by Mr. Marlon Bobier Vargas
Religion Teacher
How’s your weekend Spartans? How did you spend your weekend? Did you enjoy your weekend playing Xbox, Kinect, Wii, DS, PSP rather than doing advance reading for your upcoming lessons? Did you spend your whole weekend going out with your friends rather than helping your family doing household chores? Did you finish first all your school homework and projects before having time with your friends?
In our Sunday Gospel last weekend, Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” These words of Jesus in the Gospel invite us to ask ourselves about the way we value things in life. Jesus is telling us that we have to prioritize in life the things that are more important rather than the things that are least important. As students, you have the choice to use your whole weekend playing computers, going to the mall or watching movies. But you prefer to finish first all your school homework or to help your family cleaning the house before doing other things that are least important. During class discussion, you listen and participate actively rather than making noise or distracting your classmates. When submitting requirement, you prefer submitting the requirement on or before the deadline than submitting it beyond the deadline. When your teacher asks you to do seatwork, you use your time wisely by not chatting with your seatmate. These are good and concrete ways of responding to Jesus’ challenge in his Gospel.
This Wednesday, August 31, 2011, we will have an opportunity to be visited by a very important church leader of our Archdiocese. Our special guest who will be visiting our school is an example of person who lives out the challenge of Jesus to prioritize things that are more important in life. His Excellency Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, the Archbishop of Archdiocese of Agana will have his annual visit in our school. He will give up his time watching TV, resting in his room and attending non-urgent meetings for our community. He will make our day special for us to meet and know him personally. At the same time, this is his chance to know and meet the wonderful students, teachers, staff, parents and administrators of Santa Barbara Catholic School. Most importantly, he will visit and bring Christ to us through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
Read more: Reflection: Upcoming Annual Visit of Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, OFM Cap., D.D.
As members of our community, what are the least important things that you can give up to make the Archbishop’s visit meaningful? Instead of making noise and distracting others, could YOU pay attention and listen attentively to Archbishop during our encounter with him? Rather than being non-participative during the mass, could you actively involve yourself by singing with the choir, joining enthusiastically in the responses and behaving appropriately during the said occasion? Ask yourself, what are the least important things that you can give up to make the Archbishop’s visit meaningful?
PRAYER
Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us that we have to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow you. We pray that during the visit of our Archbishop, we would be able to follow your teachings. We pray that you will guide and help those people who are working so hard in preparing for this very special annual occasion in our community. Also, bless our Archbishop Anthony in bringing You in our community. This we ask in Your name. Amen.