Paano naging marangal na trabaho ang pagiging tsimay?

Posted by Mang Kanor on Jun 20, 2014

Nagkaroon ng usap-usapan kamakailan lang sa social media ang diumano’y “pangmamaliit” sa mga katulong o tsimay dahil daw ay inilathala sa isang Hong Kong Textbook ang isang pahina na nagsasaad ng okupasyon ng bawat nasyonalidad. Siyempre, dahil nga sa dami ng mga tsimat sa Hong Kong, Singapore at kung saan saan pa ay natural na ma-portray ang Pilipino bilang tsimay. Bakit kayo magagalit o magiging defensive?

Ito ang pahina na ipinuputok ng butsi ng mga Pilipinong walang utak at balat sibuyas:

Bakit naman kayo magagalit o mao-offend kung totoo naman na maraming katulong na Pilipino sa Hong Kong at kilala ang mga Pilipino sa pagiging mga tsimay sa lugar na yun? Ano ang ine-expect ninyo na sabihin nila? Mga rocket scientist ang mga Pinoy? Kung hindi ba naman kayo TANGA. Ang pera niyo nga hirap na hirap na kayo i-manage eh nag aambisyon pa kayo makagawa ng space shuttle at paliparin sa kalawakan? Mga sira ulo talaga ang mga Pilipino oo.

Tapos itong mga tsimay naman, masyado naging defensive. Nagpapaka-awa o nagpapaka victim effect at sabi ng sabi na “marangal naman ang trabaho naming mga katulong”. Mga gung gong! Niloloko niyo lang ang mga sarili ninyo dahil kahit saang anggulo mo tingnan o kahit ano pa ang sabihin ng mga taong nagpapanggap na may good manners, mababang uri ng trabaho ang pagiging tsimay o caregiver ng mga matatanda sa USA. Hindi naman kailangan gamitan ng utak yun eh at parang ang role na yan ay ang role ng mga alipin noong uso pa ang mga imperyo na nagco-conquer ng mga maliliit at mahihinang tribo. Ganyan din ang mga tsimay sa Hong Kong/Singapore at caregiver AKA punaspwet naman sa USA o Canada.

Ito tingnan ninyo ang ginawa ng isang tsimay;

Kung hindi ba naman sira ulo at malakas ang sapak sa utak ng gumawa niyan di ba? Kahit sino naman puwede magkaroon ng magandang puso eh. Wala naman pakialam ang mundo sa puso-puso na kalokohang pinagsasasabi nitong tsimay na ito. Ang mahalaga sa mundo ay ang talino at achievement. Yun ang karangalang tunay. Hindi masama maging katulong, ang masama ay ang manatiling katulong o punas-puwet. Ang mga Pilipino kasi madali na lang makuntento. Ayaw na magbago dahil naloloko naman sila na “marangal” ang mga walang kuwentang mga trabahong meron sila kahit na sa mata ng mundo at sa mata ng DIYOS ay mababang uri ng trabaho yun.

Para ba sila yung mga Epsilon caste sa librong Brave New World ni Aldous Huxley. Sa mga bobito at bobitang hindi nagbabasa ng libro katulad ng mga tsimay at punas puwet, ang librong Brave New World ay isang aklat na ang sosyedad ay nahahati sa mga “caste” o mga grupo ayon sa kanilang kakayahan. Ang Alpha ay ang mga leader, ang Beta ay mas mababa sa Alpha etc. Click this for a full explanation http://inourbraveneworld.weebly.com/the-caste-system.html . Ang mga Epsilon ay silang mga pinakamababang uri ng tao sa istorya ng Brave New World. Kumbaga mga tsimay at punas puwet. Sila ay na brainwash at kinu-kumbinse na mararangal ang kanilang mga trabaho kahit na yung mga kumu-kumbinsi sa kanila ay naniniwala mismo na mabababang uri sila.

