NEED HELP!!!

Just found out that our friend Nana in Ghana, Africa still needs $500 for a hernia operation. He is active in his church, actually he is a sacristan and a driver of their local priest. He goes out to help the priest and so endangering his life in the process to spread the faith. If anyone of you is interested in helping please contact me. I personally going to send $100 as my share.

Thanks

How do we know we are encountering God?

Here is a video of my Favorite Preacher. Listening to his sermons on Wordonfire.org has made me understood and appreciate the Bible more. But most importantly his sermons inspires me to strive to live the Gospel as radical as i could.

The Shepherds

Another of the Advent figure are the shepherds. Now we look at the shepherds with a certain "cuteness". Most of the images and statues of them are sentimentalized. But shepherds at the time of Jesus were the "low lifes". Those who cannot keep a regular jobs. I like how one priest said that they were considered the "scum of the earth" during Jesus' time. Yet, they where the first to hear the GOSPEL, the Good News. The scum of the earth were the first choice of the Father to be blessed by the announcement of the birth of the King of Kings! What an upside down and odd God we have! Here we see that God operates differently from us. Most of us when having a birthday party for our children, we try to invite the most famous, influential or powerful people we know. I remember attending my godsons' baptism, one of the high ranking government official was there. I even think that the people there got more excited with him than my godson. The proclamation of the angels to the shepherds shows us that God's way are so far above our ways! Thank God that it is. The shepherds should give us hope! Even if we are considered by the world as misfits, outcast and scums of the earth, we are God's chosen ones. No matter how much we debase and down cast ourselves, God still want to proclaim the Good News to us. He still continues to send his angels to us and proclaiming that no matter what we have done, Jesus is here to save us! Listen to that still small voice in your heart, it might be the angels inviting you to open your heart to the coming of your Savior, Jesus.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Next time you have a party, invite the poor. In doing this, we are passing the blessing that the Father has given us!

You don’t have to be a superhero

Here is a cool video about Gospel Charity.You don’t have to be a superhero or supersaint to show charity and mercy - but a cape might help. Enjoy

Time with Nicole and her siblings

Here is a video when we visited Nicole and her siblings in the road in front of their house, last December 24.

Nicole

Just came back this afternoon from Nicole's house. Nicole used to be taken by sisters in the orphanage, but now that she is well she was sent back to her family. Together with his brother Manuel they temporarily lived in the orphanage till they regained good health. Their mother works in the orphanage. Nicole is one of the cute little girls there. I passed by their place today to give Nicole and her siblings a little something for Christmas. More Pictures of Nicole in the Photo Gallery.

Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

*If you want to repost this blog please include “ From Inspirationalblogs.com “ and the end.

Christmas with the Poor

I just finished the morning round of going house to house to give the poor our little Christmas grocery bag. For more images to go the Photo Gallery titled "Our Little Christmas Project" at the right side panel. Later in the afternoon we will be giving another 6 bags to an0ther batch of poor people, but we will just meet with them outside our village.

Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

*If you want to repost this blog please include “ From Inspirationalblogs.com “ and the end.

First Recipient

Here is manong, he is the first to receive our Christmas grocery pack. He used to be our village garbage man, but our village decided to change to the municipality garbage service last summer. Manong lost his job. He still goes around the village searching our trash to find whatever he can sell. He also has some problem with his legs because he walks slowly and sometimes limping. I hope our little gift makes his family’s Christmas a little bit better.

God Bless

A Little Christmas Project

Thanks to my officemates Candy and Melch we will be able to give 12 poor families a little Christmas pack of groceries this coming December 24. 6 of them I will visit personally in their houses. I asked the “taho” vendor who comes to us everyday to look for 6 really poor families. I gave him 6 tickets to give to the poor family, which they will give to me to claim the grocery pack in the set location. We are also planning to give another batch of grocery packs for 12 families for the new year. My prayer is that little act of charity would be a start of a beautiful work for God. Like the five loaves and three fishes, may Jesus multiply them for the sake of His poor people. Again, I thank my officemates for their generosity, may Jesus and Mary Bless you.

Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

*If you want to repost this blog please include “ From Inspirationalblogs.com “ and the end.

