I am 46 years old and counting...
In those years that I walked the surface of this beautiful world, I have been so blessed to be working with and be nurtured by two great leaders. May I reflect on what made them great:
DIREK FRED MAGBANUA... he was my first boss. He is called DIREK FRED by co-workers because he was the Managing Director of Far East Broadcasting Company. I had the privilege of working directly with him as his ghostwriter in the radio program Lifeline.
What made him great before my eyes is his humility and his moral integrity.
Being a ghostwriter of his program, we would usually tape the program late at night. He would bring along all his grandchildren and their yayas to accompany us during the recording. In reflection, I am touched by Direk's way of making sure that both of us are protected and our reputation intact.
When a listener come to visit the station with a testimony of being touched by the message heard over the radio, he would bring the listener to my desk and introduce me as the writer behind the program. NOTE: ghostwriters are ghost, they are meant not to be seen. But with DIREK, he would introduce me to the listener and share the glory with me. I am so humbled to be able to work with a great leader who is not afraid to share the "glory" with his co-workers.
When DIREK retired, I couldn't imagine working as a "ghostwriter" for another person. I have been "under" of other church, organization and community leaders. I always compare them with Direk on these two criteria: how well they take care of their reputation and integrity. Some male leaders fail in their reputation especially in relating with female co-workers. I see male leaders either oppressing and abusing female co-workers. They treat women as their slaves. Or, they treat women as sex objects... an object for their sexual fantasies.
I also encountered male leaders who are so afraid to share the glory with other co-workers, whether male or female. They try to grab the limelight to themselves. They snap at others who might threaten their glory.
Not BISHOP DANNY ARICHEA. He is my mentor in Biblical Studies. As a seminary student, I shied away from taking Advance Greek. My experience in Greek I made me realize that Biblical Studies is not my cup of tea because of the language requirement of the program (we have to take Greek and Hebrew, as required course and advance Greek and Hebrew as major courses). When I did not enroll Advance Greek, he would always tease me "Chicken" and would even do a chicken dance whenever we meet in the classroom hallway. I would retort back, "Hebrew is enough torture for a student. Hebrew and Greek in one sem is suicidal." He would continue with his "chicken dance" until we both get into our respective classroom.
The following sem, I took Advance Greek. I also took Advance Hebrew. I ended up majoring in Biblical Studies. Now I work with Bishop in the translation of Full Life Study Bible into Cebuano as Back Translator and as my adviser in my graduate studies in Biblical Studies. As Consultant in the translation project, (he is UBS/PBS Bible Consultant and foremost Biblical Scholar in the country) he doesn't impose his scholarship on the translators... instead, he makes sure that the translation is a collaborative work among the members of the team. No one is above any one. When he points out what would have been a translation problem, he would call it "translation issues" and makes the "translation issue" as a starting point for biblical and theological discussion. Whenever we are in this "translation issue" discussion, he would challenge me to write on the issue. I would complain, "andami ko nang dapat isulat. Di pa nga ako tapos dun sa una..."
He is never greedy with his scholarship... even willing to lend his books to his students, especially those under his mentorship. He would teasingly remind me, "Carmel, you cannot build your library on my books!" What I admire so much about him is his willingness to accommodate even our far-out biblical scholarship, if it can even be called scholarship. He would accommodate our scholarship, then give us books on an alternative way of reading the biblical text.
He is a bishop, but he is willing to take "orders" from an ordained minister of another church, ako. At one time, I coordinated a celebration of the Communion on a Holy Week. I wanted to use a bitter wine for the celebration. I ordered him to provide the bitter wine and provide the biblical and theological reflection on the bitter wine (the bitter wine is in sharing with the bitter suffering and sacrifice of Jesus). Pait talaga.
I've worked with pastors (n wala naman talagang K). They would re-order an liturgy I painstakingly created, un-do elements in the celebration as if to impose on me that they are the pastor! Bishop Arichea may not be the bishop of the church where I belong and ordained into, but he is MY BISHOP!. He looks after not only my personaly (and family) welfare but also of my vocation and professional development.
Ibang bishop jan... magpatahod jud... bisag dili angayan. They would cling to their office even if their integrity is put to question. They are not careful in protecting the integrity of the Church and the Gospel by their lifestyle. They have stopped studying, relying only in their political machinery. Hay naku!
I am privileged to be nurtured and mentored by these two great leaders of the church. I look around the present leadership and they fail miserably against these two great men leaders. That's the reason why the church is in the way it is now... miserable.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
A DAY WITH MARIAN RIVERA
Sunday, November 29, Mithi and I went straight to SM from our church service at Bulihan. We decided to meet with Tatay there. He was to bring the Smartbro bill which we had to pay on or before Nov 30.
Okay, Marian Rivera was scheduled to promote her album at SM Palapala. And "by hook or by crook" Tatay declared, "I'm going to watch Marian."
When Mithi and I arrived at SM the place was already bustling with people all eager to watch Marian.
"Eto ang ayaw ko sa SM, so crowded," I declared with frustration.
"E ano bang meron ang Marian na yan, at punong-puno na ang SM," Mithi complained.
So we went to a less crowded place in SM and treated ourselves with mango-pearl and leche flan and halaya while we waited for Tatay. Then we decided to tempt ourselves by window shopping. Mithi wanted to buy so many things. I challenged her to accept the "job" offering" of Bulihan so she can buy what she wants to buy.
Pretty soon, Tatay texted us. We met at the ground floor near where Marian was to perform. I took the smartbro bill and went to the business center to pay the bill while Mithi and Tatay joined Hiyas who has positioned herself near the stage where Marian was to perform.
But an hour passed, then, two... but Marian has not showed up. Mithi was getting frustrated, so she asked to leave us and meet with her friends somewhere in SM. Meanwhile, Hiyas decided to move even closer to where Marian would pass... or where she could have a better view of Marian.
Tatay and I decided to go around the place. But then I thought, we could not leave Hiyas by herself. So I asked Ruel to go look for Hiyas. "Para masung-ay nimo siya kung naa na si Marian," I prodded him.
Hours passed... Tatay came back to where I was standing and told me that he could not locate Hiyas.
Hiyas had Tatay's cellphone, so she could take a picture of Marian. I texted her asking for her location so Tatay could locate her.
The people started to scream... a signal that Marian was in the area.
I panicked. Both Tatay and I went looking for Hiyas, "Baka madat-ugan siya sa mga tawo!" With every scream of the people, more people rushed to the stage or the area where Marian was supposed to pass. There were uniformed sales personnel who left their stores just to have a chance to see Marian. Tatay's foot has ran-0ver by shopping cart. Nobody minded whether they were stepping on somebody's foot in their hurry to see Marian.
I then echoed Mithi's sentiment, "Ano bang meron ang Marian na yan?" so that people were unmindful that they are hurting other people? My only concern was to locate Hiyas and make sure that she is not hurt.
"Nanay, inaantok na aq," Hiyas texted.
"Ay di ka pdng matulog!" I texted her back.
The benches at the food court area where turned over. The counters served as bleachers where fans stood. Every now and then people scream. But no Marian was in sight.
After waiting like an eternity, Marian showed up.
I never saw her... I didn't even had a glimpse of her. I no longer care. All I wanted was to get out of the place. But we can't leave our daughter. We can't pull her out either, there was no way in getting closer to her. All we can do was to text her of our location so that she can easily locate us when this "craziness" is all over.
Hiyas joined us eventually. No, she was not gushing with admiration. Just a factual account that she saw Marian. She's beautiful at maputi.
"Where you able to take her picture?" we asked. No. She wasn't able to take picture "dahil ang bilis ng pagdaan nya."
"Did you get to touch her man lang?" "mabilis nga ang lakad nya at ang daming nakapaikot sa kanya."
An entire afternoon wasted in waiting for Marian Rivera. E ano bang meron sa Marian na yan that even I was willing to waste an entire precious afternoon just to have a glimpse of her?
Ewan ko. But I still waste half an hour every night watching her in "Darna."
"Maganda ba talaga sya?" asked my sister. "Siguro! Andaming nababaliw sa kanya e."
Okay, Marian Rivera was scheduled to promote her album at SM Palapala. And "by hook or by crook" Tatay declared, "I'm going to watch Marian."
When Mithi and I arrived at SM the place was already bustling with people all eager to watch Marian.
"Eto ang ayaw ko sa SM, so crowded," I declared with frustration.
"E ano bang meron ang Marian na yan, at punong-puno na ang SM," Mithi complained.
So we went to a less crowded place in SM and treated ourselves with mango-pearl and leche flan and halaya while we waited for Tatay. Then we decided to tempt ourselves by window shopping. Mithi wanted to buy so many things. I challenged her to accept the "job" offering" of Bulihan so she can buy what she wants to buy.
Pretty soon, Tatay texted us. We met at the ground floor near where Marian was to perform. I took the smartbro bill and went to the business center to pay the bill while Mithi and Tatay joined Hiyas who has positioned herself near the stage where Marian was to perform.
But an hour passed, then, two... but Marian has not showed up. Mithi was getting frustrated, so she asked to leave us and meet with her friends somewhere in SM. Meanwhile, Hiyas decided to move even closer to where Marian would pass... or where she could have a better view of Marian.
Tatay and I decided to go around the place. But then I thought, we could not leave Hiyas by herself. So I asked Ruel to go look for Hiyas. "Para masung-ay nimo siya kung naa na si Marian," I prodded him.
Hours passed... Tatay came back to where I was standing and told me that he could not locate Hiyas.
Hiyas had Tatay's cellphone, so she could take a picture of Marian. I texted her asking for her location so Tatay could locate her.
The people started to scream... a signal that Marian was in the area.
I panicked. Both Tatay and I went looking for Hiyas, "Baka madat-ugan siya sa mga tawo!" With every scream of the people, more people rushed to the stage or the area where Marian was supposed to pass. There were uniformed sales personnel who left their stores just to have a chance to see Marian. Tatay's foot has ran-0ver by shopping cart. Nobody minded whether they were stepping on somebody's foot in their hurry to see Marian.
I then echoed Mithi's sentiment, "Ano bang meron ang Marian na yan?" so that people were unmindful that they are hurting other people? My only concern was to locate Hiyas and make sure that she is not hurt.
"Nanay, inaantok na aq," Hiyas texted.
"Ay di ka pdng matulog!" I texted her back.
The benches at the food court area where turned over. The counters served as bleachers where fans stood. Every now and then people scream. But no Marian was in sight.
After waiting like an eternity, Marian showed up.
I never saw her... I didn't even had a glimpse of her. I no longer care. All I wanted was to get out of the place. But we can't leave our daughter. We can't pull her out either, there was no way in getting closer to her. All we can do was to text her of our location so that she can easily locate us when this "craziness" is all over.
Hiyas joined us eventually. No, she was not gushing with admiration. Just a factual account that she saw Marian. She's beautiful at maputi.
"Where you able to take her picture?" we asked. No. She wasn't able to take picture "dahil ang bilis ng pagdaan nya."
"Did you get to touch her man lang?" "mabilis nga ang lakad nya at ang daming nakapaikot sa kanya."
An entire afternoon wasted in waiting for Marian Rivera. E ano bang meron sa Marian na yan that even I was willing to waste an entire precious afternoon just to have a glimpse of her?
Ewan ko. But I still waste half an hour every night watching her in "Darna."
"Maganda ba talaga sya?" asked my sister. "Siguro! Andaming nababaliw sa kanya e."
Thursday, November 26, 2009
OUR 14th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Friday, November 20, two days before our anniversary, my husband came home from school with the children.
He did not kiss me as he usually does upon arriving home. He just sat at the sofa and looked at me. Thinking that something was wrong, I went to him and asked how his day was. He took my right hand into his hands then slipped a ring into my ring finger. I was pleasantly surprised. Then he kissed me and said, "Happy Anniversary."
I cried. He gave me a three-toned gold ring which by the look of it cost him his bonus.
Our wedding anniversary is on the 22nd of November. I was scheduled to preach at PCCL-University Church during Bible Sunday. And I thought, it was the best way for Ruel and I to thank God for His wonderful gift of marriage.
But then, our pastor requested Mithi Andrea to offer a song for the Offertory. It ended up, all three children sang, Hiyas Isabella and Katha Amiel joined their sister in singing "All of Me"
What a fiiting way to renew our commitment to God on our 14th wedding anniversary. The entire family thank God for a wonderful marriage and family lifeand commit all of us to God.
Glory to God!
He did not kiss me as he usually does upon arriving home. He just sat at the sofa and looked at me. Thinking that something was wrong, I went to him and asked how his day was. He took my right hand into his hands then slipped a ring into my ring finger. I was pleasantly surprised. Then he kissed me and said, "Happy Anniversary."
I cried. He gave me a three-toned gold ring which by the look of it cost him his bonus.
Our wedding anniversary is on the 22nd of November. I was scheduled to preach at PCCL-University Church during Bible Sunday. And I thought, it was the best way for Ruel and I to thank God for His wonderful gift of marriage.
But then, our pastor requested Mithi Andrea to offer a song for the Offertory. It ended up, all three children sang, Hiyas Isabella and Katha Amiel joined their sister in singing "All of Me"
What a fiiting way to renew our commitment to God on our 14th wedding anniversary. The entire family thank God for a wonderful marriage and family lifeand commit all of us to God.
Glory to God!
Placing the Bible Where It Belongs
INTRODUCTION
It’s been a long time since I stood before you --- Sitting behind the piano, I must admit has its comfort. I am behind the piano. Although being behind the piano has it’s disadvantages --- usually, I get to be an afterthought during Communion Service, and seldom do people come over behind the piano to greet me during “Passing of Peace.”
Setting that aside, sitting behind the piano gives me a different perspective of ministry and worship. I can say, that, many can preach, but very few can play the piano. As you may have known, mas sikat ako ngayon as pianist than as pastor. Pinag-aagawan ako ngayon. So that I have come to accept that I am tasked to do something that very few people could do… and that is play the piano. So much so, that every time I am asked to play the piano, I try to make it a point to encourage the church to develop its own church musician, and/ or encourage the larger church to be more intentional in its program in developing church musicians. If the church intentionally on a look out for prospective pastors, then the church should also be more intentional in sending prospective church musicians. Sadly, there are very few candidates for this area --- not only does it requires musical talent and ability, music requires more discipline. Therefore, I ask the church to take care of its church musicians.
But Pastor Connie did not ask me to talk about church music --- today we are celebrating Bible Sunday. Although there are more qualified scholars among us here to talk about the Bible, my unique contribution into the discussion on Bible would be in translation.
For the past years, I have surprisingly been involved in the translation work, first as translator of Bible Study materials including the Franklin Graham My Hope Philippines Manuals and Bible Study Notes, and now, as member of the Team that translates the Children’s Bible and the Full Life Study Bible.
Bakit ba daw, I was asked, “wala pa bang Cebuano Bible?” I said, meron na. Then why is still there a need to translate the Bible in Cebuano?
The Importance of Translation
Why indeed? In fact, if you go to Christian Bookstores, whether OMF, Christian Literature Crusade or Philippine Bible Society Bookstore , Bibles are also sold in National Book Store, you will find different versions of the Bible in any languages. So why are there so many versions of the Bible?
The different versions of the Bible are attempts to bring the Bible to the people in the language and form most easily understandable.
I’m sure if I ask you to recite the Lord’s Prayer, many of us will recite it in the King James Version, ‘Our Father who Art in Heaven… hallowed be Thy Name…” But then who uses “art thou” these days in their English conversation? Do you ask somebody you meet, “Where art thou goest?” The joke going around is that even the English people in London would have a hard time understanding the King James Version of the English Bible. E lalo na, who can read the Bible in the original language in which the Bible was written: Hebrew for Old Testament, Greek for New Testament and parts of Hebrew and Intertestamental books in Aramaic. Among Bible scholars nga, although Hebrew and Greek used to be a required course in the seminary, very, very, very few can read the Bible in its original language and understanding it readily.
So efforts have been made to translate the Bible into a language easily understood by the people. Even as early as the Babylonian exile, the Hebrew Writings where already translated into Aramaic, which was the lingua franca of that time.
Since then and until now, Bible has been translated to different languages
The United Bible Society announced, that as of 31 December 2007, The Bible, with deuterocanonical material was available in 123 languages. The Tanakh and New Testament were available in 438 languages. The New Testament was available in 1168 languages, and portions of the Bible were available in 848 languages, for a total of 2,454 languages.
Appreciating the work of translation
Untold effort and sacrifices had been place into making the Bible more understandable to the people in all possible languages and formats:
• Presentation of the different format of the Bible
So what do these different formats of the Bible tell us?
1. From the most basic, the Bible is the most popular book there is as of now. Is there any book in the entire human and literary history that has been translated and presented in so many languages and format?
2. But more importantly, hopefully, the Bible is that prominent and so important that people should never have any reason not to be able to read the Bible.
But the more serious question is how important and prominent is the Bible in our lives as individual and as a community of faith?
Biblical History and human history tell us that at any point in the history of the people when the Bible was hidden, obscured and unavailable, the nation slid in darkest moment: From the Hebrew history, when the Jewish kings forsook the reading of the Scripture, wickedness described the nation: there was corruption in the government, oppression and exploitation of the people, moral decline. It was the darkest time in their history.
