Inspiring You to Live a Fantastic Life

No. 288 Vol. 24 May 2014

HEALTHY,
HOLY
How to Have
Healthy Money
Can Money Be
Sacred?

MONEY
God Wants to Give You Both
By Bo Sanchez

Why God Invented

Mothers

Benj and Fely

Santiago:
Risen from
KERYGMA BARCODE.pdf 11/16/06 5:43:58 PM Debt
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A mother’s love is
… like the morning sun that warms our hearts
… like pure water that quenches our thirst
… like fresh-cut flowers that give us joy
… like colorful fruits that nourish our bodies
… like a holiday that restores our spirits

What can we give to this gift of God?

Life-giving words to a life-giver

Light of wisdom to the light of our home
Books that empower her mission

Let us celebrate one of the greatest blessings of our lives.

Happy Mother’s Day!

“The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the love of a mother.”
– St. Therese of the Child Jesus

For more information, call 725-9999 local 101 to108

or log on to www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph

FREE! The Power Within Booklet for every title purchased — while supply lasts!
 Do you want to know the secret to
abundance?
“If you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with
true wealth?” (Luke 16:11)

Here’s an interesting fact. Did you know that out of 57 parables in the Bible, Jesus spoke about money more
than any other topic?

We are called to be good stewards of the many gifts and resources God entrusts to us.

“And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to
give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing
when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.”(Luke 42-44).

The Lord wants to bless us. First, we need to become good stewards.
How do we do this?

The latest book of bestselling author Bo Sanchez answers this important question. He
reveals a powerful strategy called The Abundance Formula.

It teaches you 4 Simple Steps That Make Good People Rich. You
will learn how to: Make Your 100%, Magnify Your 10%, Multiply
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That’s 100/10/20/70.

The Abundance Formula teaches you how to build and grow your
wealth so that you can bless and love more people.

For only P295, you get valuable wisdom on how you can manage
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Don’t delay your blessing. Invest in your financial health and be the
good and faithful steward that God wants you to become so that
you will be able to receive more blessings and help Him bless more
people.

Begin your journey to abundance today.

Order your copy today. Call (02) 725-9999 or visit www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph

to order online.
 M
y mother died on April 30, 2013.
Looking at her lifeless body in her simple white
coffin, and remembering her permanent impact in
my life, I realized that mothers are God’s greatest
inventions.
Why did God invent mothers?
Because there are a few things that only mothers can do.
I needed someone crazy enough to carry me in her womb for
nine months; crazy enough to go through the pain of childbirth;
crazy enough to feed me, bathe me, and look after me 24/7; crazy
enough to teach me how to walk, talk, pray, share, serve, and say,
“Thank You” and “I’m Sorry” and “I love you.”
Why did God invent mothers?
Because when my fingers were smaller, I needed someone
with bigger fingers to button my shirt, cut my fingernails, and
tie my shoelaces. And when my wisdom was smaller, I needed
someone with bigger wisdom to teach me what was right and
wrong, and someone to forgive me when I did something wrong.
Why did God invent mothers?
Because when I failed in an exam and I felt like my whole
world was collapsing, I needed a mother who would tell me, “Just
wait. Everything will be alright.” I needed a mother to hold my
hand when I was afraid, when I was sick, and when I felt sad.  happy that God is opening a new ministry for you.”
Why did God invent mothers?
Because when I was 13, I needed a mother who would listen
with rapt attention to the ramblings of a 13-year-old boy giving
his first talk. I needed a mother who listened to every talk I gave,
who recorded my every word in her gigantic old tape recorder,
and who heard my talks over and over again in her bedroom — to
tell me that, in her heart, I will always be the greatest preacher in
the universe. I needed a mother who would believe in me so that
it would be easier for me to believe that God believed in me.
I needed a mother who would read every word I wrote — in
every magazine and in every book I published. I needed a mother
who, even if she never used the Internet or email in her whole
life, would still read my blog by asking her daughters to print my
Photo courtesy of Bernadette Cruz.
WHY GOD INVENTED MOTHERS
The
By Bo Sanchez Boss
online essays for her — to tell me to never stop writing God’s
message to the world.
Why did God invent mothers?
Because when I was 14, I needed a mother who didn’t
freak out when I told her that I wanted to live in a dangerous
slum area to bring Jesus to the poorest of the poor. All she
said was, “If that’s what God wants you to do, then do it; I will
pray for your protection.” When I was 14, I needed a mother
crazy enough to allow me to travel by myself to the farthest
islands of the Philippines to preach the Gospel. I needed a
mother who trusted me but who trusted God more than me
to take care of me. 
Why did God invent mothers?
Because when I started preaching about financial
literacy and how to become truly rich, and some people
were criticizing me for becoming worldly, I needed a mother
who knew my heart more than anyone else and told me, “I’m
Why did God invent mothers?
Because I needed a mother who prayed for me every
single moment of her life. I needed a mother who showed
me God’s face by simply showing her face to me.
But I realized I didn’t need just any mother.
I needed my mother. I needed Pilar.
To make me who I am today.
Dearest friend, God gave you your mother. With all her
weaknesses, she is still one of God’s most precious gifts to
you. Love her…while you can.
Mom, happy mother’s day!
May your dreams come true,
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 1
 Mail
room
Kerygma is so great. It is a blessing to me. I am a marine
engineering graduate. I’ve been looking for a job for almost a year
now and was almost losing hope. But when I read this magazine,
it enlightened me and gave peace to my heart, believing that God
has better plans for me. I also go to church more often now. Thanks
for this inspirational magazine.
Mark Anthony C. Ewican
Via text
I am so in love with the Kerygma Conference 2013. I got for myself
a Kerygma subscription. I received my first issue now and will read
it from cover to cover, hopefully in one sitting.
Thank you so much, Shepherd’s Voice team, for bringing us a
great magazine and for inspiring us to trust God always.
Agnes de Guzman Francia
Antipolo, Rizal
Someone asked me if I wanted something to read and then gave
me a copy of Kerygma magazine. I like all your articles especially
the New You tips on how to manage our time and how to keep our
New Year’s resolutions. It gave me a good idea on how to do right
the things I want to achieve. May you continue to inspire us with
your articles.
Fair Lilian U. Bugayong
Aguilar, Pangasinan
I thank God for having Kerygma magazine through Bo Sanchez
and others who share their stories. I am a first year student at the
Ateneo de Naga University. Our Theology subject introduced
Kerygma to us. At first, I didn’t want to read it but when I did,
I was mesmerized by the stories and I easily got the lessons and
learnings. It changed my perspective in life. My life is better now.
Raine Shaira Dino
Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte
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For subscription-related concerns, text or call Sarah Discutido
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ph.
2 KERYGMA • MAY 2014
WINNERS OF KERYGMA’S
SUBSCRIPTION PROMO
Kerygma’s year-long subscription promo culminated in a grand draw
on January 12, 2014 at The Feast PICC in the presence of Ms. Rose
Egmila from the Department of Trade and Industry. The winners are:
Holy Land Pilgrimage: Eliseo Ablas of NHA Office, Magallanes
St., Davao City
Two iPad Minis: Evelyn Lazo of Balaring, Boac, Marinduque and
Jonathan Bocala of Violago Homes, Payatas B, Quezon City
Below is the story of Eliseo Ablas. With him in this photo taken at
the Church of St. John the Baptist in Ein Karem, Jerusalem are (L-R)
Beckie Sanchez, Bo Sanchez and Vita Monforte.
Photo courtesy of Carl Fontanilla.
In 2013, my wife, Analyn, subscribed to Kerygma magazine and she
named the subscription after me.
On January 12, 2014, I received a phone call from someone in
Shepherd’s Voice Publications informing me that I won the trip to
Holy Land, the grand prize for the promo of Kerygma. The call came
while my family and I were on the bus going home to Davao. I had just
celebrated my birthday the day before at the Transfiguration Monastery
in Bukidnon.
I was overjoyed but I wanted to confirm it. When we arrived home, I
got Mitzi Camonias’s number in an issue of Kerygma and texted her. I
screamed with joy upon hearing her confirmation! I texted the rest of my
family, friends and officemates to share the good news.
Then I remember how it all started. In a 2012 issue of Kerygma, I
read an article about the winner of the Holy Land pilgrimage. She had
a picture with Bo Sanchez. Silently I prayed, “Lord, I hope that next
time I will have a photo beside Bo in Israel.” I claimed it in my heart as
I recalled Bo’s teaching to use the power of imagination and claim it.
Every month, when I read Kerygma and see photos of the Holy Land, I
would imagine myself being there. And it happened!
From February 10 to 19, 2014, I was one of the 142 pilgrims who
went with Bo to the land where Jesus walked, which I only read before
in the Bible. My favorite part was going to Mt. Carmel. It reminded me
of my son, Elijah, whom we named after the prophet who brought down
fire from God.
It was a happy experience but God wasn’t finished blessing me
yet. On our way back to Manila from Israel, I requested for an aisle
seat because I frequented the comfort room a lot. Then, as I was being
assisted to my seat, I was surprised to know that I had been upgraded.
I only asked for an aisle seat but the Lord moved me to business class.
The whole journey was the best birthday gift I’ve received in my life
and I am eternally grateful to God for the experience.
 Living by Just
Grace Breathe

By Rissa Singson Kawpeng

FREE FROM EVIL INFLUENCE

Take one exorcism and call me in the morning

D
ad’s 81st birthday in November 2012 was memorable for our family. It of the demonic.” Engaging the service of
was the first time ever that all four of us sisters traveled to the US with healers or psychics like these “would only
him to join our two brothers who’ve been living there for decades empower the evil spirits and allow unseen
now. bondages to be formed” with the patient.
But our joy was short-lived. Two days after Dad arrived in Manila, He continued, “The devil will usually play
pneumonia struck. His immune system weakened. The disease hit him around with all those concerned, easily
so bad that he couldn’t speak or even remember my sister’s name. fooling them and making them feel
Things looked bleak, even with the strong antibiotic he was receiving. It powerful and proud. He could also grant
seemed like we were nearing the end. Then a relative brought a clairvoyant friend them all sorts of exciting ‘miracles’ to keep
to do crystal healing on Dad. them obsessed with the occult, diverting
Astonishingly, Dad felt better. A few days later, he was released from the their reliance and dependence away from
hospital to continue his recovery at home. But Dad was never the same again. For God.”
the first time, he needed a wheelchair to go around. His pneumonia came back Thank God Dad is free from the evil
again and again — four times in 2013. In between, he had more bouts of infection. influence that has sapped him of his
Then my sister, who’s involved in the exorcism ministry of Fr. Jocis Syquia, strength last year. His healing has also
thought of bringing Dad for some deliverance prayers. She thought of the crystal drawn him closer to the Lord and has made
healing and didn’t like the idea that it received credit for his recovery. him a more prayerful man.
She made an appointment for Fr. Winston Cabading, one of the priests in the
exorcism ministry, to pray for Dad on a Sunday morning. When Sunday came, Dad For our struggle is not with flesh and
became weak again. He woke up but went right back to sleep and couldn’t get up. blood but with the principalities, with
My sister apologized to Fr. Winston and told him that Dad wasn’t feeling the powers, with the world rulers of this
well again. The priest wasn’t surprised. He thought earlier that if there really was present darkness, with the evil spirits in
an evil spirit involved, Dad wouldn’t be able to come. “I’ll go to him instead,” he the heavens. — Ephesians 6:12
Rissa’s dress courtesy of ELITE GARMENTS/Ensembles.

volunteered.
We had Mass in Dad’s living room the following Friday. Afterwards, Fr. Winston Email me at justbreatherissa@gmail.com,
subscribe to my Facebook updates, or visit
administered the sacrament of the anointing of the sick and recited deliverance
my website www.rissasingson.com.ph.
prayers that broke curses, hexes and spells upon Dad. He also blessed every room
in the house and anointed with holy oil every door and gate that led into it.
What to Expect This Month:
The next day, my sister called up Dad to ask him how he was. Dad was ecstatic.
“I feel like I woke up from a very long sleep, like from a dream,” he said. The very My newest book is out! Something
next day, he was out malling with friends sans his wheelchair and caregiver. Happened on My Way to Happy Ever After is
It was nothing short of a miracle. a book that will delight singles and married
This experience reminded me how easily we can open ourselves to demonic couples, young and old alike. Bo Sanchez
influences. “Wala namang mawawala” (We won’t lose anything), Pinoys often say says in his foreword: “You can easily relate to
when they try albularyos (faith healers), consult fortune-tellers or horoscopes. We (Rissa’s) stories and she never fails to draw
don’t realize that nothing comes free when the devil is involved. timeless lessons that will inspire you as you
Fr. Jocis Syquia wrote in his book, Exorcism: Encounters with the Paranormal walk your own journey.”
Get your copy online at shepherdsvoice.
and the Occult, that healers who use “occult instruments and magical formulas
com.ph in e-book or paperback editions.
from animism and the New Age like tawas, orasyons, anting-antings, crystals, Or call (632) 725-9999. Also available in
wands, tarot cards, potions, crystal balls, pendulums, etc.” are “already in the realm bookstores nationwide.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 3
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 1 The Boss
WHY GOD
INVENTED
THE MOTHERS
BO 40 Point of Contact
DEPARTMENTS FILES

