop, Francesco gradually gains a following amongst the poor and the suffering. His friend Bernardo, happily joins him after returning from a Crusade that left him in sorrow and emptiness. Two other friends, Silvestro and Giocondo, admiring Francesco's new life style as a beggar help to rebuilds the chapel of San Damiano.

Claire, a beautiful young woman also from a wealthy family, serves and cares for lepers of the community. She joins the brothers in their life of poverty. Meanwhile in Assisi, the high classes of nobility, including the Bishop, protest against Francesco and his group, worried about them "corrupting" the whole of Assisi's youth and they command Francesco's friend Paolo to hinder and stop the so called "minor brothers".

Because of conflicts between the high corrupted levels of the Church and Francesco's group, he decides to walk to the Vatican in Rome and ask Pope Innocent III to advice. Once in Rome, Francesco becomes stunned by the enormous wealth, power, lust and emptiness that surrounds the throne of St. Peter and when he is brought to face the Pope he vehemently protests against it and recites the scriptures (which was not allowed) on order to prove that Christ's words are totally opposite of Rome's wealth. Due to this emotional explosion, Francesco and his friends are jailed, and finally accepting his admiration toward Francesco, Paolo decides to join them. He also reveals to Francesco how ashamed he is to be dressed in fine and luxurious clothes in front of a humble and kind man dressed as a beggar, to everyone's astonishment, the Pope kisses Francesco's feet, and then blesses him and his companions, wishing for them a long world wide society of men and women willing to serve God in the way he does.

Facebook: Addictive yet Entertaining

Facebook, a social networking website launched in February 2004 that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. It was incredibly founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his colleagues while studying at Harvard University as a sophomore student. A January 2009 Compete.com study ranked Facebook as the most used social network by worldwide monthly active users, followed by MySpace Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade 'best-of' list, saying, "How on earth did we stalk our exes, remember our co-workers' birthdays, bug our friends, and play a rousing game of Scrabulous before Facebook?"

This attention-catching network has been part of the populace’s lives since it was officially launched. It was accepted and gradually liked by the general public. Most of the people today linked their lives to this network. Well, I can’t blame them. Facebook is undoubtedly irresistible. Kids, teens, adults and even the oldies have their accounts. Why is this so? Why does Facebook widely caught our attention? I have a classmate who once woke up early just to check her account; my colleagues in a particular subject did not sleep early not because they were so busy in their school assignments but because they were just busy commenting photos, some are playing with Farmtown and Farmville. See? Currently, the society is deeply engrossed with the system, embracing its every new feature. Many of us becomes a facebook addict, some can’t live and even going crazy without entertaining, checking what’s happening on his account.

Well, there are only two major explanations why this is vastly occurring. Let us first embark its advantages. Facebook is certainly an entertaining network. It helps us share and connect with the people in our lives in a way that we can upload photos and videos, comment to the photos uploaded, search for a friend or something, Users can create profiles with photos, lists of personal interests, contact information and other personal information. Communicating with friends and other users can be done through private or public messages or a chat feature. Users can also create and join interest groups and "like pages", it allows users to send virtual gifts to their friends that appear on the recipient's profiles, the Marketplace lets users post free classified ads and of course, you are updated with latest news, events, whose birthday is ongoing each day. Aside from its cunning features, it is also very gratifying. Just glimpse into the photos with the one you love makes you comment or like it.

Now, enough with the benefits, let’s fire the disadvantages of using the network. One of the discouraging matters about it is that it always clutches the attention of the users. Students converted their attention from making homework to facebooking, making the most of his time in front of the computer busy focusing on some stuffs of the network; some are unusually waking up early just to open his account. Facebook eats up our time, it also makes people sluggish.

But it depends on the user how will he manage his time not compromising the most important thing to do. It relies on his hands how he will respond. It is just a matter of time organizing. Just take the following prescriptions correctly: take discipline, hard work, and patience 3x a day and of course, the most effective medicine, prayer (every minute of every day) and everything will fall into the right place.

