Third Death Anniversary of John Paul II: Isang Himala...

Tatlong taon na rin ang nakakalipas ng pumanaw ang pinakamamahal nating John Paul II. Abril 2, 2005 noon sa oras na 9:37 PM sa Vatican at 3:37 AM naman sa Pilipinas nang April 3. April 2, isang araw bago ang Divine Mercy Sunday.

Divine Mercy Sunday, una kong ginawa noon ay tumutok sa TV ewan ko nga ba eh ang dapat kong gawin ay pumunta kaagad sa Simbahan. Nararamdaman ko kasi ang isang kalungkutan sa aking puso. At dahil Kapamilya ako, syempre ABS-CBN at una kong titingnan. At bumulaga sa akin ang balita ng pagkamatay ni John Paul II. Gusto kong umiyak noon pero hindi ko magawa. Malungkot talaga ako hindi ako makapagsalita sa aking napanood. Ngunit gabi pa lang bago ako matulog noon, parang nararamdaman ko nang malapit na ang oras niya.

Hindi na ako nakapunta pa sa Simbahan, nakatutok talaga ako sa mga pangyayari, sa isang malungkot na pangyayari. Nalulungkot ako dahil wala na ang aking pinakamamahal na Papa. Hindi ko man natunghayan ng mabuti ang kaniyang pamumuno sa Simbahang Katolika ngunit dahil sa karisma niya isa siya sa mga naging inspirasyon ko upang maging mas malapit sa piling ng Simbahan at sa Diyos.

Napamahal siya sa akin dahil sa kakaiba talaga ang kaniyang karisma. Napaka-holy niya. Bagay talaga sa kaniya ang kaniyang titulong Santo Papa. Kaya ako'y natutuwa ng pagkatapos lamang ng ilang araw simula ng siya ay ilibing napasimulan ang kanyang Cause for Beautification and Canonization.

Simula noon sa abot ng aking makakaya sinusubukan kung kumuha ng mga bagay na makakapagpa-alala sa kaniya. Everytime na mag-iinternet ako noon palagi akong kumukuha ng mga images niya (first anniversary hanggang ngayon). At bilang pagpapakita ko ng lubos na pagmamahal ko sa taong ito ang Friendster account ko at pati na rin dito sa multiply ang wallpaper ay siya. Pagkatapos niyan niregaluhan ako ng friend ko ng isang calendar na siya ang ipinoportray (first anniversary pa rin). At bumili rin ako ng biography niya by George Weigel na hanggang sa ngayon hindi ko pa natapos basahin dahil sa kakapalan nito (second anniversary). At recently lamang dahil talagang gusto kong magkaroon ng mga bagay na makakapagpaalala sa akin sa kaniya bumili ako ng gift para sa aking sarili, ang John Paul II rosary ko (para sa third anniversary niya).

Ngunit ngayon, may napapansin ako sa aking biniling rosary. Tingnan ninyo ang larawan ng case ng aking rosary. Iyan ang normal na makikita mo noong ilang araw pa lang na nabili ko ito. Ngunit ngayon habang papalapit ang kanyang death anniversary kung titignan mo ito may makikita kang kakaiba. Sa ulo niya kasi hanggang sa neck part niya sa likod kapag itinapad mo sa liwang makakakita ka ng parang nag-gloglow na kulay yellow. Parang yung sa mga santo, may halo. Baka dumi lang siguro sabi ko pero nilinis ko naman at ganoon pa rin hindi naman siya matanggal. Ano kaya ito? Himala ba ito? Dumi lang ba ito? Unremovable stain ba ito ng metal case? O nagkataon lamang?

Kung ano man ito basta siya pa rin ang aking inspirasyon. Kung pinaghihimalaan man niya ako ikinagagalak ko ito.

Ionnes Paulus PP. II, ora pro nobis

"It is finished!" (Jn 19:30)

Ito ang aking naging reflection sa anluwage.com sa The Seven Last Words 2008 special noong Holy Week. Sa totoo lang nahirapan din ako para makabuo talaga ng isang magandang reflection kasi I need to read talaga kung paano ang attack ko.