St Joseph

One of the figure of Advent is St. Joseph. We often hear the story about how Joseph found out that Mary was carrying a child that is not his, and planning to divorce Mary quietly. It is a story told so often that we do not reflect or imagine what Joseph must have felt. Just imagine Joseph, a just man the Bible tells us, finds out that his spouse is pregnant and he knows that the child is not his! What could he have felt? He must be very confused when he first heard it. He might have thought how could Mary, a girl of virtue, betray him. Joseph's heart must have been broken to so many pieces. There is nothing more painful than a betrayal of a spouse! What could also went in Joseph mind when Mary told him that the Child was conceived by the Holy Spirit! If I was in Joseph's place i do not know if I am going get angry for the betrayal or scared of Mary's sanity! What darkness must have enveloped Joseph's mind and heart during these days. How painful it was for him to look at Mary. Thank God that an angel was sent to Joseph in a dream telling the truth of Mary's Child, and the role Joseph is to play in protecting the Son of God. Joseph quietly obeyed. Sometimes our lives goes crazy, sometimes are hearts are broken by the people around us, and sometimes we are thrown in the darkness of confusion and pain. And we ask God WHY? We can look at Joseph. During in this painful situation Joseph has to go through, God's will was being accomplished. Joseph's suffering in this story lead him literally to God, Jesus. So are our suffering, if we bear it in Faith and Trust in God, it will lead us to God's will and to Himself.

God Bless

Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

*If you want to repost this blog please include “ From Inspirationalblogs.com “ and the end.

Preparing for His Coming

Filipinos has this tradition called "Simbang gabi" or dawn Mass. It is a novena mass which serves as a preparation for Christmas. Typically many people attend the first few days of dawn masses and then starts to dwindle. I was sitting at the back of the chapel this morning observing at the Mass attendants as I usually do. I was thinking do they really know what is really going on? In a brief moment we will be receiving Jesus Himself in the Eucharist? Are we preparing for His coming to our soul at that moment? We Catholic celebrates not only Christmas day but Advent as well. Advent is a time of preparation! I was thinking for some days now how will i prepare for the coming of Jesus this Christmas? These past few weeks trial after trial comes. Advent feels like lent! I was thinking Christmas is about joy! Why am I getting all these trials that really saddens me? Upon reflecting I thought of where Jesus was born. He was born not in a majestic castle but a stinky stable! He was born in poverty! I think all these trials that are coming my way is the preparation for His coming. Jesus wants my heart poor as that cave stable where he was first born. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of God" My heart should be poor, meaning it should have no worldly attachments. My heart should be emptied from the things of this world that preoccupies it. Jesus cannot fill our hearts if its full of junk. "Martha you are busy with many things, but Mary took the better part and it will not be taken from her." Jesus said to Martha in the Gospel. Somehow all this trials coming my way is God's way to detach me from worrying about them. When I am all stripped down, holding on to nothing, then I can start opening my hands and holding on to God.

God Bless

Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

*If you want to repost this blog please include “ From Inspirationalblogs.com “ and the end.

Seeking the Poorest of the Poor

Anybody out there???

People at last!

Sir, that chicken looks delicious!

I just arrived from a 3 hour walk on the hillside searching for the poorest of the poor. I was accompanying a religious sister to give out Christmas stubs/ticket to the poor. They will take that ticket on a specific day to the convent where they will be given rice, can goods, noodles and some other stuffs. To find the poorest of the poor we go to one house to the next inspecting the inside of their houses.What i like with the sister is that there is no place to far to look for the poor. We will walk for an hour even for some 5 families, and we do. Today we went to the outskirts of Antipolo, some of this areas do not have electricity. One house was made mostly of sacks covered by one another. We went up and down the mountains and even crossed some streams. I always enjoyed accompanying the sisters looking for the poorest of the poor to give them gifts as a sign of God's charity towards them. Every time I am doing this work of charity I am reminded of the parable of the Good Shepherd. I meditate how Jesus would seek out that one lost sheep untiringly, to the point that is unpractical. But that is how Jesus seeks us out. No matter how far we have lost our way because of our sins, Jesus seeks us out! Jesus does not wait for us to come to Him, he goes to us! Its one of the best work of love i like to do. Searching those whom society has forgotten or set aside. I thank the good Lord that He gave me the opportunity to imitate Him, the Good Shepherd.

Check out the Picture Gallery: Seeking the Poor for more pictures.


God Bless

Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

*If you want to repost this blog please include “ From Inspirationalblogs.com “ and the end.