SPECIAL SECTION
2 Mailroom 19 HEALTHY, HOLY
6 New You MONEY
7 Real Stuff What’s 20 HOW TO HAVE HEALTHY
Inside
8 Wounded Family,
MONEY
Wounded Healer
26 CAN MONEY BE SACRED?
FORGIVING MY FATHER
10 Dear K May 2014
12 KFam Insider TESTIMONIES
13 Feast Snapshots 24 WEALTH AND
15 It Happened: COLUMNS WELLNESS
3 Just Breathe
Risen From Debt 30 MY LIFE-
FREE
39 One Last Story: CHANGING
FROM EVIL
TB OR NOT TB INFLUENCE EQUATION:
5 > 95
33 Seasons
ADVENTURES WITH GOD

35 Catholic Soul
THE HOLY MASS

37 K Preacher
NO FEAR!

ABOUT OUR COVER MODEL
Rizza Rose Mendoza, or Yza as her friends call her, is
an AB Journalism graduate from the University of the
East, Manila. After working in an international NGO,
she is now with a prestigious development bank.
Currently, she is part of the music ministry at
The Feast PICC. Singing for God and serving Him
have opened more doors of opportunitues in her life.
Yza believes that if you can think of something great, you
can do something great as well. Among her greatest dreams are to
become a bestselling author, a motivational speaker, and a successful
entrepreneur like Bo Sanchez.
She works for a life that will push her to contribute a big part in
the community — to lead, encourage and help people, especially in
her generation, to develop themselves to their maximum potentials.
Yza is a passionate writer, a pursuer of dreams, a friend, a woman
of independence, a lover of life.

founder and publisher BO SANCHEZ • editor-in-chief RISSA SINGSON KAWPENG • managing editor TESS V. ATIENZA • creative director MIKE CORTES • graphics director REY DE GUZMAN
• staff writer MARJORIE DUTERTE • contributing writers BELLA ESTRELLA, JUDITH CONCEPCION, MAYMAY SALVOSA • assistant layout artist LEAH KIM RECTO • photographer DANIEL A.
SORIANO • columnists BISHOP TED BACANI JR., HERMIE MORELOS, EDGARDO C. DE VERA, CARLO F. LORENZO

chairman of the board and CEO BO SANCHEZ • president HERMIE MORELOS • vice-president for finance and administration WENG CEQUEÑA • assistant vice-president for production RISSA
SINGSON KAWPENG • sales and marketing manager JOSEPH MARTINEZ
Kerygma. A Greek word meaning Proclamation of the Gospel. It is a Catholic inspirational magazine. It aims to be an evangelistic tool to all nations, providing Scriptural, practical
and orthodox teachings to Catholics, particularly those in the Catholic Renewal, as an alternative to present-day magazines. It is also committed to fostering the renewal and
unity of the whole Christian people. Philippine copyright Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc. 2014. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. Kerygma is
published monthly by Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc., whose editorial and business offices are located at 60 Chicago St., Cubao, 1109 Quezon City. Tel. Nos.: (632) 725-9999,
411-7874, 725-1190. Fax: 727-5615 Email: editsvp@shepherdsvoice.com.ph. Website: www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph.
 Tips for
New personal
You development

DO NOT EAT LUNCH AT

YOUR DESK

TIPS ON HOW TO BE MORE

PATIENT

J S
ohn Trougakos, associate professor of Organizational
Behavior and HR Management at the University of
Toronto, published a study on lunch break patterns of
office workers. He discovered that how, where and with whom
we eat our midday meal is just as important as what we eat.
Here are the reasons why you should foster a more break-
friendly culture in the office:
1. Give your brain a break. “Our efforts to control behavior,
to perform and to focus, draw on our limited pool of
psychological energy,” says Trougakos. Lunch provides a
perfect opportunity to recharge our energy sources.
2. Boost cognitive abilities. Researchers from Heriot-Watt
University and the University of Edinburgh found out
that sitting in green spaces or viewing a park from an
office window has restorative effects and helps improve
attention fatigue.
3. Create a break culture. The absence of a proper lunch
break can cause greater fatigue and lower productivity
among office workers. Setting up a proper break room
signifies to employees that the company culture values
break times.
4. Avoid business lunches. A business lunch has the same
fatiguing effects as eating lunch while working at your
desk. “It doesn’t provide you with the chance to recover,”
says Trougakos. If you have a business lunch, take a break
before heading back to the office by going for a walk
or doing an activity that allows you to detach for a few
minutes.

 feeling of impatience.
Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com
aint Augustine said that patience is the companion of
wisdom. In this age of rush and instant things, here are
some tips for practicing this difficult but very rewarding
virtue.
1. Chew your food slowly. Research says that people who eat
their food more slowly, eat less overall than those who are
in a hurry to finish their meal. Impatient people are more
likely to be overweight because of their inability to delay
gratification at the dinner table. By eating slowly, you can
train yourself to be less impulsive and more patient in the
other areas of your life.
2. Experience different cultures. When you travel, you realize
that many cultures aren’t as punctual and encountering
these perspectives can change you. It can make you learn
to be patient with how other people do things that are very
different from yours. Try visiting an immigrant community
near you or an area where people from a different culture
live and understand their ways.
3. Stop imagining the ideal. Dr. Brené Brown, a research
professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of
Social Work, shares, “I often grow impatient when I want to
be in control of a situation. To avoid getting antsy… I try to
practice self-compassion. I tell myself that I’m not going to
quit even if I become frustrated. I’ll say out loud, ‘You’re not
perfect, but that’s OK… It’s not ideal, but you can handle
it.’” Talking to your self may feel awkward, but it stops that
Source: http://www.realsimple.com

Quick Health Tip

Dark
D
ark chocolate from cacao is good for the heart when eaten in
Chocolate moderation. The higher the cacao content, the higher amount
of flavanols it contains, which help keep platelets less sticky,
decreasing the risk from heart attack or stroke from blood clots. It
also lowers blood pressure, increases blood flow to the brain, and
helps improve cognitive function. It eases depression because cacao
is a precursor to important neurotransmitters such as dopamine and
serotonin, brain chemicals associated with feelings of well-being
and happiness. Make sure your dark chocolate contains at least 70
percent cacao.
Sources: http://healthyeater.com, http://www.fitday.com
6 KERYGMA • MAY 2014
 VIGAN: FINALIST FOR NEW
Real
WONDER CITIES OF THE Stuff
WORLD
POPE SAYS CHARITY IS
THE GREATEST RICHNESS
OF THE CHURCH

C
harity is the greatest richness of the Church.
Living communion in charity means not looking
for one’s own interest, but rather to be capable
of sharing the joys and sufferings of brethren; to be
capable of carrying one another’s burdens,” Pope
Francis explained to thousands of pilgrims at Saint
Peter’s Square.
The Pope named the sacraments, charisms and

T
he Heritage City of Vigan, capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, is
among the 28 finalists for the New 7 Wonder Cities of the World.
Vigan, known for its cobblestone streets and old wooden
homes with capiz windows, is the country’s oldest surviving Spanish
colonial city that dates back to the 16th century. Saint Paul’s Cathedral
in Vigan, built in 1574 and completed in 1800, is a center of Catholic
devotion for centuries.
Vigan is included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List of Sites
and Monuments — a list of over 600 cultural and natural properties
worldwide that have exceptional universal value.
According to the Swiss firm, New7Wonders, the other city finalists
include Athens, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beirut, Casablanca, Chicago,
Doha, Durban, Havana, Ho Chi Minh City, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur,
Kyoto, La Paz, London, Mendoza, Mexico City, Mumbai, Perth, Phnom
Penh, Prague, Quito, Reykjavik, and Saint Petersburg, among others.
The shortlisted cities will undergo three elimination phases
determined by public voting through the New7Wonders website,
which will end on December 7, 2014.
The local government of Vigan requests all Filipinos to vote for the
city’s inclusion to the New 7 Wonder Cities of the World.
Sources: http://www.new7wonders.com, http://manilatimes.net/
charity as three of the key “treasures” found within the
Church. He reflected on the importance of participating
in the Church’s spiritual goods in order to grow closer
to God as a community in charity.
“In the sacraments, we find ourselves with Jesus
and, through Him, we enter to form part of the holy
People of God,” the pope said.
“All encounters with the Lord have a missionary
character,” and “that is why the sacraments are an
invitation to communicate to others what we have
seen and heard, to lead others to the salvation we have
received.”
In the same way, the Pope noted that charisms “are
special gifts and graces that the Holy Spirit distributes
to build up the Church, namely, to build up its holiness
and its mission in the world” through “unity” and
“service.”
These charisms “enrich charity, which is above
everything,” expressed the Pope, “without love,
charisms are in vain. With love, even the smallest of our
actions have repercussions in benefitting everyone.”
Source: http://www.ewtn.com

St. Margaret Clitherow Saints-at-a-Glance

Born and Died: 1555, Middleton, England – March 25, 1586, York,
Yorkshire, England

S
t. Margaret of Clitherow was born to Protestant parents. She converted to
Roman Catholicism when she was 18. In 1571, she married John Clitherow,
a butcher, to whom she bore two children. She regularly held Masses in her
home in the Shambles in York. She became a friend of the persecuted Roman
Catholic population in the north of England. Her zeal for her faith led her to hide
priests in her own home. For harboring priests, she was arrested and imprisoned.
Made to deny her faith, this holy woman stood firm.
St. Margaret’s humanity and holiness can be glimpsed in her words to a friend,
“The sheriffs have said that I am going to die this coming Friday; and I feel the
weakness of my flesh, which is troubled at this news, but my spirit rejoices greatly.
For the love of God, pray for me and ask all good people to do likewise.”
St. Margaret is the patron of businesswomen, converts, martyrs and the
Catholic Women’s League.
Source: http://www.catholic.org

MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 7

 Having forgiven her father before he passed away has given Loy so
much peace in her heart. She’s shown here with her mom, Maria Lara.
By Loy Carampatana
As told to Tess V. Atienza
FORGIVING MY FATHER
The best thing I ever did for him
S
o many questions circled through my mind as I grew up.
Why did he have a child with another woman?
Why did he leave us?
Why did he hurt us?
Did he love us?
My mother had just given birth to me when my father left us.
I first saw him when I was five years old. That time, he was living with
another woman and had a daughter by her.
Eventually, my mother and father got back together and my half-
sister lived with us.
But the questions persisted. I could not understand our situation. I
grew up harboring ill feelings towards my father.
I was blind to his goodness. I only noticed his imperfections and his
bad ways. He was very strict, irritable and imposed many rules on us. In
my mind, I was like, “Look who’s talking! He probably thinks he’s perfect!
Hasn’t he committed many mistakes in life?”
A Glimmer of Hope
Years passed. Our family situation remained the same, until one day, he
and my mother attended some church activity. They became active in
their church organization and we, their children, were encouraged to join,
too.
We were all happy. My siblings and I finished our college education.
We had enough to live by. We were happy serving in church. Everything
seemed to go well. The imperfect family had turned perfect, or so I
thought.
8 KERYGMA • MAY 2014
I thought my grudge towards my father was
already gone.
But in 2008, another crisis came.
Back to His Old Ways
At age 60, my father had another affair — with a
woman our family knew.
This time, my grudge turned to hatred.
I felt my whole world crumbling down. My
family, which I thought had lost its imperfection,
was back to being imperfect.
I distanced myself from my friends and
neighbors. I buried myself in work. I spent all my
energy in sports and exercise. I went home late in
the evening to avoid meeting people who knew
me. I wanted to be dead tired when I got home so
I could lie down and immediately fall sleep — and
not see any of my family. I wanted to lose contact
with all of them.
I stopped going to Mass because I didn’t want
to see families going to Mass together. My hatred
towards my father grew every time I saw families
going out together.
I constantly asked myself, “Why is it that the
one who’s supposed to take care of and love us is
the one who’s hurting us?”
 I talked to my mother and told her to ask my father to leave
the house. I knew she was hurting, too, and she wanted to hurt him
back, even physically, so she could have her revenge. But she knew
it wasn’t what the Lord wanted her to do.
That same year, our half-sister found out that she was not our
biological sister. She got mad at us for not telling her the truth,
saying it would have been better if she didn’t learn about it.
Ours became like an empty home — we were living under the
same roof, yes, but we were not talking to one another. The silence
was deafening — and it hurt so much.
I hated my father all the more! I blamed him for what happened
to our family.
Since then, we would spend Christmas at home without my
father. He lived in the house across the street. Whenever I saw him, I
no longer respected him. It was as if he didn’t exist.
Redeeming Grace
In 2011, a sister in the community invited me to serve at The Feast
Valenzuela because she knew that I used to serve as a lector in
our chapel. At first, I went because I could not say no to her, but
eventually I began to like it. I felt better every week. I also joined a
connect group.
My life started to change as I felt God’s love for me. I began
to understand that He loves me no matter what happens and no
matter how many sins I have committed. I learned that I don’t have
to be perfect before I could go to Him.
But even if I was already frequenting The Feast, it wasn’t easy to
forgive my father. The hatred was still there — and it didn’t feel right.
During the Jesus Encounter Seminar in September 2011, I
prayed to God to help me forgive my father even if he didn’t ask for
my forgiveness.
It became my constant prayer. Little by little, I talked to my
father, but still not like before when things were OK between us.
In November 2012, he and my mother were invited to attend a
Marriage Encounter weekend. We children were asked to prepare a
letter for the two of them. I thought it was the perfect time for me
to tell my father that I have forgiven him. And this was a portion of
my letter to him:
I was both sad and happy.
Sad because we lost him just when our family
relationship was getting better.
Sad because my dream of giving him a better and
comfortable life in gratitude for all the sacrifices he did to
send us all to school could no longer happen.
But I was also happy and thankful to God that I was able
to tell him that I have forgiven him before he passed away.
I was happy and thankful because, if not for the grace
of God, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive him. I don’t
know how I would be feeling now had he died without my
forgiveness.
But God is very good. He gave my father and me the
peace that forgiveness brings. Truly, with God’s grace, the
impossible becomes possible.
And I thank my mother, too, for her example of
enduring love. She taught me a lot, not so much with words
as with her deeds. Despite what she went through, she
never questioned God’s love for her.
Today, our relationship with one another in the family
is back to normal. I can only thank God for the trials and
difficulties He allowed to come our way, because through
them I began to understand the mystery of His love for us,
His people.

Tay, December 2012 remains the best Christmas in Loy’s memory

Pinagsisisihan ko na nagpadala ako sa galit kaysa because they finally celebrated it with her dad.
magpatawad. Subalit di pa huli ang lahat. Puwede ko nang
sabihin na napatawad na kita. God bless po. (I have repented
the fact that I allowed anger, instead of forgiveness, to rule
over me. But it’s not yet too late. I can tell you now that I
have forgiven you. God bless.)
I love you, Tay.

Tears flowed as I wrote the letter. I cried because I was happy. I

knew that deep in my heart God gave me the grace to forgive, the
one thing I thought I could not do.
That year, we spent our Christmas and New Year together.
That simple act of forgiveness gave me so much joy and peace in
my heart. I became my old self — happy, always smiling, and patient
with others. I began to see easily again the everyday blessings of
God that I ignored before. I also understood other people who could
not forgive immediately those who have wronged them.
When my father celebrated his birthday last March 3, 2013, he
said that it was his happiest birthday ever.
A month later, on April 9, he suddenly died. Loy with her dad, Edilberto, on her high school graduation.

MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 9

Dear
K Dear Ms. Losing Hope,
My boyfriend and I have been together for almost six years
already. We are now thinking of getting married. However,
we have a major issue: we belong to different religions. He’s
a Born-Again Christian while I’m a Catholic. He wants me to
eventually join him in his religion because he believes that
marriage will work better if the couple belongs to the same
religion. I somehow agree, but then I don’t want to convert
at all.
Since I began attending The Feast, I appreciate the
Catholic faith better and I have became more participative
when attending the Mass. I felt so renewed and blessed by the
talks at The Feast.
With our differences on this matter, we often argue every
time the topic of religion is brought up. I feel that it is so unfair
why I have to change my faith. I believe that we can work it out
as long as we respect each other’s beliefs. My stand is, no one
has to change for the other. I have expressed to him that I’m
willing to be wed in a Christian wedding but I will not convert.
I’m even willing to let our future kids join him but I will remain
a Catholic. But he does not want to compromise and I don’t
want also to give in.
I feel so hurt and I don’t know what to do anymore. He’s
my first boyfriend and I want to spend the rest of my life with
him, but this issue is pulling us down. I feel like giving up the
relationship. Please help. What should I do?
Ms. Losing Hope
First of all, don’t lose hope! When I read your letter, tears
came to my eyes and the next days I prayed for you and
asked the Lord how to answer you.
I see the dilemma you are in. Almost six years together
— planning marriage, wanting to spend the rest of your life
with him. If only you have the same religion!
Since The Feast has made you love the Catholic faith
and since obviously Jesus has found you and drawn you to
Himself, it would be tragic and would make you miserable
for the rest of your life if you would give up this new and
beautiful relationship you have now with Him.
You are right, “No one has to change for the other.” If
there is real love, one should respect the faith and belief of
the other, as you do. And here is the main point which you,
painful as it is, must see: The fact that your boyfriend is not
ready for any compromise shows that he does not love you
as much as you love him. His attitude does not show love
but possession, even oppression.
You were ready to compromise, albeit a dangerous
compromise. Why dangerous? If you agree to a “Christian
wedding” outside the Church, you will not be able to receive
the sacraments anymore.
Secondly, for a valid Catholic marriage, even a so-called
“mixed marriage,” it is necessary to sign a promise that the
children God will give you will be baptized in the Catholic
Church. In many cases, not all, of mixed marriages, the
difference in religion tears the family apart.
Maybe your first boyfriend is, after all, not the one the
Lord has in mind to make you happy for the rest of your life.
Pray to the Lord and look around. Somebody might just
waiting for you, who shares your religion and respects you,
with whom you can build up a healthy and happy family.

Our difference in religion

Fr. Rudy

When Fr. Rudy Horst came to the Philippines in 1984,

he was first assigned to the Immaculate Conception

is pulling down our

Parish in Cubao. It was where he came in contact with
the still young Light of Jesus Family. In 1990, he moved
to Christ the King Mission Seminary, where he now
serves as head spiritual director of the seminarians

relationship
and teaches Religious Education. He also teaches
Holy Scriptures at the Maryhill School of Theology and
the Divine Word School of Theology in Tagaytay.

10 KERYGMA • MAY 2014


I’m Thinking of
Resigning Because
of My Difficult Boss
I’d like to ask for advice on how to handle
my boss. He’s a very difficult one to get along
with. He raises his voice at the slightest
mistake that we, his staff, commit. His default
reaction is anger. So what happens is that we
are so afraid to approach him whenever we
need to consult him or to submit our work.
Personally, I find it hard to work in this kind
of environment because I was brought up in
a very peaceful home.
I’m his newest staff and I can’t believe
that my colleagues have continued to work
with him for five years or more. This early, I’m
thinking of resigning, but getting a job these
days is very hard, especially since I don’t have
much experience yet.
What other options do you think I should
pursue?
Thank you and God bless!
Venus
Dear Venus,
I feel for you. The fact that you took time and had the guts to
write means that this is a heavy burden on you.
Yes, getting a job these days is difficult. If you really want to
resign, you want to do it the right way at the right time. Do you have
other income-generating options that can sustain you financially?
That might mean spreading your resume far and wide to solicit job
offers, venture into online business opportunities, etc. When you’re
financially covered for the “jump,” that’s when you do it.
To maintain your sanity while you’re still in that office, here are
some important techniques to consider:
1. Know that your angry boss might be — like many angry
people — a broken, wounded, hurting and weak person, masking
all these in anger. You don’t have to palpitate while you’re with
them. They are not to be feared. They are to be pitied.
2. Perception is all there is. Manage what you feel with your
boss by imagining him as he truly is — never a ferocious lion but a
big infant in diapers, throwing tantrums, with Tweety Bird’s voice.
Then you won’t shiver. You can smile inside, maybe even pity him
enough to pray for him.
It will be a great personal success for you if you learn and
apply these points in your life. Why? You’ll have more of this kind of
persons in your next jobs or as your customers. Don’t miss this daily
blessing of learning this lesson of love from God.
I’ll include you in my prayers.
Jon
Jon Escoto is one of the Kerygma 5 Preachers and
also the builder of The Feast Biñan and Sta. Rosa.
Concurrently, he is the dean of the Light of Jesus
School of Leadership. He is the author of How to Find
Extraordinary Joy @ Work, published by Shepherd’s
Voice Publications.
Email your questions to editsvp@shepherdsvoice.com.ph. Or if you need
to talk to someone, call (632) 726-4709 or 726-6728 to contact a Light
of Jesus Pastoral Care Center counselor. Pastoral counseling by telephone
is 24 hours from Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
Face-to-face pastoral counseling is by appointment. For correspondence
pastoral counseling, email lojcounseling@yahoo.com or go to www.
kerygmafamily.com.
Or Call (632) 725-9999
Pregnant? Confused? Abortion is not the answer. Contact Grace to
Be Born at 0917-816-4700 or email reylindo.ortega@gmail.com. You may
also contact Pro-life Philippines at (632) 733-7027.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 11

