Daily Reflections- June 28, 2012

WHAT WISE MEN SAY   That sounds like the beginning line of an old, old song, “Wise men say, only fools rush in...” Wise men utter wise aphorisms and quotable quotes. They keep us hanging on to their lips expecting more when they talk. But one most important thing about wise men is they build on rock, not on sand. In the school where I work, there is an old building that became part of the school two years ago. The first time I saw it, I was dismayed. It was filled with trash from floor to ceiling and electrical wirings jutted out like spaghetti from everywhere. But after we cleared the place, we realized we were wrong. The building was solid. Now, a library, a conference room, five classrooms, a mini-theater and our residence are all housed in what seemed to be a crumbling building just two years ago. It was built on rock. It was built on sound architectural design. It was built by a wise man. Today is a good time to think about getting some of that wisdom for ourselves. What does one do? Where does one begin? I suggest we begin by reflecting on what it is we are building now. Years ago, when I was doing my doctorate, I came across a study done on Grade 4 kids in Manila. When asked what their ambition in life was, an overwhelming majority of the entire cohort answered: “to go abroad.” That was their ambition. We don’t have to do another survey to know what we should already know. Many of our kids now want to make it big in showbiz, as is evident in the growing number of those who join talent shows and auditions. Shows like American Idolor their local Philippine versions hog primetime TV and are assured of millions of youthful devoted viewers. Young people would now go to any lengths just to make a pitch for stardom at so many inane and dehumanizing shows. Politicians are tripping all over themselves to become entertainers, and entertainers are all making a mad dash for “public service.” Could we be building on sand, and not on rock? Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB REFLECTION QUESTION: What is your life built on?   Lord Jesus, help me to build my life with Your Word as the foundation.