In Biblical history, revival, reform and restoration coincided with the reading of the scripture. After the many years of exile from Babylon to Persia, Ezra and Nehemiah led the Jewish people in their return to their homeland. After Ezra rebuilt the temple and Nehemiah the walls of Jerusalem, the next thing that they reinstituted is the public reading of the Word of God. As accounted in Nehemiah Chapter 8, “Ezra read the Book of Law” The Torah, aloud from daybreak till noon… and the people listened attentively to the Book of Law. Immediately, there was revival amongst the people.
Amazingly, when the Holy Spirit manifested Herself, at Pentecost, she did not come in thunder or lightning, nor in miraculous sights, apparitions or miraculous acts. The Holy Spirit came… in languages that the people understood…. People who were present not only in the meeting, but even by those who were around them, listening, watching them. The WORD of God should never be obscured by language that cannot be understood.
So how important and prominent is the Bible to us?
1. Liturgically, it’s prominence is shown in the way we place the Bible in our worship area and act. The Bible is placed high so that people will symbolically look up to it. The Roman Catholic and the Orthodox Church even parade the Bible at its procession, high above the head to point to its prominence in the life of the church.
2. But in our personal, private and communal life, do we look up to the Bible for God’s guidance? The Bible is translated in a format and language you can understand so that you and I can read the Word of God and understand it. Then, we no longer have to depend solely on the reading and interpretation of the Word from pastors, Rick Warren and any other media personalities who interpret the Bible for us.
a. This encourages us to read the Bible in a personal level… study
b. This also challenges us to take the Bible Study and Sunday School offered by the church seriously. If the Bible is indeed, prominent and important then we should read it, study it. All efforts to translate the Bible in a language that we can understand will be of naught if we don’t avail of the Book… if we just delegate the study of the Bible to pastors and Bible study leaders.
3. The challenge of translating the Bible into our daily lives. The importance of the Bible is in its translation into our daily lives. When the Bible is seriously read and listened to, as proven by history, revival follows. In human history, Biblical interpretation has never been so obscure as during the Dark Ages. But when study and interpretation of Bible surfaced, human history came out of the Dark into Revival and Renaissance.
I have been privileged to be part of the work of translating the Word of God into a language closer to my heart, the Cebuano language. Efforts are made into making the Bible available in other Filipino languages. Today, the PBS and the Catholic Bishop’s Conference are joining forces for a Bible Distribution project called, “May They Be One” which aims at making the Bible available to every Filipino household, with the prayer that the Bible will unite the Filipinos. Again, I am privileged to be one of the writers in this project.
But I guess, the greatest challenge for us, for each one of us, not only for those who are in the seminary and are tasked to study the Bible, but to each one of us who takes seriously our faith in God to study the Bible, and be a living Bible, whose Word is translated in our daily lives. Amen.
It’s been a long time since I stood before you --- Sitting behind the piano, I must admit has its comfort. I am behind the piano. Although being behind the piano has it’s disadvantages --- usually, I get to be an afterthought during Communion Service, and seldom do people come over behind the piano to greet me during “Passing of Peace.”
Setting that aside, sitting behind the piano gives me a different perspective of ministry and worship. I can say, that, many can preach, but very few can play the piano. As you may have known, mas sikat ako ngayon as pianist than as pastor. Pinag-aagawan ako ngayon. So that I have come to accept that I am tasked to do something that very few people could do… and that is play the piano. So much so, that every time I am asked to play the piano, I try to make it a point to encourage the church to develop its own church musician, and/ or encourage the larger church to be more intentional in its program in developing church musicians. If the church intentionally on a look out for prospective pastors, then the church should also be more intentional in sending prospective church musicians. Sadly, there are very few candidates for this area --- not only does it requires musical talent and ability, music requires more discipline. Therefore, I ask the church to take care of its church musicians.
But Pastor Connie did not ask me to talk about church music --- today we are celebrating Bible Sunday. Although there are more qualified scholars among us here to talk about the Bible, my unique contribution into the discussion on Bible would be in translation.
For the past years, I have surprisingly been involved in the translation work, first as translator of Bible Study materials including the Franklin Graham My Hope Philippines Manuals and Bible Study Notes, and now, as member of the Team that translates the Children’s Bible and the Full Life Study Bible.
Bakit ba daw, I was asked, “wala pa bang Cebuano Bible?” I said, meron na. Then why is still there a need to translate the Bible in Cebuano?
The Importance of Translation
Why indeed? In fact, if you go to Christian Bookstores, whether OMF, Christian Literature Crusade or Philippine Bible Society Bookstore , Bibles are also sold in National Book Store, you will find different versions of the Bible in any languages. So why are there so many versions of the Bible?
The different versions of the Bible are attempts to bring the Bible to the people in the language and form most easily understandable.
I’m sure if I ask you to recite the Lord’s Prayer, many of us will recite it in the King James Version, ‘Our Father who Art in Heaven… hallowed be Thy Name…” But then who uses “art thou” these days in their English conversation? Do you ask somebody you meet, “Where art thou goest?” The joke going around is that even the English people in London would have a hard time understanding the King James Version of the English Bible. E lalo na, who can read the Bible in the original language in which the Bible was written: Hebrew for Old Testament, Greek for New Testament and parts of Hebrew and Intertestamental books in Aramaic. Among Bible scholars nga, although Hebrew and Greek used to be a required course in the seminary, very, very, very few can read the Bible in its original language and understanding it readily.
So efforts have been made to translate the Bible into a language easily understood by the people. Even as early as the Babylonian exile, the Hebrew Writings where already translated into Aramaic, which was the lingua franca of that time.
Since then and until now, Bible has been translated to different languages
The United Bible Society announced, that as of 31 December 2007, The Bible, with deuterocanonical material was available in 123 languages. The Tanakh and New Testament were available in 438 languages. The New Testament was available in 1168 languages, and portions of the Bible were available in 848 languages, for a total of 2,454 languages.
Appreciating the work of translation
Untold effort and sacrifices had been place into making the Bible more understandable to the people in all possible languages and formats:
• Presentation of the different format of the Bible
So what do these different formats of the Bible tell us?
1. From the most basic, the Bible is the most popular book there is as of now. Is there any book in the entire human and literary history that has been translated and presented in so many languages and format?
2. But more importantly, hopefully, the Bible is that prominent and so important that people should never have any reason not to be able to read the Bible.
But the more serious question is how important and prominent is the Bible in our lives as individual and as a community of faith?
Biblical History and human history tell us that at any point in the history of the people when the Bible was hidden, obscured and unavailable, the nation slid in darkest moment: From the Hebrew history, when the Jewish kings forsook the reading of the Scripture, wickedness described the nation: there was corruption in the government, oppression and exploitation of the people, moral decline. It was the darkest time in their history.
In Biblical history, revival, reform and restoration coincided with the reading of the scripture. After the many years of exile from Babylon to Persia, Ezra and Nehemiah led the Jewish people in their return to their homeland. After Ezra rebuilt the temple and Nehemiah the walls of Jerusalem, the next thing that they reinstituted is the public reading of the Word of God. As accounted in Nehemiah Chapter 8, “Ezra read the Book of Law” The Torah, aloud from daybreak till noon… and the people listened attentively to the Book of Law. Immediately, there was revival amongst the people.
Amazingly, when the Holy Spirit manifested Herself, at Pentecost, she did not come in thunder or lightning, nor in miraculous sights, apparitions or miraculous acts. The Holy Spirit came… in languages that the people understood…. People who were present not only in the meeting, but even by those who were around them, listening, watching them. The WORD of God should never be obscured by language that cannot be understood.
So how important and prominent is the Bible to us?
1. Liturgically, it’s prominence is shown in the way we place the Bible in our worship area and act. The Bible is placed high so that people will symbolically look up to it. The Roman Catholic and the Orthodox Church even parade the Bible at its procession, high above the head to point to its prominence in the life of the church.
2. But in our personal, private and communal life, do we look up to the Bible for God’s guidance? The Bible is translated in a format and language you can understand so that you and I can read the Word of God and understand it. Then, we no longer have to depend solely on the reading and interpretation of the Word from pastors, Rick Warren and any other media personalities who interpret the Bible for us.
a. This encourages us to read the Bible in a personal level… study
b. This also challenges us to take the Bible Study and Sunday School offered by the church seriously. If the Bible is indeed, prominent and important then we should read it, study it. All efforts to translate the Bible in a language that we can understand will be of naught if we don’t avail of the Book… if we just delegate the study of the Bible to pastors and Bible study leaders.
3. The challenge of translating the Bible into our daily lives. The importance of the Bible is in its translation into our daily lives. When the Bible is seriously read and listened to, as proven by history, revival follows. In human history, Biblical interpretation has never been so obscure as during the Dark Ages. But when study and interpretation of Bible surfaced, human history came out of the Dark into Revival and Renaissance.
I have been privileged to be part of the work of translating the Word of God into a language closer to my heart, the Cebuano language. Efforts are made into making the Bible available in other Filipino languages. Today, the PBS and the Catholic Bishop’s Conference are joining forces for a Bible Distribution project called, “May They Be One” which aims at making the Bible available to every Filipino household, with the prayer that the Bible will unite the Filipinos. Again, I am privileged to be one of the writers in this project.
But I guess, the greatest challenge for us, for each one of us, not only for those who are in the seminary and are tasked to study the Bible, but to each one of us who takes seriously our faith in God to study the Bible, and be a living Bible, whose Word is translated in our daily lives. Amen.
Monday, November 16, 2009
18K Gold for 14th Wedding Anniversary
Ruel, my husband for 14 years, and children came home from school. As our usual habit, they come to me and kiss me. Ruel did not kiss me. He just looked at me. Then he took my hands, slowly slipped an 18K white and yellow gold ring into my ring finger. Then he kissed me and greeted, "Happy Anniversary." I cried.
The reason for the emotions
When I was still single, I would collect genuine gold jewelries. I was not into fancy jewelries. Jewelries for me are investments... and I invested on them.
But when I entered the ministry, my investment was put into use. My Bangkok 22K gold necklace was pawned to bring a child to the hospital... that child died and my necklace was never redeemed.
My collection of gold rings and earrings and even my expensive bracelet slowly found their way back to the pawnshop to help someone in need....
When I got married, my last piece of jewelry financed the hospitalization of a woman with ovary tumor.
My ordination gold cross was pawned to finance our first few months in seminary study.
I would look at jewelry stores and wonder when would I be able to once again invest on jewelry. It's an investment, and hopefully, something to hand to my children and grandchildren.
I never realized that my husband noticed my visits to jewelry stores whenever we are in the mall.
A lady jeweler often visits PCU and offer "hulugan" jewelries to employees. Ruel connived with two staff members, Liza and Alma to contact the jeweler for a hulugan. He bought this piece of jewelry for me.
So while I was leading the chapel service yesterday, Ruel and Alma were transacting with the jeweler for the ring.
The ring is beyond his means. This is something I could really say as "sacrificial love." I cried at his effort to give me a ring.
But other than the effort, Ruel restored all the jewelries I surrendered to God with this ring. This is the most precious jewelry I will ever have.
Thank you, Tatay Ruel. You are sooooooooo dear! I don't think I'd be able to top this act. I love you now more than ever.
The reason for the emotions
When I was still single, I would collect genuine gold jewelries. I was not into fancy jewelries. Jewelries for me are investments... and I invested on them.
But when I entered the ministry, my investment was put into use. My Bangkok 22K gold necklace was pawned to bring a child to the hospital... that child died and my necklace was never redeemed.
My collection of gold rings and earrings and even my expensive bracelet slowly found their way back to the pawnshop to help someone in need....
When I got married, my last piece of jewelry financed the hospitalization of a woman with ovary tumor.
My ordination gold cross was pawned to finance our first few months in seminary study.
I would look at jewelry stores and wonder when would I be able to once again invest on jewelry. It's an investment, and hopefully, something to hand to my children and grandchildren.
I never realized that my husband noticed my visits to jewelry stores whenever we are in the mall.
A lady jeweler often visits PCU and offer "hulugan" jewelries to employees. Ruel connived with two staff members, Liza and Alma to contact the jeweler for a hulugan. He bought this piece of jewelry for me.
So while I was leading the chapel service yesterday, Ruel and Alma were transacting with the jeweler for the ring.
The ring is beyond his means. This is something I could really say as "sacrificial love." I cried at his effort to give me a ring.
But other than the effort, Ruel restored all the jewelries I surrendered to God with this ring. This is the most precious jewelry I will ever have.
Thank you, Tatay Ruel. You are sooooooooo dear! I don't think I'd be able to top this act. I love you now more than ever.
Monday, November 09, 2009
of dreams and visions
Last night, I had a very telling dream...
I brought the family back to Leyte to serve the church.
I called in Jonalyn and her family to help manage the house.
But later, I was already crying... my family has left me to return to Cavite. I wanted to follow them, but my heart is torn between serving the church and be with the family.
Eddie told me, "Ang dami mong connection jan....Makipagnetwork ka!" I looked around and found no significant connection. I just cried, and cried and cried, uttering, "gusto ko nang bumalik sa simbahan!" I woke up with a heavy feeling but also with a resolve to just do what God has given me to do... the task placed into my hand...
and that is to translate....
As I told myself,
"Maraming puedeng maging pastor... iilan lang ang puedeng magtranslate."
I should feel terribly blessed to be called into this sacred, yet, difficult ministry.
Most of the time, I am left alone in the house.
And if the children are home, but I need to concentrate on the translation, or rush a deadline...
painfully, I had to shut my kids out.
And it's painful.
It's hurting.
It's lonely.
Translation can be isolating...
You are isolated from the world
So that, there's only you and the Word of God.
Unadulterated relationship.
I brought the family back to Leyte to serve the church.
I called in Jonalyn and her family to help manage the house.
But later, I was already crying... my family has left me to return to Cavite. I wanted to follow them, but my heart is torn between serving the church and be with the family.
Eddie told me, "Ang dami mong connection jan....Makipagnetwork ka!" I looked around and found no significant connection. I just cried, and cried and cried, uttering, "gusto ko nang bumalik sa simbahan!" I woke up with a heavy feeling but also with a resolve to just do what God has given me to do... the task placed into my hand...
and that is to translate....
As I told myself,
"Maraming puedeng maging pastor... iilan lang ang puedeng magtranslate."
I should feel terribly blessed to be called into this sacred, yet, difficult ministry.
Most of the time, I am left alone in the house.
And if the children are home, but I need to concentrate on the translation, or rush a deadline...
painfully, I had to shut my kids out.
And it's painful.
It's hurting.
It's lonely.
Translation can be isolating...
You are isolated from the world
So that, there's only you and the Word of God.
Unadulterated relationship.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
The Day After
Crazy, but I feel ambivalent about the internet connection. For a while there, we were convinced that the internet connection is already a necessity, no longer a luxury but a need.
For me, the internet connection would make work easier for me since my work is basically internet based. In the past, if a client informs me through text that a job is available, I had to rush myself to the nearest internet cafe (kahit hindi pa nakaligo) to check the mail... and before I could open it, I already lost the job. And at other times, I could not submit the necessary document dahil umuulan at di ako makapag-wifi.
For the kids, many of their researches are internet based. When they come home from school, they have to change clothes and go to the internet shop to do their research - sometimes, they are out of the house even late in the evening - e yung internet shop where they go to hinold-ap. kaya nakakatakot din talaga.
So we decided to get connected even if, as Tatay puts it, "nadagdagan ang monthly bills on top of meralco, water, LPG."
We decided to get connected as a step of faith:
1. hoping that with the internet connection, more jobs would come my way (and thus be able to pay the internet monthly bill). This is in fact an investment, and not a luxury. This is God's way of providing for our needs.
2. trusting that this is God's way of protecting the family. The children need not be out at night to do their research.
But this is also a test of discipline. Already, I made arrangement with the children that during school days, internet use is for research, at puedeng pang-update ng friendster and facebook account. Weekends, puede games.
Humirit pa si Katha, "Nay, puede YOUTUBE?"
Now this is a test of censorship, do I check what youtube features they view? baka merong di kanaisnais.
This is where the ambivalence enter. Now I feel like, we opened our home to the invasion of the world ---how do I protect my family from not so pleasant information that saturates the world? How can I when I am not internet savvy. My children are more computer savvy (subject kaya nila to sa school. Ako, by experience lang). They know more sites than I do. Do I have to sit with them when they are behind the computer? Ano ba yan!
Hay! Welcome to the worldwide web. And I don't know if I'm happy about it.
For me, the internet connection would make work easier for me since my work is basically internet based. In the past, if a client informs me through text that a job is available, I had to rush myself to the nearest internet cafe (kahit hindi pa nakaligo) to check the mail... and before I could open it, I already lost the job. And at other times, I could not submit the necessary document dahil umuulan at di ako makapag-wifi.
For the kids, many of their researches are internet based. When they come home from school, they have to change clothes and go to the internet shop to do their research - sometimes, they are out of the house even late in the evening - e yung internet shop where they go to hinold-ap. kaya nakakatakot din talaga.
So we decided to get connected even if, as Tatay puts it, "nadagdagan ang monthly bills on top of meralco, water, LPG."
