B.A.G.E.T.S.

May I borrow the acronym BAGETS of Fr. Jerry where we have learned so much from the recent recollection we attended and we are now very willing to share it with you in this blog. While, Fatima Soriano, (the girl who survived an end-stage kidney failure and was born blind), with all her courage and strength to survived an ordeal of sacrifice, she managed to sing to us many of her composed songs that inspired all the more the two thousand witnesses to the goodness of the Lord. What struck us was the song, “Journey back to the heart” which she miraculously composed in spite of her blindness. It tells us to be good to our heart, to continue to care, to love more and to share. As Fr. Jerry Orbos would say, “it is only through humility and joy that we will have peace in our hearts.”

B –alik Panginoon. (GO BACK TO GOD) We go back to Christ through sacramental confession, at least once a month, so that we can be able to be at peace with God.

A-alis galit. (STOP HATING) Learn to forgive. To forgive is to ‘give-for’ the Lord whatever burden we have in our hearts. When you learn to forgive, you will release the prisoner in you. For it is not the person who did wrong to you that is in ‘prison’, but yourself. When you learn to forgive – you will have deep joy from peace.

G-awa mabuti. (DO GOOD)  Do good and avoid evil. Do not be envious of those who gained their wealth by doing evil. Learn to love in concrete – feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give water to the thirsty and give shelter to homeless, etc. The only legacy that you can leave behind is good education and a good name. Fr. Jerry reminded us that doing good, is the only universal moral law.

E-express your love. Let God make you stronger in your life. Make Him your strength. We have 168 hours in one week and all that He ever asks is an hour of you to hear a mass every Sunday. Do not postpone the expression of your love. Invest for eternity. Learn how to appreciate and say ‘thank you’. Also, express your love to people. The only dosage to love is to love more.

T-anggal bisyo. (STOP YOUR BAD HABITS) Keep away from troubling your body. For our body is made to be the ‘temple of God.’ “What does a man gain if he profits the whole world and losses his soul.”

S-acrifice. Sacrifice….but with a smile and in silence. The only way to heaven is sacrifice.

These are practical lessons and are easy to understand. We don’t need to be proud and egoistic to be able to digest it.  Life is a do-it-yourself project. It is the only life you will ever build. If you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. Remember, your life tomorrow is the result of your attitude and the choices you make today.

To be a good Christian, is to be a loser. You need to be willing to ‘die-a-little’ for people will not spare your from persecution. It’s a sacrifice to be good, but do good anyway.

So, are you BAGETS? I am young and feeling ‘bagets.’ Today, do not hesitate to forgive and live in peace because “life is beautiful and life is good.”

Note: This is also a publication material on my THE GOOD LIFE column in some provincial and regional newspaper. I only write for passion, and not for money. Google Fr. Jerry M. Orbos to follow his missionary life.