Obeying Freely

On the 4^th of July 1776, America claimed its independence from Great Britain and democracy was born. From then on it became “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World located in New York Harbor has become an enduring universal symbol of freedom and liberty. Moreover through America’s economic supremacy extending to almost every country in the globe, it has also succeeded to market to the world its brand of liberty founded on respect for one’s rights. Democratic principles have now become like the air we breath and we hardly noticed that just bout five hundred years ago people lived under the shadow of tyranny and subjection.



Today we are enjoying the blessings of freedom and the exercise of our personal autonomy. But all is not well because many do not know how to use it; people actually abuse it. The world has become excessively individualistic where people prize its ability to decide for themselves on what is right and wrong, on the true and good. They just do what they like because they feel like to do it. The world frowns on restrictions and control. It is suspicious of authority and rules. It simply wants to be free and uninhibited. Consequently, obedience is not a popular virtue these days.


From the pop culture being promoted, I get the impression that if a young person is disobedient and rebellious he or she is being fashionable. The individual who sticks up for his or her rights is the smart one. To disobey is portrayed as cool in story or song. Rebellion is celebrated. Ours has become a self-centered society only good in issuing orders but not in obeying them. We seem to value obedience only when we demand it from others.


Obedience may be considered ‘old fashioned,’ still it remains one of the pillars of inner strength for those who exercise it in their lives. In the family, if this virtue is practiced, it creates better relationship. It establishes a strong bond and cohesion to the family members when children obediently submit to their parents because as they say ‘parents know best.’ One of the beautiful stories told to me as a boy was the famous myth of Icarus and Daedalus. Since Daedalus was a master craftsman, he made wings for himself and his son, Icarus, so that they could escape from the tower they were imprisoned. Before their escape, Daedalus cautioned his son not to fly so close to the sun lest the wax that held the wings together should melt. But he disobeyed his father’s advice and thus fell to his death. Youngsters would do well if they follow their parents’ advice.

In organizations, the practice of obedience ca also be very helpful. The military would maintain its chain of command if obedience were kept. Even in the corporate world, obedience can make the company strong and united in pursuing one common goal in developing its competitive advantage. Obedience is also important in government. The people must necessarily obey and respect their leaders as their authority comes from God. Problems arise when arrogance set in. When leaders do not listen to each other and continue to ‘fight’ for their own rights and their ‘own interests;’ or they keep ‘politicking’ to the neglect of their duties as public servants. This would certainly bring down the spirit of the people and weaken their trust on their leaders.

Obedience is also the virtue that Christians must practice towards the Church on matters of faith and morals. The Church has been endowed by God with the guidance of the Holy Spirit through the office of the Magisterium in the person of the Pope. The individual Christian is then, encourage to put his or her trust in the guidance of the Church who can surely lead him or her towards the path of righteousness. The Church becomes a sacrament of salvation.

There is real joy in the practice of obedience. In the words of St. Francis de Sales “obedience is the consecration of the heart.” The heart is consecrated in seeking the will of God in all things. It consists of our free offering of our will to God after the compelling example of Jesus. Christ chose to give up His life than his obedience because knowing that it was to the Father that He was giving up His will. Like Christ we have also the option to obey in freedom. The greatest motive for such an act is love. We need to surrender ourselves freely out of love to the God who is love.

A Walking Miracle

When I saw Lori Rago standing straight,, unaided by a walking stick, attending the usual Tuesday evening adoration of their prayer group in our small chapel in Don Bosco, I was both amazed and amused at the power of prayer. As I approached her walking towards the car accompanied by her husband Nonong, she gave me a delighted grin like one who had just won the coveted million-peso prize of a sweepstakes lottery. Her eyes were twinkling with joy like a mother staring at her firstborn in her arms. She easily recognized me and we got to talk. I told her: “You are a walking miracle!’

How else could I describe what wonders the Lord has done for her?

It all started with a doctor’s startling diagnosis that she had to undergo open heart surgery because her heart was not functioning one hundred percent. This happened last March, several days before Holy Week. What was supposed to be a quick fix heart operation turned out to be a nightmare for her and the whole family. After an-8hour surgery, she fell into a coma. Her limbs could not move; her eyes were closed and no sensation could be felt in her whole body. The CT scan revealed that foreign bodies from the heart had clogged up in the nerve cells of her brain causing severe brain damage. The neurologist told her husband she would not wake up anymore because the damage was irreparable and that she would lose her skills in language, communication, comprehension and understanding. The best scenario was that she would survive but stay comatose. The worst scenario is, she would die.

“Let’s just pray for a miracle,” said the doctor. “I still believe in miracles.”

The doctors gave here one week to gain consciousness. But when the deadline was over she showed no sign of awakening. She was a veritable vegetable at the Cardio Vascular Unit (CVU) with lots of tubes in different parts of her body. Lori Rago, the 56-year old HR consultant of several companies here in Cebu and an active lay mission partner of the Salesians in the South, would stay in this morbid state at the Chong Hua Hospital for almost two weeks. She was breathing aided by a respirator that somehow kept her alive.