But let us leave that thing. Lumipas na naman ang Holy Week. Back to school na naman para sa mga requirements. Ngayong linggong ito aking napagtanto ang connection ng "It is finished" sa mga paghihirap ko sa school.

Ilang araw na rin akong naghihintay ng magandang balita para sa mga requirements ko sa school. At ngayon "it is finished!" Yes tapos na nga ang lahat. Tapos na kasi ang pinakahuling requirement ko para sa sem na ito.

Tapos na ang NSTP - CWTS na course. Ilang araw rin akong kinakabahan kung ano ang mga gagawin namin sa pag-defense para sa aking group. Akala ko pa naman ako ang pasasagutin ng mga sagot being the leader. Pero hindi naman pala. Halos sumagot lang ako para sa mga absent ng mga ka-group namin.

Thank you Lord. Tapos na ang lahat para sa sem na ito. Class cards na lamang po ang aking hinihintay. May dalawa na ako dito. Yung isa hindi ko gusto ang nakasulat pero yung isa okay na rin kasi ako naman raw ang binigyan ng ganoong grade, highest pa raw...

Next sem kung papalarin, second year college na ako... My target for my life is to graduate in three years... Malapit na...

Matatapos na kaya?

Ito ang matagal ko nang pinapangarap ang matapos na ang NSTP - CWTS 2 na subject ko ngayong sem. Ito na yata ang pinakakakaibang CWTS sa lahat. Hindi lang naglilinis at kung anu-ano pa kasi ang sa amin talagang kailangang may project oputput, may accomplishment report with financial statement.

Ito na ang pinakamahirap na subject para sa akin sa sem na ito buti pa ang Trigo na kinakatkutan ko nairaos ko ngunit ang subject na ito hanggang ngayon hindi pa tapos. Imagine naman may pa-defense-defense pang nalalaman ang mga professors namin. Ano 'to thesis.

Ang dami ko nang nasayang na pera para lamang sa subject na ito. Buti na lang at bukas matatapos na ang kalbaryo ng second sem ko.

Marami mang pagsubok na dumating ipinapasa-Diyos ko lang ang lahat para ang lahat ay matapos ng maluwalhati. At effective pala ito. Hanggang sa ngayon hindi pa naman ako nagkakaproblema sa ibang subjects ko.

Thank you Lord dahil matatapos na rin ang First year ko. Ilang taon na lang malapit na. Looking forward for my graduation. Nakakainggit nga ang mga magtatapos parang gusto ko na ulit grumaduate. Pero darating din tayo diyan malapit na. Diyos ang gagabay sa akin sa aking paglalakbay sa College.

Nakakatawang College Experience...

Ang Kaso...

Kahapon, nai-set ang aming final exam sa English 101 (Introduction to Linguistics). Napaka-late nga dahil 4-5 ang test. Ready na ang lahat at dumating na si Sir Antonio, ang teaher namin at the same time Students Activities Coordinator at kilala siya bilang istrikto pagdating sa mga rules ng University.

Sabi niya lumabas na lahat ng walang permit, naka-incomplete uniform at iba pa. Eh ang suot ko naman ay inaakala kung complete uniform pa rin naman. (Ang nasa picture yan mismo ang aking suot kahapon) Nag-inspect mismo siya sa amin at hindi naman niya ako sinita kaya ang akala ko pwede pa rin akong mag-take ng final exam. Nag-test na ako. Natapos ko na hanggang item no. 10, nasa second page na ako ng napakahirap na test ni Sir. Biglang pumasok si Sir at sabi niya, "Where is Mark Rodney P. Vertido?" Akala ko naman may tatanungin lang siya tungkol sa aming Accomplishment Report at Financial Statement ng Freshmen Class Organization being the Class Governor.

Siyempre tinaas ko naman kamay ko. Then sabi niya, "You're not in your proper uniform, please give me your paper and you can now go out! Apay di ka naka-slocks? (Bakit hindi ka naka-slocks?)" Na-shock ako. Binigay ko yung paper ko dahil ayoko namang pagalitan pa mismo ako ni Sir.

