Month: May 2020

JOHN 17 :20-26 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (MAY 28, 2020)

by Rogelio V. Mañanita, posted in Gospel Reading

I pray not only for these. But also for those who through their  word will believe in me. May they all be one, as you Father are in me and I am in you. May they be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory  you have given me, that they may be  one as we are one: I in them and you in me. Thus they shall reach perfection  in unity; and the world shall know that you have sent mw, and that I have loved them, just as you loved me.

Father, since you have given  them to me,  I want them to be with me where I am,  and see the glory you have gave me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.

Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you and these have known that you have sent me. As I reveal your name to them, so will I continue to reveal it, so that, the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I also may be in them.”

POINT OF REFLECTION

When Jesus finally returned to the Father in heaven, his full concern was for his disciples and followers not just of yesterday but also today and in the future till his coming. Like sheep without a shepherd, his disciples and followers might end up losing their sense of direction in life. But Jesus did not just cross his arms instead, He consistently ask the Father to do something in his behalf about the people whom the Father has given him who listen and believe  the one who sent him to them. 

The real context is, Jesus ascension into heaven really prepares for our accommodation in the Father’s house in heaven. Since then and until today, Jesus would  be forever busy  in the Father’s house making sure that with the coming of our time, a room is already prepared for us, his followers. We need to know that Jesus’ works for our salvation, does not end on the cross, but still an ongoing process until the judgment day.

Now that we know what Jesus is doing for us yesterday, today and tomorrow, in the Father’s house; Have you done something for yourselves to compensate what Jesus is doing at the right hand of the Father? Yes,  it is true that Jesus is our ticket into heaven but be reminded that St. Augustine one’s said, “The God who created you without you cannot save you without you.”  Salvation is all but concerted efforts of God and man who wish to be saved.

In general, Jesus is always working for our unification to the Father. But such things does not happen like magic but can only be achieved in a sequential process which precede from the unity in the community, unity in Jesus and unity  to the Father.  This is called a perfect blend of unity, a unity which Jesus had spoken  “I am  united in them as I am  united in you.”  

Views: 105

JOHN 16: 5-11 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION

by Rogelio V. Mañanita, posted in Gospel Reading

MAY 19, 2020

John 16: 5-11

But now I am going to the One who sent me, and none one of you ask me where I am going; instead your are overcome  with grief, because of what you have said. Believe me, it is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send him to you, and when he comes, he will vindicate the truth before a sinful world;  and he will vindicate the paths of righteousness and justice. What is the world’s sin, in regard to me? Disbelief. What is the path of righteousness?  It is the path I walk, by which I go to the Father; and you shall see me no more. What is the path of justice? It is the path on which the prince of this world will always stand condemned.

POINT OF REFLECTION

Jesus died on the cross and was buried. In the third day, He rose to life and appeared to his disciples.  In this way, they were reminded, about the talk of the temple destruction and rebuilding  in three days. Now, the meaning was very clear to them.


Jesus appeared to his disciples and followers many times for the period of about 40 days. All of these days were spent working for the disciples’ encouragement to be steadfast of their works Jesus was leaving for them. On the final day of His ascension, Jesus assured them not to worry because a Helper, Holy Spirit,  will come on his behalf. Jesus brought his disciples in a place for them to witness how the son of man ascends into heaven. 


On the day of the Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus has risen, they gather in a room and prayed speaking in tongues so that the Holy Spirit  send down before them and converted more or less 3000 thousand faithful. At that very day, the promise was made true.

Christians now a day’s went their ways with the Holy Spirit. We are now living a life not in Jesus human flesh but in Jesus with the Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus told the faithful that “they will not believe in you because they will not see me, you believe in me because I am with you in Spirit.


During the time of grave persecution, the high authorities wondered how the disciples endure and kept on their works amidst difficult circumstances. The very reason my dear brothers and sisters is the presence of the Holy Spirit working in them. They bravely witness Jesus with the Holy Spirit. Christianity conquers the world not by force and power of war equipment  but conquers the whole world by way of Jesus greatest love and sacrifices through the death of the faithful truly inspired by the works of the Holy Spirit.