My Life’s Delightful Moments

I am undoubtedly cheerful these days because of the surprises God blessed me. I am certainly happy because He sanctified me with wonderful classmates that are now my close friends. What made me really amazed is that they are not my co-majors and yet we possess a relationship that looked like we are block mates! The persons I am talking to are my classmates in Humanities 1. They are not AB English students, in fact in our section there are only 1 CBAA, 5 CASS and the rest are COE students. Try to imagine it. We exhibit different courses, different year levels and of course different characters and personalities but oh, you can very well perceive that we are in just one block. It is all thanks to GOD because of everything. Thanks to Him, our teacher gave us a theater musical for our midterm exam. This requirement is a blessing in disguise. At first, we all neglect, discouraged by the task she assigned to us. Everybody complained, we all have diverse reactions against it. We really don’t like having a musical for our midterm. Why do our midterm exam will going to be a musical? Why don’t we have a written exam? What’s wrong with that? These are some of the twisting questions raised by others.

As we are constantly meeting, practicing for our play, things turned out to be like a magic. Everybody was actively cooperating; it is like ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE! I was undeniably stunned for our friendship really blossomed. We now are exceedingly attached to each other. Honestly, I am more comfortable with my humanities classmates than my co-majors. As our practices continue, we were not paying attention to the miracles happened. After our play, everybody was longing for another musical for we now learned what really Humanities is. And also, thanks to our teacher and most of all thanks to our Almighty Creator. We now realized the value of the subject of which we don’t like at first.

There are many memories we shared together that were worth to be reminisced. First, was the theater musical, then our regular class foolishness, making funny scenes inside the room if ma’am is not yet around, taking photos, having jokes, in fact, we don’t have any joke shortage! Another is commenting pictures on Facebook. I enjoyed it a lot. I am the one who is mastermind in editing photos, making hilarious captions on them. The pancue bonding at Children’s Park was also a great one. I was so fortunate for my classmate treated me. The Mugna moments were awesome also. I genuinely had fun! The rides were so fulfilling and breathtaking. We are certainly making the most of our time being classmates for this semester because we knew that sooner or later, we will going to be apart from each other, no more Humanities classes, no more hanging outs, no more funny and exciting instances. I’m extremely hoping that someday if time comes we will be away from each other, our closeness will never end. I know I’m going to miss them, I already felt it now, call me corny or idiot but that’s what I feel. We are like one big vastly cheerful family now.

I will always treasure my moments with them.

My Genuine Thank you

Today’s current phenomenons are such too far different from the past generations. It’s really obvious. We can’t deny the fact that we are presently living in the place we once proudly called our home, our mother Earth, that today turned into hell. Chaos is embracing the whole universe, lucky for those who have their improvised shields against the malicious happenings. The administrations are declining, pollution is everywhere, injustice, corruption and other social cancers are continually propagating.

I respect those individuals who had their very gravest concern about today’s society. But despite of these nightmares, I could still humbly say THANK YOU to our GOD for everything! You want to know why? Simply because we are still here, continuously living on the surface He had made. Though lots of people died with or without reason, it’s His will, and thus part of His master plan. I’ve lost my Papa and my Kuya since I was three but look, I’m still here, enduring all the pains and embracing God’s graces with my Mama, Ate, and the rest of my family. God constantly guiding me, loving me, caring me despite of the mischievous things I’ve done. That’s how great God works! His unconditional blessings made me a better person. Yes, He also sanctified me trials, but instead of degrading myself, I accepted them as grace as part of His bright future for me. I always cheer up myself because it is only a proof of how God really love me. Those heartbreakingly trials, distress, problems that sometimes we thought we can’t handle anymore, are just significant indications that He undoubtedly loves us as wide as an endless ocean ; also He’s just preparing the best opportunity for us. And I noticed that my problems never had a vacation, they are always sticking on me. I’m not ashamed; instead I’m proud to say that I am ME! Simple, funny, trusted, easy to get along with and God-fearing. Everyone is made different, unique in other words. Everyone has different specialized fields of intelligence.

I will never stop saying THANK YOU to our Almighty Creator. Whatever anxiety I have to go through, I will never, ever stop because I love Him, too. I trust, honor, respect HIM just like everybody else. He’s my forever immortal BEST FRIEND. God is always with us. We may not feel His presence sometimes but actually He is constantly with us. It is we who are deaf, blind about the fact that He exists and we just take it for granted. Let us therefore acknowledge Him always, pray to Him and of course thank Him for the whole things He showered upon us.

The Legend of Guintolan

There is a legend I would like to share, a legend of my place where I came from. It’s one of the remote areas of Zamboanga Sibugay, the barangay of Guintolan. The legend of my hometown is not officially accepted in our place; therefore it is only a rumor.