Lumabas na ako, syempre biglang-bigla pa rin sa pangyayari kasi normally naman hindi sinisita ang mga nakapantalon kapag naka-type B uniform. Wala naman akong magawa. Marami rin naman kaming napalabas, kasama na diyan ang aming University Scholar. Tinanong namin kung kailan ang special test tapos sabi niya pag-iisipan pa niya kung magpapa-special exam siya.

Na-realize ko rin...

Pagkatapos ng test kinausap namin si Sir. (In tagalog na lang kasi the dialogue was in Ilokano)

Sir: Why are you here!

Kami: Sir, kami yung pinalabas mo sa test.

Sir: Ay, wala akong pinalabas ni isa sa test.

Kami: Sir sabi mo lumabas na yung mga naka-incomplete uniform.

Sir: Ako ba ang nagpalabas sa inyo?

Nung sinabi niya iyon na-realize ko na hindi nga naman siya ang nagpalabas sa amin kundi ang aming sarili rin dahil hindi kami nag-comply sa rules kaya kami rina ang nagpalabas sa aming mga sarili.

Ang nakakatawa...

Pero binigyan pa rin naman kami ni Sir ng isa pang pagkakataon sa Lunes... Pero ang prerequisite ay dapat naka-complete uniform kami kung gusto namin mag-test.

Ang nakakatawa wala nang official class sa Lunes start na dapat ng Summer vacation ng naming mga first year na wala pang summer class. At tapos naka-uniform kami. Nakakahiya talaga, hindi ko mapigilang tumawa dahil parang magmumukhang baliw ako sa school.

But I have to accept it kasi manganganib ang position ko bilang English Major at pati na rin ang aking pagiging College Scholar.

Lingid sa aking kaalama, trinaydor pala ako...

Kaninang umaga nalaman ko ang katotohanan kung bakit napalabas pa ako kahapon. Kung titignan tanggap ko man kung napalabas ako dahil sa hindi ako nag-comply sa rules pero ang hindi ko matanggap ay trinaydor pala ako ng mga mismong pinagkakatiwalaan kong mga tao.

Dalawang class kasi ang nag-test kahapon kami at yung mga higher years na under kay Sir Antonio, eh ang ginawa ni Sir per column ibang year para walang kopyahan. Kaya ilan sa mga friends ko ang napunta sa kabilang classroom.

Kaminang umaga sinabi ng aking friend na isa na mismong nasa ibang room kung bakit napalabas pa ako. Sabi niya yung dalawa ko raw na mga friends ang mismong nagsumbong pa sa aming Professor tungkol sa aking pagiging incomplete uniform. Hindi ko inaasahang tratarydurin pa mismo ako ng mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan ko, dalawa sila. Kapag hinihiram digital cam ko okay lang para sa akin, kapag USB flashdisk mo nga sabi nila okay lang para sa akin na ipahiram, pautang nga sabi nila sa akin okay lang. Inaakala ko pa namang mapagkakatiwalaan ko sila ngunit hindi pala.

Talagang nasaktan ako kaninang umaga sa nalaman ko. Napaisip ako kung bakit nila iyon ginawa. Gaya ng sabi ko okay lang kung mismong nasita pa iyon ni Sir ngunit ang kaso ibinuking pa pala ako ng mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan ko. Iniisip ko kung bakit nila ako ginanon. Unang pumasok sa aking isipan na may galit sila sa akin o may pagkainggit dahil palaging highest ako sa mga test. Ngunit ayaw ko nang isipin pa ang mga maaaring mga dahilan.

Kaya naman pala kahapon ng sabay-sabay kaming umuwi ang sabi nung isa sa kanila sa akin, "Thanks for everything!" Sabi ko naman, "Why are you saying things like that, eh magkikita pa naman tayo sa next sem?" Sab niya, "Basta!" Ano ito parang halik ni Hudas. Pagkatapos kang trinaydor parang magpaparamdam na nagsosory. What a coincidence dahil ngayong malapit pa naman ang Holy Week ginawa mismo ito sa akin.

Hindi naman ako nagagalit dahil okay I understand kung ganon man ngunit ang nararamdaman ko ngayon the friendship has already some cracks. Parang may mantsa na ang friendship namin na kahit pa labhan mo nang Surf o kaya'y Tide hindi na maaalis. Ilang beses na rin akong ginaganito ng mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan ko. I am always a friendly person pero expect na lang nila ang kaunting pag-fade ng tiwala ko sa kanila.

