Playing with Fire
Blessings and prayer
By Gonzalo Duque
OUR partner Dr. Macky Samson of the University of Luzon surprised us last week. He brought along a well-known missionary, Sister Emma de Guzman, to Dagupan.
A mass was held cum healing and prayer at our school, the Lyceum Northwestern University.
According to Sister Emma, we had met “sometime in the not too long past somewhere” for which we were flattered and grateful. Why? Because she remembered. But at the same time we were anxious because she is a woman of God, and being so, she might relate something about us that is not exactly pleasing to the ears. So we avoided a situation where she would elaborate about yours truly.
We were trying to elude the conversation for fear we would be linked to something like hell. As you know our publisher usually teases us about the title of our column “Playing with fire” and for a while we were worried a bit.
But we realized we were indulging in negative thinking. Why not? You see, later when we were deep in conversation Ms. Emma said that your columnist, and for that matter this school that we head, “are blessed.”
We put quotes because she said so. And agaylay pisasalamat me.”
Thank you, Sister Emma, you are really Godsend; you are a blessing.
You see, dear readers, probably it must have reached you, and her, too, that many spiritual events have taken place in our university.
Our family, modesty aside, places God at the center and above all things.
The LNU Hymn for your information puts God in the center, which runs like this:
“Oh God our guiding light bless our university with loud and triumphant voices, we praise thy name with glee…”
And so on.
We always sing this hymn on all occasions.
Incidentally, Sister Emma was supposed to leave for Manaoag on that day she was at LNU, but for one reason or another, she got stranded at LNU and held another mass.
She was joined by Fr. Ramos, an SVD and Monsignor Luis Ungson.
We really felt blessed for these three great spiritual leaders for their blessings and prayers.
We thank Marilou, our beloved wife Ruth and the rest of the group for bringing Sister Emma to Dagupan.
Again Sister Emma, please accept our boundless gratitude for being an instrument of God in bringing the good news of Salvation.
Whether by Divine Providence or by plain coincidence more than 3000 Born – Again Christians came to the university the following day to hold their Area Convention.
Because of this event, Sister Emma’s word about LNU – and the blessings — came back to us like downpour of tidings from heaven.
We are happy to report also that the group brought along Sister Silva and Sicila –both powerful prayer warriors.
At this instance, we requested our choir to pray and sing Our Father, a perfect prayer which no less than Jesus Christ considers the perfect prayer.
Our choir’s rendition of Our Father had spiritual and powerful force. That is why at this point we ask every faithful not to alter, change or substitute the tune or melody with any so-called modern version as that popularized by Fr. Foster’s “The Prayer.”
The Prayer is nice but Our Father is the institution and the most perfect prayer of all time.
God bless you all.
* * * *
The Lyceum Northwestern University has invited two young legislators as Graduation Speaker and as Doctoral and Masteral Graduation Speaker respectively, Congressman Sonny Angara on April 26 and Senator Koko Pimentel on April 30.
By the way, there is a special bond between Koko and this columnist. We are both JCI Senators.
His father, graduating Senator Edgardo Angara was my Law Professor in San Beda. Our wife, Ruth, was also a student of Senator Angara. And we can only describe him as mentor par excellence.
At press time, we were told that many of those who are to graduate from our school are members of the Councilors League of the Philippines.
That, ladies and gentlemen, with all modesty. is quality student population in any language.
The father of Koko, the former Senator Nene Pimentel, by the way, is the author of the Philippine Local Government Code.
May Sonny Angara and Koko Pimentel enjoy their stay at LNU and in Dagupan City.
* * * *
Now, this is interesting. As per report of the Social Weather Station and Pulse Asia surveys most Filipinos are tired of politics.
Isinusuka! And what our people consider more paramount is the state of the economy.
Our people are more interested in the price of electricity, water and other basic commodities.
And so it goes that while our countrymen appreciate the administration’s anti-corruption campaign, they consider the Chief Justice Corona Impeachment Trial as not deserving of their attention and appreciation.
In fact only 13% of the Philippine population according to the two prestigious surveys get only 13% in the national audience.
Most Filipinos, about 48%, believe that Pres. Aquino should concentrate more in improving the economy.
We hope our national officials will get the message loud and clear.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