Parang sila din yung mga tsimay at inday na mga Pilipino. Inuuto sila ng gubyerno at ng media na kontrolado ng gobyerno na sila ay mga BAGONG BAYANI. Ang “kabayanihan” ay hindi isang mabuting sintomas. Sintomas ito na mayroong SAKIT ang isang grupo (katulad ng isang bansa) na dapat gamutin. Ang kabayanihan ay parang gamot lang yan na maaari pang makasira sa katawan. Ang parami ng parami na OFW ay nangangahulugan na maraming pamilya ay walang mga sapat na pag-gabay ng ina o/at ama dahil nasa ibang bansa at inaalagaan ang mga anak ng mga intsik sa Hong Kong o Singapore.

Gaya ng sabi ko, hindi masama maging katulong o Punas Puwet. Ang masama ay ang MANATILING tsimay o punas pwet. Ako noon ay isang dishwasher lang sa isang restaurant at tanggap ko na hindi yun marangal dahil ako ay totoong tao. Kaya nagsikap ako na umasenso at magkaroon ng mas marangal na trabaho bilang professional.

Hindi din mabuti na padala ng padala ang OFW sa mga nasa Pilipinas. Ito ay dahil nagiging mga batugan lang ang mga nasa Pilipinas at natututo mag aksaya ng pera habang ang OFW naman ay nagtatagal sa ibang bansa at malayo sa pamilya niyang nagkakawindang windang na. Nambababae na yung mister at yung mga anak naman naglalandi na at nabubuntis ng maaga dahil sa ang sitwasyon ng bansa ay isang malaking kabobohan.

Kayo kayong mga tsimay, tsimoy at punas puwet, hindi marangal ang inyong trabaho. Huwag na ninyo lokohin ang mga sarili ninyo at higit sa lahat huwag niyo ako lolokohin kasi hindi naman ako ganun KATANGA. Para mawala kayo sa isang trabahong hindi marangal, matuto kayo mag ipon at ang asikasuhin ninyo ay ang pag asenso ninyo. Huwag niyo padadalhan ang mga nasa Pilipinas na hindi naman ninyo mga anak. Basta lampas 18 years old at kaya magtrabaho huwag niyo padalhan. Imbes na magchismisan kayo tuwing linggo o kaya makipagkantutan sa mga taga Bangladesh ay mag aral kayo kahit on-line courses lang o kaya sa mga eskuwelahan na malalapit. Matuto kayo mag negosyo sa mga intsik ninyong amo at kung mabait sila tanungin ninyo sila kung paano sila umasenso. Tama na ang panonood ng mga palabas na Pilipino gaya ng Showtime o ASAP kasi wala namang kakuwenta kuwenta yun at lalo lang kayo mabobobo kapag panay yun ang inaasikaso ninyo. Samakatuwid, talikuran na ninyo ang kulturang Pilipino dahil yan ang dahilan yung bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi malaya ang mga Pilipino.

Kung noon, pumupunta ang mga mananakop para alilain kayo, ngayon naman kayo mismo ang pumupunta sa mga mananakop para magpaalila.

Mga gung gong.

Jeepneys remain a stark symbol of the Philippines' utter failure to proper

August 26, 2014

by benign0

Coming up with a great product — an innovative one even — is just 20 percent of the job. You also need to develop systems to produce it and market it. That system is also known as the business enterprise.

An example of a failure to complete the remaining 80 percent of the job is the jeepney. The jeepney emerged from the ashes of war in the mid-1940s — morphed from GI surplus jeeps to become that “ingenious” weapon of mass transit that remain to this day the Filipino’s preferred mode of public transport and symbol of that post-war ingenuity.

Marston Mats used for temporary airstrips in Wold War II

For that matter, lots of other junk left behind by the Americans were “ingeniously” used by Filipinos. A less-trumpeted but just as ubiquitous GI relic was the large number of steel Marston mats used primarily for the rapid construction of temporary runways and landing strips in World War II. Marston mats are steel strips perforated with circular holes and slightly corrugated for rigidity along its length. When laid on the ground side-by-side, they were strong enough to be used even for roads by land vehicles.

I recall growing up in the 1970s and still seeing lots of Marston mats being used mainly for fencing. More importantly, they were also being used as building material for — you guessed it — squatter shanties. Like the Willys Jeeps, the Marston mats found a use in the Philippines. Innovation? Arguably. Filipino ingenuity? Definitely.

