Pray For Your Enemy

In our Religion class Sister Superior had taught us that as Catholics, the Bible encourages us to love our enemies. Sister must be nuts saying that ... but when I open the Bible once, it is all there ... and one way of showing that love (Matthew 5:44) is to pray for those who have wronged and persecute us.

We do pray every day... and we are doing it to people we don't even know (like praying for Luzon lately who witness the fury and devastation of super typhoon Mawar/Betty.)  When Russia invaded Ukraine we pause for a moment and offer our silent prayers to the civilians who were caught in the middle of the crossfire. And we did pray also to the government of Russia & Ukraine...  that the soonest time possible they can find an alternative solution to this armed conflict.

Praying for your enemy is kind of in apropos and sounds way off especially if you have a boss who wrings your patience ... or a co-worker who exploits and sucks you dry, or a daughter whose daily routine is to ask for money ... but has the nerve to say you haven't done anything to me.

Yes, they are those people and the Bible has taught us to chill ... and refrain from giving ourselves to the invitation of revenge and resentment.

Here are the Bible samplings:

Luke 6:27-28 - But to you who are listening I say" Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Proverbs 24:17 - Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.

-Romans 12:14, 17-19 - Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Fo not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but let room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

-Romans 12:14, 17-19 -Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse . . . Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Re-resbak ba si De Lima?

Noted Po

Self Improvement is self-growth. It is the practice of empowering oneself without relying on the assistance of others. It is synonymous with personal empowerment, and personal development.

Self-improvement helps enhance strengths. Some ways of self-improvement include simple tasks such as trying to be punctual or waking up early ... when you were never punctual and you are far from being an early bird. 

As the saying goes: "Growth begins when we begin to accept our own weaknesses." So if you are fond of borrowing money ... tightening your belt is a step in the right direction.

Improvement begins with "I". And LIFE'S IMPROVEMENT begins with SELF-IMPROVEMENT.

Men are Like

                                                           Richard Rey Gomez - Mr. Altitude Internayional 2023 Winner

Men are like ...  lechon.

From head to foot UBOS... WALANG ITITIRA.

Pageant Resul: Mr. Altitude 2023

The winners of Mister Altitude 2023 from left to right:  Bade Arrasyid - Indonesia - Second Runner Up, Hoang Duc Trung - Vietnam - Second Runner Up, Richard Ray Gomez - Philippines - Mr. Altitude 2023- Winner, Natassak Phumnoi - Thailand - Third Runner Up. and Anthony Gorgeous- South Africa - Fourth Runner Up.  The Pageant was held at Siam Paragon in Thailand last May 27, 2023.

Pride - A Capital Sin

When you have done something awful, just admit that you were wrong. Everybody makes mistakes ... so why carry the burden  ... and distress yourself?

I could not fathom why somebody has to go that length to lie ... or straighten up a situation and make it appear that a WRONG thing is RIGHT.  

Does it bother you that somebody will discover that you can also make mistakes? And that you have to keep and hide it ... to make yourself feel better? 

Or is it your PRIDE ... or your low self-esteem dictating "You need to fib and save face ... retain respect ... or you will be humiliated!"

I would rather cut to the chase and start to accept my mistakes.  It is a tough act when you start spewing lies ... and the next person will come asking the same question ... don't tell me you are going to lie again?  In the process ... you became a serial liar all your life.

This a vicious cycle ... and it needs to stop! PRIDE is the root of all evil. Pride will force you to vacillate and go to extremes. In the far right, pride will either demand you will wear that mask all the time or you make the facade as strong as it can be ... to avoid humiliation. If you waver, on the far left ... pride will make you get cloistered ... or you decided to enter a nunnery (seclusion) just so you will not be exposed.

Or worse... the pride in you will dictate that you will not talk to your family ... lest they will say something that doesn't match your idea of getting a pep talk. You shield yourself from these sermons and in turn, you feel disgusted about yourself, how you allowed your pride to consume you ... and made you become the monster that you are now. 

See what pride can do? Don't feel into the trap ... and for crying out loud ... refuse its invitation.

False Pride

This is the anatomy of pride.  Somebody is extending his arm to save you ... but pride is pulling you down to the precipice. He'd rather let you fall ... than be alive.  He'd rather let you die ... than face the consequences of what you did.

This is FALSE PRIDE at its finest!