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IN THIS ISSUE:

Cover Page

VOCATION

by Bro. Pete Lapid

BIBLE CROSSWORD

The Father Speaks

BECOMING MORE HUMAN

By Fr. Siegfried Binzler, SJ

Our Faith

WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS (Concluding Part)

By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC

Place of Refuge

CALLED TO HOLINESS

By Philip Yuson

Surabaya Corner

THE MILKING PROCESS

By Ramon Martillano

Sharing

BEING HOLY

By Michael

Here's the Latest

SEPTEMBER TO REMEMBER

By Tintin Magbitang

Catholic News

SITES AND BYTES

By Armand Sol

God Answers Prayers

THE POWER OF INTERCESSION

By Beth Manibog

Saints for the Month

SAINTS ANDREW TIM KAEGON & PAUL CHONG HASANG


Meet the Staff
Catholic Links

Previous Issues


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SURABAYA CORNER

Psalm 51:6; 7 “I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful……….. Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

A few weeks ago, through the courtesy of Bros. Edwin and Sammy, some members of the Genesis Surabaya were invited to visit the manufacturing plant of Nestle located in Pasuruan. We arrived at the plant at about 9:00AM. After taking a short rest, we were asked to wear the white uniforms (for sanitation reasons), that are normally worn by the technicians who are involved in the production. However, instead of looking like production technicians, some members of the group joked that we looked more like “patients from a mental hospital.” (please see accompanying picture.)

Anyway, we went around the production plant and observed how the milk undergoes several processes to become pure and ready for consumption.

After the visit, I realized that just like the milk production process, we also undergo the same purification process while on earth. We also go through the same “cleansing” process, i.e., we were born without sins, and could have been as white as the unprocessed milk delivered by the suppliers to the Nestle plant each day. However, if such unprocessed milk is not properly preserved it will become stale, smells foul and eventually thrown away. Moreover, if some production batches come out not in accordance with the company’s rigid specifications, these would need to be re-processed.

As we grow old and are exposed to the world and because some of us were not properly “preserved” from the very start (from birth), we become “stale and foul smelling,” we commit sins and are “re-processed” through repentance and reconciliation. But unlike the milk, for as long as we sincerely repent from our sins, even if we become stale we will never be thrown away by our loving God whose mercy is infinite and endures forever. Because He always forgives our sins and after reconciling with Him, He allows us to start a fresh life anew. The purification process sometime happens when we experience trials and difficult situations. Just recently, my wife and I experienced a very severe trial. Not even all the moneys or professionals in the world could help us solve our problem. There is only One who could help us because nothing less than a miracle could solve our problem. And indeed, through our constant prayers, and our friends’ as well, our almighty God granted our prayers. A miracle happened! Alleluia Amen! ( I will deal with this experience in more detail in the next issue of GNB).

But what I want to emphasize is through this difficult experience, the Lord again made us realize that money is not everything. It also made us more generous and committed in our tithing. Moreover, He also made us realize that our relationship with Him is not a “once-a-week relationship” when we attend weekly prayer meetings or Sunday mass. It is in fact a relationship that requires constant communion with God through prayers every moment of the day. My wife and I now go to mass everyday and pray the Rosary not only once but twice or even thrice a day! I still remember a few months back when I would ask my wife why she had to pray the Rosary more than once a day! Now I know why.

My wife and I are now reaching the final decades of our lives and I truly believe that our Lord Jesus Christ wanted us to experience the most severe trial in our life and literally “forced” us to go to mass everyday because He wants us to be as “pure as we can be” and be prepared to meet Him when our time come. Amen!