With the jeepney, however, the Philippines had in its hands a huge headstart to what could have been a world-class automotive industry. Compare this to Kia, the Korean company that would go on to become one of the planet’s biggest automobile manufacturers. Back in 1944, Kia was a small company making steel tubing and bicycle parts. But while the jeepney, stayed the same for the 60 years following that headstart in both design and manufacturing technology, Kia was making motorcycles by 1957, trucks by 1962, and cars by 1974.

Today Kia is giving US, European and Japanese car makers a run for their money. Over 1.5 million vehicles a year are produced in its 13 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 172 countries. Kia today has over 42,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$14.6 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World Cup. Kia Motors Corporation’s brand slogan is “The Power to Surprise”.

Since 2005, Kia Motors has singled out design as its “core future growth engine”.

Consider the two catchprases that describe the key success factors contributing to the phenomenal success of Kia:

(1) “The Power to Surprise”; and,

(2) Design as the company’s “core future growth engine”.

Simple but powerful, and everything the jeepney is not. Jeepney manufacturing has utterly failed to surprise over the last 60 years. It consistently disappointed. The growth in the manufacture of jeepneys was not driven by design. It was driven by desperation.

The Philippines’ King of the Road

The jeepney today symbolises everything that is wrong with the Philippines. A stark monument to a monumental opportunity that was squandered. The jeepney, instead, became a vast social and economic cancer. Baked into its industrial history is just about every aspect of the Filipino character that led to failure — a lack of originality, a bankruptcy of imagination, and a renowned heritage of smallness.

Many jeepney apologists would rather laud the continued “ingenuity” with which Filipinos heroically churn out these pieces of automotive junk with the limited resources at their disposal. That sort of thinking, sadly, merely highlights the root of the problem that hobbles Philippine industry. Resources were never an issue — not in an island nation “blessed” with vast mineral and agricultural resources and situated right smack in the middle of a strategically important shipping corridor. At the heart of the matter is Filipinos’ consistent inability to turn quantity into both scale and quality. The “ingenuity” of the jeepney of the 1940s has long been buried under a mountain of failure to develop a world-class business enterprise around it.

Indeed, this intellectual disability that infects Filipino business is evident across industries and time. Ambeth Ocampo described this inherent Filipino affliction in an Inquirer article he wrote in September 2005 after a visit to the marble-producing Philippine island of Romblon.

Of this island’s craftsmen, he wrote:

What did the people in this sleepy town do with their marble? They made them into tombstones, mortar and pestle. As a tourist, I asked myself: How many “lapida” [tomb markers] and “dikdikan” [pestle] do I want? How many lapida and dikdikan do I need? Come to think of it, how many lapida and dikdikan do they sell in a year? Here is a region that has skilled manpower and an almost inexhaustible natural resource, but their products are unimaginative. If culture comes in to introduce new designs and new uses of Romblon marble, that would go a long way in developing the industry and the province.

Indeed, one can draw similar analogies in the Filipino entrepreneur’s penchant for following a “me too” approach to getting into business. There is an almost lemminglike behaviour in the way Filipino entrepreneurs get on a business model bandwagon. This behaviour accounts for the lechon manok(roast chicken) and shawarma (Mediterranean wrap) booms in the 80’s and 90’s. The proliferation of jeepneys and tricycles also illustrates how such safe but low-returning (and, in the long run, unsustainable) ventures are among the favourites of individuals with a bit of capital to apply.

Hardly surprising then that the Philippines today remains the beggared state that it is — pathetically reliant on the remittances of its overseas workforce and the “generosity” of old colonial masters. There is no internal economic engine of consequence to drive national prosperity — only an internal sweatshop that produces the millions of warm bodies to drive its jeepneys while relentlessly crushing any hope for a brighter future.

[NB: Parts of this article were lifted from the Wikipedia.org articles “Marsden Matting” and “Kia Motors” in a manner compliant to the terms stipulated in the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License that governs usage of content made available in this site.]

benign0

benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

The Amazing Health Benefits Of Ampalaya

Ampalaya or Bitter Melon (also known as bitter gourd) looks like a cucumber but with ugly gourd-like bumps all over it. As the name implies, this vegetable is a melon that is bitter. There are two varieties of this vegetable: One grows to about 20 cm long, is oblong and pale green in color. The other is the smaller variety, less than 10 cm long, oval and has a darker green color.

