If I were a machine!

 I was always thinking of becoming a robot, who can do so many things. i want to be like the "terminator" or be the man of still, like super man. I want to become someone else who can do such great things, like a machine that can go for hours not stop but I am Aldren just Aldren.

I am just that ordinary Aldren who is cute, friendly and etc. Aldren who likes to play guitar and violin. Who studies every night from 9-11 p.m. Aldren who rings the rising bell every morning to wake all up. Aldren who just Aldren.

I am Aldren a pre-novice of the Order of Servants of Mary. And I Don't really need to become someone else. I am Who am not the Alpha nor the Omega but I am Aldren and I am proud of it.    

What an Immersion! I did not really expect it to be that way. The hardships that we had gone and the good things that we have learned that will be remembered for the rest of our lives. It was like Pinoy big brothers (Seminarian edition) entitled “Going extreme”. The destination was in Surigao, in the Dinagat Island Libjo and in the main land of Surigao, in Malinomonn.    

            The first challenge was to go first in one of the chapels in the Dinagat Island specifically Libjo and we were divided into three groups composing of four members and the other group has five. Now I was assigned in San Jose as a chronicler with my other brothers namely Erwin Tambis as treasurer, Genesis Salcon auditor and Edgar Bene-dian as the prior of the house. Our place was a little different form the other gropus for we lived in the convent, which is located in a hill, but it is nice it was as if we were in Tagaytay.

            A big hello welcomed us when we arrived there, because the convent was not yet fixed. It was like a stock room for plywoods, nails, woods and it was very dirty. Then they started to clean the place up, fixing the door, the cooking area and so on. But I was already starting to play with the children, it was not hard for me to be near with them because they liked to play and what I did was just to play with them even tough it was very awkward.

            Then after many days, we were already joining them with there Bible sharing, the choir practice and some story telling for the children and even going as far as in teaching the olds with a stepping for there Women’s day (in which they won second). We were alone and we all did our chore and in washing our clothes. We were welcomed there but time had come that we will leave and so we conducted a sort of recollection, retreat and symposium on the topic of the Apostles Creed. However, one thing I was very guilty when we left there was I did not even bid goodbye to the children. I was close to the children there even though they very stubborn I really like them, because they had awaken a part of me that I really missed.  

            Now San Jose is finished and the next task is in Malimono where we are grouped by two and my partner is the unstoppable Divino Albrin Cayanan (whom I actually worked with in an apostolate in Pag-asa). We’ve been through a difficult pressure in adjusting for we had just gone from different areas and we are still reminiscing each assigned areas that is going to affect our work there. Luckily, we got through with it. The main task was to observe the BEC (Basic Ecclesiastical Community) and we can also do some choir practice, Bible sharing and do catechism.

            All was done everything went into place and we even had our recollection both in Buñasan and Kansaung (for we are assigned in two Barangays). But then again time would just flow away and pass by, and it was time for us to say goodbye again. One common experience that I hate about the emersion is the letting go part especially when you have established a relationship and it really hurts. When they already trusted us even to the point that they would cry in sharing there problems. It really hurts to say goodbye but the greatest thing that I learned there is its okey to be hurt because you knew someone rather than you never got a chance to know him/her. That’s why I composed the song entitled “Good bye”.

My very boring story

Actually my life is very, very, very, very, very, very, boring and I cannot really say anything about myself. If you would get to know me well, you will fall asleep “literally”. But, I was asked to share one part of my life which is very mind-numbing and if you don’t like to be bored then I am suggesting you not to read this article.  

When I was in first year college taking up BSIED-ET (Education major in electronic technology) everything was very odd. It was my first time to be in college and yet it seemed like high school, because we are still many from sixty to seventy students with uniforms. However, it is still different aspects for instance if the teacher will be late for fifteen minutes there will be no more class even though he will be there in the eighteenth minute. Well, I was not bumbling about that I even said “by all means sir, be always be late” because the school was quite different. Our school was located at a high school campus that’s why if there was no class we would just go there and play or just court some high school girls. And I learned that strategy with my friends for one year.  

Now my friends, we have the same thing in common that is we love sports, that’s why we got close very quickly. They are not really a bad influence because they don’t take prohibited drugs, marijuana, or even smoke but they drink alcoholic beverages. That’s why I learned to drink every night but not to the extent that I am very smashed, my father even said that I can but with limitations because I am a man and I must learn this in a correct manner. In reality, I am a father’s boy. I am more to my father rather than my mother but still I love my mother. I really like my friends because instead influencing you into a very bad vice they would just tell you, “Bro, lets play!”

I am also an active youth in the church. I am a member of the Parish Youth Ministry and I was also a member of the Knights of the Altar. I was always joining so many activities then, the national youth day, the youth camps and so many more. I loved my life as a youth, sharing with my fellow youth in the wisdom of our Holy Scriptures. So I am really active in the church.          