K Fam
Insider
By Antonina Francisco
as told to Bella Estrella
Photos by Dave Apalla
Anawim: Our Place of Refuge
L
utgarda and I are sisters. We both didn’t get married and
we’ve stayed together as we grew up until now that we
are old. Lutgarda is 86. She cannot see and hear well,
her knees ache, and she cannot stand without help. I am
10 years younger than her. I have deformed fingers and
toes.
At Anawim, we have found comfort. People take care of us.
We have our own beds with cushion and clean linen. Where we
are now is quite different from the past when, at times, we could
hardly sleep especially when it rained.
Poor Life
We are used to hardship and poverty. We lived in La Huerta,
Parañaque, where we moved houses often until we were able to
build a makeshift house on the lot of an uncle. But our shanty
was near a creek and water would creep in when heavy rains fell.
Lutgarda and I would climb to a small area below the ceiling where
we would cling together until the flood waters subsided. We had
very kind neighbors. They would give us food.
Lutgarda reached only second grade while I finished sixth
grade. We have another surviving brother, Prudencio, who lives
with his family in Cavite.
Our father was a street vendor while our mother was a
laundrywoman and an ironing lady at Multinational Village in
Parañaque. They worked hard for us. From them, we learned the
value of hard work. Lutgarda would do all household chores, while
I got employed in a cigarette factory. When the factory closed in
1975, I resorted to laundering and ironing for other people like our
mother did.
It was a tiring job. My hands would tremble and my palms
sweat profusely. As I got older, my fingers and toe slowly deformed
until I could no longer work, and we began to rely only on my
P1,500 monthly pension from the Social Security System.
Lutgarda, on the other hand, had a lung problem before and
though her knees were painful, she never stopped working. She
continued to do the laundry at home. Now, she is almost blind. She
had two unsuccessful cataract operations — one caused a vein in
her eye to be severed, and the other affected her tear glands. She
12 KERYGMA • MAY 2014
Antonina (left) is grateful to Anawim for taking her and her sister,
Lutgarda, in and caring for them in their old age.
has no more tears. She also goes through fits of dizziness
and has grown weak.
A Haven
One day, Dr. Rose Mae Singson, an ophthalmologist who
was attending a prayer meeting near our place in La Huerta,
saw our plight. A friendly neighbor asked her if she knew
of a place where we could stay. She took pity on us and
recommended us to be taken in to Anawim. Mila, the social
worker, came and had us examined.
On April 29, 2013, we rode a van that took us to our
new home. And since then our life has changed. We have
found refuge in Anawim. And unlike other old people here
who are alone, I am happy because I have my sister with
me.
Today, Lutgarda finds it hard to stand up and she can
be real cranky, but I have to be patient with her. At times,
we quarrel inside our room, but I still assist her. I love my
sister because she is the only person I have always been
with all my life, and I thank God for keeping us together.
We are happy in Anawim and grateful to Dra. Singson.
We live by the love and care that the Anawim staff,
caregivers and nursing aides extend to us.
Anawim is our haven. We feel God in the people behind
it, especially Bo Sanchez who is a good-hearted man.
And of course, we thank God for His mercy and love to
us through Anawim.
Lola Antonina and Lutgarda are among the 50 lolas
and lolos that Anawim takes care of. If you feel
God’s Spirit calling you to help our poor abandoned
elderly in Anawim, you may call any of the following:
Caloy Dimson at (02) 710-5273, Aida Dy at 0917-894-
4072, or Lynda Reyes at 0917-807-3434. If you wish
to join the monthly pilgrimage to Anawim or donate
in cash or kind, contact Aida Dy or visit the Anawim
table at The Feast PICC every Sunday morning.
Y
es, it could very well
HIS ROYAL
have been royalty
visiting Feast Pacita on
the very first Sunday of
the new year. Because
MAJESTY AT
HRM – Hermie R.
Morelos – who belongs to the elite
core of dedicated servant leaders
of the Light of Jesus Family, chose
THE FEAST
Feast Pacita as the first stop for his
2014 Feast round-up. In spite of
his busy schedule, Hermie makes
time to connect with the servants
and attendees of the Feasts under
his wing. Feast Pacita, a fledgling
Feast with yet a small number of
attendees, is the youngest among
the growing Feasts that he leads as
South Feast Builder.
Handsome in red fitted jeans
and endearing with his friendly
and pleasant demeanor, Hermie
immediately livened up the
cavernous auditorium. He engaged
with the attendees, mingled with
the youth, and lingered here and
there for some catching up with
old friends and co-servants. As the
countdown to call time was flashed
on screen, he gathered the servants
for a pre-Feast prayer huddle and
lifted the day’s activities as a humble
offering.
The music ministry kicked
off the first Feast gathering of the
year with a bouncy welcome tune.
Then worship leader Kim Paguio
took center stage with a beautiful
worship song which he sang like
a prayer. His clear baritone voice
drew the assembly to poignant and
moving worship. His gift for praise
music warmed up the auditorium
with a feeling of love and well-
Feast
Snapshots
being, so distinctive of The Feast.
Hermie was both inspiring and
compelling with his talk that echoed
the Light of Jesus Family’s overall big
message for the year: Dig Deeper,
Grow Higher. He acknowledged the
servants, their efforts, dedication
and commitment in “planting” the
seed of The Feast in Pacita. He
PACITA?
invited them to continue the good
work by deepening their roots and
strengthening their faith. “Go back
to the basics,” he urged. “Seek God
and know His purpose for your
By Marie Ferrer life through prayer, Scripture and
Photos by Efren Miranda fellowship.” He emphasized that
in digging deeper and working in
cooperation with God’s design, we
do not only grow but we sprout
new seeds, enrich and build up one
another for service and ministry.
No one could have delivered the
message more eloquently than
Hermie, a tireless servant leader,
deeply rooted in a life-giving
relationship with the Lord.
Everyone went home
blessed, carrying in their hearts
a fresh eagerness to experience
discipleship and a serious
awareness to grow The Feast Pacita
— by digging deeper, planting new
seeds, and committing to be used
by the Lord like never before.
Feast Pacita happens every Sunday,
9:00 a.m. at the Catholic School of
Pacita Auditorium, Binan, Laguna.
Mass follows at 11:00 a.m.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 13
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Fely and Benj’s story of rising from their humongous debt is a big inspiration to
those who may be in the same situation now. It
Happened

W
e were in a dark
pit — an endless
cave that we
didn’t know how
to get out of.
Fely and I were
swimming in huge, seven-digit
credit card debts. We couldn’t sleep
at night, thinking about where to
get the money to pay for them.
How did we get ourselves into
this mess? Let me count the ways.

The Road to Debt

Fely and I are engineers by
profession. We started working in
the early ‘80s for a multinational
company where we eventually
became managers. In 1984, we got
married and our combined income
was more than enough to cover our
needs.
By 1998, we had acquired three
cars, a condominium unit, a seven-
million house and lot, and several
properties which included a farm
lot — all through loans.
Our combined monthly
income was more than P200,000.
We were earning very well but we
spent very well, too. With increasing
responsibility to send our growing
children to school and to pay up
our housing and car loans, our
expenses continued to grow higher
than our income, forcing us to
borrow money that led to higher
credit card debts.

Risen from Debt

We lived from paycheck to
paycheck from 2001 but we still
continued with our lifestyle and did
not take any action to control the
situation.
We thought that income from
And now helping others our jobs would continue and we
would be able to pay up our debts.

turn around their financial woes We spent money based on what we

expected to receive. Reality hit us
in 2007 when Fely was retired from
her job.

By Benj Santiago

MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 15

 At the Grand Canyon West Rim in Arizona, USA.
We were faced with a seven-figure debt and our monthly
cash flow was reduced to half. Majority of our debts were on credit
cards that required monthly payments. We received frequent
calls from banks, reminding us of our obligations. Every time the
phone rang, Fely’s heart would beat faster, and her worries caused
her migraine. She experienced bouts of hypertension that led to
frequent visits to her cardiologist.
When our payment due dates came, Fely and I were always
short of cash that we had to swallow our pride and resort to
borrowing money from friends. It was the most humiliating
experience. We also had to make cash advances from one credit
card to pay off another. More often than not, we missed payments
on due dates, causing us to pay more because of the additional
late-payment penalty charges. The most difficult months came
when our children’s tuition fees were also due. Looking back, it is
now very clear to me why we had been drawn into debts.
We bought things that were not necessary. Every time there
was an appliance midnight madness sale, Fely and I would buy
new gadgets, cell phones and appliances even if we didn’t need Stretching the vision of their IMG business at the WSB Convention
in Long Beach, CA
them.
In 2003, Fely and I went to a midnight madness sale and spent
more than P200,000 using our favorite credit card that tripled our
credit limit for that night. We spent on things with money we had
not yet earned. We really spent big time. Then we just paid the
minimum amount due. Eventually, we reached our maximum
credit limit.

Getting Deeper into Debt

Instead of managing our expenses, we got ourselves into all
kinds of loans. You name it, we had it — salary loan, Pag-ibig
loan, cooperative loan, SSS
loan, pawnshop loan, even Benj and Fely’s office in Makati as executive vice-chairman of IMG
loans from personal friends.
Our solution to paying off our
debts focused on who else
we can borrow money from
rather than how to reduce our
expenses.
I failed to control our
expenses. I did cost control
for the companies I worked
for but I failed miserably with
our personal finances. I did not
keep track of what we spent on, so I also did not know where our that we haven’t used but have to pay annual fees.
money went. Because I did not measure our expenses, I was not Fely and I stayed calm, composed and focused on the
able to control it. solution to our huge debt problem. We knew that decisions
We also invested on liabilities with borrowed money. Fely and and actions made out of fear and confusion would only
I bought properties with borrowed money, thinking that we were result to a much bigger problem.
accumulating assets. I did not check if the projects we invested on
were viable, had good locations and would generate income. We Journey Out of Debt
created a very big hole in our cash flow. We prayed every day that we may find wisdom and be led
In 1996, we bought a P1.2-million condominium unit at 24 to the right people who will help us in our financial woes.
percent per annum, with compounded interest for 20 years. For In July 2007, a friend of Fely told her about a half-day
more than 10 long years, we neither used nor rented it out. It did seminar by Bo Sanchez called “How to Be Truly Rich.” This
not generate any income and we even had to pay for the monthly seminar led us to attend his more comprehensive two-day
association dues that the property developer charged us. On “Truly Rich Financial Coaching” seminar in September of
top of that, we had to pay our annual real estate tax. We also that year. Thank God for these financial coaching seminars,
purchased two lots, which we also did not use, but have to pay we were able to renew our money mindset.
annual real estate tax on it. We also bought vacation time shares We read books and increased our financial intelligence

16 KERYGMA • MAY 2014

 Family vacation in Sagada with their children Rjay,
Ann, Chai, Rocky and Chiara
We resolved to
pay God first and then
ourselves, allocating not
less than 10 percent of our
income for our monthly
tithes and 20 percent for
long-term investments. We
manage the remaining 70
percent and lived with it.
To make sure we do not
Vacationing in Las Vegas end up with debts again,
we invested in long-term
and short-term healthcare,
life insurance, emergency
funds and investments.
We need long-term
healthcare coverage
beyond retirement
because without this
protection, when and if
we get seriously ill, all
our savings can be wiped
Serving at The Feast PICC as a family with Bro Bo . Benj and Fely out and can get us into
in the financial mentoring ministry while daughter Chai serves as massive debt again. We
At a recent convention of IMG in the US. youth ministry head and worship leader in the 1 p.m. session. have to make sure that in
building our solid financial
foundation, we start it by
and we were introduced to the International Marketing Group. securing our own long-term healthcare.
First thing we did was to make a conjugal decision not to resort to We also moved out of employment and
further borrowing. We defined our target date for being debt-free. pursued a business of our own. IMG gave us a
We listed all our debts and loans, including the interests we needed business opportunity to be a broker for our financial
to pay. This helped us to see clearly the magnitude of our debts. Then service needs, where we earn the commission
we made a priority list and target dates to close each of those debts. ourselves.
We lived simply. We made sure that we only spent on what is We understood that the only way we can be
essential. We deferred any purchase to replace things and made use of financially free is not to depend on active income
what we had until it was really necessary to replace them. but from passive income. God has been good to
We started with the basics in monitoring our cash flow. The hardest us. Our money mindset conversion happened just
and most important step we took was listing down and monitoring in time. Losing our jobs became our turning point,
our expenses daily. Fely created a worksheet where she plugged in our a major detour to the right path. Being out from
daily expenses as well as our incomes so we could verify our cash flow the regular 8-to-5 job gave us the opportunity to
every day. Fely did this daily monitoring for three years. We classified our have time to study and learn the business that
needs and wants and found ways to reduce our expenses. IMG offered. We were able to shift from being
We determined how much our income is from passive and active employees to entrepreneurs.
sources. We also defined our money goals clearly and had our entire Today, our passive income streams are more
family involved. than our monthly expenses. We no longer work
To increase our cash flow, we sold one of our cars and some of our for the money but our money works hard for
properties that were not earning and invested the proceeds into mutual us. After four years, we have achieved financial
funds that made us earn more interest income. independence. We have truly risen from debt!
We turned our dead assets into real assets. Using Fely’s retirement There is a way out of debt — with God’s grace
money, we paid up the balance of our condo unit and rented it out at and hard work. We have now made it our mission
P10,000 monthly. We then took a bank loan at eight percent interest to share the Good News through our Truly Rich
for which we only pay for less than P8,000 per month. We increased Makers team in IMG and in our financial mentoring
our cash flow as the loans became self-liquidating. We also loaned out ministry at The Feast PICC.
our unused farm lot in Laguna and used the proceeds to pay up our
overdue credit card debts. (Editor’s Note: This article is based on Benj and Fely
In three years, we were able to eliminate all our bad debts and Santiago’s e-book with the same title, published through
created a passive income stream. Our cash flow started to move from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Risen-Debt-Benj-
Santiago-ebook/dp/B00E0L7N8C)
negative to positive.

MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 17


HEALTHY, HOLY MONEY
God Wants to Give You Both
C
an dirty, smelly, ugly money be a gift from God?
If money can be a gift from God, then money can
be a good thing.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Just
look at your personal experience with money.
When I look at my life, I’ve experienced both prosperity
and poverty. I’ve experienced being both rich and poor. I’ve
experienced having money and having no money. And between
the two, let me tell you with all honesty, hands down, being rich
is better than being poor!
I believe that God doesn’t mind that you become rich.
But on one condition: That you’re already rich on the inside
before you become rich on the outside.
I preach and write about this topic so often, I sometimes
forget how explosive these truths are. But the avalanche of
happy letters I receive from grateful people is staggering. They
Introduction Special
Section
By Bo Sanchez
tell me how much richer they are now
— financially and spiritually — since
they applied these teachings. No doubt
about it. We’ve started a revolution!
(Five years ago, I started the Truly Rich
Club for people who had no inkling
how to grow their money. Today, they’re
growing their money in the stock
market. Our battlecry at the club: We
help good people get rich.)
So get ready! The teachings you’re
about to read are powerful. If applied,
they will liberate you from the prison
bars that have held you back for so long
financially.
Be truly rich and bless the world!
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 19
Special By Bo Sanchez
Section

HOW TO HAVE
HEALTHY MONEY
Live a Life of Love
and Prosperity Will Follow

20 KERYGMA • MAY 2014

D
o you love?
Is love the reason why you wake up in the
morning? Is love the reason why you talk and walk
and sleep and eat and breathe and dance and sing?
Is love the reason why go to work and earn your
money and do your business, and invest in the stock
market? Is love the core reason why you’re alive today?
If the answer is yes, then you’re the richest person in this
universe.
If your answer is no, my next question is, do you want to
prosper?
This Bible passage tells us how to do it:
Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them,
that you may prosper in all that you do.
— Deuteronomy 29:9
It’s following the covenant.
Because true prosperity isn’t about money or mansions.
True prosperity is living a life of profound love for every
human being. This is the core message of the Bible.
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on
it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything
written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all
you do.
— Joshua 1:8
Why will love make you richer?
Let me give you one simple example.
I’m an entrepreneur. And I love my customers. I pray for
them. I constantly declare blessings for them. I pray for miracles,
healing and provision to flow into their lives — abundantly.
(Note: First of all, I pray for all those attending The Feast every
day, too. So if you’re attending The Feast and you’re also my
customer, I’m praying for you twice a day!)
If you’re an entrepreneur, I strongly suggest that you pray
for your customers.
Because I genuinely love my customers, I serve them, I meet
their needs, I become their friend, and I bless their lives!
What do you think will happen? Do you think that most
of my customers will become lifetime customers? And if
there’s a competitor who comes in and offers a lower price for
the same service or product, what do you think will happen?
Nothing much! Ninety percent of my customers will say to the
competitor, “No, thank you. We’re sticking with Bo because Bo
loves me and I love Bo.”
So my business is protected by love.
If you obey God’s Word to love, I believe that blessings will
flow into your life.
Are You Financially Healthy?
Let me shock you: A lot of people think that germs cause
sickness. They don’t. Hold the hand of someone beside you. I’m
sorry to tell you this, but that hand you’re holding is overflowing
with infectious, disease-causing germs.
But you don’t get sick. Why? Because your immune system
is strong and simply kicks the germs out of your life. Here’s the
truth: Sickness is not caused by germs. Sickness is caused by a
weak immune system.
And why does our immune system weaken?
Three reasons:
1. Toxins (These aren’t germs but man-made chemicals!)
2. Malnutrition
3. Imbalance
You may be asking, “Hey, Bo, why are you talking about
physical health? Isn’t this a financial article?”
Yes, it is.
Here’s the reason: Many people are financially sick.
Many people have financial cancer. Many people are
financially dying. Some people think that they’re financially
sick because they lost their job or their business crashed
or their house burned down or someone borrowed money
from them and didn’t pay. My answer: All these catastrophes
are like germs. None of them caused the financial sickness.
They just triggered it.
You got sick because of a weak financial immune
system. And the causes are the same: toxins, malnutrition
and imbalance.
And the solutions are three very simple key principles
that will save you from financial disease.
But first, here are the three causes of a weak financial
immune system:
1. Financial Toxins
When we poison our physical bodies with man-made
chemicals from truckloads of processed food and barrels
of synthetic medicines that we pop into our mouth — we
weaken our immune system. To heal our bodies, we need
to detoxify.
In the same way, why are many people sick financially?
Because of financial toxin overload. I’m talking about
none other than toxic debt.
Uncontrolled debt will kill you. If you want to repair
your financial immune system, you need to be free from
debt.
Do you know that there’s such a thing as being filthy
poor?
The Filthy Poor Destroy Themselves with Money They
Don’t Own
Just like the filthy rich, the filthy poor are very miserable.
The filthy rich are destroyed by the money they possess.
The filthy poor are destroyed by the money they want to
possess. Because of their overwhelming desire for material
things, they borrow, borrow and borrow.
We mistake some people to be rich. Actually, they just
appear rich. Much of their lifestyle is built on debt. These
are the filthy poor.
There are some people who can’t go out of their house
without wearing designer garb. Their shirt, pants, socks,
shoes, shades, and watch have to be branded. Even their
underwear. Even if no one sees it. It’s perfectly OK to buy
designer underwear if you have the money. But there’s
something wrong if you have to borrow to buy them!
I know some people must wear shirts with a crocodile
on their chest, even if they have to borrow money. That’s
nuts. (What’s the difference between a croc and a frog?)
Again, there’s nothing wrong with buying expensive shirts.
But you do that when you have lots of money already.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 21
 The key is patience. Don’t be in a hurry to live a lifestyle that you
can’t afford.
The problem isn’t materialism. (That’s just a symptom.) The problem
is an extreme lack of self-worth. They believe that possessions can cover
up the gaping wound in their heart. So they will keep buying expensive
things so they’ll feel like somebody, even if they have to max out their
seven credit cards.
From pastoring thousands of people for the past 30-plus years, I’ve
come to realize there are four human experiences that are the most
painful on Planet Earth: (1) when a spouse betrays you; (2) when a
parent buries a child; (3) when a heart refuses to forgive; and (4) when a
person is living under a mountain of debt and collectors are hounding
him every day.
Get rid of toxic debt!
How? Follow the Rules of the Rich (Write these very simple key
principles in your heart):
#1 Rule of the Rich: “What You Spend Should Be Less Than What You
Earn.”
That’s it. It’s such an amazingly simple principle, yet if you violate it, you
will be destroyed — whether you’re a person, a corporation, or a nation!
Economists give very sophisticated and convoluted reasons why the
economy of Europe and America became very sick these past few years.
Let me boil it down to six words: They spent more than they earned.
Period.
When I got married at 32, my wife and I had very little money. So we
lived simply.
For two years, we stayed in a small apartment.
Once a week, we still had our romantic dates. During the weeks
when we had some spare money, we ate in fast-food joints. We chose
the cheaper items on the menu. Usually, we’d split the order and share it.
During the weeks when we had no money, we walked outside
under the starlit sky, held hands, and talked the night away.
Sometimes, we became creative. We ate our dinner at home and,
after our meal, dressed up really well. I’d wear a long-sleeved polo shirt
and my wife would wear a dress. And we’d drive to a five-star hotel.
We’d sit in the lobby and order soda. I had to learn the art of looking
at the waitress in the eye and ordering soda with the confidence of a
multimillionaire.
My gosh, it was the most expensive soda we ever drank. But they
gave free peanuts, so we ate and even asked for refills. And we would
stay there, absorbing the luxurious ambiance, for two whole hours. We
felt very rich even if we had nothing in our pockets.
Today, 13 years later, my wife and I date in five-star hotels, but
this time, we don’t just eat the free peanuts. We actually eat in their
restaurants now. For special occasions, we even check in for the night.
(Shhhh, don’t tell anyone.) It’s sweet victory for all the times we went
there without money in our pockets.
When we couldn’t afford it, we didn’t buy.
Let me say it again: What you spend should be less then what you earn.
2. Malnutrition
When you think of malnutrition, you automatically think of poor kids
in Africa who look like toothpicks. But today, there’s a new kind of
malnutrition. There are many malnourished kids in First World countries
who are overweight. Why? Because of all the fake food they’re eating.
Down in their cellular level, they’re starving to death.
In other words, they’re dying!
In the same way, many people look rich because they have some
money in the bank. But in reality, they’re dying. Why? Because their
22 KERYGMA • MAY 2014
money is shrinking! And one day, it will disappear.
#2 Rule of the Rich: “What You Save Should Grow
More Than What You Lose”
Warning: Each year, you lose four to seven percent
of your money! Many people don’t understand this
phenomenon called inflation. Because they don’t
know that their money is slowly decreasing year after
year after year, they’re happy putting their money in
a savings account that earns a measly one percent a
year. Bottom line, you’re losing money in the bank.
Hey, I love banks. You should put your emergency
fund in the bank. But you can’t put your long-term
investments in the bank.
Where should you put your money?
I urge you to invest in (1) paper assets, (2)
businesses, and (3) real estate. We don’t have space
to discuss all about these vehicles now, but let me
tell you about my favorite “money multiplier.”
Personally, I have found that that safest place to
put your money is to buy tiny portions of gigantic
companies in the Philippines. And the best way to do
that is through the stock market or through equity
funds.
I know. The typical person on the street is
absolutely petrified of the stock market because
they’ve heard of horror stories of people losing their
shirt (and pants and socks and shoes!) in the market.
But that’s because they trade the market, buying
small companies that don’t have any earnings yet.
Buy only giant
companies.
Because I buy
Meralco shares,
when I see the
Meralco posts
on the street, I
can say, “Hey, I own
one of those electric
posts!” Because I like
buying the shares of the
three top banks, when I walk into a BDO bank
or a BPI bank or a Metrobank, I can officially say, “I
own a few chairs here!”
I’ve taught my helpers how to invest in the stock
market. I told them that next time they walk into SM,
they can tell the security guard, “Excuse me, I’m a
part-owner of this mall.” Because technically, it’s true.
And the other key is to buy not once, but put
little amounts of money — P1,000, or P2,000, or
P3,000 — every single month — for the next 20
years. That way, the ups and downs of the market
don’t matter.
When I invited my driver to invest in the stock
market, he didn’t want to do it. And understandably
so. He has a wife and four kids to feed. He couldn’t
imagine how he could set aside P2,000 every month.
But after about a year of convincing, grudgingly,
he said yes. He started investing P2,000 a month.
But he saw the results and upped his investing
to P3,000 a month. And when he got a bonus from me, many times he’d
invest half of it in the stock market. After less than three years, he now has
P116,627.70. For a driver living in the slums, that amount makes him feel
like a multimillionaire.
One of my helpers, who I already promoted to bookkeeper, has
P508,385 in her portfolio. In three years, she’ll be a millionaire. This thing
works! Grab my financial books and learn, learn, learn!
Can I say something? If in 10 to 20 years, you are not a multimillionaire,
it’s your fault. You simply didn’t follow the path I’m showing you.
But I don’t want to speak in the negative. Let me hallucinate with
faith. I prophesy that in 10 to 20 years, The Feast will be a gathering of
multimillionaires! Yeah!
3. Imbalance
Modern medicine is 100 years old. Traditional Chinese
medicine is 4,000 years old. And according to
traditional Chinese medicine, we get sick
because our body has lost balance. There
has to be a balance between heat and cold,
between acid and alkaline, between activity
and rest.
For example, we know that stress is bad.
But having no stress is bad, too. You need
positive stress!
Another example: Rest is good. But if you
have too much rest, your muscles will atrophy.
I repeat: Balance is important for your
physical health.
In the same way, you get
financially sick if there’s imbalance in
your financial life.
For example?
#3 Rule of the Rich:
“What You Earn Should
Be Equal to What You Know”
Do not try to earn more than what you
know!
Confidence is a terrific thing.
Overconfidence is a terrible thing.
I’m an entrepreneur. And risk
comes with the territory. But there’s
reasonable risk and unreasonable
risk. Today, I’ve learned never to take
unreasonable risks.
Why? Because every time I
take unreasonable risks, I fail. I
lose money. I fail big time. With
my face flat on the floor, my face
black and blue, my nose bloodied
up. After my big failure, I look
back and realize why I failed: I
took unreasonable risk because
of pride. The Bible says this: “Pride goes before
destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs
16:18). I realized I was too much in a hurry. I wanted
the big and juicy carrot now!
Before I take risks, I first find ways to lower that
risk. How? By raising my wisdom, I lower my risk.
When I increase my learning, I increase my
earning.
Where Would You Want to Be?
The past week, a lot of people were asking me for
money.
They came to me like a flood.
It comes with my job. Nuns asking funds for
their orphanage. A bishop asking donations for the
construction of his church. A woman asking help to
pay for the hospital bill of her mother. Poor students
asking for scholarship. And the most heart-rending
of all, a mother asking for money to buy food for
her kids.
Sometimes, it can be overwhelming.
Sometimes, I feel very heavy. Because I can only
give so little compared to the deluge of needs. But
then I realized how blessed I am. I told my wife,
“Sweetheart, I just thank God that I’m in the giving
end, not in the receiving end!”
Friend, are you tired of always being in the
receiving end in this transaction? Do you want to
make a shift? Do you want to be in the giving end?
Prosperity isn’t about money but love.
You cannot help financially sick people if you
are also financially sick. Be financially healthy so you
gain the wisdom to help others become financially
healthy, too.
My friend, overflow with God’s abundance!
Email Bo at bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com or watch
him preach live at The Feast PICC every Sunday, 8 a.m.,
9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m., and 1:00 p.m.
BO’S ACTION STEPS
1. For a month, record all your
expenses and income and see if
you’re spending more than you
earn. Determine which expense
items you can cut down and
make a habit to control it.
2. List down your debts (credit
card, bank loans and personal
loans). Make a goal to zero them
out at the soonest possible
time and take concrete steps to
achieve it.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 23
 Miko dreams of retiring at the age of
Special Testimony
35, seven years from now, in order to
serve at the Red Cross full-time.
college lived in a condo. So I dreamed of being rich so
Section I could buy my parents a car and things for myself. But
I still cut classes to play billiards, spent time with my
barkada, and attended to my sideline business. Little
did I know that an easy-go-lucky guy like me would
By Miko Moraleda someday fulfill his dreams.
as told to Judith Concepcion
A Young Entrepreneur
I was already enterprising in college. From first to third
year, I canvassed and reserved the books that we’d be
using from secondhand book sellers in Recto, Manila.
I’d volunteer to buy the books for my classmates but
the price that I’d quote was already marked up. After
the semester, I also sold their books.
I engaged in puto (rice cake) business for six to
seven months with my friends who were out-of-school
youths. We made the puto daily from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
and brought them to Nepa Q-Mart in Quezon City at 4
a.m. to sell.
My best friend and I drove a tricycle for one year
every Friday and Saturday nights from 7 p.m. to 12
midnight. We earned as much as P200 to P300 per
night.
I also sidelined as a waiter in a catering business
for five months.
I was able to save 30 percent from my sideline
businesses except from my puto business where
nothing was left because I spent it on billiards and
gimmicks with my friends.