Both varieties have seeds that are white when unripe and that turn red when they are ripe. The vegetable-fruit turn reddish-orange when ripe and becomes even more bitter. Bitter gourd thrives in hot and humid climates, so are commonly found in Asian countries and South America.

Ampalaya or Bitter Gourd is a popular vegetable in some Asian countries, where the health benefits of the plant are well-known—particularly, its ability to lower blood glucose in diabetics. Bitter gourd has been used to treat diabetes in traditional medicine and is now commercially available as tea (from fruits or leaves), juice, extracts, and pills. Although these products promise health benefits, most of the manufacturers do not offer scientifically proven data on the effectiveness of bitter gourd or their products.

However, in recent years researchers worldwide have started to focus on the anti-diabetic effects of bitter gourd. The goal is to provide safe and clear preparation and dosage recommendations so that consumers will realize the greatest benefit from consuming fresh bitter gourd or bitter gourd products.

Below are the Top 10 Health Benefits of Ampalaya or Bitter Gourd:

1] Disinfects

Ampalaya is used as a disinfectant for cuts and scrapes. It works to disinfect and heal wounds and minor burns. The powerful antibiotic characteristics help treat a variety of bacteria-related illnesses throughout the body.

2] Relieves Cold Symptoms

Ampalaya can be used to treat the common symptoms of colds, such as coughing and fever. It works to curb minor inflammations in the respiratory system that lead to mucus buildup and the onset of chest congestion.

3] Boosts Immunity

Ampalaya works to seek out harmful free radicals in the body and neutralize them before they latch on to healthy cells and cause certain types of disease and cancer. It also works to ward off internal infections that can lead to organ and tissue damage.

4] Regulates Blood Sugar Levels

Ampalaya works to balance blood sugar levels in the body. It works to lower the levels in diabetes patients, preventing the onset of shock and other maladies. It also helps to prevent other illnesses that arise from too much sugar in the blood.

5] Lowers Blood Pressure

Ampalaya can work to lower the blood pressure in the body by relaxing the vascular system walls. This allows the blood to flow more swiftly without restriction from narrow passageways. Lowering blood pressure helps prevent problems such as heart attack and stroke.

6] Relieves Headaches

Ampalaya can work to relieve the stress and tension that cause headaches. The muscles around the brain are able to relax, releasing the pressure that is a catalyst for the common headache. Stress, another catalyst, is also diminished with use.

7] Protects Spleen and Liver

Ampalaya can be used to protect the spleen and liver, and negate the harmful effects of alcohol abuse and damaging toxins taken into the body. It works to repair and regenerate tissue through the many nutrients and enzymes it contains. These enzymes work in conjunction with the spleen and liver to help maintain proper functionality.

8] Helps with Eye problem

The high beta-carotene and other properties in bitter gourd makes it one of the finest vegetable-fruit that help alleviate eye problems and improving eyesight.

9] Improves Psoriasis condition

Regular consumption of this bitter juice has also been known to improve psoriasis condition and other fungal infections like ring-worm and athletes feet.

10] Fights Obesity

Bitter gourd can help combat the battle of-the bulge, whether you’ve got a little to drop or a lot. Obesity and weight gain may result in serious health consequences, for example heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. In the June 29, 2010 “BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine” issue investigators report that when analyzed on human fat cells, bitter gourd juice demonstrated the capability to stimulate the dislocation of fat cells and prevent new fat cells from forming. Investigators conclude that bitter gourd should be viewed as an alternative remedy for obesity treatment.

PNoy's supporters are preventing the Philippines from moving forward

August 9, 2014

by Ilda

Sometimes talking to some people is like talking to a brick wall. Wait…I take that statement back. Sometimes talking to a brick wall is better than talking to some people. At least you don’t expect anything from a brick wall.

Starstruck cult following!

Take the case of some staunch Aquino supporters. They are calling for an extension on Philippine President Benigno Simeon (BS) Aquino’s six-year term. It’s as if his mismanagement of the public’s funds wasn’t enough, they want to give him even more chances to screw the taxpayers. As Manila Mayor and former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada quipped, “Iyong nagsusulong na ‘one more term for PNoy’, mga sira ulo yun!