Lessons...

Dapat mag-comply sa mga rules and regulations para hindi malintikan...

At pinakamahalagang natutuhan, maaaring ang mga pinagkakatiwalaan mo ay ang siyang magiging traydor sa iyo...

The friendship is not over but the trust is somewhat there to be broken.

(Note: Kung mababasa man ito ng mga taong tinutukoy ko sa aking Blogger account, nais kung lang ipahayag ang aking nararamdaman, kilala na ninyo ang inyong mga sarili, pinapatawad ko kayo sa nagawa ninyo sa akin dahil mapagpatawad naman ako. Kung ginawa man ninyo iyon dahil sa mga rules, naiintindihan ko ngunit kung ginawa man ninyo iyon dahil sa inggit pinapatawad ko pa rin kayo. Kasalanan ko iyon dahil hindi ako nag-comply pero ang hindi ko matanggap ay idiniin pa pala talaga ninyo ang aking pagkapalabas. Salamat sa inyo dahil natuto ako ng ilang bagay.)

WHY THE HAMMER AND THE ROCK?

Why should I name my new site as "the hammer and the rock?"

It is because my name in Latin is translated as hammer. Therefore, Mark means hammer. While rock I use to regard St. Peter in my life and the importance of the papacy. I love the Pope especially the Servant of God, Pope John Paul II.

Also I want to show that even though I am only a small rock in the sight of God I am willing to become His tool, His hammer, and He will drive my life and He will help me to drive also all the nails that I will strike.

I am Your servant, O Lord and my heart will find rest in your hands only, O Lord!

HOBBIES

“All play and no work makes Jack a dull boy.”

This is what the English proverbs say. Man cannot really just do all the work that he can do but there should be recreations also to freshen up again his senses to continue again working. We have our personal hobbies.

I consider being my hobbies as reading books, watching the TV, especially surfing the internet and many more. I am not a sports minded person and so I have no real interest for hobbies that includes body works.

Reading books. One of my favorite past time is reading books that is why books for me are really important. I do not just throw away old books even if it is published in the 20^th Century. I scan it first if its contents can help me in my intellectual and spiritual enrichment. I love books that are about religions and beliefs, history, biographies of people, and some fiction books. If I were given a thousand pesos, I will not just buy it to clothes or others but I will prioritize books especially the books that I want to buy.

Watching TV. I do not really watch a show that I am not interested of. Before viewing it, there should be an inner appeal to me and should really be interesting to watch. Basically, I like shows that are documentaries, comedy shows, melodrama sometimes, but most especially the news. And also anything that brings spiritual theme especially Catholic spirituality.

Surfing the internet. Probably I can say that this is my most favorite hobby because presently I find in the web the things that the physical world cannot give me. I meet people that become my friends even if it is only through a computer connected to the internet. And because of the internet I can express fully my thoughts for I find here people who are open to accept me as a whole. And because the internet has brought me to things that I thought I can never be or I can never reach.

We have our hobbies. But these hobbies should only be a way to entertain us. They should not become the reason to block our priorities in life rather these hobbies should help us to bring more enrichment to face the realities of life.

FRIENDS

No one is an island. That is why we need the people around us. This is the reason why we have friends because I am sure that without our friends the world will not be colorful. We need this people, not only our families, because they are the ones who can help us on our way to the Divine.

There are Friendsters, chatting, and many more. This is because man knows the fact that he cannot live alone.

Friends are not merely the people that we chat everyday. They are not necessarily the people that you talk with. But for me they are those people who cares about you, who comforts you when you need some and most especially friends are those who sees the bad things in you even if these means hurting them. We may be hurt of their comments about us but think again they do this because they love us.

This is the true concept of a friend. There should be love between them. It is so because I believe that friends should not only be there but they should be our companions in the journey of life. Therefore, it is expected that friends should help each other to the rest of their lives to be able to reach the Divine.