We decided to get connected as a step of faith:
1. hoping that with the internet connection, more jobs would come my way (and thus be able to pay the internet monthly bill). This is in fact an investment, and not a luxury. This is God's way of providing for our needs.
2. trusting that this is God's way of protecting the family. The children need not be out at night to do their research.
But this is also a test of discipline. Already, I made arrangement with the children that during school days, internet use is for research, at puedeng pang-update ng friendster and facebook account. Weekends, puede games.
Humirit pa si Katha, "Nay, puede YOUTUBE?"
Now this is a test of censorship, do I check what youtube features they view? baka merong di kanaisnais.
This is where the ambivalence enter. Now I feel like, we opened our home to the invasion of the world ---how do I protect my family from not so pleasant information that saturates the world? How can I when I am not internet savvy. My children are more computer savvy (subject kaya nila to sa school. Ako, by experience lang). They know more sites than I do. Do I have to sit with them when they are behind the computer? Ano ba yan!
Hay! Welcome to the worldwide web. And I don't know if I'm happy about it.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
NEGOTIATING THE DEMANDS OF MINISTRY AND FAMILY
NEGOTIATING THE DEMANDS OF MINISTRY AND FAMILY
A NanayPastor’s Interpretation of Luke 14:26
by
NanayPastor Carmel Villar-Paet
Introduction
NanayPastor is my blog’s identity . With this identity, I set my location, experience and embodiment: I am a mother and at the same time, a pastor, a minister, a worker in God’s wider church. Judith Berling mentions that “hermeneutics inevitably begins from one’s own location.” Location, according to Wilfred Cantwell Smith, “is not just about the personal identity (what labels or strands of influence we claim), but self-critical analysis of our particular location within the historical, geographical, or cultural ranges of the various religious and cultural traditions in which we partake.
I am a Filipino mother and at the same time a UCCP pastor. I have been a NanayPastor for 13 years now (my eldest child will turn 13 this year) and all these years, I tried to keep a balance between the demands of motherhood and ministry. I must admit that there were occasions, the demands of motherhood and ministry ensue a major tug-o’-war. A very recent incident clearly shows this tension between motherhood and ministry:
Sunday morning, as I was preparing to leave for church, my youngest son cried out, “Nay! Di ako makahinga!” After administering his medicine, I set off to a major mental and emotional debate: should I go to church and leave my son in his condition or should I stay with him and possibly prevent the worsening of his asthma attack.
That I even had that debate depressed me. I called my husband into the debate, “Tay… ano, alis ako?” This was an act of futility because my husband did not release me from my anguish, “Ikaw ang bahala, ‘Nay!” was his reply. You see my husband is the Salakot Temple-keeper and thus could not be absent from his ministry. And so I texted one of the church elders about my predicament. They went on with their worship service without a piano accompaniment.
Was I really released from anguish after this decision? Frankly no. I begin to ask, where is this tension coming from? Why don’t I feel relieved after having made the decision to stay with my son?
Admittedly, the tension comes from this recognizably difficult text found in Luke:
“If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26, RSV)
“Those who come to me cannot be my disciples unless they love me more than they love father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and themselves as well. (Luke 14:26, GNT)
Maybe you are one of those who encountered this text during your Discipleship Training Camp and with this text you were taught that the prerequisite for discipleship is our ability to leave not only our riches (as if we have) but our own family to follow Christ. Unless we are able to do this, we are not worthy to be called disciples of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
As a UCCP Pastor, I saw how young people keep this verse literally at heart. Young people who were raised in a family who are not members of the UCCP struggle over obeying the wishes of their family to stay at home or to participate in youth fellowship and activities.
Now as NanayPastor, I recognize the tension between my commitment to Christ’s mission and my role as a mother. From this identity as NanayPastor, I set out to revisit this text and to try to understand the meaning of the text from my location and my story.
The Text
Luke 14:26 is classified under prophetic pronouncement. This pronouncement is said to be addressed to a large crowd. The intent of this pronouncement is “to urge persons who are seeking to be disciples to consider first the demands of discipleship.” The preceding verse, 25, describes the setting of the pronouncement. “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus…” To this crowd, Jesus addressed this pronouncement. Imagine these multitude of people following Jesus, perhaps, leaving their field, their boat and fishnets, their family, and all he could tell them was ,”If you do not hate your family, you are not worthy to be my disciple.” Wow!
Did Jesus really say those words? Could Jesus, who has preached on love and whose ethos is love, espouse hating ones family to be his disciples? Luke 14:26 appears to contradict Jesus’ message of love and reconciliation.
The problem in the text is the word “hate” which is Greek (misew)) means to despise; to disregard, to be indifferent to one’s family. This pronouncement must have shocked, even offended the hearers. Among the Jews honoring ones parents was considered to be the highest obligation and ones family was considered as ones greatest joy. How could this rabbi Jesus demand from his followers to hate the very thing that gives them ultimate joy and to go against the basic demand of their society of honoring parents?
Is it because Jesus did not value his own family? Or is it because like many male pastors, they can leave their family behind knowing that a capable and loving mother, wife or sister is taking care of the family?
A popular episode could possibly give light to how Jesus regards his family. In Luke 2:41-52, Jesus went with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for the yearly Passover Festival. Upon their return, Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was no longer with them. They searched for him but could not find him among relatives and friends. So they went back to Jerusalem. There they found Jesus discussing with the teachers. Of course the parents reprimanded Jesus for leaving without permission, for causing them anguish. But his response to their reprimand astonished Mary and Joseph, for instead of apologizing, Jesus said, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my father’s house?” In our time, Jesus would have been regarded as “bastos.” Even in the Jewish context, this response of Jesus would have been regarded as a violation of one of the most important commandments, that of honoring ones parents.
In another incidence, much later in Jesus’ adult life when he was already thick into his ministry, Mary, his mother, and brothers and sisters went looking for him. As crowds surrounded Jesus, they could not go near him, so they sent in words that they wanted to see him. What would have been the expected response was for Jesus to meet his family, introduce them to the crowd as his beloved family and attend to them first. But instead, Jesus addressed the crowd saying, “Who are my mother and my brothers? ... Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Luke 8:19-21).
His response could be viewed as very insulting to Mary and his brothers and sisters who only have his best interest at heart. These two incidents could be evidences of Jesus’ attitude to his family. “He had not shown respect, loyalty and obedience as was expected of him.” Even Rose Sallberg Kam accused the adult Jesus to have abandoned his family.
Is this the example that Jesus expected his disciples to emulate?
No commentaries ventured as to remotely suggest that this is what Jesus wanted his disciples to emulate. Instead, commentaries tried to soften the intent of the pronouncement by saying that the pronouncement is a typical Semetic hyperbole, and exaggeration; that what Jesus meant with hate is to “love less” instead of hate. But John Nolland insists that
the language of hate is intended with all seriousness (Ps 139:21–22; 1QS 1:10; 9:2113). The point here is that where there is hate no “ties that bind” limit one’s freedom of action (cf. 9:59, 61). There is likely to be an allusion to Deut 33:9 with its link in turn to Exod 32:27–29, where the Levites demonstrate that they are on the Lord’s side by carrying out the required slaughter with a single-mindedness that disregarded their own family ties
So how are we going to take this pronouncement? Are we going to take this as a figure of speech or take this literally with all of its “intended seriousness’?
Another way of looking at this pronouncement is to look at the source of the pronouncement. Kee identifies this pronouncement as part of the Q material. According to Kee, the central interest of the Q tradition is the preparation for the coming of the coming age; that eschatological expectation characterizes the call of discipleship. Therefore, discipleship calls for extraordinary lifestyle, which included abandoning ones family. As Kee explains,
Routine family obligations, burying one’s father, even bidding the family farewell – are to be ignored in the light of the urgency of announcing God’s kingdom as disciples of Jesus.
The Q tradition overturns society’s set up where one’s identity was intimately bound with the family. In the Q tradition, the family is no longer the locus of identity and security. There was a complete break from family and familial network. According to Kee, this is so, because the disciples lived an itinerant existence. They set out without food or money and were only dependent on whatever the village offered them and their hospitality. Kee is convinced that the community that preserved these traditions has adopted them as their own.
Luke 14:26 as a Dangerous Text
Unfortunately, the text is being read literally. This text becomes a requirement that ministers impose on themselves and which the church imposes on its workers. There is no indication in the Minister’s Manual or in Church Workers’ Magna Carta that anyone who wishes to become a worker of God has to hate his family. But in the unwritten tradition, ministers are expected to put church ministry over and above family concerns. What is even scarier is when ministers impose this on themselves, so much so, that a minister prided himself of being able to attend to a Bible Study rather than be with his family in their mourning. A woman minister told me that she left her child convulsing in fever for an evangelistic meeting in a remote barangay.
Shiela struggled over the demand of the church for her to serve the church for two years after she finishes her Seminary education. Her husband was assigned in Mindanao, her conference was in Cavite. She wanted to join her husband right after graduation so they can start building a family. As she shared with me her concern, I comforted her by saying, “You will find out that the church is merciful.” After graduation, I learned that she served her conference first and was separated from her husband.
Grace struggled over leaving her child high with fever to go to her church assignment.
On my way to church, I heard a high school teen tell her friend that if her father would accept a church assignment, she would really beg her mother to stay where they were and just let her father take the church assignment by themselves.
In many Bible Studies, the requirement of Jesus to “sell what you have…” to be able to qualify as his disciples, is a favorite topic. And for many of us, this is a rather acceptable requirement. So we have in our midst ministers who left their profession in medicine, their millions in business and their popularity to heed God’s call and be ministers. We applaud their commitment to the ministry. But we have been silent regarding Jesus’ requirement “to hate our family.”
But this “biblical principle” is in practice. Ministers leave their family to study in seminary. Of course economics has a lot to do with this decision. In Local Church setting, ministers leave their family to pastor a small church in a remote barrio without the possibility of work for the spouse or schooling for the children. Does the church care regarding these matters? In cases like these, the pastor leaves their family where his wife can look for a job (perhaps a public school teacher) and where his children can go to school. He leaves for his ministerial assignment.
As a result of this separation, and this devaluing of family, we have in our midst pasaway na pastor’s kids. The church seems to expect pastors’ kids a problem in the church in stride. A school guidance counselor told me of a case of problematic student who is a pastor’s kid. She then asked, “bakit karamihan ng mga anak ng pastor problematic?”
The church continues to be silent regarding marital problems created by this devaluing of family as a cost of ministry.
Hermeneutics of Narrative Disclosure, the Methodology
In my MDiv Thesis, I introduced an hermeneutical approach which is called The Hermeneutics of Narrative Disclosure:
The Hermeneutics of Narrative Disclosure begins with a stance of respect – the narratives of women are respected; the community, who receives the narratives, is given due respect and the authority of the Scripture is affirmed.
As a starting point, the community of faith recognizes that women’s stories bear truth and this truth discloses how to be a community. In the exchange of stories, the bearer of the narrative and the community who receives the narrative grow in a never-ending cycle of growth.
The community then looks at the Scripture for enlightenment and affirmation of these narratives. In this engagement, the community looks at the Scripture for validation of women’s experiences. “This validation leads to further and more intense engagement with the community, the individuals in the community and the text itself in an ever increasing degree of intimacy and identification until the Scripture narratives of long ago becomes in a true sense the actual experienced story of the individual and the community of faith.”
I am convinced that some difficult Biblical text would be given new perspective or understanding when they are evaluated and validated by women’s experience. As a starting point, women’s stories are brought into fore. As Carol P Christ claims,
Women’s stories have not been told and without stories there is no articulation of experience… Without [a woman] cannot understand herself. Without stories she is alienated from those deeper experiences of self and world that has been called spiritual or religious… The expression of women’s spiritual quest is integrally related to the telling of women’s stories. If women’s stories are not told, the depth of women’s soul will not be known.
We need to look at Luke 14:26 from the perspective of women’s experience, particularly, from women clergy’s experience.
The church structure had been fashioned and designed based on male clergy – male clergy who can leave their family behind knowing that their wife can very well look after the family.
As this paper was read, a male colleague commented, “Hindi ko yan problema kasi andyan naman si Misis na mag-aalaga sa mga bata.” Precisely the point of this paper. Male clergies can easily get into their ministerial task, even take on church assignments away from their family confident that their wife will take on the task of taking care of the family single-handedly. Male clergy can dust off their hands and smugly say that they have complied Jesus’ requirement for discipleship.
But how about the women clergy? They who dedicate themselves to the demands of the ministry as well as lovingly hold on to the task of rearing a family? How does she negotiate the demands of ministry and family?
Venturing into a solution.
The clergy woman need not negotiate this all by herself. She can take this up with the church council up to the church hierarchy. She can declare to the church how important her family is to her and will appreciate it if the church is willing to give her space to be able to function as a wife, mother and pastor.
Sharon has a special child. Her child needs to be in a special school. When her conference assigned her to a church located in a remote barangay, she insisted that she be assigned in a church where there is a school facility that meets the need of her child. Insist women clergy must. If this means challenging the existing structure of the church, so be it.
Get the community and the church to support your family and its needs. As an Indian proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child,” so it takes the entire church community to raise a pastor’s family.
A NanayPastor’s Interpretation of Luke 14:26
by
NanayPastor Carmel Villar-Paet
Introduction
NanayPastor is my blog’s identity . With this identity, I set my location, experience and embodiment: I am a mother and at the same time, a pastor, a minister, a worker in God’s wider church. Judith Berling mentions that “hermeneutics inevitably begins from one’s own location.” Location, according to Wilfred Cantwell Smith, “is not just about the personal identity (what labels or strands of influence we claim), but self-critical analysis of our particular location within the historical, geographical, or cultural ranges of the various religious and cultural traditions in which we partake.
I am a Filipino mother and at the same time a UCCP pastor. I have been a NanayPastor for 13 years now (my eldest child will turn 13 this year) and all these years, I tried to keep a balance between the demands of motherhood and ministry. I must admit that there were occasions, the demands of motherhood and ministry ensue a major tug-o’-war. A very recent incident clearly shows this tension between motherhood and ministry:
Sunday morning, as I was preparing to leave for church, my youngest son cried out, “Nay! Di ako makahinga!” After administering his medicine, I set off to a major mental and emotional debate: should I go to church and leave my son in his condition or should I stay with him and possibly prevent the worsening of his asthma attack.
That I even had that debate depressed me. I called my husband into the debate, “Tay… ano, alis ako?” This was an act of futility because my husband did not release me from my anguish, “Ikaw ang bahala, ‘Nay!” was his reply. You see my husband is the Salakot Temple-keeper and thus could not be absent from his ministry. And so I texted one of the church elders about my predicament. They went on with their worship service without a piano accompaniment.
Was I really released from anguish after this decision? Frankly no. I begin to ask, where is this tension coming from? Why don’t I feel relieved after having made the decision to stay with my son?
Admittedly, the tension comes from this recognizably difficult text found in Luke:
“If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26, RSV)
“Those who come to me cannot be my disciples unless they love me more than they love father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and themselves as well. (Luke 14:26, GNT)
Maybe you are one of those who encountered this text during your Discipleship Training Camp and with this text you were taught that the prerequisite for discipleship is our ability to leave not only our riches (as if we have) but our own family to follow Christ. Unless we are able to do this, we are not worthy to be called disciples of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
As a UCCP Pastor, I saw how young people keep this verse literally at heart. Young people who were raised in a family who are not members of the UCCP struggle over obeying the wishes of their family to stay at home or to participate in youth fellowship and activities.
Now as NanayPastor, I recognize the tension between my commitment to Christ’s mission and my role as a mother. From this identity as NanayPastor, I set out to revisit this text and to try to understand the meaning of the text from my location and my story.
The Text
Luke 14:26 is classified under prophetic pronouncement. This pronouncement is said to be addressed to a large crowd. The intent of this pronouncement is “to urge persons who are seeking to be disciples to consider first the demands of discipleship.” The preceding verse, 25, describes the setting of the pronouncement. “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus…” To this crowd, Jesus addressed this pronouncement. Imagine these multitude of people following Jesus, perhaps, leaving their field, their boat and fishnets, their family, and all he could tell them was ,”If you do not hate your family, you are not worthy to be my disciple.” Wow!
Did Jesus really say those words? Could Jesus, who has preached on love and whose ethos is love, espouse hating ones family to be his disciples? Luke 14:26 appears to contradict Jesus’ message of love and reconciliation.
The problem in the text is the word “hate” which is Greek (misew)) means to despise; to disregard, to be indifferent to one’s family. This pronouncement must have shocked, even offended the hearers. Among the Jews honoring ones parents was considered to be the highest obligation and ones family was considered as ones greatest joy. How could this rabbi Jesus demand from his followers to hate the very thing that gives them ultimate joy and to go against the basic demand of their society of honoring parents?
Is it because Jesus did not value his own family? Or is it because like many male pastors, they can leave their family behind knowing that a capable and loving mother, wife or sister is taking care of the family?