After clarifying what was my school, my friends and my participation in the church, now I will tell the turning point of this story. One Saturday morning I was left behind by the bus because I was late. Supposedly we would have our NSTP (National Service Program) that is the alternative of the ROTC. In there we would teach less fortunate children in math, English, science and so on. But usually if I was there we (me and four my friends) would teach one boy and will teach him how to court even though the boy is still seven years old. We even tried it on one of our classmates, I really missed that times. Now going back to the story as I was left behind my natural attitude is to go to the church and maybe find a use for me there.

When I arrived in the church I did saw some members of the youth that I joined and one of my fellow knights of the altar. I asked them what they were doing there and they said that they are going to take an entrance exam but I will not tell yet what that entrance exam for. Then I thought to myself I have nothing to do and I really like the course in a way. So I joined them. When we were there, we had a brief over view of what  we are applying for. And so from there I was more fascinated and overwhelmed by the situation. After that we were asked to take the exam and after thirty minutes we were already finished.

I think the exam went nicely, I think I passed that exam. The following week my mom texted me because the one who gave the exam was there and was asking my mom if I would enter in there organization (I will not tell yet what is that entrance exam is for, that is a surprise). I was really shocked I did not know that they were really serious about that. I was really thinking of it, if I would enter in that so called organization that would mean living my family, relatives, friends, classmates, and loved ones. I was really weighing it out if I can sacrifice all of this. It is hard to let go especially when you know that what you are going to join in is very hard.

But I finally told my parents, Yes, I will join them and they agree and they told me that I am the one who is going to join that not them. And they even accompanied me to going to manila because it was where that I am going to stay.

Now it is my third year here as a Seminarian and I think that it’s not a waste to have sacrificed my life outside and to be in the seminary with so many brothers and sisters that has one aim, which is to be with our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m really sorry that’s only my very boring story that I can tell you… but thank for reading this anyway. May God bless you and your family always…

On Creation

            Since the beginning of time, man is already thinking on the account of creation. In the ancient times many philosophers were trying to answer this question in which they are searching for the Ur stuff that made the earth. In the medieval times on the other hand were concerned on the faith. Many did there part and we should respect them for there critical insights. 

            Thales, who was traditionally considered as the first philosopher in a way and  is put forward as the prototype of the wise man. According to him water is the principle from which everything else comes and that everything leads back to it, it is the last into which all things are resolved. The very explanation of this is that Thales was from Miletus and if you would go on further it is covered by water and he observed that the composition of all things is moist, and that heat itself is generated from the moist and kept alive by it. He got this notion from the fact that the seeds of all things have a moist nature, and that water is the origin of the nature of moist things. And many more such as the so- called apeiron (which is devoid of limit or infinite) which was thought of Anaximander that it is the genesis of all things. And even one said that air is the first principle (Anaximines), while Heraclitus said it is fire and many more.

            While in the medieval times they centred on one origin, that is God. One of the greatest fathers of the Church, Thomas Aquinas defended the faith in so many ways. In his five ways he combated some of the heretics that would try to destroy the faith. One of these five ways is the proof on motion. He said that a thing will move if it is moved by another thing and goes on backward, back to its first mover but we cannot go on infinite regress because our mind will tell us that it is impossible. And so, we must come to the first mover who in itself can move without any dependence on another being and we call him God. 

            In our times today many scientists, astronomers, cosmologist, cosmogonists and so on are trying to solve the mystery of creation. So many theories were presented from the big bang to the present theories. But from this, many questions will follow. To what kind of procedure they will use? How can they apprehend the vastness of the universe in their search of the answer? For it is like an ant in the earth, who is trying to know the earth (I am truly sorry for I cannot really expound it scientifically for it is not my field of expertise but at least I am trying to present it well).

            Now from all this things let us go back to the very foundation of our faith the Bible. On the Book of Genesis there are two accounts of creation the first is seen in chapter one while the second account is on the second chapter. Now take note there is not only one author who wrote the book of Genesis there are four groups: the Priests, the Yahwists, the Elohists and the Deutronomists. That’s why there are two accounts in the creation. The explanation of which is that the first account was written by the priests fro it is very obvious the way they presented the story. 

On the first account we can see that there was nothing and from that nothingness God created something. The first day God said let there be light and let the light separate from darkness. Second day he created the Firmament and then separated the waters from below and the waters from above. The third day there was the separation of water and land. Fourth day, God created the luminaries the stars, moon and the sun. The fifth day, God made birds and fishes. In the sixth day, God created animals walking in the land and man. And after seeing what he made God said that all he made are good and on the seventh day He rested.

while on the second it was written that the first was man then garden of eden, then animals and lastly woman. And as for my finishing touches it is up to you whether you will believe or not becasue you are the master of your self and from these insights as what i suggested earlier we most respeact them eventhough how stupid there insights are.     

Creation   Separation                                                     Decoration   1st day-  light/darkness                               4th day- luminaries (star, moon & sun)   2nd day- waters above/waters below          5th day- Birds and fishes   3rd day- water and land                              6th day- animals and man   7th day- God rested