I have many friends. Starting from kindergarten until this college I have already collected many of them. I believe that they are my friends but I cannot say if they regard me as their friend. It is for me to lead them because I have received the Word and because I receive this it should not be only kept to myself but this great joy should be proclaimed especially to those who do not discern fully this reality.

A friend to me is not only the people that surround me in school or in any public place. We have also the invisible friends, the Angels and the Saints in Heaven that help us to reach the goal.

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

The journey of life is a continuous path until we reach the ultimate endpoint. The endpoint is where the Divine waits for us to be able to be with Him also. This is the real journey of a lifetime long, dark, and wild but there is an assurance that there will be joy and true happiness.

I was born as Mark Rodney Palafox Vertido from a family of six. And the eldest child among the four children of Danilo Vertido and Rubina Palafox. Born on the date when Iraq has illegally invaded and occupied Kuwait, August 2, 1990 at the City of Sunshine, Laoag. But because of a unnecessary clerical error the registry have recorded it as September 2.

Named after the Evangelist St. Mark with the second name Rodney from the combination of my mother’s name Rubina and my father’s nickname Danny, I consider my name as uniquely given to me. As I grow I realize the importance of the name that was given to me because as I understand things I learned that there was a hidden reason fro my name.

From kindergarten to my college years I have studied in neighboring schools here in Laoag. First in my kindergarten years, I studied at Northern Christian College just a 300 meters away from our house. Then in my elementary years, I was enrolled at Shamrock Elementary School, considered as a Center of Excellence here in Laoag, where I have graduated as with honors. These years gave me the years of remarkable achievements for myself. Next, I got my secondary education from the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades, just in front of Shamrock, is one of the oldest schools in the Province of Ilocos Norte. In this school, I have experienced to become a consistent academic scholar for four years. Then today, I am currently enrolled for my college degree at the Mariano Marcos State University – College of Teacher Education hoping in God’s will and grace that I will be a high school teacher in English.

For the past seventeen years I have already walked a long path and I know that this is only the beginning of the longer way ahead of me. I have already experienced much sadness and joy on my way. I have already been a part of people’s lives and their lives a part of me, meeting friends, mere friends and enemies.

This is a simple account of my life. A short autobiography of my life here on earth and everyday a new page is added onto it. And I realize that everyday that is added to my life it brings me closer to the Divine because as we not only grow but also become we are getting closer to eternal repose.

You may not know mw in this short account because to know a person you should know him in all His aspects. You should not only read the story of His life but instead you should have to approach the every little thing that he is made of.

THE FAMILY

The family is the basic unit of the society and also the family is the nursery of human nature. In these two basic characteristics of the family we can see its importance.

I live in a family of six; my father, my mother, my brother and my two sisters. My father is Danilo A. Vertido and he is a construction foreman. And my mother is Rubina P. Vertido, a housewife. I would say that my family roots are both from Badoc, Ilocos Norte because my paternal grandfather was from Badoc (mypaternal grandmother is a native of Laoag) and also my maternal grandparents are from Badoc. But because they choose to live in Laoag where much of our relatives are here the family grew here. And on the given day I was born here in Laoag City.

I have a younger brother, Bryan Dave, a grade school student at Shamrock Elementary School. One of my younger sisters is Audrey Anne, a high school student at Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades. And my youngest sister is Danica, a kindergarten student at Northern Christian College. If you will notice the schools where they study is my Alma Maters, too. I do not know only if they will follow my footsteps to become a teacher.

Well my family is only a simple family living in a simple living. I am with a family where there is loving and caring. A family that I can never exchange with other family. Maybe sometimes there are some disagreements in the family but these are all normal. I love my family.

That is my nuclear family of orientation. I have also another family, my web family where I have met people that considers me a brother. One is 100% Katolikong Pinoy where I am an active forum participant and also I consider myself an assistant to the moderator in moderating the members. Another one is my family at anluwage.com where recently I have joined them and currently I am a volunteer news writer for the website. Maybe my two web families will not last long as we expect it but in these two families somehow I can see also happiness.

A family to me does not only mean inside the parameter of the nuclear family but it is extended to all the people that show affection to you. Because for me the real family is the people around me for they are my brothers and sisters in our Father, God.