A popular episode could possibly give light to how Jesus regards his family. In Luke 2:41-52, Jesus went with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for the yearly Passover Festival. Upon their return, Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was no longer with them. They searched for him but could not find him among relatives and friends. So they went back to Jerusalem. There they found Jesus discussing with the teachers. Of course the parents reprimanded Jesus for leaving without permission, for causing them anguish. But his response to their reprimand astonished Mary and Joseph, for instead of apologizing, Jesus said, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my father’s house?” In our time, Jesus would have been regarded as “bastos.” Even in the Jewish context, this response of Jesus would have been regarded as a violation of one of the most important commandments, that of honoring ones parents.
In another incidence, much later in Jesus’ adult life when he was already thick into his ministry, Mary, his mother, and brothers and sisters went looking for him. As crowds surrounded Jesus, they could not go near him, so they sent in words that they wanted to see him. What would have been the expected response was for Jesus to meet his family, introduce them to the crowd as his beloved family and attend to them first. But instead, Jesus addressed the crowd saying, “Who are my mother and my brothers? ... Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Luke 8:19-21).
His response could be viewed as very insulting to Mary and his brothers and sisters who only have his best interest at heart. These two incidents could be evidences of Jesus’ attitude to his family. “He had not shown respect, loyalty and obedience as was expected of him.” Even Rose Sallberg Kam accused the adult Jesus to have abandoned his family.
Is this the example that Jesus expected his disciples to emulate?
No commentaries ventured as to remotely suggest that this is what Jesus wanted his disciples to emulate. Instead, commentaries tried to soften the intent of the pronouncement by saying that the pronouncement is a typical Semetic hyperbole, and exaggeration; that what Jesus meant with hate is to “love less” instead of hate. But John Nolland insists that
the language of hate is intended with all seriousness (Ps 139:21–22; 1QS 1:10; 9:2113). The point here is that where there is hate no “ties that bind” limit one’s freedom of action (cf. 9:59, 61). There is likely to be an allusion to Deut 33:9 with its link in turn to Exod 32:27–29, where the Levites demonstrate that they are on the Lord’s side by carrying out the required slaughter with a single-mindedness that disregarded their own family ties
So how are we going to take this pronouncement? Are we going to take this as a figure of speech or take this literally with all of its “intended seriousness’?
Another way of looking at this pronouncement is to look at the source of the pronouncement. Kee identifies this pronouncement as part of the Q material. According to Kee, the central interest of the Q tradition is the preparation for the coming of the coming age; that eschatological expectation characterizes the call of discipleship. Therefore, discipleship calls for extraordinary lifestyle, which included abandoning ones family. As Kee explains,
Routine family obligations, burying one’s father, even bidding the family farewell – are to be ignored in the light of the urgency of announcing God’s kingdom as disciples of Jesus.
The Q tradition overturns society’s set up where one’s identity was intimately bound with the family. In the Q tradition, the family is no longer the locus of identity and security. There was a complete break from family and familial network. According to Kee, this is so, because the disciples lived an itinerant existence. They set out without food or money and were only dependent on whatever the village offered them and their hospitality. Kee is convinced that the community that preserved these traditions has adopted them as their own.
Luke 14:26 as a Dangerous Text
Unfortunately, the text is being read literally. This text becomes a requirement that ministers impose on themselves and which the church imposes on its workers. There is no indication in the Minister’s Manual or in Church Workers’ Magna Carta that anyone who wishes to become a worker of God has to hate his family. But in the unwritten tradition, ministers are expected to put church ministry over and above family concerns. What is even scarier is when ministers impose this on themselves, so much so, that a minister prided himself of being able to attend to a Bible Study rather than be with his family in their mourning. A woman minister told me that she left her child convulsing in fever for an evangelistic meeting in a remote barangay.
Shiela struggled over the demand of the church for her to serve the church for two years after she finishes her Seminary education. Her husband was assigned in Mindanao, her conference was in Cavite. She wanted to join her husband right after graduation so they can start building a family. As she shared with me her concern, I comforted her by saying, “You will find out that the church is merciful.” After graduation, I learned that she served her conference first and was separated from her husband.
Grace struggled over leaving her child high with fever to go to her church assignment.
On my way to church, I heard a high school teen tell her friend that if her father would accept a church assignment, she would really beg her mother to stay where they were and just let her father take the church assignment by themselves.
In many Bible Studies, the requirement of Jesus to “sell what you have…” to be able to qualify as his disciples, is a favorite topic. And for many of us, this is a rather acceptable requirement. So we have in our midst ministers who left their profession in medicine, their millions in business and their popularity to heed God’s call and be ministers. We applaud their commitment to the ministry. But we have been silent regarding Jesus’ requirement “to hate our family.”
But this “biblical principle” is in practice. Ministers leave their family to study in seminary. Of course economics has a lot to do with this decision. In Local Church setting, ministers leave their family to pastor a small church in a remote barrio without the possibility of work for the spouse or schooling for the children. Does the church care regarding these matters? In cases like these, the pastor leaves their family where his wife can look for a job (perhaps a public school teacher) and where his children can go to school. He leaves for his ministerial assignment.
As a result of this separation, and this devaluing of family, we have in our midst pasaway na pastor’s kids. The church seems to expect pastors’ kids a problem in the church in stride. A school guidance counselor told me of a case of problematic student who is a pastor’s kid. She then asked, “bakit karamihan ng mga anak ng pastor problematic?”
The church continues to be silent regarding marital problems created by this devaluing of family as a cost of ministry.
Hermeneutics of Narrative Disclosure, the Methodology
In my MDiv Thesis, I introduced an hermeneutical approach which is called The Hermeneutics of Narrative Disclosure:
The Hermeneutics of Narrative Disclosure begins with a stance of respect – the narratives of women are respected; the community, who receives the narratives, is given due respect and the authority of the Scripture is affirmed.
As a starting point, the community of faith recognizes that women’s stories bear truth and this truth discloses how to be a community. In the exchange of stories, the bearer of the narrative and the community who receives the narrative grow in a never-ending cycle of growth.
The community then looks at the Scripture for enlightenment and affirmation of these narratives. In this engagement, the community looks at the Scripture for validation of women’s experiences. “This validation leads to further and more intense engagement with the community, the individuals in the community and the text itself in an ever increasing degree of intimacy and identification until the Scripture narratives of long ago becomes in a true sense the actual experienced story of the individual and the community of faith.”
I am convinced that some difficult Biblical text would be given new perspective or understanding when they are evaluated and validated by women’s experience. As a starting point, women’s stories are brought into fore. As Carol P Christ claims,
Women’s stories have not been told and without stories there is no articulation of experience… Without [a woman] cannot understand herself. Without stories she is alienated from those deeper experiences of self and world that has been called spiritual or religious… The expression of women’s spiritual quest is integrally related to the telling of women’s stories. If women’s stories are not told, the depth of women’s soul will not be known.
We need to look at Luke 14:26 from the perspective of women’s experience, particularly, from women clergy’s experience.
The church structure had been fashioned and designed based on male clergy – male clergy who can leave their family behind knowing that their wife can very well look after the family.
As this paper was read, a male colleague commented, “Hindi ko yan problema kasi andyan naman si Misis na mag-aalaga sa mga bata.” Precisely the point of this paper. Male clergies can easily get into their ministerial task, even take on church assignments away from their family confident that their wife will take on the task of taking care of the family single-handedly. Male clergy can dust off their hands and smugly say that they have complied Jesus’ requirement for discipleship.
But how about the women clergy? They who dedicate themselves to the demands of the ministry as well as lovingly hold on to the task of rearing a family? How does she negotiate the demands of ministry and family?
Venturing into a solution.
The clergy woman need not negotiate this all by herself. She can take this up with the church council up to the church hierarchy. She can declare to the church how important her family is to her and will appreciate it if the church is willing to give her space to be able to function as a wife, mother and pastor.
Sharon has a special child. Her child needs to be in a special school. When her conference assigned her to a church located in a remote barangay, she insisted that she be assigned in a church where there is a school facility that meets the need of her child. Insist women clergy must. If this means challenging the existing structure of the church, so be it.
Get the community and the church to support your family and its needs. As an Indian proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child,” so it takes the entire church community to raise a pastor’s family.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
introducing NUMBERS
Numbers
The book of Numbers is an interesting book to read despite the numerical listings recorded in its pages. Incidentally, the book’s name is derived from the Greek name of the book Arithmoi which was translated in Vulgate as Numeri probably based on the censuses conducted from the moment Moses gathered the Hebrew people at the foot of Mt Sinai up to the time they were about to settle in the promised land.
Beyond the numerical listings, Numbers tells the story of the experiences of the Hebrew people as they journeyed for nearly forty years in the desert on their way to the land promised to them by God, thirteen months after they left slavery in Egypt. This is the reason why the Hebrew name for the book is bemidbar which means, “In the Desert.”
Numbers, Israel was a young nation going through the painful process of growth as God led the people to trust Him as their leader and provider. What makes Numbers remarkable is that the book establishes God’s faithfulness despite the people’s unfaithfulness, impatience, murmurings and outright rebellion.
The book also provides us with a dramatic portrait of God, Moses and the people as they struggle to turn the disasters in their wilderness journey into a success and blessing. The book tells of how the Hebrew people learned the bitter consequence of unbelief and unfaithfulness.
Numbers also contains materials for the worship patterns of Israel. It contains the Aaronic Benediction, instructions on Passover and instructions for worship. At the end, the pulse of the book is worship, as it challenges us to worship God, trust his plans and promises for us.
Other interesting stories in Numbers:
a. The story of the 12 spies
b. The water from the rock
c. The story of the Bronze Snake
d. Balaam and the Talking Donkey
e. The claim of women for inheritance
The book of Numbers is an interesting book to read despite the numerical listings recorded in its pages. Incidentally, the book’s name is derived from the Greek name of the book Arithmoi which was translated in Vulgate as Numeri probably based on the censuses conducted from the moment Moses gathered the Hebrew people at the foot of Mt Sinai up to the time they were about to settle in the promised land.
Beyond the numerical listings, Numbers tells the story of the experiences of the Hebrew people as they journeyed for nearly forty years in the desert on their way to the land promised to them by God, thirteen months after they left slavery in Egypt. This is the reason why the Hebrew name for the book is bemidbar which means, “In the Desert.”
Numbers, Israel was a young nation going through the painful process of growth as God led the people to trust Him as their leader and provider. What makes Numbers remarkable is that the book establishes God’s faithfulness despite the people’s unfaithfulness, impatience, murmurings and outright rebellion.
The book also provides us with a dramatic portrait of God, Moses and the people as they struggle to turn the disasters in their wilderness journey into a success and blessing. The book tells of how the Hebrew people learned the bitter consequence of unbelief and unfaithfulness.
Numbers also contains materials for the worship patterns of Israel. It contains the Aaronic Benediction, instructions on Passover and instructions for worship. At the end, the pulse of the book is worship, as it challenges us to worship God, trust his plans and promises for us.
Other interesting stories in Numbers:
a. The story of the 12 spies
b. The water from the rock
c. The story of the Bronze Snake
d. Balaam and the Talking Donkey
e. The claim of women for inheritance
LEND or DEDICATE, What Did Hannah Do?
What did Hannah do with Samuel?
1 Sam 1:28
Rcpv : gitugyan ko siya sa Ginoo
Gnt: I am dedicating him to the Lord
Rsv: I have lent him to the Lord
LXX: kavgw. kicrw/ auvto.n tw/| kuri,w - -to lend – And I dedicate him to the Lord
WTT BHS: hw"hyl; WhTil.aiv.hi ykinOa' ~g:w> -I have asked/inquired/borrowed/beg him to (recent translation, occasionally, from) Yahweh
LXX used the verb kicrw (to lend where rsv translated using the verb; the LXX tense is in indicative present active first person singular.
rsv: although using the verb lend – but is rendered in present perfect first person singular
gnt: uses the verb dedicate in present progressive first person.
dedicate vs lend
dedicate means - to devote to the worship of a divine being; specifically : to set apart (a church) to sacred uses with solemn rites
lend - to give for temporary use on condition that the same or its equivalent be returned
Theological Implication on the choice of word:
The term “dedicate” has a churchy, sacred sound in it. I can very well understand the translator’s choice of a more “churchy” sacred term “dedicate” over “lend” which has a more utilitarian, commercial sound in it. But if LXX is to be consulted, Hannah lent to the Lord Samuel on condition that God will return Samuel or its equivalent.
Theologically, when we use the term “dedicate” we offer to the divine being (to God) something (our lives, the product of our labor, etc) unconditionally. It’s an act of worship. It is a lifetime commitment.
On the other hand, to lend something, whether we put a religious connotation on it or not, is for temporary use, and always, we expect that that which we lent will be returned at an appointed time.
LXX claims that Hannah only lent Samuel to the Lord. Although Klein thinks this is
“more idiomatically, she “lent him to Yahweh,” repeating one more time the pun on the letters שאל. For all his days he will be a “Saul” for Yahweh.”
If we go by Klein’s idea that the term “lent him to Yahweh” is more idiomatic than literal, then what could lent mean? Mirriam-Webster provides an explanation on the use of the verb lend:
lend is the verb used for figurative expressions, such as “lending a hand” or “lending enchantment.”
But to lend a life, a person to the Lord, what does this mean? For a mother to lend her child to God?
Let me venture into some theological concepts:
1. Our life is borrowed from God. Technically, God lends us our life and all that we have. That’s why in our act of dedication, we say, “all that we have comes from you, our God, the source of our lives and all that we have.”
a. In the act of dedication, usually through offering, we return back to God what he lent to us: our life, our talent, our treasure, etc.
b. In the act of child dedication, we thank God for the life that God so graciously allowed us to have and nurture. But in this liturgical act, we offer back to God disowning ownership of the life borne and acknowledging that God is the sole owner of the life of our child and we are temporary care-givers.
2. Created in the image of God means that we take part in the creative and salvific work of God. The lives given to us, the child(ren) we bore are the product of the creative act of a man and a woman. Nurturing the child(ren) into full-maturity is the continuing creative and saving act of God. We become partners of God in creating and saving lives. So when we offer this life back to God, we acknowledge we are never on our own in rearing up our child(ren). God is our partner and we partake in God’s continuous work in the lives of our child(ren).
3. That we are stewards of the lives born to us. Our child(ren) are not born to us so that someday they will be of used to us. On the contrary, as stewards of the lives given to us, it is our duty and obligation to develop them into the person that God designed them to be.
Given these theological concepts, how then are we going to understand the LXX use of the word kicrw (English: to lend):
There are other uses of the term lend:
a. to give the assistance or support of : AFFORD, FURNISH 〈a dispassionate and scholarly manner which lends great force to his criticisms —Times Lit. Supp.〉
b. to adapt or apply (oneself) readily : ACCOMMODATE 〈a topic that lends itself admirably to class discussion〉
a. if we apply the first definition of the word lend which is to give assistance or support of, then Hannah [gives assistance of support] to the Lord. In the sentence, the Lord is the recipient of the assistance of support. This is participating the creative and saving work of the Lord in the life Hannah’s child, Samuel.
b. if lend means to accommodate oneself readily to God, then Hannah commits herself readily for the purpose of God into the life of Samuel. Hannah accommodated upon herself into God’s plan for Samuel.
It becomes more interesting when we look at the Hebrew rendition of 1 Sam 1:28:
hw"hyl; WhTil.aiv.hi ykinOa' ~g:w>
WhTil.aiv.hi (verb hiphil perfect 1st person common singular, of the verb שאל which means ask, inquire, borrow, beg, suffix 3rd person masculine singular - (I) have asked/inquired/borrowed, begged him)
(And so, I have asked/inquired, borrowed begged him to/for Yahweh).
Where is the act of dedication here? This is only a declaration that what she had prayed for has come true. And that Eli’s blessing “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have made to him” (1Sa 1:17) has been fulfilled and is now a reality.
Where then is the idea that dedication (kicrw ) means bringing the child to stay in the temple and be a minister? In verse 22, Hannah declared, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the \nd Lord\nd*, and abide there for ever.”
Implications:
A. Translation
kicrw has been rendered in English as lend (RSV, NRS, KJV) and dedicate (NAS, GNT); Cebuano has two renditions : gihatag (give) (Bugna, Pinadayag) and gitugyan (dedicate) (MBB, RCPV). Lend has not been rendered in any CEB translation.
a. Is dedication a faithful rendition of the LXX kicrw? Where did the contemporary versions base their use of dedication? It is not in LXX and definitely not in Hebrew Bible.
b. Dedicate vs Lend. Dedicate may be a good choice of word for what Hannah did to her child Samuel. But the depth of the meaning of lend is lost with the use of dedication. Unfortunately, if we use dedicate, we create an idea of passive surrendering of the child to the Lord whereas as discussed above, lend gives active and more participative act on Hannah’s part with regards to her child.
On the issue of tense: at the start, we noted the differences of tense between RSV and GNT (RSV is formal translation, GNT uses dynamic equivalence). RSV uses present progressive tense while GNT uses present perfect tense.
Grammar books tell us the progressive tense is a weak tense and should be used with care. Progressive tense suggest incomplete act or tentative act. On the other hand, GNT’s rendition in perfect tense suggests a completed act. However, LXX renders the verb in indicative present active. RSV was able to render the indicative present active only that RSV renders the verb in present progressive tense, which again is a weak tense. The intense resolve of Hannah in her act of kicrw has been muffled at the very least or lost at its worst. Why hasn’t there been a translation that renders Hannah’s act in simple present tense: And so I lend/dedicate him to the Lord. Renders this way, we see that lending/dedicating her child to the Lord becomes a habitual, daily act, not a one-time completed act, leaving the rearing of her child into the hands of God (or the church) but an active daily participation, which is the very essence of the term lend. All these meanings are lost at the choice of word and the setting of tense.