A miracle was the only hope for other hopes were lost. And pray, her husband did. For Nonong, prayer was his last recourse. Never did he pray so hard as in those times. He was not alone, though, in praying for Lori’s cure. Many friends and acquaintances supported the family during those agonizing moments especially when text messages circulated that she was at the rope’s end. Prayers went up to the Lord and the intercession of different saintly people were invoked particularly Our Blessed Mother, Blessed Pedro Calungsod, Blessed Artemide Zatti and even John Paul II.

A decision was reached to remove the respirator. This decision caused the family tremendous pain because they were told that in so doing, she would only have a maximum of four hours to live. She was given the last rite and each member of the family bid her goodbye with a heavy heart. But when the respirator was removed, behold; she continued breathing! In fact, her breathing normalized and after three days she regained consciousness. While reciting the rosary at her bedside, they heard her pray with them the “Our Father.” She also astonished the family when she joined the singing of “Birhen sa Lourdes” from the CD they used to play for her in the room. The family brought her home and her development continued to be a surprise.

Today, Lori is on her way to full recovery. She walks, she talks and she continues to give her exuberant smile. When I asked her how she feels about her extraordinary experience, she simply says that she is grateful to the Lord for her amazing recovery. She has also returned to attend the Tuesday afternoon of Salesianity sessions at the DB-CLAY (Don Bosco-Center for Lay Adult and Youth) at Lawaan where she acts as Managing Director.

Miracles continue to happen and faith in the triune God makes this possible. While faith makes us move mountains; miracles can strengthen our weak faith. In our life we need not look for extraordinary miracles constantly to convince us of God’s powerful presence. There are many ordinary miracles we simply overlook.

As we wake up each morning we experience the miracle of awakening; as we walk and talk and play, these are miracles of being that celebrate our existence. In making decisions, in thinking and reflecting these are miracles of rationality that give birth to our humanity. And the greatest ordinary miracle of all is the fact that we can be in union with the Divine Being Himself in prayer. Our capacity to be close to God makes each of us a walking miracle.

Sacrificial Love

Mr. Jasbir Vardi invited me to his home for a simple get-together celebration. He wanted to celebrate two important milestones in his life: his baptism and the first communion of his son, Omar. These are two things he very much treasure because they are family matters.

He was actually baptized last June 1, 2006 by Fr. Peter Porio, SDB at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Punta Princesa. But the celebration has been delayed for one reason or the other. Born a Sikh in India, he gradually discovered Jesus Christ in his life and finally asked for Baptism. Through this act of faith, he made the decision to surrender his life to Jesus and to follow His teachings as His disciple.

His son Omar’s first holy communion last December 9, 2006 also filled him with so much joy. He witnessed it in the same church where he was baptized. He himself prepared his boy for this momentous event when he would be receiving the Lord for the first time. He believes nothing could be greater than this encounter when God enters into the human heart in the simplicity of bread and wine.

I came late for the feast. There were only a few guests but they were well chosen; people who have accompanied him in his spiritual journey were invited. The party have started when I arrived and I missed the best part – a power point presentation of his spiritual journey towards Christ! My consolation was, he shared some of his spiritual awakenings during our conversation.

I realize that this person is deeply rooted living out the principles he believed in. He is married to a Cebuana who is working in the States. They have two children, Omar being the eldest and Almira the youngest. He used to work in one of the companies of Saudi Arabia as a computer specialist with a very good income. Soon he realized there’s something wrong with his family’s priorities: he and his wife are away, while the children are left to grow by themselves here in Cebu. He thought that this was not quite right. Something must be done. So after much thought, he left his high-paying job to be a “full-time” father to his children.

Today he has a little business. He cannot afford certain luxuries he used to enjoy. But deep in his heart he feels a real sense of fulfillment knowing that he is with his children accompanying them as they grow. His wife could not understand his impractical decision to give up his job. Yet he is convinced that more than money, the family must come first. He does every little thing for the good of his children as their father and mentor. He brings them to school; he tutors them in their school work; he plays with them and pray with them. He simply wastes his time with them.

As I think of Mr. Vardi, I thank God for parents like him who still understand what sacrificial love means. To be a parent is one of the most demanding and difficult vocation one could aspire. It requires responsibility, total availability and so much love. In fact, tremendous amount of love is demanded that can be a source of strength and healing for each member of the family.

One lesson of the Christmas story is that God became man and became a part of the human family. Jesus made himself a child who needed the love, protection and care of his parents in the person of Joseph and Mary. In this way He made it clear that the family is the cradle of life and love. If being a good parent is difficult enough, being a good Christian parent is doubly difficult. The exhortation once uttered by John Paul II is worth reminiscing: “Family, believe in what you are!”