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NARMA Bulletin
_____________________________________ Vol. 2, No. 4 December, 2013
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This month of December this year, we have really seen the blessings being bestowed upon us as a consequence of our faith. Biblical Antecedent The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgins name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end. But Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no relations with a man? And the angel said to her in reply, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God. Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the

Christmas and the Joy It Brings

Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. Then the angel departed from her. (LK 1:2638) The Good News Retold Let us recall the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus says the Holy Scripture: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us. When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25) The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of
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Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:1-17, NRSV)

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us. When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25, NRSV)

guard me against unholy thoughts and worldly dangers, that I may worship the Holy Cross of Jesus of Nazareth; crucified have pity on me. O Holy Cross of Jesus, be my hope. O Holy Cross, have mercy on me, forever and ever. Amen. In honor of the precious blood of Jesus and His fearful death and resurrection, and His glorification which leads to everlasting life. Amen. As true as Jesus is born at Christmas and crucified on Good Friday As true as Joseph, and Nicodemus, took Jesus down from the cross As true as Jesus ascended to heaven, may He preserve me from my enemies, visible and invisible, forever and ever. Amen. O Lord Almighty, unto Your hands, I give my hand, soul and body. O Lord Jesus, grant me strength to bear the cross as Yourself. Teach me to bear with humility all the ills; that the Virgin may fill me with Holy Spirit. Preserve my soul and lead it to life everlasting. Amen.

A Prayer
The following prayer, included in the NRCS Inspirational file, will be made available on Scribd and has to be prayed daily as the one holding it is told. Such prayer was found in the sepulchre of the Lord Jesus Christ in the year 1607. Read the prayer, too O Lord Almighty You suffered death at the cross for our sins. O Holy Cross of Jesus, be my true light. O Holy Cross of Jesus, fill my soul with good thoughts. O Holy Cross, help me in my salvation. O Holy Cross, safely
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Books
(Print and E-books) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Last Traces of Hope is a novel released online through Scribd.com. Its theme is focused on the Mideast turmoil and how it affected the lives of those who were trapped in the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. A ship manned by Filipino crew members was docked in the international port of Kuwait on August 2, 1990 when the incursion transpired. This book tells what happened when the vessel was about to sail and after it did. The novel is available in print at www.createspace.com/3621484 and as an ebook at www.smashwords.com and at www.xinxii.com. It is also available in Kindle version at https://kdp.amazon.com. (Read the Prologue in the succeeding pages) The Authors Other Fiction Works The other works of fiction by N. Madera Aguilar are likewise available for viewing or purchase through the internet. A novella and four other stories are anthologized in the authors collection Fiction Assemblage. The printed book is available at www.createspace.com/3598890. Included in this book is Harvest of Sand which is a condensation of the authors second book on the Mideast trilogy, a novel set to be released in 2012. It tells us of a turmoil in the Middle East and how foreign lives were affected. It is an account of events which transpired in the Middle East in 1990 spawned by Iraqs incursion into Kuwait. On August 2, 1990 in Kuwait City, it was getting late but Brian Rios, a deputy employment and welfare attach assigned at the Philippine Embassy there, knew he was facing a sleepless night. More people would be
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arriving and would be joining the multitude of those who were already jostled in the embassy premises. The succeeding scenes were unnerving. The characters created herein are purely fictional and any similarity or resemblance to actual persons is purely accidental. The places described, however, are real and the events that transpired forming as backdrop of the story are now facets of history. The author is motivated solely by a desire to provide entertainment to the readers, and no offense, if any, is intended to an individual or group, be it as to their beliefs or well-being. Harvest of Sand is available as an ebook at www.smashwords.com and also at www.xinxii.com, or in Kindle at www.kdp.amazon.com. In another story, Losing, we are brought to a scene where a meeting between a man and a woman takes place. Their respective reactions towards each other are spontaneous when prompted by the confrontation. The woman stares at the man with a subdued smile bordering on being apprehensive as she is unsure of how the former would take this meeting which she had sought for. The man doesnt allow a smile to flash on his face which is not only an epitome of surprise but also a portrait of disbelief. Losing is likewise available as an e-book in the above-mentioned outlets. A Girls Awakening is a short story and it is paired with Losing to form a separate publication in printed version at CreateSpace labelled as two tales of lifes facets: one, of young age; the other, aging. It is available at www.createspace.com/3565490. A Girls Awakening is a tale that brings us to the rural life in the Philippines which a barrio lass, Andrea leads. She is no longer a girl but not yet a woman. In her status, and while basking in the lure of natural beauty in