B. Parenting Guidelines
Hannah’s prayer and action has been a model act of godly parenting (or godly mothering). A bible study notes says:
“Hannah is a great example of a godly mother. From the time she first desired for a child, in prayers and intentions she has dedicated to God the future of her child”
Unfortunately, “dedicated” in this passage had always been misunderstood as offering ones child to the ministry (literally, giving up custody of the child into the church; or figuratively, dedicating the child to the Lord to become a minister). How many stories have we heard of a person forced into the ministry because he/she had been dedicated to God as first born and following the example of Hannah to her Samuel.
Ok, I will not go any farther. This has been my experience. My parents dedicated me to God and so they expected that I will serve the church. (My gosh! My parents have good connections in heaven!). But I resented this. I resented losing my freedom to choose the path I wish to trod or the freedom to accommodate for my own God’s plan for my life. This is what I call the passive dedication.
Given my analysis on the verb and its tense in verse 28, we can glean some parenting principles:
1. kicrw whether translated as lend or dedicate, tugyan or hatag, means: Our children are not our own, they are God’s. Parents are only temporary care-takers, stewards. And if we kicrw them to the Lord we
a. commit ourselves to participate in the continuing creative and saving work of God in our children’s lives. The operating word here is “participate.” We do not control. We do not design. We do not impose. The way I read this text, it is US, the parents who commit ourselves to God so that God can implement or fulfill his purposes in the lives of our children.
b. We should therefore accommodate God’s plan into the upbringing of our children. Does this mean passive rearing of children? Far from it! This is an active nurturing. When we accommodate God’s plan – we lend our children to God’s plan, as what Hannah did- we give support or assistance. We cannot be the one to thwart God’s plan, instead, we support it in every possible way. We cannot jut fold our arms and be fatalistic, que sera, sera, whatever will be will be – with the future of our children.
c. the act of kicrw begins long before conception. If this is so, parents cannot be careless. They should prepare, pray intently and work hard, and as Eli told Hannah, “and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for.”
2. kicrw is indicative present active, first person. Translated in first person simple present active form, kicrw is a daily habitual thing to do. Not a one-time, completed act. Perhaps we can glean from Susanna Wesley (the mother of John and Charles Wesley) who was said to daily, by hour or by minute pray and commit her children to the Lord. Parenting principles and guidelines and books and tv shows on parenting have overflowed. But nothing beats habitually lending our children to the Lord.
Conclusion:
So what did Hannah do with Samuel? She lent him to the Lord. Lend here had been given a deeper meaning and should be reflected in its translation.
Issues to be considered in translation:
1. which is easier understood, dedicate or lend? If lend is to be used, how should this be rendered in Filipino, pinahiram (TAG), gipahulam (CEB) for formal translation.
2. How about functional equivalence, how should this be rendered: Given the suggestions above, this writer is certain that v28 will have a totally new meaning when read.
Up next, still on verse 28 of ch 1, what did Samuel do in the temple? English translations say, he worshipped there, CEB, misimba, mag-alagad. Ows, talaga?
1 Sam 1:28
Rcpv : gitugyan ko siya sa Ginoo
Gnt: I am dedicating him to the Lord
Rsv: I have lent him to the Lord
LXX: kavgw. kicrw/ auvto.n tw/| kuri,w - -to lend – And I dedicate him to the Lord
WTT BHS: hw"hyl; WhTil.aiv.hi ykinOa' ~g:w> -I have asked/inquired/borrowed/beg him to (recent translation, occasionally, from) Yahweh
LXX used the verb kicrw (to lend where rsv translated using the verb; the LXX tense is in indicative present active first person singular.
rsv: although using the verb lend – but is rendered in present perfect first person singular
gnt: uses the verb dedicate in present progressive first person.
dedicate vs lend
dedicate means - to devote to the worship of a divine being; specifically : to set apart (a church) to sacred uses with solemn rites
lend - to give for temporary use on condition that the same or its equivalent be returned
Theological Implication on the choice of word:
The term “dedicate” has a churchy, sacred sound in it. I can very well understand the translator’s choice of a more “churchy” sacred term “dedicate” over “lend” which has a more utilitarian, commercial sound in it. But if LXX is to be consulted, Hannah lent to the Lord Samuel on condition that God will return Samuel or its equivalent.
Theologically, when we use the term “dedicate” we offer to the divine being (to God) something (our lives, the product of our labor, etc) unconditionally. It’s an act of worship. It is a lifetime commitment.
On the other hand, to lend something, whether we put a religious connotation on it or not, is for temporary use, and always, we expect that that which we lent will be returned at an appointed time.
LXX claims that Hannah only lent Samuel to the Lord. Although Klein thinks this is
“more idiomatically, she “lent him to Yahweh,” repeating one more time the pun on the letters שאל. For all his days he will be a “Saul” for Yahweh.”
If we go by Klein’s idea that the term “lent him to Yahweh” is more idiomatic than literal, then what could lent mean? Mirriam-Webster provides an explanation on the use of the verb lend:
lend is the verb used for figurative expressions, such as “lending a hand” or “lending enchantment.”
But to lend a life, a person to the Lord, what does this mean? For a mother to lend her child to God?
Let me venture into some theological concepts:
1. Our life is borrowed from God. Technically, God lends us our life and all that we have. That’s why in our act of dedication, we say, “all that we have comes from you, our God, the source of our lives and all that we have.”
a. In the act of dedication, usually through offering, we return back to God what he lent to us: our life, our talent, our treasure, etc.
b. In the act of child dedication, we thank God for the life that God so graciously allowed us to have and nurture. But in this liturgical act, we offer back to God disowning ownership of the life borne and acknowledging that God is the sole owner of the life of our child and we are temporary care-givers.
2. Created in the image of God means that we take part in the creative and salvific work of God. The lives given to us, the child(ren) we bore are the product of the creative act of a man and a woman. Nurturing the child(ren) into full-maturity is the continuing creative and saving act of God. We become partners of God in creating and saving lives. So when we offer this life back to God, we acknowledge we are never on our own in rearing up our child(ren). God is our partner and we partake in God’s continuous work in the lives of our child(ren).
3. That we are stewards of the lives born to us. Our child(ren) are not born to us so that someday they will be of used to us. On the contrary, as stewards of the lives given to us, it is our duty and obligation to develop them into the person that God designed them to be.
Given these theological concepts, how then are we going to understand the LXX use of the word kicrw (English: to lend):
There are other uses of the term lend:
a. to give the assistance or support of : AFFORD, FURNISH 〈a dispassionate and scholarly manner which lends great force to his criticisms —Times Lit. Supp.〉
b. to adapt or apply (oneself) readily : ACCOMMODATE 〈a topic that lends itself admirably to class discussion〉
a. if we apply the first definition of the word lend which is to give assistance or support of, then Hannah [gives assistance of support] to the Lord. In the sentence, the Lord is the recipient of the assistance of support. This is participating the creative and saving work of the Lord in the life Hannah’s child, Samuel.
b. if lend means to accommodate oneself readily to God, then Hannah commits herself readily for the purpose of God into the life of Samuel. Hannah accommodated upon herself into God’s plan for Samuel.
It becomes more interesting when we look at the Hebrew rendition of 1 Sam 1:28:
hw"hyl; WhTil.aiv.hi ykinOa' ~g:w>
WhTil.aiv.hi (verb hiphil perfect 1st person common singular, of the verb שאל which means ask, inquire, borrow, beg, suffix 3rd person masculine singular - (I) have asked/inquired/borrowed, begged him)
(And so, I have asked/inquired, borrowed begged him to/for Yahweh).
Where is the act of dedication here? This is only a declaration that what she had prayed for has come true. And that Eli’s blessing “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have made to him” (1Sa 1:17) has been fulfilled and is now a reality.
Where then is the idea that dedication (kicrw ) means bringing the child to stay in the temple and be a minister? In verse 22, Hannah declared, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the \nd Lord\nd*, and abide there for ever.”
Implications:
A. Translation
kicrw has been rendered in English as lend (RSV, NRS, KJV) and dedicate (NAS, GNT); Cebuano has two renditions : gihatag (give) (Bugna, Pinadayag) and gitugyan (dedicate) (MBB, RCPV). Lend has not been rendered in any CEB translation.
a. Is dedication a faithful rendition of the LXX kicrw? Where did the contemporary versions base their use of dedication? It is not in LXX and definitely not in Hebrew Bible.
b. Dedicate vs Lend. Dedicate may be a good choice of word for what Hannah did to her child Samuel. But the depth of the meaning of lend is lost with the use of dedication. Unfortunately, if we use dedicate, we create an idea of passive surrendering of the child to the Lord whereas as discussed above, lend gives active and more participative act on Hannah’s part with regards to her child.
On the issue of tense: at the start, we noted the differences of tense between RSV and GNT (RSV is formal translation, GNT uses dynamic equivalence). RSV uses present progressive tense while GNT uses present perfect tense.
Grammar books tell us the progressive tense is a weak tense and should be used with care. Progressive tense suggest incomplete act or tentative act. On the other hand, GNT’s rendition in perfect tense suggests a completed act. However, LXX renders the verb in indicative present active. RSV was able to render the indicative present active only that RSV renders the verb in present progressive tense, which again is a weak tense. The intense resolve of Hannah in her act of kicrw has been muffled at the very least or lost at its worst. Why hasn’t there been a translation that renders Hannah’s act in simple present tense: And so I lend/dedicate him to the Lord. Renders this way, we see that lending/dedicating her child to the Lord becomes a habitual, daily act, not a one-time completed act, leaving the rearing of her child into the hands of God (or the church) but an active daily participation, which is the very essence of the term lend. All these meanings are lost at the choice of word and the setting of tense.
B. Parenting Guidelines
Hannah’s prayer and action has been a model act of godly parenting (or godly mothering). A bible study notes says:
“Hannah is a great example of a godly mother. From the time she first desired for a child, in prayers and intentions she has dedicated to God the future of her child”
Unfortunately, “dedicated” in this passage had always been misunderstood as offering ones child to the ministry (literally, giving up custody of the child into the church; or figuratively, dedicating the child to the Lord to become a minister). How many stories have we heard of a person forced into the ministry because he/she had been dedicated to God as first born and following the example of Hannah to her Samuel.
Ok, I will not go any farther. This has been my experience. My parents dedicated me to God and so they expected that I will serve the church. (My gosh! My parents have good connections in heaven!). But I resented this. I resented losing my freedom to choose the path I wish to trod or the freedom to accommodate for my own God’s plan for my life. This is what I call the passive dedication.
Given my analysis on the verb and its tense in verse 28, we can glean some parenting principles:
1. kicrw whether translated as lend or dedicate, tugyan or hatag, means: Our children are not our own, they are God’s. Parents are only temporary care-takers, stewards. And if we kicrw them to the Lord we
a. commit ourselves to participate in the continuing creative and saving work of God in our children’s lives. The operating word here is “participate.” We do not control. We do not design. We do not impose. The way I read this text, it is US, the parents who commit ourselves to God so that God can implement or fulfill his purposes in the lives of our children.
b. We should therefore accommodate God’s plan into the upbringing of our children. Does this mean passive rearing of children? Far from it! This is an active nurturing. When we accommodate God’s plan – we lend our children to God’s plan, as what Hannah did- we give support or assistance. We cannot be the one to thwart God’s plan, instead, we support it in every possible way. We cannot jut fold our arms and be fatalistic, que sera, sera, whatever will be will be – with the future of our children.
c. the act of kicrw begins long before conception. If this is so, parents cannot be careless. They should prepare, pray intently and work hard, and as Eli told Hannah, “and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for.”
2. kicrw is indicative present active, first person. Translated in first person simple present active form, kicrw is a daily habitual thing to do. Not a one-time, completed act. Perhaps we can glean from Susanna Wesley (the mother of John and Charles Wesley) who was said to daily, by hour or by minute pray and commit her children to the Lord. Parenting principles and guidelines and books and tv shows on parenting have overflowed. But nothing beats habitually lending our children to the Lord.
Conclusion:
So what did Hannah do with Samuel? She lent him to the Lord. Lend here had been given a deeper meaning and should be reflected in its translation.
Issues to be considered in translation:
1. which is easier understood, dedicate or lend? If lend is to be used, how should this be rendered in Filipino, pinahiram (TAG), gipahulam (CEB) for formal translation.
2. How about functional equivalence, how should this be rendered: Given the suggestions above, this writer is certain that v28 will have a totally new meaning when read.
Up next, still on verse 28 of ch 1, what did Samuel do in the temple? English translations say, he worshipped there, CEB, misimba, mag-alagad. Ows, talaga?
A DIALOGICAL SERMON with my DAUGHTER
SADYANG KABUTIHAN
a Dialogical Sermon by Carmel and Mithi
Intro…
I would like to present to you a dialogical sermon… it’s a conversation with my daughter (call Mithi). I invite you to join with us in this conversation.
Nanay: Siguro naman (address students) alam nyo ang story ng Good Samaritan. Ikaw Mithi alam mo ang story ng Good Samaritan?
Mithi: Siempre naman, ako pa! Ano nga bay un? Yun ba yong…. (ad lib narrate the story)
Nanay : (address the students) Tama ba ang kwento ni Mithi? Agree ba kayo? Medyo nga lang modern ang rendition, but faithful to the story. That’s good, Mithi. I’m sure your Bible teacher is proud of you. But do you know the answer to Jesus’ question: Who among the three was a real neighbor to the man who was held-up?
Mithi: Siempre, yung Good Samaritan. Kaya nga tinawag na Good Samaritan, kasi he stopped to help a dying man?
Nanay: Oo nga. But do you know, tama din naman ang ginawa ng mga priest at levites?
Mithi: Tama ba yun? Tama bang iwan ang isang taong nakahandusay sa kalsada at hindi tulungan! Hello! Kahit ganito ako, alam ko namang mali siguro yung hindi tumulong sa nangangailangan, lalu na yung mga biktima ng hold-up!
Nanay: Tama ka jan. Mali talaga ang iwan lang ang isang taong nakahandusay at hindi tulungan. Pero para sa mga priest at levites, tama din yung ginawa nila.
Mithi: Ha? Panong nangyari yun?
Nanay: Do you know who the priests were?
Mithi: Siempre naman. Pari – o kaya pastor sa ngayon, katulad mo Nanay. Pero, naku, Nay, kapag ginawa mo yung ginawa ng Priest sa story natin, kahit ako sasabihin ko, magaling ka lang magsermon, pero wala sa gawa!
Nanay: Kasi nga you are looking at the story from our present time. But during Biblical times, priest ….
Mithi: Dib a, priests are mediators between people and God?
Nanay: Tama ka uli. But during Biblical Times, priests do not only represent God before people, they also bring people to God. They were the ones who ask forgiveness for the sins of the people. They were the ones who burn sacrifices offered by the people for the forgiveness of their sins. They have to be ceremonially clean to do this.
Mithi: Ano daw yun? cere,,,
Nanay: ceremonially clean! Dapat malinis sila… pure! They cannot approach God defiled. They go through complicated ceremonies of bathing, cleansing and many purification rituals before they can do their task of approaching God in behalf of the people. And one of the things that will defile them is if they touch corpse. They are forbidden to touch a corpse… mapatawo man yan o animal.
Mithi: Bawal silang humipo sa patay? Pero hindi pa naman patay yung tao sa story, di ba ?
Nanay: Because you know the story. But if we follow the story, the robbers left the man half-dead. Ibig sabihin, puede mong mapagkamalang patay na yung tao. And the priest could not take the risk of touching a possibly dead body or else, he could not function as a priest. Kawawa naman ang maraming mga tao na nangangailangan ng kapatawaran ng Dios sa kanilang kasalanan!
Mithi: E yung levite…
Nanay: Levites are temple helpers. They have the same purification requirement before they can serve in the temple!
Mithi: Mukhang mali pa rin yung iwanan mo lang ang isang tao na nakahandusay na hindi tulungan…
Nanay: I’d like us all to listen to this song. Entitled,
PLAY CD cut 9
Nanay: the song says, lahat ng mga paniniwala ay may layuning kabutihan. Lahat ng paninindigan ay para sa kabutihan ng kapwa. Yun ang kailangan nating isipin. Lahat tayo, magkakaiba man ang ating paniniwala at paninindigan, may sadyang kabutihang taglay. The priest and the levite had good reasons not to touch the victim, otherwise, they won’t be able to do what they needed to do.
Mithi: Ok. Pero para sa akin, hero ko pa rin ang Samaritan. Dib a magkaaway ang mga Jews at Samaritan? Pero kahit na, tinulungan pa rin niya ang kaaway ng kanyang lahi! Yan ang hero!
Nanay: At yan din talaga ang gusto nating iparating sa ating lesson ngayon. Alam mo ba ang daming makakahadlang sa atin upang gumawa ng kabutihan. Ang daming boundaries…
Mithi: Katulad ng yan, (point to the school boundary), boundary ng PCU High School – hindi kami puedeng lumabas ng wala sa oras?