Word on Fire

I just want to share this great priest and preacher! Fr Robert Barron just rocks! He explains the Word of God so beautifully and teach us to apply in our daily life. He shows us that the Gospel is real as life itself. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life - Jesus. Nothing more real than Jesus.

here is the link

http://www.wordonfire.org/

God Bless

The Family Spirit of Christmas

I was watching a Christmas movie yesterday. In its last part where scenes of children opening their gifts from Santa and hugging their parents, I was teary eyed as I watched that scene. Something inside of me was touched deeply. I tried to ask myself why the reaction, why the tears. I looked back at my own past Christmas, and sad to say it was not a joyful one. Even though we celebrated Christmas with the whole family, including uncles, aunts and grandma, our hearts were far apart, it as more of just “showing off” or “we got to be here” type of gathering. We were all there and full of resentments with each other. So I never did experience the family spirit of Christmas, hopefully this year will be different. I also meditated on the “spiritual” family spirit of Christmas. Why family celebration is such an importance during Christmas? I looked on the star of the Christmas season – Christ. St Paul said “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself”. So when Jesus took on our flesh and became man born of a virgin, He took us from being God’s people to God’s very own children. In Jesus’ incarnation God became our Father! We are no more orphans! So Christmas is also a time of celebrating our being part of the family of God! What a gift, sinners as we are, God has adopted us through Jesus! We are all one big family! With that said, I think those of us especially those who have a good family, should share that “family spirit” of love and giving to those who have none. There many of our brothers and sister have not experience what having a family means even though they are not orphans, I am one of them. This Christmas let us change that. Let us make spread the “family spirit of Christmas” to the unloved and unwanted, and in doing that we too will experience a deeper and profound understanding that we are all one big family of God.

God Bless

The Spirit of Christmas

I’m 29 years old right now, and I can honestly say that I still have not understood and experienced the real meaning of all the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of Joy! The last time I could remember having a merry Christmas was when I was about 11 years old. For a long time now, Christmas was just “those” holidays that went in and out. But this year I am hoping that I will experience CHRISTmas! I think I missed out the spirit of Christmas because I missed out the Person of Christmas, CHRIST! I had a very worldly view Christmas all of those years, maybe that is why I never enjoyed it. I was more focus on GETTING than GIVING. I totally missed it! CHRISTMAS is about GIVING! “God so loved the world that he gave us His only Son” God so loves us he gave Himself to us by becoming one of us. When God became man “he emptied himself” for our sake! When you come to think of it, God did not get anything out when he became man. His incarnation was totally unselfish. I think that is what the spirit of Christmas is, that total self-giving of one self for the sake of the other. When we realize that Christmas is not about us but about Jesus and it’s not about what we can get from others but what we can give to them, I believe we will experience the spirit of Christmas – the Spirit of Jesus himself. So this Christmas I invite you to totally forget yourself, and enJOY giving yourself to others!

Immaculate Conception

Today we celebrate one of the main feast of our Blessed Mother Mary, her Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception simply means that Mary was conceived without original sin. For Catholics, today is a Holy Day of Obligation, which means we are required to attend mass. It was a great joy for me to see the cathedral here in Antipolo ,Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, filled to the brim with people attending mass. It is nice to see that the Filipinos have not forgotten their mother in heaven. In these times where motherhood is being attack and belittled, Mary our Mother shines as a radiant example of the high calling motherhood is! It saddens me to hear people look at motherhood as a weakness, as a hindrance to their career. Some look at it as a disease to be prevented so they practice contraception. The worst attack on motherhood is abortion! A mother murders her own child! The direct opposite of what a mother should do! Only mothers have been given the great gift from God to participate in the creation of life… what a great privilege! Mary mother of all mankind reminds us that through her motherhood, God became flesh and salvation has been given to all of us. So today dear mothers, celebrate your motherhood for God has given you such a gift!

To learn more about the Immaculate conception... click the link
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/CAIMCON.HTM...

Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

*If you want to repost this blog please include “ From Inspirationalblogs.com “ and the end.

New Evangelization

Hi! My name is daxx. I'm a Catholic Filipino in the Philippines. This blog is all about my thoughts, experience and knowledge i have come to know in serving and evangelizing the poor here in the Philippines. I hope this blog will help and encourage others, specially fellow Filipinos, to answer to the late, great Pope John Paull II call to all Catholics to be involve with the New Evangelization. The new evangelization is simply to proclaim the Love of Jesus in a new and fresh way. It is the same Gospel proclaimed in a new creative way using the modern technology we have. It involves using new means of proclaiming the Gospel that the modern man can understand, appreciate and experience. In our darken world, we are called to bear witness to God and his Love for each and every person.

May the Peace of Jesus be with you.

Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

*If you want to repost this blog please include “ From Inspirationalblogs.com “ and the end.