Laiko Davaoeño

26/12/2023

It's still Christmas... It will end on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Let us keep the Spirit of Christmas alive! Attend Mass, take time to reflect and pray, show kindness and generosity, visit your family and friends, share Christmas greetings and sing Christmas carols, do acts of mercy...

01/04/2023

Holy Week Message

Today as we begin the celebration of the Holy week, I am reminded of an ancient practice which was a part of the Palm Sunday rite. During the commemoration of the Lord's entrance, when the procession reached the door of the Church. The priest then knocks loudly the closed door of the Church three times with the shaft of the processional cross. Then, the door is opened.

This is a beautiful image that reminds us of the mystery of cross. Christ's death on the cross is the great love of God, unlocking the door of heaven for our salvation.

But it also can be understood as Jesus knocking in our hearts inviting us to open our lives to his great love and inviting us to allow ourselves to be loved by Him.

This is never an easy call. For many of us had closed our hearts. We find more security and comfort in loneliness and indifference to protect of what is left of our broken heart . The experiences of pains and betrayals, of unrecognized efforts, of unforgiven mistakes and of unsurmountable doubts on our capacity and goodness; make us incapable of opening up, of loving again and of believing that there can still be the best of us.

He who died for us is knocking in our lives not by force of strenght but by his sacrificial love. God knows that only true love can open a deeply hurt and tired heart. Only when we are loved that we can live again, finding healing and meaning. And we start to live not only for ourselves but for others as well. We can learn also to knock on the hearts of others bringing Christ own redeeming love.

The Holy week is all about Jesus telling us : " I love you! You are worthy of loving. You are special. You are important to me. I will do whatever it takes to have the best of your life and to make you happy. Stop hurting yourself. Come! Let me embrace you!"

Fr. Marbendear Morallas

29/03/2023

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21/02/2023

On Ash Wednesday

Those who are keen observers of the liturgical activity of the Church would probably notice that Ash Wednesday is a well observed religious practice in the church. Though this is not a holy day of obligation many of our people feel obligated to let their foreheads be marked with ashes.

why ashes?

The practice of imposing ashes on Ash Wednesday is closely related to the penitential character of the Lenten season. In the Old Testament we find some reference of using ashes as sign of penance. The prophet Jeremiah includes the rolling in the ashes as sign of repentance (Jer. 6:26). Daniel pleaded for God’s mercy with sackcloth and ashes as sign of Israel ’s repentance (Dn. 9:3).

The most well known reference of the used of ashes as ritual for repentance was the act of penance done by the King and the people of Nineveh . They all covered themselves with sackcloth and sat in the ashes (Jon. 3:6). There are still many other biblical reference in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, Jesus connected the use of sackcloth and ashes as sign of repentance. Jesus said, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida ! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon , they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes" (Mt 11:21, Lk 10:13).

Perhaps we can understand better the significance of the ashes to our spiritual life when we reflect upon the accompanying formula during the imposition. There are actually two formulas being use during the imposition. The first formula, the traditional one says “Remember, man, you are dust and to dust you will return. This formula is taken from the book of Genesis 3, 5. This reminds us of the fall of our first parents. They want to be like God and rebelled against His will.

The ashes are symbol of transiency. They were remained of something burned. By receiving the ashes we are reminded of life’s shortness. That we are just passing in this world. All of us will pass away and will return into ashes. So we are reminded to strive for the eternal values and for the essential things for salvation.

The second formula is taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark 1, 15. It says “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel”. In this context we can say that the ashes symbolize the present state of sinfulness of human person and the call to purification or conversion.

The ashes look dirty. It is therefore a sign of impurity of human soul cause by sinfulness. Yet ashes may look dirty but it is actually a very pure element since it underwent the process of burning which destroyed all impurities. Therefore ashes symbolize also the purification process that the human person needs to undergo.

The imposition of ashes with its accompanying formula reminds us of the two fold movement of the process of conversion - the negative movement of moving away from our sinfulness and the positive movement of moving closely to Jesus Christ.

A time of penance, a time of grace.

Ash Wednesday is the grand opening of the Lenten season of the Church. It is the solemn beginning of the forty days of prayer and penance in preparation of the Easter celebration. As such Ash Wednesday is a time of fasting and abstinence.

Fasting means that only one full meal one should be taken during the day. This is applicable only to those who are 18 to 59 years old. Sick, elderly and pregnant women are exempted form the observance of fasting.

Abstinence is the practice of refraining fro eating of meat, milk-product, or seasonings or sauces made from animal fats. The law of abstinence is binding for those who are already 14 years old.

The purpose of these practices is for us to do a kind of penance as means for spiritual sanctification. As we deny ourselves with physical food, we also hunger for the presence of God in our lives allowing ourselves to be dociled to his grace.

Ash Wednesday and the whole Lenten season is truly a time of grace, for we come to encounter in this celebration not only our personal offenses before God but above all we come to encounter the face of the loving God who is always there to embrace us welcome home.

And after we celebrate this holy season, we may come to say like St. Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 20:20).