Nanay: Pero higit na nakakatakot yung boundaries na hindi nakikita. Andyan, yung pagkakaiba ng paninindigan at paniniwala… pagkakaiba ng gusto at hilig…
Mithi: Ya right… like gusto ko ng anime… ayaw mo naman…
Nanay: Uh-huh! Like gusto ko ng tahimik, ang lakas ng patugtog mo ng mp3…
Mithi: Nanay, ha! Wag mo akong ibisto…
Nanay: But do you see my point? We have created boundaries. In fact, kahit siguro sa inyong classroom may kanya kanya kayong boundaries – boundary ng pagkakaibigan--- kami-kami – sila-sila.
Mithi: Tama po. Kung minsan, dahil kami ang magkafriendster at magka-gm…
Nanay: posibleng na exclude nyo na ang iba, dib a? Instead na magkatulungan, nagiging ka-kompetensya na.
Mithi: at sa halip na magkasundo, nagkaka-asaran pa.
Nanay: You know what is the greatest lesson of the story of the Good Samaritan?
Mithi: Yung tinulungan nya yung victim.
Nanay: But more than that, the Samaritan was able to cross over the boundaries of racial enmity, o pag-aaway ng lahi, pagkakaiba ng paniniwala (magkaiba kasi sila ng relihiyon), pagkakaiba ng estado at posisyon sa buhay. Yan ang greatest goodness. Please listen to this song:
PLAY CD cut 10
Nanay: (to the people) Let this be a prayer dance.
Group as a class. Form two circles: One from the inside. And another outer circle.
Each time you touch a person’s hand and say ‘kaibigan’ let it be a real prayer, that you are a friend, maasahan, karamay, masasandalan sa lahat ng panahon.
(Choreo of the Prayer Dance):
KAIBIGAN
Lyrics movement
Ang Kaibigan mo’y point to the person in front of you
kaibigan ko, point to self
Kaibigan hold the hand of the person in the inner circle and exchange place
Maaasahan mong may karamay ka hold the hands of the person next to you
at sandigan lean on the person next to you (nty)
Ang kaibigan hold the hand of the person nty
ng kaibigan ng kaibigan hold the hand of the person in the inner circle and exchange place until the end of the song….
Ng kaibigan from inner circle to outer circle
ko’y kaibigan mo. try to touch as many hands as possible
towards the end of the song… form one big circle… arms locked into you neighbors arm and sway or do the “chorus line” movement.
Benediction:
Nanay: You know what Mithi, brothers and sisters, Jesus no longer calls us servant or slaves… but friends. So go out and be a friend, cross boundaries and Do good at all times, at all places, with all that you can.
Mithi and Schoolmates: Amen. Amen. Amen.
a Dialogical Sermon by Carmel and Mithi
Intro…
I would like to present to you a dialogical sermon… it’s a conversation with my daughter (call Mithi). I invite you to join with us in this conversation.
Nanay: Siguro naman (address students) alam nyo ang story ng Good Samaritan. Ikaw Mithi alam mo ang story ng Good Samaritan?
Mithi: Siempre naman, ako pa! Ano nga bay un? Yun ba yong…. (ad lib narrate the story)
Nanay : (address the students) Tama ba ang kwento ni Mithi? Agree ba kayo? Medyo nga lang modern ang rendition, but faithful to the story. That’s good, Mithi. I’m sure your Bible teacher is proud of you. But do you know the answer to Jesus’ question: Who among the three was a real neighbor to the man who was held-up?
Mithi: Siempre, yung Good Samaritan. Kaya nga tinawag na Good Samaritan, kasi he stopped to help a dying man?
Nanay: Oo nga. But do you know, tama din naman ang ginawa ng mga priest at levites?
Mithi: Tama ba yun? Tama bang iwan ang isang taong nakahandusay sa kalsada at hindi tulungan! Hello! Kahit ganito ako, alam ko namang mali siguro yung hindi tumulong sa nangangailangan, lalu na yung mga biktima ng hold-up!
Nanay: Tama ka jan. Mali talaga ang iwan lang ang isang taong nakahandusay at hindi tulungan. Pero para sa mga priest at levites, tama din yung ginawa nila.
Mithi: Ha? Panong nangyari yun?
Nanay: Do you know who the priests were?
Mithi: Siempre naman. Pari – o kaya pastor sa ngayon, katulad mo Nanay. Pero, naku, Nay, kapag ginawa mo yung ginawa ng Priest sa story natin, kahit ako sasabihin ko, magaling ka lang magsermon, pero wala sa gawa!
Nanay: Kasi nga you are looking at the story from our present time. But during Biblical times, priest ….
Mithi: Dib a, priests are mediators between people and God?
Nanay: Tama ka uli. But during Biblical Times, priests do not only represent God before people, they also bring people to God. They were the ones who ask forgiveness for the sins of the people. They were the ones who burn sacrifices offered by the people for the forgiveness of their sins. They have to be ceremonially clean to do this.
Mithi: Ano daw yun? cere,,,
Nanay: ceremonially clean! Dapat malinis sila… pure! They cannot approach God defiled. They go through complicated ceremonies of bathing, cleansing and many purification rituals before they can do their task of approaching God in behalf of the people. And one of the things that will defile them is if they touch corpse. They are forbidden to touch a corpse… mapatawo man yan o animal.
Mithi: Bawal silang humipo sa patay? Pero hindi pa naman patay yung tao sa story, di ba ?
Nanay: Because you know the story. But if we follow the story, the robbers left the man half-dead. Ibig sabihin, puede mong mapagkamalang patay na yung tao. And the priest could not take the risk of touching a possibly dead body or else, he could not function as a priest. Kawawa naman ang maraming mga tao na nangangailangan ng kapatawaran ng Dios sa kanilang kasalanan!
Mithi: E yung levite…
Nanay: Levites are temple helpers. They have the same purification requirement before they can serve in the temple!
Mithi: Mukhang mali pa rin yung iwanan mo lang ang isang tao na nakahandusay na hindi tulungan…
Nanay: I’d like us all to listen to this song. Entitled,
PLAY CD cut 9
Nanay: the song says, lahat ng mga paniniwala ay may layuning kabutihan. Lahat ng paninindigan ay para sa kabutihan ng kapwa. Yun ang kailangan nating isipin. Lahat tayo, magkakaiba man ang ating paniniwala at paninindigan, may sadyang kabutihang taglay. The priest and the levite had good reasons not to touch the victim, otherwise, they won’t be able to do what they needed to do.
Mithi: Ok. Pero para sa akin, hero ko pa rin ang Samaritan. Dib a magkaaway ang mga Jews at Samaritan? Pero kahit na, tinulungan pa rin niya ang kaaway ng kanyang lahi! Yan ang hero!
Nanay: At yan din talaga ang gusto nating iparating sa ating lesson ngayon. Alam mo ba ang daming makakahadlang sa atin upang gumawa ng kabutihan. Ang daming boundaries…
Mithi: Katulad ng yan, (point to the school boundary), boundary ng PCU High School – hindi kami puedeng lumabas ng wala sa oras?
Nanay: Pero higit na nakakatakot yung boundaries na hindi nakikita. Andyan, yung pagkakaiba ng paninindigan at paniniwala… pagkakaiba ng gusto at hilig…
Mithi: Ya right… like gusto ko ng anime… ayaw mo naman…
Nanay: Uh-huh! Like gusto ko ng tahimik, ang lakas ng patugtog mo ng mp3…
Mithi: Nanay, ha! Wag mo akong ibisto…
Nanay: But do you see my point? We have created boundaries. In fact, kahit siguro sa inyong classroom may kanya kanya kayong boundaries – boundary ng pagkakaibigan--- kami-kami – sila-sila.
Mithi: Tama po. Kung minsan, dahil kami ang magkafriendster at magka-gm…
Nanay: posibleng na exclude nyo na ang iba, dib a? Instead na magkatulungan, nagiging ka-kompetensya na.
Mithi: at sa halip na magkasundo, nagkaka-asaran pa.
Nanay: You know what is the greatest lesson of the story of the Good Samaritan?
Mithi: Yung tinulungan nya yung victim.
Nanay: But more than that, the Samaritan was able to cross over the boundaries of racial enmity, o pag-aaway ng lahi, pagkakaiba ng paniniwala (magkaiba kasi sila ng relihiyon), pagkakaiba ng estado at posisyon sa buhay. Yan ang greatest goodness. Please listen to this song:
PLAY CD cut 10
Nanay: (to the people) Let this be a prayer dance.
Group as a class. Form two circles: One from the inside. And another outer circle.
Each time you touch a person’s hand and say ‘kaibigan’ let it be a real prayer, that you are a friend, maasahan, karamay, masasandalan sa lahat ng panahon.
(Choreo of the Prayer Dance):
KAIBIGAN
Lyrics movement
Ang Kaibigan mo’y point to the person in front of you
kaibigan ko, point to self
Kaibigan hold the hand of the person in the inner circle and exchange place
Maaasahan mong may karamay ka hold the hands of the person next to you
at sandigan lean on the person next to you (nty)
Ang kaibigan hold the hand of the person nty
ng kaibigan ng kaibigan hold the hand of the person in the inner circle and exchange place until the end of the song….
Ng kaibigan from inner circle to outer circle
ko’y kaibigan mo. try to touch as many hands as possible
towards the end of the song… form one big circle… arms locked into you neighbors arm and sway or do the “chorus line” movement.
Benediction:
Nanay: You know what Mithi, brothers and sisters, Jesus no longer calls us servant or slaves… but friends. So go out and be a friend, cross boundaries and Do good at all times, at all places, with all that you can.
Mithi and Schoolmates: Amen. Amen. Amen.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Effective Communication/LANGUAGE
The Languagea collection of symbols, governed by rules, and used to convey messages
vIdentify at least two ways in which language has shaped perception
vIdentify at least two ways in which language reflects attitudes
Nature of Language
•Language is symbolic
•Language is Rule-Governed
•Phonological rules – how sounds are combined to form words
•Syntactic rules govern ways symbols can be arranged. (structure of language)
•Semantic rules govern meaning
•Regulative rules tell us what interpretation of a message is appropriate in a given context
Meanings Are in People, Not Words
“The spoken word belongs half to the one who speaks and half to the one who hears.” French proverb
Language Shapes Attitudes
•Culture
-the structure of a culture’s language shapes the world view of its members
Kaibigan Kapatid
Mano Po
•Naming
The perceptions we hold about people because of their names influence our behavior toward them.
•Credibility
•Status- judgments of attractiveness and status are strongly influenced by style of speech
•Self-esteem- the words we use to describe people’s roles or functions in society can also shape the way they feel about themselves.
Language Reflects Attitudes
•Power
Powerless language:
Hedges: I’m kinda disappointed…
I think we should…
I guess I’d like to…
Hesitations: “uh…” Well,…” “er”
Intensifiers: I’m not very hungry
Polite forms: excuse me, sir…
Disclaimers: I’m not really sure…
•Attraction and interest
üChoice of demonstrative pronoun: These vs Those
üNegation: It’s good vs It’s bad
üSequential placement: Brothers and Sisters
•Responsibility
ü“It” vs “I” statements
ü“You” vs “I” statements
ü“But” statements
üQuestion vs statements
Language of Misunderstanding
•Equivocal Language- have more than one correct dictionary definition
•Relative Terms – gain their meaning by comparison
•Emotive Language – contains words that sound as if they’re describing something when they are announcing the speaker’s attitude.
Characteristics of Non-Verbal
ØNonverbal Communication Exists
ØNonverbal Communication is Primarily Relational
ØNonverbal Communication is Ambiguous
ØMuch nonverbal Communication is Culture-bound
Functions of NonVerbal
•Repeating – Where’s PCU college?
•Substituting – Musta na?
•Complementing – nonverbal behaviors that accompany and support spoken words
•Accenting – nonverbal devices used to emphasize oral messages.
•Regulating- nonverbal behaviors that control the flow of verbal communication
•Contradicting – people simultaneously
express different and even contradicting messages.
Types of Nonverbal Communication
•Posture and Gestures
•Face and Eyes
•Voice
•Touch
Clothing
•Economic level
•Educational level
•Trustworthiness
•Social position
•Level of sophistication
•Economic background
•Social background
•Educational background
•Level of success
•Moral character
Distance
•Intimate Distance- skin contact to 18 inches
•Personal Distance – 18in to 4 ft
•Social Distance – 4 ft to 12 feet
•Public Distance –outward from 12 feet
Time
Territoriality- the way people use space
Environment
vIdentify at least two ways in which language has shaped perception
vIdentify at least two ways in which language reflects attitudes
Nature of Language
•Language is symbolic
•Language is Rule-Governed
•Phonological rules – how sounds are combined to form words
•Syntactic rules govern ways symbols can be arranged. (structure of language)
•Semantic rules govern meaning
•Regulative rules tell us what interpretation of a message is appropriate in a given context
Meanings Are in People, Not Words
“The spoken word belongs half to the one who speaks and half to the one who hears.” French proverb
Language Shapes Attitudes
•Culture
-the structure of a culture’s language shapes the world view of its members
Kaibigan Kapatid
Mano Po
•Naming
The perceptions we hold about people because of their names influence our behavior toward them.
•Credibility
•Status- judgments of attractiveness and status are strongly influenced by style of speech
•Self-esteem- the words we use to describe people’s roles or functions in society can also shape the way they feel about themselves.
Language Reflects Attitudes
•Power
Powerless language:
Hedges: I’m kinda disappointed…
I think we should…
I guess I’d like to…
Hesitations: “uh…” Well,…” “er”
Intensifiers: I’m not very hungry
Polite forms: excuse me, sir…
Disclaimers: I’m not really sure…
•Attraction and interest
üChoice of demonstrative pronoun: These vs Those
üNegation: It’s good vs It’s bad
üSequential placement: Brothers and Sisters
•Responsibility
ü“It” vs “I” statements
ü“You” vs “I” statements
ü“But” statements
üQuestion vs statements
Language of Misunderstanding
•Equivocal Language- have more than one correct dictionary definition
•Relative Terms – gain their meaning by comparison
•Emotive Language – contains words that sound as if they’re describing something when they are announcing the speaker’s attitude.
Characteristics of Non-Verbal
ØNonverbal Communication Exists
ØNonverbal Communication is Primarily Relational
ØNonverbal Communication is Ambiguous
ØMuch nonverbal Communication is Culture-bound
Functions of NonVerbal
•Repeating – Where’s PCU college?
•Substituting – Musta na?
•Complementing – nonverbal behaviors that accompany and support spoken words
•Accenting – nonverbal devices used to emphasize oral messages.
•Regulating- nonverbal behaviors that control the flow of verbal communication
•Contradicting – people simultaneously
express different and even contradicting messages.
Types of Nonverbal Communication
•Posture and Gestures
•Face and Eyes
•Voice
•Touch
Clothing
•Economic level
•Educational level
•Trustworthiness
•Social position
•Level of sophistication
•Economic background
•Social background
•Educational background
•Level of success
•Moral character
Distance
•Intimate Distance- skin contact to 18 inches
•Personal Distance – 18in to 4 ft
•Social Distance – 4 ft to 12 feet
•Public Distance –outward from 12 feet
Time
Territoriality- the way people use space
Environment
Developmental Reading
Developmental Reading
Objective of the Course
•Improve impression of reading
•gain appreciation of reading
Assessment
•Reading is a burden in study and life.
•Personally, it has not been useful in my studies.
•Reading is for men and women of great minds, however, they are avoided and set aside.
•Books are a sources of rest and enjoyment for me.
•The library is a boring place to stay and spend time in.
•Reading is just a requirement to get a degree.
All About READING
•Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. (Richard Sleete)
•After three days without reading, talk becomes flavorless. (Chinese proverb)
•Once you learn to read you will be forever free. (Frederich Douglass)
•Reading maketh a full man. (Francis Bacon)
All about BOOKS
•A book is garden carried in a pocket. (Chinese proverb)
•A man without books is a body without a soul. (Cicero)
•Books we must have though we lack bread. (Alice Williams Brotherston)
•You do not have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them. (Ray Bradbury)
History of Reading
“Reading—I discovered—comes before writing. A society can exist—many do exist—without writing, but no society can exist without reading.”
Alberto Manguel (1948 -)Argentinian writer.
PROCESSES OF READING
•Physiological Process
•Cognitive Process
•Communication Process
•Psycho-Social Process
•Reading as a Process of Development
Reading as a Physiological Process
•Eyes seem identify, and recognize the printed word or images
•The cerebral cortex interprets the symbols
Eye movements
Ø fixation- most readers take four eye pauses per second; poor readers need more time to pause in order to see with accuracy
ØInter-fixation – or the eye moving from stopping to the other
Ø return sweeps – eyes swing back from end line to the next line.
ØSaccades – short quick hop and jump
ØRegressions – backward right to left movement
ØSpan of recognition – eyes recognition of a group of word
READING as a Cognitive Process
Comprehension – the mental or cognitive process in the perception of meaning.
- The process of discerning and understanding what the writer or speaker wants to put across to his readers or listeners by inference or by direct expression.