Entering the Car Business

WEALTH AND
I had difficulty looking for a job after I graduated. Left
with no choice, I ended up as a car salesman in Mazda
Greenhills. I liked cars but the problem was I had a fear
of rejection so I initially resorted to flyering in malls. I
even woke up at 4 a.m. to go to Cubao and inserted
price lists in newspapers.

WELLNESS
A car salesman turned dealer shares
his journey towards financial fitness
When I was already having some sales, I started to
gain confidence and didn’t mind the rejections. After
several months, I was hitting my quota. I was already
enjoying my job when my dad had a stroke. I resigned
and went back to the province to drive my dad to his
therapies, and my mom, a secondary school teacher,
to her tutees’ homes in the evening. When my dad
recovered after two months, I applied in Isuzu Pasig.

I
yan si Mike, favorite n’yo, hindi n’yo pinapagalitan o pinapalo,” one
of my sisters said.
“Anak, mahalin na lang ninyo ang kapatid ninyo. Kasi ang
tatalino ninyo, may kinabukasan na kayo. Ang kapatid ninyo baka
magaya sa tatay ninyo na tricycle driver kasi walang ginagawa,”
my mother explained.
Every time my mother scolded my sisters, this issue would
resurface. I was the only boy and the youngest. Unlike my three sisters,
I was poor in academics so I engaged more in extracurricular activities
like chess and badminton. I hung out with my barkada (gang), played
basketball, and spent my time idly.
Being a probinsiyano (from the province), I got culture shock when
I went to Manila. Many people were rich and had cars; a classmate in
I started to buy and sell secondhand cars while I
was employed. Later, I resigned from my job and went
full-time. With limited capital and my money tied
up, I was only able to sell two to three units a month
whereas in my previous job, I could sell seven to eight
units.
With enough experience and connections
through my former work and bank tie-ups, I shifted
to selling brand new vehicles. Eventually, I put up my
own dealership in Mindanao in 2012. If before I did all
the legwork including personal delivery of the unit to
the client from Manila to Mindanao by land, I now have
my pool of salesmen, two drivers and a secretary. The
units are now mostly shipped.

24 KERYGMA • MAY 2014

 Secrets of My Business Growth have become Feast attendees. I invest more on my people.
I started my business small. I didn’t take out a loan. I used my I conduct one-on-one meetings with them. My dream is
savings from my work and tricycle driving as startup capital and for them to have their own businesses or build their own
let my business expand itself. I believe that money is not the main teams. And I’m here to help them achieve their dreams.
factor in growth but knowledge and experience. But I think putting God first is the main reason why
I went out of my comfort zone. If I concentrated only in Manila God has blessed me abundantly. I always pray, offer my first
as my market, my business wouldn’t have grown to what it is today. fruits to Him, tithe regularly, and share my blessings to my
I do benefit selling, which is selling the reason behind the parents and less fortunate relatives, and help those who
product. Even if my clients tell me what they want, I always suggest are in need, like organizing relief operations for victims of
to them what’s better typhoon-stricken areas.
for their needs. In my My plan is to have eight income streams composed
dealership, we give our of active and passive income by age 35 because I dream
clients the best service. of serving full-time in Red Cross while still serving at The
We deliver or ship the Feast with my wife. I’m now 28 and am halfway through it.
unit door to door, or if
the client opts to pick On Being Financially Fit
up the unit in Manila, I don’t consider myself truly successful yet because there
we fetch him at the are still areas in my life that I need to work on, like my
airport, provide hotel relationships and my health. This year, I don’t intend to put
accommodation, and up a new business because my priority now is to give more
tour him around Manila. quality (and quantity) time to my wife and my parents. I
Having a great now go to the gym daily and eat healthy food.
team of people, who True prosperity for me is earning good money
are not only smart through hard work and integrity, and sharing my blessings.
but also trustworthy Building one’s wealth should not be an end in itself. I want
and dependable, is to be financially fit not for my own sake but for me to be
a big blessing to my a channel of God’s blessings and to help others become
Having God at the center of their marriage — and business. Most of them financially healthy, too.
serving Him — is a priority to Miko and Carol.

Miko and his wife, Carol, serve as Finance and

Admin. Head of Ortigas Feast.

MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 25

Special By Bo Sanchez

CAN MONEY BE
Section

SACRED?
The purpose and
process of holy money
should be love

26 KERYGMA • MAY 2014

A
man came up to me one time after I preached
at The Feast about finances. He said, “Bo, keep
talking about money. God gave you to us to
teach us about money in the right way.”
A lot of people love our financial teachings.
But there are few people who don’t appreciate
what I’m doing. Some tolerate it. Others complain that I
talk too much about money. And others are openly critical
about it.
But if you’re working for money every day — you’ll
love reading and hearing about it. You’ll appreciate that
God is interested in our financial needs.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things
and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
— 3 John 1:2
Here’s what I realized: God doesn’t have any hang-ups
with wealth. We do. God doesn’t have any issues about
money. We do!
There’s nothing wrong with wealth.
If wealth becomes evil, it’s because our hearts have
become evil.
In this article, you’ll learn that wealth can be holy.
We Need to Redefine What “Holy” Means
I’m going to break down (shatter into smithereens with the
hammer of my words) some sacrosanct ideas in your brain.
Are you ready?
Tell me, what does “holy” mean?
For many people, “holy” means “religious.”
If someone says, “My officemate is holy,” 90 percent of
the time, he’s saying, “My officemate is pious.” Or prayerful.
Or goes to church daily. Or brings his Bible wherever he
goes. Or wears a conservative dress. Or has a rosary around
her neck. Or has a scapular. Or silver medals pinned to their
chest. Or is quiet, docile and shy. Or doesn’t drink, gamble,
smoke or swear.
But I want to correct that confused thinking today.
All of the above is fine.
But that’s not holy.
In my mind, “holy” means one thing only…
The Greek word of “holy” in the Bible is “hagios,” which
literally means “set apart for God.”
But who is God?
The Bible says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
So what does “holy” mean?
Holy Means One Thing and One Thing Only
In my mind, “holy” means to be set apart for love.
To make love your highest purpose, your deepest
prayer, your strongest passion, your loudest cry, your
fiercest mission…
That’s holy!
If I say, “My friend is holy,” that means I see God’s love in
him. Through his words, actions and presence, I sense God’s
sacrificial, irrepressible, immeasurable, unconditional,
unstoppable love! Don’t use the word “holy” if you
mean “religious” or “prayerful” or “pious.” Reserve
the word “holy” for a person who — every time you
are with him — you experience God’s love. (I’m so
blessed to have people in my life who are holy.)
Every area of his life — his spiritual, emotional
and relational life — is all about love. And because
life cannot be compartmentalized, even his financial
life is also all about love.
That is how money becomes holy.
Do you want to know if your money is holy? Let
me share with you the two most important signs of
holy money:
Sign #1: If the Purpose of Money Is Love
Let me tell you about three rich men who died.
The first one wanted to die the same way he lived
— in opulent luxury. So he wanted to be buried in a
coffin worth $200,000. That’s P8.4 million. His coffin
probably was made with solid gold trimmings on the
outside, and handcrafted cashmere, expensive silk,
high-quality horsehair on the inside, with certified
organic cotton for padding. It came with a money-
back lifetime guarantee: “If unsatisfied, please return
anytime and we will give back your payment in full.
We have only one condition: The user must be the
one to return the coffin to us.”
The second rich man loved his red sports car so
much, he asked that he be buried in it when he died.
But they didn’t put any gas in the tank — because he
wasn’t going anywhere.
But the third rich man was the wisest of them all.
Before he died, he told his family, “When you finally
put my body in a coffin, always see to it that my hand
is outside the casket.” It was a pretty weird request.
But that’s what they did. So when people went to his
wake, they found it odd that his hand was outside
the casket. Whenever someone asked why, they
simply said, “We just followed his wishes.” Finally, at
the funeral, they read his Last Will and Testament.
The old man wrote, “Perhaps you’re wondering why
I asked that my hand be outside the coffin. This is
simply to remind you that a rich man still dies with
empty hands. Wherever I’m going, I cannot bring any
of my money with me.”
He was wise.
But not very wise.
Because there is a way to bring your money to
heaven. And I’m sad that he didn’t know about it.
How do I know? The Bible says so! “Don’t store up
treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and
rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and
steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths
and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in
and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).
How? Ship your wealth to heaven.
When you tithe, you’re shipping your wealth to
heaven.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 27
 Remember — only holy things can enter heaven.
And money, when given away in love, becomes holy. Why? Because
its purpose is love.
Moral Duty
I’m going to shock you! (Hold on to your seats lest you fall.) I’ve always
preached that the ultimate purpose of money is to love.
And I’m sure you’ve heard this before: It’s your moral duty to give.
You’ve heard that from parents, priests, pastors and preachers. Again.
And again. And again.
But people stop there. We shouldn’t.
Because that’s only half of the picture.
If it’s your moral duty to give, therefore it’s your moral duty to become
truly rich. (What will you give if you don’t earn?)
It’s your moral duty to be the best that you can become. To maximize
the gifts that God has given you. To achieve your full potential. To earn as
much as you can so that you can give as much as you can.
Earning money is sacred work.
But alas, making love the purpose of money isn’t enough…
Sign #2: If the Process of Money Is Love
Here’s my big question: How did you earn the money?
Some drug lords in South America donate massive amounts of
money to orphanages and charitable organizations. And there are mafia
godfathers in Italy who donate massive amounts of money to build
Catholic churches. The purpose of money was good. But the process of
making money was evil. Pushing drugs, prostitution and kidnapping are
obviously evil.
But what about the less obvious?
Businesses should never lie to their customers or create inferior
products for consumers. Companies should never exploit their staff. You
have to earn your money by loving your customers and your staff.
Here’s the magic question you always want to ask: “In the process
of making money, did I become more loving? More patient? More
sacrificial? More selfless?”
If it did, then no doubt about it: Your money is holy. Your work is
holy. Your job is holy. Your business is holy. Your investment is holy.
Relationship More Than Revenue
One Saturday morning, a little boy went up to his father and said,
“Daddy, I want to build a big sandcastle!” And his father said, “Well, what
are we waiting for? Let’s go!” They jumped into the car and drove to the
nearest beach.
And when they arrived in the beach, both of them ran carrying their
buckets and shovels. They started building their sandcastle. But the boy
— being only seven years old — was making a lot of mistakes. And his
daddy kept telling him, “That’s not the way to do it! Here’s how….” And
the father would do it for his son. Soon, every time the little boy would
do something, the father would say, “No, no, no…. Let me show you how
it’s done…”
After almost an hour, the sandcastle was done. It was very beautiful.
Elegant. Big. Complicated. Complete with high towers, thick walls,
and a huge moat. The dream of the boy came true — he had his own
sandcastle.
But when the father saw his son’s face, he was sad. And the father
realized his humongous mistake.
Think about it. The little boy’s dream was fulfilled (sandcastle), but
he was not happy.
Friend, it’s easy for God to simply answer your prayer for financial
28 KERYGMA • MAY 2014
blessings. In a snap of a finger, all the money
you want could just suddenly appear in front of
you.
But God won’t do it for you. Because that
will be a curse, not a blessing. (Think of lotto
winners who regret ever winning.)
Instead, to fulfill your financial dreams, God
will work beside you. He’ll allow you to make
mistakes. Because the point is not to build the
sandcastle. The point is to build a relationship
between father and son. The purpose is not
to build your dreams. The purpose is to build
a relationship between the dreamer and the
Dream-Giver.
The most important profit of a job or
business isn’t revenue but relationship.
In the process of building my financial
dreams, I grow closer to God and to others. My
faith grows stronger. My love grows deeper. My
heart grows bigger.
This is what I do every day.
Every morning, before I start my work, I
close my eyes and welcome God’s love. I breathe
in His presence. I allow Him to work in me. And
in my imagination, I picture God giving me
wisdom, inspiration, power and love — and all
that grace flows through me to my customers.
I do this many times a day!
What happens? My businesses are growing!
Believe me, my income is growing. But
more than that, my love is growing.
And that’s the most important gift of work.
I invite you: Are you working in an office?
Make your cubicle your chapel. Are you a
farmer? Make your fields your altar. Are you a
doctor or dentist or nurse? Make your clinic your
sanctuary. Are you a chef? Make your kitchen
your tabernacle.
You always need to connect to God’s love!
Only One Thing Understands the Greatness
of Love
Let me tell you a beautiful parable.
One day, all the feelings and emotions went
on a vacation in a little island. Everyone was
having heaps of fun.
All of a sudden, news arrived about an
impending storm. Everyone panicked and
rushed to their tiny boats to go back to the
bigger island.
Love was a bit slow in finding out.
By the time he arrived on the shore, all the
boats have left.
He saw Prosperity paddling away and Love
called on him. “Please let me ride your boat!”
But Prosperity said, “I’m sorry, Love, my boat
is full of gold and silver. I have no more space
for you.”
 Love then saw Beauty sailing away. He ran to him and said, “Can I
ride with you?”
Beauty shook his head and said, “Oh, I don’t think so, Love. My boat
is so clean… But you have muddy feet. It will dirty my beautiful boat.”
From the corner of his eye, Love saw Happiness in the distance.
Surely, Happiness will give him a lift. He ran as fast as he could and dove
into the sea, calling, “Happiness! Happiness! Please help me!”
But Happiness was too happy, he didn’t hear him. He wasn’t really
thinking of others.
Love then saw Sadness on the other side. And he cried out, “Sadness,
can I ride with you?” But Sadness looked at him and sighed, “Oh Love, I’m
very sad. I just want to be alone and be by myself.”
By this time, Love was exhausted running, swimming, and calling
for his friends. Love went back to the shore. The heavy storm clouds
had arrived and it was getting dark. Love was about to give up when he
heard a voice say, “Come, Love, and I will give you a ride.”
Love stood up, saw a boat in front of him, and scrambled up. He got
in and collapsed in exhaustion. By the time he opened his eyes, he was
already on the big island, safe and sound.
He stepped out of the boat and saw Wisdom walking on the shore.
Love asked, “Hello, Wisdom, by any chance do you know who was
so kind as to give me a lift when no one wanted to help me? I need to
thank him.”
Wisdom smiled and said, “It was Time.”
“Time? Why did he help me?”
Wisdom said, “Because only Time understands your greatness. Only
Time understands that there can be no real
prosperity, beauty and happiness in this
world without love.”
Here’s my message to you:
“When people are prosperous,
they forget love. When people
are beautiful, absorbed in their
magnificence, they don’t think
of others and forget love.
When people are happy,
they don’t think of other
people’s unhappiness and
forget love. When people
are sad, they’re absorbed by their own problems
and forget love. Only time knows that love is the
most important thing in the universe.”
Believe me, the older I get, the more I realize
this is true. Nothing in this world — money or
power or pleasure — is more important than
love.
You’ll Receive the Wealth of the Wicked
When the purpose of making money is love —
and when the process of earning money makes
you more loving — money becomes holy.
Right now, a lot of wealth is not used for
love. It’s used for selfishness, greed, exploitation,
war and perversion.
But I believe a day is coming when all
money will become holy. Why do I say that? The
Bible says, “The wealth of the wicked is reserved
for the righteous” (Proverbs 13:22). Perhaps this
is about the end of the world.
But I want to believe that in some small way,
it can happen in our lifetime. I believe wealth is
crying out to fulfill its God-ordained mission of
loving others. And wealth wants to find its way
into the hands of loving people who will use it
for love and who will earn it with love.
Be that person of great love.
Email Bo at bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com or watch
him preach live at The Feast PICC every Sunday, 8 a.m.,
9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m., and 1:00 p.m.
BO’S ACTION STEPS
1. What is your purpose in desiring
or trying to earn wealth?
2. How much time do you spend
at work, in business, or in your
significant relationships? If you
are spending more time at work
than with your family, how can
you reverse the equation?
3. In the next few months, make
a conscious effort to prioritize
your relationships over your
work or business.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 29
Special Testimony
Section