Long, long time ago, in a faraway place, there live a farmer with his wife happily married and contented with their lives. For the first three years of their married life, things turned out fine. They were blessed with one beautiful child. The farmer had a very bountiful harvest in his farm while his wife took care of their child. But one day, El Niño unfortunately struck their land. There was too much heat and water was scarce. The crops were dying and they have no enough food to eat. Their child died for a certain disease. Because of the great misfortune, the wife left her husband hungry and all alone. The farmer was so worried about his wife. When he heard about the gold mining in the neighboring town, he immediately went there hoping to find a job but fate was rude to him and he did not qualify. The farmer then, began to wander in the woods, everywhere for he did not eat in two weeks. One day, a stranger came and asked him what the name of their place is. The farmer just replied, “Ginto! Ginto!” and ran away. The stranger left curious and began calling the place Ginto land. As the years went by, it turned to Guintolan.

The Exploding Theater Musical!!!

Humanities 1 students section A7 of Ms. Biong gave their preeminent blast in their midterm exam which was a theater musical last September 6, 2010 at exactly 1:00 pm at CASS rooftop. There were 4 sections and thus 4 competitors. The A7 section is composed of students who have different year levels and courses. Some are second years and there are third years. There are only 5 CASS students, 1 CBAA and the rest are COE students. Before they performed, they first prioritized the last rehearsal in the morning, polishing all the scenes, the songs, and dances, the sound effects and of course the songs and props needed for the play. After lunch, the performers began preparing their selves- wearing costumes, having make ups, and the like. They were all absolutely committed especially the director of the musical, she was like a little bit crazy about all the kinds of stuffs. Others were still memorizing their lines; some were just taking pictures, making foolishness and funny moments.

Before they performed, the three judges were introduced first and they were not just an ordinary judges, they possessed some of the distinguished achievements and positions in IIT. Next was their awaited performance. Everybody was tensed especially the director and the lead actress. Tensed, excited, afraid, name it, those emotions were obviously seen and felt by the performers. While they were executing, the casts were enthusiastically cooperating, the director was really dedicated because every time the curtains will closed, she eventually calls the characters and get them ready on stage and the very thing was, when there’s an actor or actress who forgot their lines, she immediately whispers to them what they are going to say and thus making the show continue. The determination, hard works and collaboration were beyond compare. Their songs, dances, and of course the acting went well. The judges have wide smile and so with the audience when the “kilig” moments and funny scenes were performed.

After the performance, everyone was tired, exhausted, haggard faces, all were sweating. The casts were undoubtedly surprised about the wonderful comment of Ma’am Biong, that their play was an amazing one, very good performance, she did not expect what they had just delivered, she thought that they were going to perform a fine musical but it all turned out to be like a movie and the fact that most of them are engineering students, she certainly can’t believe it. She mentioned that all scenes were pleasingly performed and from the fact that the jurors were used in giving small grades, only two sections got the scores line of 9 including the A7 learners. According to the judges, A7’s theater musical was very good, good choice of songs, nice choreography, and the concept of the story was intriguing, they were all triggered to watch from the very start and of course the lead actress was very good, she’s too confident in the stage and the rest were performing very well also. The only thing that was discouraging was that their musical was too long, it lasted for almost 2 hours but overall their play was skillfully acted and in fact, they earned the highest score among 4 sections. The successful casts were very thankful for everything- their struggles, hard work, money and time were not at all wasted. At present, they are now starting conceptualizes their Independent Film for their finals. Here’s the breathtaking trivia, the lead actress was me (well, not so breathtaking, hehe)…

Rest..rest..rest…

I’m so thankful that today is a holiday..whew! I felt relieved. I did not sleep properly for 3 weeks. I’m beginning to look like a zombie with heavy eye bugs. I really thank God for this week is undoubtedly memorable and less pressure one. Our humanities was great, our exam in History 5 was just take a take home, we don’t have midterm exam in Bio 1, our report in Socio was postponed. Well, what can I say? I’m so blessed. But even though students have a two day rest, it doesn’t mean we will be relaxing to death, we still have lots of requirements to be submitted. I have my Socio report; take home exam, English assignments and a lot more.

I’m so thankful because I have two days to work for such things. And oh! I almost forgot I still have to memorize my script in our Rizal play; we still have to make a music video in our Bio 1 and make an Independent Film in Humanities! Well, I just have to organize my time, pray to God and effort, effort, effort. I know I can do it! We all can meet the challenges that come our way if believe, trust and love God.