They have lost their minds, indeed. They want BS Aquino to violate the Philippine Constitution again soon after he violated it with the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). And quite frankly, you know that the country’s situation has gone from bad to worse when Erap is starting to make sense. There are even people who say that Erap is a better administrator than BS Aquino.

Apparently, a convicted plunderer is a better alternative to a vindictive, lying, bribing and egotistical President like BS Aquino. So they say. Considering it was Erap who had the guts to apologize to China for the Mendoza hostage fiasco that ended in the preventable deaths of eight Chinese tourists in 2010 when BS Aquino refused to do so, they may have a point in siding with Erap.

Perhaps Erap is trying to prove something to the Filipino people or is trying to finish what he started after he was interrupted by the second “people power” revolt led by the incumbent President’s mother, Cory Aquino. Or maybe we are seeing the effects of Erap finally sobering up…but I digress.

Going back to BS Aquino’s supporters, they are trying to make it look like the world is going to end after his reign is over in 2016. It is only their world that is about to change because their narrow-minded view of the world sees only an Aquino as the country’s torchbearer and no one else. It’s quite baffling why considering the glaring incompetence displayed by the current Aquino government in the last few years. Their loyalty to someone whose first priority is to keep his political party in power is irrational. It’s as if they have been brainwashed the way cult members are brainwashed – using emotional blackmail.

Some members of mainstream media allied with the Aquinos help proliferate the notion that BS Aquino is the country’s savior. The only explanation they can offer is “he owes it to his parents”—Ninoy and Cory. Never mind that the son does not even think twice about violating his mother’s 1987 Constitution and has already damaged his parents’ so-called “legacy” since Day One.

Inquirer columnist Conrado de Quiros is good at painting a doomsday scenario for when BS Aquino’s term is over. In his recent column How long?, he worries about the possibility of the President’s “anticorruption” drive being reversed a couple of years from now.

Yes, De Quiros should be worried. He should be worried because BS Aquino helped continue the cycle of retribution in Philippine politics. While certain politicians are being prosecuted for their involvement in the pork barrel scam, some of the President’s allies who were also included in the list of those involved in the said scam like Budget Secretary Butch Abad are getting away. Since BS Aquino is engaging in selective justice, the next President will more than likely do the same.

De Quiros mentioned in his column that BS Aquino’s resolve resulted in the jailing of three senators involved in the pork barrel scam. First of all, they are not in jail. They are detained in a “special” detention cell. Second, De Quiros should be reminded that alleged criminals are also entitled to the “innocent until proven guilty” principle. BS Aquino would insist on applying that to his allies.

De Quiros asks, “who will continue his work? Who will continue to prosecute the prosecutable? Who will continue to jail the jailable?” His question is a bit silly because members of the country’s law enforcement agencies – the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Office of the Ombudsman — should not stop working even when BS Aquino’s term is over. They shouldn’t have to wait for orders from the Chief Executive because they are mandated to do their jobs. They should be able to function effectively without him.

The real question is why weren’t they doing their jobs before? Why couldn’t they arrest and prosecute the “corrupt” sooner? It’s hard to believe that they were just twiddling their thumbs all those years these scams were going on.

It seems the Filipino people are misguided in thinking that it is the President’s job to order the arrest and prosecution of criminals. And it seems the PNP, the NBI, and the Ombudsman only do what the President tells them to do. This explains why they prioritized investigating the allegations against former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona even when there are other more important cases waiting to be solved.

One of them is the case against the Ampatuans who are allegedly the mastermind behind the massacre of 58 victims in 2009 on their way to file a certificate for a rival candidate. The case against the Ampatuans might end up getting dismissed for lack of progress and the sudden disappearance of witnesses. There are even reports that the public prosecutors have been bribed.

De Quiros should not be asking WHO. He should be asking WHAT. What should the next Presidential candidate stand for? What is his vision and plans for the future of the Philippines? Hopefully, his agenda is not limited to persecuting his political enemies.

Filipino voters should not be too particular about the candidates’ names in the first place. They should be more particular about the candidates’ platforms. This is what some of us have been talking about for years. Unfortunately, talking to most Filipino voters is like talking to a brick wall.

Ilda

In life, things are not always what they seem.