My Life-Changing
Equation:
5 > 95
By Charlie Fernando
As told to Maymay Salvosa

I
s it over?”
This was my first question as
soon as I opened my eyes. I just had
a brain surgery, but my experience
didn’t feel extraordinary at all. There
was no light at the end of a tunnel,
no beautiful garden. It was not as dramatic
as I expected.
It was February 16, 2013. A few weeks
back, I was knocked unconscious after
slipping at a gasoline station restroom. I got
up after a while, drove home, but I vomited
on the way. On my checkup the following
day, I was cleared from any damage.
Weeks passed, I started to feel weaker,
my headache getting worst. I went to St.
Luke’s Medical Center. The CT scan showed
there was a massive blood clot in my
brain. I was immediately scheduled for an
operation the next day.
While my neurosurgeon assured me
that my chance of survival was 95 percent,
my mind lingered on the five percent
chance of not making it. I looked back at
my life. I knew I could have lived it better.

Objective: Build a Career with My

Ultimate Passion — Technology
I have always loved Science and Math.
As kids, my older brother and I would do
laboratory experiments while our younger
brother would watch us in awe. In particular,
Charlie, a self-confessed geek, has found his life’s purpose —
and it is not so much in closing multimillion-peso deals but in
being the best family man and employer he can ever be.

30 KERYGMA • MAY 2014

I enjoyed assembling stuff and repairing electronic products. I was,
and still am, a certified technology geek. I could not wait to apply my
skills in the workplace as an electronics engineer.
My first job was as a research and development engineer for a
telecommunication solutions company. My salary was average, but I
had big breaks. Once, I was able to sell a P26-million communications
system to a big conglomerate. Imagine? A young engineer meeting
up with the big bosses of a gigantic company and pulling it off — I
was ecstatic! However, I did not get my commission from the deal
because just before it was officially finalized, I was transferred to a
special project. Since money was not a big deal to me, I let it slide.
With my next project, an international assignment, my passion
doubled as I learned more about the industry, talked to more
people, and cultivated new ideas. I discovered my flair in connecting
with others. I bought a vacant lot as my first investment with my
commission from the project.
After eight years in my first job, I was not happy anymore. I knew I
had to leave. I accepted an offer from someone who promised to give
me a basic salary of P30,000 a month once his project with Philippine
Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) pushed through. It failed!
Still, I did not lose heart.
I looked for opportunities, talked to PLDT again, until I bagged
a paging system project, which eventually became known as the
Beeper 150 paging system. It was beyond my belief! I built a house
with my earnings there — a wedding gift to my wife, Lin, when we
got married in 1995.
From then on, projects seemed to come my way easily, and so
did the money. I had no worries spending cash the way I wanted to,
believing that I had unlimited supply of it.
Identifying Problems
But I was wrong.
In 2000, I had fewer projects, and the savings my wife and I had
accumulated started to dwindle. At one point, I devoted a year of
time, labor and money to a certain venture, only to be informed that
the client decided to shelve it. Another project with American Power
Conversion (APC), a global supplier of uninterruptible power supplies
(UPS), did not materialize because of a change in their distribution
strategy.
Some people began to question my position and capabilities. It
was painful. At the end of the day, even after giving the company my
all, it was not mine. I left the company.
During that period, I invested my entire life savings as a part-
owner of a telecom company. There were great plans. Unfortunately,
those plans were not executed well. After becoming the largest dial-
up Internet company in the Philippines for a year or two, the business
shut down. Goodbye, life savings.
Generating Hypothesis, Conducting Experiment
I moved to a semiconductor company, earned six figures, and later
on realized something: I could close huge deals, but still I was an
employee. I could do more. So when an opportunity came, I formed a
company with some acquaintances which mainly dealt with repairing
and distributing UPS. It was risky and shaky even
as it progressed. I had conflicts with my business
partners. Letdowns came one after another. Even
my marriage was getting affected. I hit rock bottom.
Thankfully, God really loves me. Because in 2004,
APC came back into the picture and asked if I was
interested to be the service center of APC-UPS in the
Philippines. I was glad that the relationship stayed
alive through the years. The deal officially landed
on my lap — my saving grace. Fast forward, I took
sole ownership of the company (CLIXLogic, Inc.) and
found trusted people to work with me. Most of them
are still with me today. Though it was not a walk in
the park, I could at least say that, finally, everything
was falling into place for me.
I literally had to fall down a restroom floor before
I realized what I set aside the whole time.
I Therefore Conclude
More than technology and negotiations,
relationships matter most. I loved my family,
friends and staff even before I had an accident, but
somewhere along my journey, valuing them became
secondary. I was preoccupied by the numbers, deals
and clients to talk to.
After my accident, there was a switch of priorities
— every connection had more meaning. It dawned
on me that the essence of my persistent labor is not
because of spending money lavishly but because
other people rely on me. My earnings are not for
me and my family alone. We have extended families
through our employees and their households. I look
forward to the day when everyone who works with
me will grow in all aspects of their lives as well. I
would be very glad to see them retire happily.
Moreover, I don’t want to be remembered as
someone who was fixated only with the next deal
to close. Yes, it is my dream to develop technology,
expand my business, transact with people. I have
been an employee for 25 years, and I strove hard
to be where I am now. But I am willing to drop
everything if only I can leave a legacy as a husband
who makes Lin laugh, and as a father who is always
there for our children, come what may. My family
will always be my top priority.
My five percent probability of dying taught
me not to hold back what I could have done — or
been — before it is too late. I therefore conclude that
life is better lived with a purpose — and mine is to
live each day helping out and encouraging others
through my skills and experiences, and to be the
best family man that I can ever be. My biggest asset
is not my business, but my relationships.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 31