Views: 74

JOHN 17 :11b-19 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (MAY 27, 2020)

by Rogelio V. Mañanita, posted in Gospel Reading

I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep those you have given me in your name, so that they may be one, as we also are. When I was with them,  I kept them safe in your name; and not one was lost, except the one who was already lost, and in this, the Scripture was fulfilled.

And now I come to you;  in the world I speak these things,  so that those whom you give me, might have joy-all my joy within themselves. I have given them your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the  world, I do not ask you to remove them from the world,  but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world,  just as I am not of the world.  Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. I have sent them into the world as you sent me into the world; and for their sake, I go to the sacrifice by which I am consecrated, so that they too may be consecrated in truth.

POINT OF REFLECTION

By birth, we belong only to this world.  It is so because our egg cracked open in sinfulness.  But the Lord who created us without us does not want us go astray in the cross road of life. God knows that with Him, all efforts would not be in vain for it is only He can make it happen. As a consequence,  God sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, into the world  to alienate all men. The whole package of alienation  is  to believe and follow him whom the Father had sent for his chosen people. The task was to gather them all in faith and genuine trust to the Lord without losing one under his care. Jesus had done it perfectly when he was with the human in this world.

The alienation of men by Jesus, has resulted them to be disowned by this world. As Jesus was disowned by them who had came from the Father in heaven.   And as Jesus was with them, they knew everything about the Father by sharing to them the word that the Father had told him to do. And as the Father consecrated Jesus, His disciples and followers were also consecrated for they have shared Jesus life when he was with them.  

In their company, Jesus gave them all the assurance they need even if he would leave them  for a while and went back to the Father. But tell you brothers and sister, Jesus did not went off  light-hearted instead got off himself with a heavy heart for he knew that his absence will  expose them into evil’s  attention and therefore, will be in real danger.

Jesus apprehension made him  our great negotiator to the Father  asking him all, in our favor which included our safety, protection from all evil, to be united with the Father as one and consecrate us,  as the Father consecrated Jesus.  When our final day  comes, the Father will judge us according to what we have done as Jesus had told.  Jesus will be our lawyer in front of the Father doing his best to save us from the fires of hell.

Views: 98

JOHN 17 :1-11A GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (MAY 26, 2020)

by Rogelio V. Mañanita, posted in Gospel Reading

After saying this, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, the hour has come! Give glory to your son, that the son may give glory to you. You have given him power over all humanity, so that he may give eternal life to all those you entrusted to him. For this is eternal life: to know you,  the only true God, and the one you sent, Jesus Christ.  I have glorified you on earth and finished the work that you gave me to do. Now, Father, give me, in your presence, the same glory I had with you before the world began.

I have made your name known to those you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you give them to me, and they keep your word. And now they know that whatever you entrusted to me, is indeed from you. I have given them the teaching I received from you, and they accepted it, and know in truth that I came from you; and they believe that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those who belong to you, and whom you have given to me. Indeed all I have is yours, and all you have is mine; and now they are my glory. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep those you have given me in your name, so that they may be one, as we also are.

POINT OF REFLECTION

When Jesus said “the hour has come!” is a simple declaration that life on earth is all about worries and insecurities. Though Jesus is not for the world, he has come into the feeling of being in the world to show what the world truly gives us. Security in this world is a dream. All gather material riches for security but later realize that no amount of money could buy security.  Life is indeed insecurities in itself. Insecurities corrupt personal trust.  No person in this world has kept a complete trust within. Not even have a complete trust unto him.

Our left hand doesn’t even have a complete trust of our right hand, for any moment, the right might hurt the left unexpectedly. But the reading of today is interestingly on top of this odd. It teaches us how to handle insecurities and to live a life in complete trust to the Lord. Our worldly attachment builds up worries that often weaken our spirit and eventually loosen our connection to the Lord.

Life is better lean to the Lord. The way to do it, is by loosening your grip on the world and tightening unto the Father.   Life is a tale of infinite dependency. If you try to figure it out, God is the on the extremes like a sword that cut  the string of dependency. Trust is simply giving up insecurities and worries of this life for if you do, worrying is planning silently how to die early.  Giving up everything is like giving up the world of insecurities and worries by completely surrendering to the will of the Father as Jesus did.