2Basic steps in Reading
Comprehension
•The extraneous process that creates a stimulus on the visual centers of the brain:
•Fusion/interpretation/construction of “meaning” by the mind out of the stimuli
Stimulus
•Word recognition or the written symbols
•Attentive adjustment by the reader on these symbols.
LEVELS OF COMPREHENSION
1. Literal – knowing what is read as is (who, what, where, when, why, how). The reader is expected to identify basic details, follow instructions, and understand specific rules and orders. (WORD MEANING, SYNTAX, COMPOSITION)
ØIdentify characters in the story
ØDescribe the roles each of the characters played in the story
ØIdentify the problems met by the principal characters
ØSummarize the story
2. Interpretative
-What is read combined with one’s subjective ideas.
-“Reading between the lines”
-The reader is expected to figure out what the author is implying in his work.
-Discern the implication of the situation mentioned in the story
-Interpreting by inference.
PRACTICE
“The house is full of cobwebs. It’s floor is covered with dust. The chairs and other household articles are in disarray.”
What does the author want to imply?
3. Critical Level
•This level calls for readers’ judgment on the wisdom, propriety or validity of one’s act.
•The critical level comprehension maybe developed by asking these questions:
ü If you were the author…
üIf your were in the shoes of the character…
üWas the ending of the story appropriate…
4.th Level: Application
•This level aims to enhance one’s ability to apply skills as the situation so demands.
•This develops one’s talent to profit from the vicarious experience gained through reading.
Reading as a Communication Process
•Reading relies much on language
•LANGUAGE is a code system used by humans to communicate.
•There are characteristics of language which is conducive to human’s reading recognition and appreciation.
Characteristics of Language
•CLARITY – concrete vs abstract or generalization:
Many students attended the student council meeting.
Ninety-five college students attended Tuesday’s student council meeting.
•SIMPLICITY – complex wording vs direct and to the point
Shall we partake of our repast?
Shall we eat?
Mother’s culinary dishes are exquisite.
Mother cooks well.
•ADAPTED LANGUAGE – words of expression should relate to the reader’s age, educational attainment, gender, ethnic origin, other personal factors.
4. FORCEFUL – stimulating language provides color, interest and excitement
5. VIVID LANGUAGE – vivid wording that is descriptive and stirs the senses.
He speaks at length while saying little.
He spews forth words – and says nothing.
Crackerjack persuader – very convincing salesman
Festering corruption – dishonest and evil
Seething hell – trouble spot
How dare you insinuate that I could tolerate such a diabolical insult from a mere speck of humanity like you.
Getting the Meaning
•Meaning of the word may either be
ØDenotative
ØConnotative
ØDenotative Meaning – the specific meaning of a word or a term as it is literally designated.
ØConnotative Meaning – the suggestive or associative meaning of a word or term. It is the meaning that carries what the word suggests or implies
•Denotative Meaning
ØNapoleon was defeated in Waterloo.
•Connotative Meaning
ØHe met his waterloo in the hands of his rival.
How to Determine Meaning of a Word
•Context Clue – the process of discovering the meaning of a new word by deducing the meaning of other words used in the sentence in association with the new word.
ØSemantic Clue
ØSyntactic Clue
ØPresentation Clue
Semantic Clue
•Semantic clues are either words, phrases or clauses used with the new words in the sentence which tend to tip off the meaning of the new word by:
ØDefinition. This is just an explanation of the conceptual meaning of a word as defined.
Edifice is a building or any other structure, particularly one that is large and imposing.
ØAppositive. This is a descriptive word, phrase, or clause used to explain the meaning of the unknown term. It is set off by commas within the sentence
Homicide, the killing of a person by another without deliberate intent, is not murder.
ØContrast. This is a way of giving the dissimilarity or opposite meaning of the words by using the conjunction but, however, or nevertheless
Maria is industrious but her sister is indolent.
ØSimile. The words as, as if, or like are used to suggest the meaning of the new word.
Like her mother who is beautiful, Sarah is dainty in her new gown.
ØExposition. This is the process of giving an explanation, a commentary or interpretation of one’s state of being.
Maria was so timid that she could hardly speak before the class.
Practice
•My father is not easily discouraged. He has an indomitable conviction to face problems.
•He who enjoys the company of others is gregarious.
•Juan does not deserve the award. He won the contest clandestinely.
•A person who is active and is always on- the-go would not appreciate a sedentary job.
5. My son is indolent. He does not like to work.
•Obstinate children are usually hard to discipline.
•I can’t sleep in my room. I smell something obnoxious.
•Mary has a mansion. She could actually buy a number of cars of her choice. She is affluent.
•Gerry lives with a woman who is not his wife. He has a paramour.
Reading as a Process of Development
Respond to these concepts:
ØThere are stages of individual development in reading.
ØThese stages are interrelated, each stage being a preparation for the next.
ØDevelopment proceeds sequentially in an upward movement starting with the simplest to increasing levels of complexity.
•There are level of difficulties in reading skills acquisition
•Development is influenced by one’s personal maturation, social demands, values and aspirations.
Stages Reading Development
•Reading Readiness – Nursery and kindergarten pupils
•Beginning reading – Grades 1 and 2
•Period of rapid growth or expanding ability – Grades 3 and 4
•Period of refinement in the use of the reading tool – Grade 6, high school and college
Reading Readiness
•Prepares pupil for learning how to read
•Guides the child in acquiring functional listening and speaking vocabulary
•Initiates activities using real/concrete objects such as alphabet blocks, toys, picture books, etc.
•Imparts skills in auditory and visual discrimination, motor-ocular coordination
•Introduces fun experiences such as listening to stories, reading rhymes and children’s poems
•Imparts inquisition by the child of basic sight vocabulary using pictures, configurations, actions and context clues
•Introduces phonetic and structural lessons
•Imparts lessons to make the child ready for other studies such as in Language, Science, Mathematics, Social Studies and the Arts.
Beginning Reading
In this stage, the learner begins to recognize and remember words, phrases, and sentences as symbols for ideas that corresponds to early experience.
ØIntroduce words, seeing to it that these words relate to real-life situations
•Initiates both oral and silent reading, with preference to oral reading in order to aid the child in recall, correct pronunciations and clear enunciation of words. Should have at least 200 reading vocabulary words
•Engage the child in repetitive, interesting and meaningful vocabulary building activities.
Objective of the Course
•Improve impression of reading
•gain appreciation of reading
Assessment
•Reading is a burden in study and life.
•Personally, it has not been useful in my studies.
•Reading is for men and women of great minds, however, they are avoided and set aside.
•Books are a sources of rest and enjoyment for me.
•The library is a boring place to stay and spend time in.
•Reading is just a requirement to get a degree.
All About READING
•Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. (Richard Sleete)
•After three days without reading, talk becomes flavorless. (Chinese proverb)
•Once you learn to read you will be forever free. (Frederich Douglass)
•Reading maketh a full man. (Francis Bacon)
All about BOOKS
•A book is garden carried in a pocket. (Chinese proverb)
•A man without books is a body without a soul. (Cicero)
•Books we must have though we lack bread. (Alice Williams Brotherston)
•You do not have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them. (Ray Bradbury)
History of Reading
“Reading—I discovered—comes before writing. A society can exist—many do exist—without writing, but no society can exist without reading.”
Alberto Manguel (1948 -)Argentinian writer.
PROCESSES OF READING
•Physiological Process
•Cognitive Process
•Communication Process
•Psycho-Social Process
•Reading as a Process of Development
Reading as a Physiological Process
•Eyes seem identify, and recognize the printed word or images
•The cerebral cortex interprets the symbols
Eye movements
Ø fixation- most readers take four eye pauses per second; poor readers need more time to pause in order to see with accuracy
ØInter-fixation – or the eye moving from stopping to the other
Ø return sweeps – eyes swing back from end line to the next line.
ØSaccades – short quick hop and jump
ØRegressions – backward right to left movement
ØSpan of recognition – eyes recognition of a group of word
READING as a Cognitive Process
Comprehension – the mental or cognitive process in the perception of meaning.
- The process of discerning and understanding what the writer or speaker wants to put across to his readers or listeners by inference or by direct expression.
2Basic steps in Reading
Comprehension
•The extraneous process that creates a stimulus on the visual centers of the brain:
•Fusion/interpretation/construction of “meaning” by the mind out of the stimuli
Stimulus
•Word recognition or the written symbols
•Attentive adjustment by the reader on these symbols.
LEVELS OF COMPREHENSION
1. Literal – knowing what is read as is (who, what, where, when, why, how). The reader is expected to identify basic details, follow instructions, and understand specific rules and orders. (WORD MEANING, SYNTAX, COMPOSITION)
ØIdentify characters in the story
ØDescribe the roles each of the characters played in the story
ØIdentify the problems met by the principal characters
ØSummarize the story
2. Interpretative
-What is read combined with one’s subjective ideas.
-“Reading between the lines”
-The reader is expected to figure out what the author is implying in his work.
-Discern the implication of the situation mentioned in the story
-Interpreting by inference.
PRACTICE
“The house is full of cobwebs. It’s floor is covered with dust. The chairs and other household articles are in disarray.”
What does the author want to imply?
3. Critical Level
•This level calls for readers’ judgment on the wisdom, propriety or validity of one’s act.
•The critical level comprehension maybe developed by asking these questions:
ü If you were the author…
üIf your were in the shoes of the character…
üWas the ending of the story appropriate…
4.th Level: Application
•This level aims to enhance one’s ability to apply skills as the situation so demands.
•This develops one’s talent to profit from the vicarious experience gained through reading.
Reading as a Communication Process
•Reading relies much on language
•LANGUAGE is a code system used by humans to communicate.
•There are characteristics of language which is conducive to human’s reading recognition and appreciation.
Characteristics of Language
•CLARITY – concrete vs abstract or generalization:
Many students attended the student council meeting.
Ninety-five college students attended Tuesday’s student council meeting.
•SIMPLICITY – complex wording vs direct and to the point
Shall we partake of our repast?
Shall we eat?
Mother’s culinary dishes are exquisite.
Mother cooks well.
•ADAPTED LANGUAGE – words of expression should relate to the reader’s age, educational attainment, gender, ethnic origin, other personal factors.
4. FORCEFUL – stimulating language provides color, interest and excitement
5. VIVID LANGUAGE – vivid wording that is descriptive and stirs the senses.
He speaks at length while saying little.
He spews forth words – and says nothing.
Crackerjack persuader – very convincing salesman
Festering corruption – dishonest and evil
Seething hell – trouble spot
How dare you insinuate that I could tolerate such a diabolical insult from a mere speck of humanity like you.
Getting the Meaning
•Meaning of the word may either be
ØDenotative
ØConnotative
ØDenotative Meaning – the specific meaning of a word or a term as it is literally designated.
ØConnotative Meaning – the suggestive or associative meaning of a word or term. It is the meaning that carries what the word suggests or implies
•Denotative Meaning
ØNapoleon was defeated in Waterloo.
•Connotative Meaning
ØHe met his waterloo in the hands of his rival.
How to Determine Meaning of a Word
•Context Clue – the process of discovering the meaning of a new word by deducing the meaning of other words used in the sentence in association with the new word.
ØSemantic Clue
ØSyntactic Clue
ØPresentation Clue
Semantic Clue
•Semantic clues are either words, phrases or clauses used with the new words in the sentence which tend to tip off the meaning of the new word by:
ØDefinition. This is just an explanation of the conceptual meaning of a word as defined.
Edifice is a building or any other structure, particularly one that is large and imposing.
ØAppositive. This is a descriptive word, phrase, or clause used to explain the meaning of the unknown term. It is set off by commas within the sentence
Homicide, the killing of a person by another without deliberate intent, is not murder.
ØContrast. This is a way of giving the dissimilarity or opposite meaning of the words by using the conjunction but, however, or nevertheless
Maria is industrious but her sister is indolent.
ØSimile. The words as, as if, or like are used to suggest the meaning of the new word.
Like her mother who is beautiful, Sarah is dainty in her new gown.
ØExposition. This is the process of giving an explanation, a commentary or interpretation of one’s state of being.
Maria was so timid that she could hardly speak before the class.
Practice
•My father is not easily discouraged. He has an indomitable conviction to face problems.
•He who enjoys the company of others is gregarious.
•Juan does not deserve the award. He won the contest clandestinely.
•A person who is active and is always on- the-go would not appreciate a sedentary job.
5. My son is indolent. He does not like to work.
•Obstinate children are usually hard to discipline.
•I can’t sleep in my room. I smell something obnoxious.
•Mary has a mansion. She could actually buy a number of cars of her choice. She is affluent.
•Gerry lives with a woman who is not his wife. He has a paramour.
Reading as a Process of Development
Respond to these concepts:
ØThere are stages of individual development in reading.
ØThese stages are interrelated, each stage being a preparation for the next.
ØDevelopment proceeds sequentially in an upward movement starting with the simplest to increasing levels of complexity.
•There are level of difficulties in reading skills acquisition
•Development is influenced by one’s personal maturation, social demands, values and aspirations.
Stages Reading Development
•Reading Readiness – Nursery and kindergarten pupils
•Beginning reading – Grades 1 and 2
•Period of rapid growth or expanding ability – Grades 3 and 4
•Period of refinement in the use of the reading tool – Grade 6, high school and college
Reading Readiness
•Prepares pupil for learning how to read
•Guides the child in acquiring functional listening and speaking vocabulary
•Initiates activities using real/concrete objects such as alphabet blocks, toys, picture books, etc.
•Imparts skills in auditory and visual discrimination, motor-ocular coordination
•Introduces fun experiences such as listening to stories, reading rhymes and children’s poems
•Imparts inquisition by the child of basic sight vocabulary using pictures, configurations, actions and context clues
•Introduces phonetic and structural lessons
•Imparts lessons to make the child ready for other studies such as in Language, Science, Mathematics, Social Studies and the Arts.
Beginning Reading
In this stage, the learner begins to recognize and remember words, phrases, and sentences as symbols for ideas that corresponds to early experience.
ØIntroduce words, seeing to it that these words relate to real-life situations
•Initiates both oral and silent reading, with preference to oral reading in order to aid the child in recall, correct pronunciations and clear enunciation of words. Should have at least 200 reading vocabulary words
•Engage the child in repetitive, interesting and meaningful vocabulary building activities.
Bible As Literature
BIBLE as LITERATURE
2nd Semester, 2008
Objectives of the Course
-Be able to identify the different literary genres that make up the entire Bible
-Gain appreciation of the Bible as a Literature
-Interpret selected Biblical text using Literary Criticism.
Course Outline
Part I- Introduction
1. The Biblical Library: The Bible as a Body of Literature
Books in the Old Testament
Books in the New Testament
2. Literary Criticism: An Approach to Reading the Bible
Part II: Book by Book study of the Bible and their representative genres
2nd Semester, 2008
Objectives of the Course
-Be able to identify the different literary genres that make up the entire Bible
-Gain appreciation of the Bible as a Literature
-Interpret selected Biblical text using Literary Criticism.
Course Outline
Part I- Introduction
1. The Biblical Library: The Bible as a Body of Literature
Books in the Old Testament
Books in the New Testament
2. Literary Criticism: An Approach to Reading the Bible
Part II: Book by Book study of the Bible and their representative genres
Prelim: Pentateuch, Historical,
MidTerm: Poetical and Prophetic Books
Final: New Testament books
Part III: Requirements:
Reporting
Compilation of Biblical texts representative of literary genres
The Bible as a Body of Literature
MidTerm: Poetical and Prophetic Books
Final: New Testament books
Part III: Requirements:
Reporting
Compilation of Biblical texts representative of literary genres
The Bible as a Body of Literature
THE FOUR-FOLD DIVISION of OLD TESTAMENT
The LAW:
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy
The HISTORIES:
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther
The POETICAL Books:
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations
The PROPHETIC Books:
Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel
Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy
The HISTORIES:
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther
The POETICAL Books:
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations
The PROPHETIC Books:
Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel
Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Four-Fold Division of New Testament
Gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
History: Acts of the Apostles
Epistles:
Pauline Letters: Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,
Four-Fold Division of New Testament
Gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
History: Acts of the Apostles
Epistles:
Pauline Letters: Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,
1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon
Non Pauline Letters: Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, 1,2&3 John, Jude
Prophecy: Revelation
Oral and Literary Forms of the Old Testament
The Law
Narratives, sagas, legends, myths, genealogies, tribal lists, law codes, cultic regulations, speeches, prayers, songs, blessings, curses
Non Pauline Letters: Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, 1,2&3 John, Jude
Prophecy: Revelation
Oral and Literary Forms of the Old Testament
The Law
Narratives, sagas, legends, myths, genealogies, tribal lists, law codes, cultic regulations, speeches, prayers, songs, blessings, curses
The Histories
Narratives, riddles, proverbs, battle reports, court archives, building projects, genealogies, letters, memoirs, accounts of visions, oracles, speeches, prayer, songs, hymns, laments
The Poetical Books
Didactic stories, maxims, proverbs, narratives, legends, songs, hymns, laments, court poetry, prayers
The Prophetic Books
Narratives, oracles, first-and-third person reports, accounts of visions, diatribes, letters, blessings, curses, myths, proverbs, legends, didactic
Narratives, riddles, proverbs, battle reports, court archives, building projects, genealogies, letters, memoirs, accounts of visions, oracles, speeches, prayer, songs, hymns, laments
The Poetical Books
Didactic stories, maxims, proverbs, narratives, legends, songs, hymns, laments, court poetry, prayers
The Prophetic Books
Narratives, oracles, first-and-third person reports, accounts of visions, diatribes, letters, blessings, curses, myths, proverbs, legends, didactic
Oral and Literary Forms of the New Testament
The Gospel
Narratives, pronouncements stories, parables, maxims, prayers, exhortations, sayings, discourses, reported oracles.