Adventures with God:
Celebrating summer in Baler
B
eing single is a precious gift. Being able to travel and
find God in nature through adventures, especially during
summer, is an even greater gift.
I’ve been to many places, but one place I truly
enjoyed visiting is Baler, Quezon, and the many things it
offers. Let me share with you my experiences.
Surfing. Baler, based on my experience, is the best surfing place in the
country for beginners where you can learn to stand on the surfboard
within 30 minutes. The waves are high enough even at the shallow
areas of the beach. When you fall off the board, it’s OK, because there
aren’t any rocks that might injure you. God was definitely in the
water and in the sand, breaking my countless falls and making sure I
enjoyed even the fall. Learning things in life, just like surfing, is easiest
when I decide to learn it with Him.
Balete Park. After surfing, the second on my adventure list was to
conquer the 200 feet high Balete Tree. A few minutes away from Baler
is the famous Balete Park in the nearby town of Maria Aurora. Here
you can find the Millenium Tree which is actually a balete tree. The
boys in the area served as excellent climbing guides. I have a fear of
heights, but God taught me through the experience that courage is
not the absence of fear, but doing things despite the fear. It’s doing
things afraid.
Just like in life, there are things that are scary and difficult, but God
is there and He sends instruments to make sure we can bear them.
True enough, just when I thought my fear of heights was getting the
best of me, my best friends went on with the climb, inspiring me to
proceed. And when I was confused and stuck, the climbing guides
pointed out which vine I could grab and which branch I could step on.
I simply had to trust and obey, and in 20 minutes, I did the impossible.
I was on top of the tree! It was an adrenaline-pumping experience.
Diguisit Falls. If you don’t know where to look, chances are you’ll miss
the Diguisit Falls. There are two falls hidden along Baler’s highway
in Sitio Diguisit, Barangay Zabali, and they’re both called Diguisit
Falls. The bigger one’s a bit slippery but worth climbing. I’m glad the
locals pointed us to the right stop along the highway enabling us to
discover the falls. Had we relied on our own wits, we wouldn’t have
found the falls.
God in Every
Stage of Seasons
Your Life
By Carlo F. Lorenzo
In the “highway” of my life, God has been showing
me different wonderful things that would otherwise
have remained hidden from me. Thus, it is best to seek
God in the ordinary and let Him reveal to you fantastic
adventures.
Baler Lighthouse. To go to this lighthouse, you must
first secure a guest pass from Bahia De Baler. If you
don’t have a 4x4 vehicle, you may rent one for this trip.
Bahia De Baler can suggest van rental contacts and can
provide directions.
When you reach Dicasalarin Cove, it will be a short
walk to Dicasalarin Beach. It’s a very rocky beach and
swimming is discouraged.
From the beach, you can already see the lighthouse.
Climb about 170 steps up, and you’ll reach the peak of
the cliff. Let the magnificent scenery take your breath
away from the top of this cliff. Admire the view of the
cove, the beach, and of course the triangular-shaped
lighthouse.
The play of blues and greens of the sea was very
calming, especially when you step back and admire
the view from afar. It’s as if God was telling me, “You’ve
come a long way. Learn to celebrate your victories with
Me.” Indeed, there’ve been so many instances when I
just have to step back, breathe and smile at how God
has turned my life into a masterpiece as I viewed it and
everything that has happened from afar.
The Bible tells us to rejoice: “Rejoice in the Lord
always. I shall say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
“Bringing” God with me in my travels makes them
all the more fun. Of course, God is everywhere, and it’s
the contant self-reminder that I am in the presence of
God that changes my perspective about the things I see,
places I visit, and the friends I travel with.
So friend, next time you take a trip, bring the best
travel buddy ever — “bring” God.
Carlo Lorenzo is the travel show host of “I Love Pinas” (Thursdays
11:59 p.m., GMA News TV). You can also read his travel articles at
www.crispypataatkarekare.com every Tuesday.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 33
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THE HOLY MASS
Understanding its origins
S
t. Augustine said that the Old Testament is revealed in the
New and the New Testament is hidden in the Old. Jesus Christ
fulfilled all the promises of the Old Covenant in the New
Covenant. As Christians, therefore, much of what we believe
and do as Catholics are rooted in Judaism.
Mass is the term given for Sacred Liturgy, which is taken
from the dismissal ite missa est. The Eastern Church calls it Divine Liturgy.
What are its origins?
We go back to the Jewish roots of holy sacrifice in the Jerusalem
Temple. Two types of sacrifice were offered by priests: bloody animal
sacrifices offered on the bronze altar, and unbloody (bread and wine)
offered in the Holy of Holies, where 12 unleavened loaves called “bread
of presence” (symbolizing God’s presence among the 12 Tribes) were on
the Golden Altar. Only priests could partake of the bread.
Jesus united the Jewish covenant liturgy and sacrifice in the Upper
Room and Calvary. He put an end to all animal sacrifices at Calvary and
retained the unbloody sacrifice of bread and wine transubstantiated
into His Body and Blood with the institution of the Sacrament of the
Eucharist. His miracle of loaves with 12 baskets left over, followed by
His “bread of life” discourse, was a foretaste of His Real Presence in the
Eucharist.
After Pentecost, Jewish Christians composed the Infant Church
and attended Sabbath service in synagogues to listen to two readings
from the Torah and the Prophets, sang Psalms, and listen to a rabbi’s
homily. Then they trooped to a pre-designated house for agape — love
feast — or a fellowship dinner to commemorate the Last Supper and
passion of Christ in the breaking of bread. Here an apostle or bishop-
successor proclaimed the Gospel, consecrated the bread and wine, and
highlighted the gathering with Holy Communion.
Eventually barred from synagogues because of their belief in Christ,
the Christian Jews adapted the Sabbath pattern to their fellowships
to preface the breaking of the bread. In time, the liturgy was called
eucharistein, or thank-offering, from the Hebrew todah. A thank-offering
was essentially characterized by four elements in the Mosaic Covenant:
lamb sacrifice and memorial of deliverance eaten in a fellowship meal
Catholic
Soul
By Edgardo C. De Vera
with unleavened bread and wine in a communion of
the People of God.
By 150 AD, the structure of two sections, Mass of
the Catechumens [Liturgy of the Word] and Mass of the
Faithful [Liturgy of the Eucharist], incorporating some
prayers, vestments and rubrics in pattern of Hebrew
liturgy, was already established. Epistles were then
included and the practice of collections was carried
over from Hebrew liturgy for the needs of the Church,
the sick, the orphans, and the poor. Offerings varied in
the early years: grain, livestock, poultry, fruit, etc., until
money was encouraged instead out of practicality.
Christ’s taking, blessing, breaking, giving the
bread in the miracle of loaves, repeated with definitive
consecration of bread and wine at the Last Supper
and on the road to Emmaus, is the Eucharistic
action, central and immutable to all seven Roman
rites and 22 Eastern rites: Alexandrian, Armenian,
Maronite, Chaldean, Syriac, Coptic, etc. The mysterium
fidei remains unchanged notwithstanding cultural
variations.
Vatican II liturgical reforms introduced the Novus
Ordo Missae, trimmed of Baroque rubrics of the
Tridentine Liturgy but enriched with more Scripture
readings typologically arranged over a three-year
liturgical cycle (A, B and C) for Sundays, Years I and
II for weekdays, and allowed in the vernacular for
greater participation. From organic inception at the
Upper Room and development over time, Eucharist
represents Christ’s thanksgiving offering to the Father
commemorated over two millennia in Christendom in
the unity of the Holy Spirit and the sacrifice, memorial,
meal, and communion in the New Covenant.
Email Ed at catholicsoul@gmail.com.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 35
36 KERYGMA • MAY 2014
 K
Preacher

By Hermie R. Morelos

NO FEAR!
God is in control

L
ast year, we saw how nature unleashed its fury over
our country, reducing the countryside to rubble
and leaving thousands either dead or homeless.
Calamities came in quick succession while we were
still reeling from the aftershock of greed and crisis in
government brought on by the pork barrel scam and
the armed conflict in the south.
The overall picture looks grim and it is difficult to understand why
these disasters happen, driving the victims to hopelessness. In the scheme
of things, we sometimes tend to think that evil flourishes and the good gets
run over.
Does God care that life is in such bad shape? We cannot help but worry
about our future, the future of our children, and our children’s children.
In these trying times, it is so easy to get impatient with God. He seems
to delay His answers or He doesn’t seem to be listening at all.
So how do we trust God when life’s pressures seem to overwhelm us?
If we are to survive the difficult times, we must hold on and trust in
the goodness of God. Problems or difficult circumstances should pull us to
move towards Him.
Significantly, it is Jesus who teaches us how to wade from worry to
worship.
In Luke 23:46, we see Jesus, after enduring the utmost burden of our
sins, entrusting Himself to God with His final words on the cross: “Father,
into your hands, I commit my spirit.”
When God seems to delay His answers or gives us answers we don’t
think is right, we should not let despair take over. Instead, we should turn
to Him in faith and trust that He cares. God works at His own speed and is
always on time.
Rest in Him and have no fear.

Hermie Morelos retired from his corporate work a few months ago and is now
serving full-time in Bo Sanchez’s media ministry as president of both Shepherd’s
Voice Publications and Shepherd’s Voice Radio and Television Foundation. He is
also the South District Feast Builder of the Light of Jesus Family.

Email Hermie at hermie.m@shepherdsvoice.com.ph.

MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 37

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is in the House. Discover the 9 secret guides to your child health that would help cut down your visits to the doctor.

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 By Andrew Dacillo
as told to Judith Concepcion
TB OR NOT TB
The Scar That
Reminds Me of God’s
Love and Mercy
I
knew it was bound to happen — that the doctor would see
something again in my chest X-ray.
I didn’t ask anymore for a second opinion. What for? The
result would just be the same. I had already accepted the
fact that I had to live with it throughout my life.
When the doctor told me that I had a volume loss in
my upper right lung and had to undergo a sputum test for three
consecutive days, I became anxious. I suddenly felt pain on my
right lung and couldn’t breathe normally. It dawned on me that I
might die soon if my condition worsened.
If I tested positive on any one of those three tests, then my
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) was considered to be active.
“Oh Lord, please, not now… not anymore,” my heart cried out.
I didn’t want to go through the ordeal again.
Falling into Despair
I was 14 years old when I was first diagnosed with PTB. I knew that
my illness could be life threatening and highly contagious if not
properly treated. I took medications for six months and another
round after that. I didn’t have an X-ray anymore until six years only
because I needed it to be regularized at work.
I faced my illness with rebellion. Against doctor’s orders and
my father’s advice, I continued to smoke and drink. I thought I
would die anyway, so why wait much longer? I felt I was already at
the end of my rope and it would just be a matter of time before I’d
succumb to my illness.
My illness affected how I thought and lived. I became
paranoid. Each day I felt that I was a step nearer to my grave. Fear
ruled my life and stole the peace and joy within me. I hid my illness
from everyone except for a chosen few. I was afraid to be rejected
when, in fact, I was the one rejecting myself.
But when I found the Lord through The Feast and joined
the Light of Jesus Family in 2011, I discovered my true self. God
showed me how precious I am in His eyes and that I am worthy
to be part of His kingdom. He gave me a reason to live a new life.
In return, I gave up all my vices and resolved to serve Him for the
rest of my life.
One
Last
Story
Because of his scar, Andrew sought
God, who imprinted in his heart His
everlasting love.
God’s Promise Fulfilled
For three consecutive days, I was at the Lung Center
for the sputum test. On the third day, I sat down in
one corner of the center and prayed, “Lord, I love You.
Please give me strength. Give me a verse which I could
hold on to.”
I slowly opened my Bible and two verses, which
I had previously marked, caught my eyes. I believe it
was God who led me to it so I could read them at the
time when I needed them most. The verses were:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. —
Philippians 4:6
Praise the Lord, my soul, and do not forget how
kind He is. He forgives all my sins and heals all
my diseases. — Psalm 103:2-3
I held on to those words and believed God would
heal me. I surrendered all my worries to Him and
waited for the fulfillment of His promise.
On the day the results were to come out, I
was serving in the Jesus Encounter seminar of our
community. I received a call from my mom who told
me that the results were all negative!
After a few days, the pain in my right lung was
gone. It could have been just psychosomatic because
of too much worry. Best of all, I am now a regular
employee of the company.
My trials have taught me that I can conquer
anything that befalls me as long as God, my comfort
and shield, is with me. Now, I am no longer afraid.
My lungs may be scarred for life, but the mark
of God’s love and mercy will forever be etched in my
heart.
MAY 2014 • KERYGMA 39
 Point
of By Bo Sanchez
Contact

I pray that you

receive your
miracles in Jesus’
name!
I pray that God lifts your trials, heals your
diseases, blesses your problems, and
directs you to the path He wants you to
take. I pray that God removes your fears
and gives you the courage to surrender
your burdens to Him.
So place your hand over my hand, and
let’s pray with trust, together with our prayer
team of intercessors praying for you right
now…

This page is our Point of Contact, our spiritual

connection.
Say after me…

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and

the Holy Spirit.
Lord, I surrender to You my worries and
anxieties. I surrender to You my needs, my
problems, my trials. I place them all in Your
big hands. And I open myself to all that You
want to give to me. On this day, I say yes to
Your love, to Your blessings, to Your healing, to
Your miracles. And Lord, specifically, I ask for
the following miracles for my life....
I believe that You answer my prayers
in the best way possible! And I thank You in
advance for the perfect answers to my prayers.
I also ask for the special intercession of Mama
Mary. I pray all this in the Name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

SPECIAL INTENTION FOR THIS MONTH:

Bless the readers of Kerygma, Lord. Open their minds to accept Your real purpose for money in this Email your prayer requests
world. Help them to gain the correct mindset for pursuing wealth, which is to bless others. Grant to me at bosanchez@
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to the poor in our midst. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Publications, #60 Chicago
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Praying for you, Philippines 1109.

40 KERYGMA • MAY 2014