her surroundings, she is suddenly exposed to the danger that lurks behind. Menace on the Face of the Red Moon is a novella and, like the foregoing two stories, it is published independently through CreateSpace and a copy of the same may be obtained through www.createspace.com/3571177 while its ebook versions are available at the abovestated e-book outlets. The book unravels what happens when members of a family in bereavement cling to a hope that their patriarch is still alive. It also points to us the influence of superstition and the nagging belief that there is certain healing that lies somewhere even if the way towards it is crooked and wearisome. A conflict between the modern and the traditional is inevitably tackled when the protagonists tread the same path to a single objective. A sample conversation taking place among the characters in the novella is reproduced hereunder: It did not take them long inside the physicians chambers. In the hallway the three girls, still teary-eyed, were waiting for them. What is that Methuselahs Home the doctor was referring to? Alex asked his elder brother. Methuselahs Home is actually a funeral house, Lauro told Alex. It is owned and operated by Methuselah Guzman. She earned her expertise in mummification from a university in Cairo, Egypt. Of course, Mrs. Guzman is the doctors wife. My goodness! Why was he allowed to be fathers physician? He is the hospitals consultant. All cases similar to that of father are referred to him.
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He is the best surgeon and internist in town. Its not his fault being married to an embalmer, Lauro explained. Who are we going to get now as undertaker? Alex consulted Lauro and Maria. Isnt Methuselah the best in town? It was Maria who raised the questionwhich was actually more of an answer. On top of the heap of stories in the collection Fiction Assemblage is A Man and a Girl which is separately published in print at Createspace Bookstore and as an ebook in the previously mentioned e-book outlets. In this book, a prisoners travails and misgivings are featured and thus becomes the focal point of the story. He is one day released from jail and has regained his freedom. But he worries about his wife and daughter who never visited him during his incarceration. He sets out to look for them and what he eventually finds out shakes him in disbelief. The Mideast Trilogy As earlier mentioned, the authors book The Last Traces of Hope is the first of the three novels he has intended to dish out on the subject matter of Mideast turmoil spawned by Iraqs incursion into Kuwait in August, 1990. The second has already a condensation in the form of a short story Harvest of Sand and is also released via Scribd online and other outlets while the third has a timetable for 2014. The writing of this trilogy was begun by the author in August, 1990, too, and is intended to be accomplished in a matter of two years from now.

The Prologue of the novel is hereunder reproduced: Prologue: The Fear The unsettling events that transpired during the last few days of July, 1990 exacerbated the volatile situation in the Mideast, particularly Kuwait, and it sent Brian Rios, the Deputy Employment and Welfare Attach assigned in that small nation, worrying. He was working on a report to be submitted to the Middle East Coordinators Office in Manila but the vexation in his mind had affected his writing. He simply could not finish the paper work. The relations between Kuwait and its neighbor, Iraq, had deteriorated and this drove Brian into fear. Any further worsening of such relations could place him in a precarious situation. As the Kuwait-based DEWA of his country, he was watching over thousands of Filipinos working in that country alonetens of thousands, in fact. He was next in rank to the Employment and Welfare Attach who was based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and in charge of providing for and
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overseeing the employment and welfare needs of all the overseas contract workers in the Mideast. The latter carried the appellation of EWA. Naturally, Brian was always referred to as the DEWA by his countrymen in Kuwait. The dispute between Iraq and Kuwait had been escalating day after day. The most recent developments pouring in from both countries did not augur well for peace. Brian saw to it that he was kept fully abreast of news updates from the two countries. A bulletin furnished him by diplomatic sources read in part: even the Organization of Islamic Conference, made up of forty-eight members had urged the two fellow member-states to resort to peaceful means in resolving their differences. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, however, is hard on his demands that Kuwait cut oil production, pay for oil allegedly pumped from the border which Iraq claims as part of its territory and write off billions of dollars in loan. And as he further leafed through the pages, Brian arrived at the concluding statement: on the part of Kuwait, its demands focus on the withdrawal of Iraqs forces from the 160-kilometer border. It views such massing of Iraqi forces as a threat. The withdrawal is a pre-condition to the holding of any negotiation. This, apparently, is Kuwaits position. Brian could no longer conceal the fact that he was on the verge

of panic. He feared that the consequences would be beyond estimation should the talks between the two countries fail. The newest work of fiction by the author is a novel entitled The Fall of Damascus. It is inspired by a line in the Holy Bible as follows: See, Damascus will cease to be a city, and will become a heap of ruins. (Isaiah 17:1, NRSV)

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Books
(Non-fiction) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crime, Retribution and Exoneration This is a book by N. Madera Aguilar which features True Crime Stories from the Jurisprudential Files of the Philippine Judiciary. It is available in print via https://www.createspace.com/3697327

Volume One of the book is now available online via Scribd.com and other major e-book outlets on the Web. It is also available in print through Createspac.com.

This book is likewise available on Scribd.com as an e-book as well as in other major e-book outlets. Essentials of Litigation This is one of the authors works on legally-related subjects with the Philippine setting as the foreground. Jurisprudence in the Philippine context is a rich source of wisdom, guidelines, precepts and reference which a citizen may avail of in application to his courses of action as well as routine activities making up his daily chores. The provisions of the Rules of Court, which govern law practice and procedural undertakings in judicial fora,
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find amplification in decisions, resolutions and rulings which the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court, hand down as a result of evaluation, consideration and deliberation on questions brought before it. There are various reasons why we seek the intervention of courts and it is significant for a layman to have at least a capsular view of what usually takes place therein. Although the ramifications dished out in this book are primarily based on the Philippine usage and experience, it has to be borne in mind that the tenets and precepts adhered to are almost uniform in their global application. The same practices hold true: that there is a seeker of recourse and there is someone from whom it is sought. For a plaintiff there is a defendant. For a petitioner there is a respondent. For a complainant there is an accused.

Finding Pathways through the Community This book is the authors testimony in writing on his encounter with Spirituality and Grace in the midst of the difficult journey in the once uncertain itinerary.

This book is an inspirational work and is actually a presentation of various realities in life which the author had to face as he pursues growth: from the day God gave him life on earth to his current endeavors, particularly in being part of the truth that God reveals to His people.
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NARMA Bulletin is an electronic periodical distributed online by Narma Books imbued with a mission of information dissemination through selective relay of significant matters of concern to the appropriate recipients, both in entertainment and informative categories. Based in the Philippines.

On the way to court as used in this volume should be understood as the status of one who is preparing for litigation. On their way to court, litigants or laymen may find a perfect answer to a concern brought forth, or it may be otherwise, a realization of an outcome which may be unexpected.
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Images
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