(Fr. Marbendear Morallas, Lent 2022)

15/02/2023

06/05/2022

Alang sa umaabot nga election😊

🎯BASAHA UG TARONG para inig botar puhon hapsay ra dagan sa polling precincts:
UNSAON NIMO PAG BOTAR KARONG MAY 9, 2022 NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS... (based on COMELEC Resolution No. 10727 or General Instructions Promulgated on November 10, 2021)

1. Voting starts at 6:00 AM and ends at 7:00 PM. Kon naa pay linya inig 7 PM, ilista sa Poll Clerk ang tanan nga voters nga mobotar pa nga naa sa sulod sa 30 meters atubangan sa Polling Place. Tawgon sila 3 times sa Poll Clerk kon ila nang turno, kon di sila maka duol, di sila makabutar.

2. First come, first serve ang pag botar, bawal ang mag priority number, pero ang PWD, Senior Citizen, or pregnant kay naa silay Fast lane.

3. Nig abot nimo sa Voting Center (skwelahan), icheck ang imong temperature ug i-sanitize imong mga kamot sa Medical Officer. Ayaw kalimot pagdala sa imong kodigo, ballpen, ug pagsuot ug Face Mask. DILI REQUIRED ang Vaccination Card.

4. Human sa Health Protocol, duol sa Voters' Assistance Desk (VAD) ug pangutana kon asa imong Polling Place (classroom). Pero kon kabalo naka, deretso nalang sa imong Polling Place ug pangitaa didto ang imong pangalan sa Posted Computerized Voters’ List (PCVL) nga gipatapot dapit sa pultahan.

5. Pulo (10) ra ka botante ang pwedi naa sa sulod. Kon puno pa, palingkodon usa ka sa “Holding Area” sa tupad nga room ug adto ka maghulat. Kon naa nay available spot, pwedi naka mosulod para mobotar.

6. Mag sanitize napud before mosulod. Inig sulod, duola ang Poll Clerk sa Electoral Board. Isulti imong ngalan ug sequence number nga naa sa PCVL.

7. I-verify sa Poll Clerk kon naa ba ka sa Election Day Computerized Voters’ List (EDCVL). Kon wala imong ngalan, basin wala ka nagtan aw sa PCVL sa pultahan, sayop nga polling place imong nasudlan. Pangitaa sa lain nga polling places or kon wala gyud, adto reklamo sa COMELEC office sa lungsd.

8. Kon naa imong ngalan, i-check sa Poll Clerk kon naa nabay stain sa indelible ink ang imong fingernails.

9. Kon wala pay ink, tapos nailhan naka o walay mi-question sa imong identity, iya kang papirmahon sa EDCVL, ug ihatag ka ngadto sa Chairperson sa Electoral Board.

10. Sa di pa ihatag ang balota, pirmahan kini sa Chairperson; ipakita niya nga limpyo kini ug wala pay marka sa pagbotar; isulod niya ang balota sa Ballot Secrecy Folder; ug sultian ka niya unsaon pag botar. Itudlo niya asa ka dapit nga voting chair.

11. Modiretso dayon ka sa voting desk/chair. Naa na sa balota ang mga ngalan sa kandidato. I-shade ang imong pilion, ayaw hugawi ang balota. Siguroha nga dili magsobra ang ma shade kay di ma count kon over vote.

12. Kon illiterate ka, PWD, or senior citizen, pwedi ka i-assist sa imong kapamilya, imong nurse/member of household, or member sa Electoral Board.

13. Di pwedi picturan or mag selfie kauban ang balota.

14. Kon human nag shade, ikaw mismo ang mopasulod sa balota ngadto sa Vote Counting Machine (VCM). Gamita ang folder para tabon aron di makita ang imong gibotaran. Ayaw kabalaka nga mabali ug sulod kay pwedi ra balibalihon pasulod ang balota.

15. Kon masulod na, tan awa ang screen sa VCM kon moingon “YOUR BALLOT IS BEING PROCESSED”. Dayon “YOUR VOTE IS BEING CAST. PLEASE WAIT.” Dayon “YOUR VOTE IS BEING PRINTED.” Dayon “DEPOSITING THE BALLOT IN THE BOX”. Tapos “YOUR VOTE HAS BEEN CAST. THANK YOU FOR VOTING”

16. Mogawas ang Voter’s Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) nga murag resibo para imong makita ang imong gipangbotaran. Guntingon kini sa Third Member, iyang pik-on para di siya makakita, dayon iyang ihatag nimo para imong matan aw kon sakto/pareho ba sa imong gipang-botaran. Kon sakto ang naa sa resibo, imo kining ibutang ngadto sa VVPAT box/receptacle, ikaw gyud ang magbutang, ug dili ni pwedi dalhon.

17. Iuli ang Marking Pen ug Ballot Secrecy Folder ngadto sa Poll Clerk.

18. Butangan dayon ang imong right forefinger ug indelible ink. Kon wala kay right forefinger, ang lain nalang nga tudlo.

19. Pwedi naka mogawas ug mopauli.

19/03/2022

St. Joseph, pray for us

11/03/2022

03/03/2022

Good am. The Archdiocesan Council of Lay Associations and Integrated Movements (ACLAIM) as the official association of all the lay communities of Archdiocese of Davao will continue to be Non - partisan in its involvement in the coming election. We will be participating in the Archdiocesan effort to provide political education, circle of dicernment and information dissemination among the lay faithful, upholding the non-partisan principle of the Archdiocese of Davao. We appreciate and respect the laity's participation in politics, including partisan politics, for it properly belongs to the mission of the laity. But as an association we believe that we can better assist our voters and best promote the common good if we remain to be non - partisan.

That in all things God may be glorified.

Fr. Marbendear L. Morallas
ACLAIM Spiritual Director