Views: 113

DO # 7 S. 2020: LOOKING FORWARD SY 2020-2021

by Rogelio V. Mañanita, posted in Education Updates

  Summer break will end on May 31, 2020 (DO # 7 S. 2020). Teachers are called back to report to their respective work station on June 1, 2020 to render their services for School Year 2020-2021. They are expected to attend orientation and training activities on the different delivery options appropriate for their school of assignment. They will also prepare instructional materials for their subject loads and plan organization of classes with due consideration to the learning modality they may wish to employ.

Teachers may report physically or virtually to their work stations depending on the risk severity grade of COVID 19 in their locality pursuant to the guidelines of the DOH, IATF or OP which then made clear by their immediate supervising officer.  Alternative work arrangement might be onsite or work from home upon instruction from the higher office    for health safety and well being. In case of work from home arrangement, the school head shall require the teacher to prepare a work week plan and determine thereof whether the planned activities every day and every week commensurate the teacher’s salary grade he/she is receiving.  Accomplishment reports are to be submitted at the end of the week together with the expected outputs.

Schools under the supervision of the region and division offices, shall decide the learning delivery modality deemed appropriate on their own context.  Should face-to-face modality be the only option? Then, teachers should organize their classes in 15-20 learners in compliance with the social distancing measures of the Department of Health.

In as much as classes begin on August 24, 2020 and will end on April 30, 2021. Holding of classes from Monday to Friday cannot suffice the required number of school days for SY 2020-2021. Hence, DepEd Secretary opted to authorize Saturday classes with legal bases from RA 7797, An Act Lengthening the School Calendar from Two Hundred (200)  Days  to not More Than Two Hundred Twenty (220) Class Days, to be able to have a total of 203 days for SY 2020-2021.  However, in cases of religious prohibition, teacher may report for work or engage in teaching activities on Sunday. 

Enrollment for SY 2020-2021 will start on June 1, 2020 and will end on June 30, 2020. Students are to accomplish the enrollment and survey form which is intended to collect information from the learner. The instrument will be a good source of data that could help school heads and teachers to choose appropriate learning delivery model to adopt.

The conduct of curricular and co-corricular activities in a large gathering are not allowed. However, career guidance activities for the grade 9 and geade 10 learners could still be conducted in an appropriate modality in order to facilitate them to decide for themselves the right track to pursue in the Senior High School level.  Likewise, general assembly’s involving parents and other stakeholders are still encourage bearing in  mind the health safety and well being of the general public.

On the other hand, Brigada Eskwela always comes with the opening of classes. It is the National Schools Maintenance Week that aims to bring together all education stakeholders to participate and contribute their time, effort, and resources to prepare public school facilities for the opening of classes. Normally, parents come  and bring to school   their material donations for the school’s brigada activities.  The highlight of the previous year’s Brigada Eskwela implementation were, physical cleaning, painting and repainting and minor repair.

Brigada Eskwela 2020 could be different caused by  the new normal situation in DepEd. New needs surface in response to the learning delivery modalities that the school may opt to adopt. Hence, the theme “Pagpapanatili ng Bayanihan Tungo sa Kalidad na Edukasyon para sa Kabataan”. This serves as an urgent call to all stakeholders to take their share for the DepEd’s Learning Continuity Plan. They can partner schools of their preference for the following suggested activities: disinfection of schools, mobilization of essential items, conduct of psychological first aid sessions/psycho-social interventions, orientation activities with partners and PTA on DepEd’s  Learning Continuity Plan, distance learning, gulayan sa paaralan/tahanan, and other school base initiatives under the guidance of the school heads making the school ready for the opening of classes.

Truly, school activities are everybody’s concern. The preparedness of school on the first day of classes is dependent on everyone’s contribution towards a common goal. It creates an image of hope and inspiration among learners who wanted to figure out their dreams under the assistance and guidance of the classroom teacher.

Views: 67