Daily Reflections- June 29, 2012

ROCKBILT

 

Part of my growing up years was in San Pedro, Poblacion, Makati, where the Church’s patron saints are Sts. Peter and Paul. During those days in the early 60s, one popular company was named Rockbilt. I don’t know exactly what they specialized in, but I did know that their name stood for something solid, steadfast and sure. To my young mind, the Church of Poblacion, Makati appeared as a solid bastion, both literally and figuratively.

My memories of Sts. Peter and Paul, interestingly enough, were tied up with faint memories of Rockbilt. In retrospect, the two could not havebeen a better match. St. Peter was called no less than a “rock” by Christ. The church in Makati was built literally on solid rock. And the association I made with the church and Rockbilt was, as I see it now, uncanny, at worst, and providential, at best.

I would like to hold on to my childhood images of surety, steadfastness and solidity. By comparison, the postmodern world that we know now is seemingly surrounded by their exact opposites: relativism, weakness and a certain air of instability in many aspects. Just look at our political system. Even names of streets that have solid historical bases are changed left and right by iconoclasts who either do not know history or scoff at it. Years of theology teaching by soft liberals who have a shaky attachment and an even shakier attunement to Holy Mother Church have produced so many cafeteria Catholics, some of whom have become legislators who write the future (or demise) of our traditional and rich culture.

We need to reappropriate what Sts. Peter and Paul stood for: solidity, surety and steadfastness. Petros was “rock” literally and figuratively, and Paul stood steadfast as a rock despite huge challenges. Sts. Peter and Paul, pray for us!Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do Sts. Peter and Paul’s lives influence yours? Pick out one good quality of each and try to imitate them in your own life.

 

Thank You, Lord, for Sts. Peter and Paul. They showed us how to stand amidst life’s challenges, and to be always attuned and attached to the Church.