A History
Narratives, memoirs, sermons, oracles, prayers, hymns, exhortations, discourses
The Epistles
Exhortations, moral instructions, Catechisms, confessions of faith, hymns, prayers, formal greetings
A Prophecy
Exhortations, letters, moral instructions, reports and visions, prayers, hymns
Definition of Terms
Etiology – literally, the study of causes. Etiological stories are designed to explain the origins of something, such as a name, a custom, or an institution, often by linking it to a hero or legendary event.
Legend - a story set in the past that tells of the special qualities and deeds of a central person, in order to transmit history and cultural values or traditions to people of another time. The focus is on the religious qualities and gifts of the central figure and aim to edify the reader.
Oracle – A communication from God spoken through a priest or prophet, often recorded in poetic form.
The Gospel
Narratives, pronouncements stories, parables, maxims, prayers, exhortations, sayings, discourses, reported oracles.
A History
Narratives, memoirs, sermons, oracles, prayers, hymns, exhortations, discourses
The Epistles
Exhortations, moral instructions, Catechisms, confessions of faith, hymns, prayers, formal greetings
A Prophecy
Exhortations, letters, moral instructions, reports and visions, prayers, hymns
Definition of Terms
Etiology – literally, the study of causes. Etiological stories are designed to explain the origins of something, such as a name, a custom, or an institution, often by linking it to a hero or legendary event.
Legend - a story set in the past that tells of the special qualities and deeds of a central person, in order to transmit history and cultural values or traditions to people of another time. The focus is on the religious qualities and gifts of the central figure and aim to edify the reader.
Oracle – A communication from God spoken through a priest or prophet, often recorded in poetic form.
Saga – a traditional imaginative story, set in the past and lacking exact historical documentation that records the heroic deeds of ancestors or famous leaders who overcame great difficulties.
MYTH. ancient story, a traditional story about heroes or supernatural beings, often attempting to explain the origins of natural phenomena or aspects of human
Reading the Bible as a Literature
Literary Approach of Reading the Bible
The text is understood as having its own voice, and as the words of a text is read, the textual voice speaks.
Literary Paradigm
Text
universe
reader
writer
MYTH. ancient story, a traditional story about heroes or supernatural beings, often attempting to explain the origins of natural phenomena or aspects of human
Reading the Bible as a Literature
Literary Approach of Reading the Bible
The text is understood as having its own voice, and as the words of a text is read, the textual voice speaks.
Literary Paradigm
Text
universe
reader
writer
The act of interpretation is in how the text relates to each points of the triangle
Features of Literary Paradigm
1. Ahistorical and Atemporal View of Texts. History and time are not the defining category in interpretation. Literary paradigm views a text as a finished product.
2. Autonomy of Text. It stands by itself, speaks for itself, and provides clues within it that serve as the basis for interpretation. The text is understood to have its own voice
Final form of the text
Text is viewed as a whole
3.Texts are intrinsically meaningful.
4.Meaning as Aesthetics. What is it’s meaning vs. what did it mean?
Structuralism
The recognition that language is a structure system
Features of Literary Paradigm
1. Ahistorical and Atemporal View of Texts. History and time are not the defining category in interpretation. Literary paradigm views a text as a finished product.
2. Autonomy of Text. It stands by itself, speaks for itself, and provides clues within it that serve as the basis for interpretation. The text is understood to have its own voice
Final form of the text
Text is viewed as a whole
3.Texts are intrinsically meaningful.
4.Meaning as Aesthetics. What is it’s meaning vs. what did it mean?
Structuralism
The recognition that language is a structure system
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Ang Tagal Kong Nawala!!! Welcome Back to Me
Eto ako ngayon....
Ang dami nang nangyari since the last time I posted. When was that?
I forgot my password kasi, e. And when I told my friend the reason why I couldn't post, sabihin ba naman niya na, "Ay may memory gap ka na?"
Ok, I admit, may memory gap na ako. But there are things I still vividly remember:
I remember the days at UTS, where we would peacefully sit at the steps of the Salakot chapel after a day of academic (ayokong gamitin ang scholarly) engagement ended. Wala lang, we would talk from nonsense to "what's your favorite lovesong?" I was asked this question after a gruelling afternoon dissecting and analyzing a case study in Pastoral Care and Counselling. Ang hirap palang magshift ng mode from analytical to creative mode ano? Basta, we would love to sit at the steps of Salakot and watch the beautiful sunset.
That was then - when we, even if we stand on opposing political, theological, ideological positions, could sit together and establish a semblance of acceptance, accomodation and friendship.
Are those days gone? Are those days something to be remembered by and no longer a reality of the present? Ang lungkot naman.
If those days would remain a memory, then, I pray that memory gap will not erase those memories. At least, I can live today and say that I've lived a life in UTS where people from different theological and whatever persuasions could sit at the steps of Salakot and enjoy the setting of the sun.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Panaghoy
I have to admit, right now, I have a very high level of frustration towards the ministry. All of a sudden, I felt like i've just wasted the mst productive years of my life trying to make a difference in the life of people for nothing.
I am a minister who doesn't pride herself in the number of church membership nor high financial status of the church as a sign of succees. The only thing that would make me feel like I have accomplished anything as a minister is when I know I have affected a life and encouraged or influenced that person into a better life.
I don't brag about what a beautiful church edifice I have constructed while in the pastorate; I'm no architect or engineer;
I cannot brag about the financial succees of the fiscal year: I'm no financial manager. I can only add up to 10 (that's especially when I am giving warning to my children: Hindi kayo makikinig? Isa...)
I wouldn't even dare brag that I have this and that ministry; this or that outreach. I can't! Most of the time, I am only able to focus on one ministry at a time.
What gives me a sense of accomplishment is when I witness a person have a change of life. I wouldn't even take credit on it. I'm just happy that once upon a time, that person was under my care if even for a little while.
One day, I received a text from a former member of my church in Sambulawan. "Ma'am," the text started, "si Ate mukhang bumabalik sa bisyo nya. Huag mong sabihing nagsumbong ako."
These people where under my care in Sambulawan. They were in my Sunday School, in the Feeding Program...they even slept with me in the parsonage and took care of me. They left me when they entered puberty to work as maids in Manila.
For a long time, I haven't kept in touch with me. When I returned to Cavite, I made it my goal to look for them and to find out how they were; do they still keep with them the things they learned in church? Have they kept their faith?
And so when I received a gift, I went out to look for them. I was disheartened when I found them in the narrow eskinitas somewhere in Sta. Mesa. The place is crowded. You have to stoop down to enter into their unit. It isn't a house for me. The nipa hut in Leyte has more dignity than the house that these young girls are.
The eldest of the girls have gone back to peddling prohibited substances.
The other one has two children with a man she's isn't married to. At least the man is man enough to stick with her.
The youngest of the girls, she's the one who stayed with me the longest, causes my heart to break. She spends all her hard earned money in drinking, disco-ing and in other vices.
What have these girls turned into? After all the years that I have spent with them, ito lang ba ang mahihita ko?
Then I realized, I don't cease to be their pastor simply because they moved residence and I am no longer their pastor. I am still their pastor, no matter what.
But at the moment, I am deeply in pain as I watch them waste away their life.
I am a minister who doesn't pride herself in the number of church membership nor high financial status of the church as a sign of succees. The only thing that would make me feel like I have accomplished anything as a minister is when I know I have affected a life and encouraged or influenced that person into a better life.
I don't brag about what a beautiful church edifice I have constructed while in the pastorate; I'm no architect or engineer;
I cannot brag about the financial succees of the fiscal year: I'm no financial manager. I can only add up to 10 (that's especially when I am giving warning to my children: Hindi kayo makikinig? Isa...)
I wouldn't even dare brag that I have this and that ministry; this or that outreach. I can't! Most of the time, I am only able to focus on one ministry at a time.
What gives me a sense of accomplishment is when I witness a person have a change of life. I wouldn't even take credit on it. I'm just happy that once upon a time, that person was under my care if even for a little while.
One day, I received a text from a former member of my church in Sambulawan. "Ma'am," the text started, "si Ate mukhang bumabalik sa bisyo nya. Huag mong sabihing nagsumbong ako."
These people where under my care in Sambulawan. They were in my Sunday School, in the Feeding Program...they even slept with me in the parsonage and took care of me. They left me when they entered puberty to work as maids in Manila.
For a long time, I haven't kept in touch with me. When I returned to Cavite, I made it my goal to look for them and to find out how they were; do they still keep with them the things they learned in church? Have they kept their faith?
And so when I received a gift, I went out to look for them. I was disheartened when I found them in the narrow eskinitas somewhere in Sta. Mesa. The place is crowded. You have to stoop down to enter into their unit. It isn't a house for me. The nipa hut in Leyte has more dignity than the house that these young girls are.
The eldest of the girls have gone back to peddling prohibited substances.
The other one has two children with a man she's isn't married to. At least the man is man enough to stick with her.
The youngest of the girls, she's the one who stayed with me the longest, causes my heart to break. She spends all her hard earned money in drinking, disco-ing and in other vices.
What have these girls turned into? After all the years that I have spent with them, ito lang ba ang mahihita ko?
Then I realized, I don't cease to be their pastor simply because they moved residence and I am no longer their pastor. I am still their pastor, no matter what.
But at the moment, I am deeply in pain as I watch them waste away their life.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Miss Saigon
Hay naku! Kung kelan ako tumanda, saka naman ako biglang naging feeling artista.
Nung Miyerkules, Nov.23, perform to the max ako: A Night In Broadway. Sponsored ng mga BRE Society ang show. Excerpts from well-loved Broadway musicales ang feature ng show. Ginanap ito sa Salakot PCU-UTS Dasmariñas campus.
Nung pinapili ako kung ano ang gusto kong kantahin, pinili ko ang "I'd Give my life for you" ng Miss Saigon.
Naging madamdamin ang proseso na dinaanan ko bago ko naisagawa ang pag-awit.
Una, I had to convince my youngest child, Katha, to play the role of Kim's son. Ayaw nya. Nag-offer yung panganay na sanay nang humarap sa tao. Aba'y, itong si Mithi ay sumasali ng singing contest sa school nila ng hindi ko man lang alam. Sumama siempre ang loob ni Mithi nang tinanggihan ko siya. "Lalaki kasi ang kailangan sa role,' paliwanag ko sa kanya. Tinulungan na lang ako ni Manang Mithi na kumbinsihin si Katha na sumali sa concert. Pumayag si Katha, sa isang kondisyon: bibilhan siya ng yoyo at kakain sa Jollibee. (nakakasindak naman ang request na 'to!)
Three days before the concert, nilagnat si Katha. Asthmatic kasi itong si Katha. Kaya panik ako ng biglang umiwa sa bahay na mainit at hahatsing-hatsing. Alam nyo, sa gitna ng kanyang kalagayan, concern pa rin ni Katha ang concert. "Nay, pa'no na ang concert natin. May sakit ako."
Nagpagaling si Katha. The night of the concert, may senat pa siya pero excited siya na sumama sa concert. Suspek ko, apurado na siyang magkayoyo.
Ang galing-galing ng performance niya. Juice ko, kahit ako, napaluha sa kanya. We hardly had any rehearsal. I just oriented him to the stage. Sabi ko lang sa kanya, "dapat malungkot ang mukha mo at titingin ka lang lagi sa akin." Ginawa nga nya. Ang dami niyang pina-iyak.
alam nyo kung bakit madrama yung pagkanta at acting namin?
I've been wrestling with God regarding my calling at ang sanity ng pagtigil pa sa seminaryo at pagpapatuloy ng theological education ko. Mas na buang ako when a job offer was presented to me. Ba't ko ba tinatanggihan ang mga offer na ito? Jaske! Ako lang yata ang inaalok ng trabaho tapos tinatanggihan ko pa!
Samantala, ni yoyo na halagang 20pesos lang, di ko mabili si Katha. Paghinihika si Katha, pinagmamasdan ko na lang siya dahil wala akong pambili ng gamot niya. Ano bang kabaliwan 'to? Sinasakripisyo ko ang mga anak ko, para sa ano? Hindi ko na rin alam.
Tapos, eto ako, kakanta ng "I'd Give My Life For You," ni hindi ko man lang kayang ibigay ang iniiyakang yoyo ni Katha.
Nagsisikap naman kami sa trabaho.
On the spot, when a pastor begged me to handle the worship service ng mga high school students dahil wala ng boses na lumalabas sa kanya, tinanggap ko iyon, kahit alam ko na thank you lang ang matatanggap ko.
Nirequest ako na mag-story-telling-a-lie sa mga elementary during their Book Week celebration, go ako. Matapos ang buong araw na pagkukuwento sa halos 200 students in five sessions, ubos na ang boses ko at patang-pata ang katawan ko. Ang reward ko? Hugs from children. This was even this little boy, who went back and gave me a resounding kiss before he went back to his class. The students who stayed a while to tell me their own life-stories. And a book: Chicken Soup for Mother's Soul.
Wala pa ring pambili ng yoyo.
Nung Miyerkules, Nov.23, perform to the max ako: A Night In Broadway. Sponsored ng mga BRE Society ang show. Excerpts from well-loved Broadway musicales ang feature ng show. Ginanap ito sa Salakot PCU-UTS Dasmariñas campus.
Nung pinapili ako kung ano ang gusto kong kantahin, pinili ko ang "I'd Give my life for you" ng Miss Saigon.
Naging madamdamin ang proseso na dinaanan ko bago ko naisagawa ang pag-awit.
Una, I had to convince my youngest child, Katha, to play the role of Kim's son. Ayaw nya. Nag-offer yung panganay na sanay nang humarap sa tao. Aba'y, itong si Mithi ay sumasali ng singing contest sa school nila ng hindi ko man lang alam. Sumama siempre ang loob ni Mithi nang tinanggihan ko siya. "Lalaki kasi ang kailangan sa role,' paliwanag ko sa kanya. Tinulungan na lang ako ni Manang Mithi na kumbinsihin si Katha na sumali sa concert. Pumayag si Katha, sa isang kondisyon: bibilhan siya ng yoyo at kakain sa Jollibee. (nakakasindak naman ang request na 'to!)
Three days before the concert, nilagnat si Katha. Asthmatic kasi itong si Katha. Kaya panik ako ng biglang umiwa sa bahay na mainit at hahatsing-hatsing. Alam nyo, sa gitna ng kanyang kalagayan, concern pa rin ni Katha ang concert. "Nay, pa'no na ang concert natin. May sakit ako."
Nagpagaling si Katha. The night of the concert, may senat pa siya pero excited siya na sumama sa concert. Suspek ko, apurado na siyang magkayoyo.
Ang galing-galing ng performance niya. Juice ko, kahit ako, napaluha sa kanya. We hardly had any rehearsal. I just oriented him to the stage. Sabi ko lang sa kanya, "dapat malungkot ang mukha mo at titingin ka lang lagi sa akin." Ginawa nga nya. Ang dami niyang pina-iyak.
alam nyo kung bakit madrama yung pagkanta at acting namin?
I've been wrestling with God regarding my calling at ang sanity ng pagtigil pa sa seminaryo at pagpapatuloy ng theological education ko. Mas na buang ako when a job offer was presented to me. Ba't ko ba tinatanggihan ang mga offer na ito? Jaske! Ako lang yata ang inaalok ng trabaho tapos tinatanggihan ko pa!
Samantala, ni yoyo na halagang 20pesos lang, di ko mabili si Katha. Paghinihika si Katha, pinagmamasdan ko na lang siya dahil wala akong pambili ng gamot niya. Ano bang kabaliwan 'to? Sinasakripisyo ko ang mga anak ko, para sa ano? Hindi ko na rin alam.
Tapos, eto ako, kakanta ng "I'd Give My Life For You," ni hindi ko man lang kayang ibigay ang iniiyakang yoyo ni Katha.
Nagsisikap naman kami sa trabaho.
On the spot, when a pastor begged me to handle the worship service ng mga high school students dahil wala ng boses na lumalabas sa kanya, tinanggap ko iyon, kahit alam ko na thank you lang ang matatanggap ko.
Nirequest ako na mag-story-telling-a-lie sa mga elementary during their Book Week celebration, go ako. Matapos ang buong araw na pagkukuwento sa halos 200 students in five sessions, ubos na ang boses ko at patang-pata ang katawan ko. Ang reward ko? Hugs from children. This was even this little boy, who went back and gave me a resounding kiss before he went back to his class. The students who stayed a while to tell me their own life-stories. And a book: Chicken Soup for Mother's Soul.
Wala pa ring pambili ng yoyo.
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