More Posts - Twitter

Related Posts:

• Erap Estrada: A Crude Attempt at Revisionist History
• Four lies about President Noynoy Aquino his supporters keep…
• Filipino politicians will start doing their jobs properly if
• PNoy shows he is also corrupt when he defends political…
• SC rules DAP unconstitutional: Time for PNoy to walk down…

Spread it!

: Development, Government, Politics

: Andal Ampatuan, butch abad, conrado de quiros, disbursement acceleration program, election 2016, Elections, erap, joseph estrada,justice, noynoy aquino, platform plez, pork barrel, Renato Corona

Traffic and brownouts! NYT paints doom and gloom in the Philippines as infrastructure gap widens!

The Philippine economy crawls along dragging behind it a monumental infrastructural disability...

"The 2.2 million vehicles a day that grind away on Manila's crumbling road system cost the country 876 billion pesos a year, or more than $20 billion, in lost productivity and wasted energy, according to a recent study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. That is a serious drain on an economy of about $250 billion."

The problem is really bad...

"Infrastructure problems have surpassed corruption as the leading economic obstacle, according to the most recent World Economic Forum competitiveness report, which is based on responses from people doing business in the country. Manila is plagued by power failures, chronic water shortages, an antiquated telecommunications system, deteriorating roads and bridges and a subpar airport."

But there is no relief in sight owing to the political intrigue and infighting in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential elections...

"Richard Javad Heydarian, a foreign affairs and economics lecturer at Ateneo de Manila University, said that although corruption investigations might keep infrastructure funds from being pocketed, they could also paralyze spending.

"'The ensuing political infighting and nonstop investigations could dampen the momentum for sustained infrastructure development,' he said. 'In short, the Aquino administration is confronting mammoth bureaucratic, temporal and political roadblocks in realizing its infrastructure development plans'."

Read the full article on the New York Times website:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/04/business/international/strained-infrastructure-in-philippines-erodes-the-nations-growth-prospects.html

Filipinos left to fend for themselves while govt sleeps and business screws the Philippines!

Let me put the Philippine Economic and Political condition in a context of a typical Filipino household.

The father is usually the breadwinner in the family, so let him be called the CAPITALIST.

The mother is the sole administrator of all the father brings in, so let her be called the GOVERNMENT.

They both take care of all the needs of their young son, so let their son represent the PEOPLE.

The maid do all the household chores, so she may represent the WORKING CLASS.

And their two-year old baby girl, let's call her the FUTURE.

Now, here's the scenario:

The young boy woke up in the middle of the night because his little sister is crying with no one attending to her. He then found out that her sister's diaper is wet and full so he went to his parent's room to seek help only to find out that his mother is sleeping soundly while his father is not in the room.

He went to the maid's room instead which is tightly locked. but instead of disturbing the entire household by knocking hard on the door, he decided to peep inside through the keyhole and was surprised to see his father screwing their maid from behind.

Desperate that he could not get the help he needed, he went back to his room, changed his sister's diaper and then went back asleep.

This scenario can be summed up in a political context thus:

While the CAPITALIST (father) fucks the WORKING CLASS (maid) the GOVERNMENT (mother) is sleeping.
The FUTURE (baby girl) is in deep shit, and the PEOPLE (young boy) are left to fend for themselves.

And that, my friends, aptly describes the political and economic conditions in our beloved land!

Pope Francis reveals top 10 secrets to happiness

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1403144.htm

In an interview published in part in the Argentine weekly "Viva" July 27, the pope listed his Top 10 tips for bringing greater joy to one's life:

1. "Live and let live." Everyone should be guided by this principle, he said, which has a similar expression in Rome with the saying, "Move forward and let others do the same."

Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives to lead a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican last month. (CNS/Paul Haring)

2. "Be giving of yourself to others." People need to be open and generous toward others, he said, because "if you withdraw into yourself, you run the risk of becoming egocentric. And stagnant water becomes putrid."

3. "Proceed calmly" in life. The pope, who used to teach high school literature, used an image from an Argentine novel by Ricardo Guiraldes, in which the protagonist -- gaucho Don Segundo Sombra -- looks back on how he lived his life.

"He says that in his youth he was a stream full of rocks that he carried with him; as an adult, a rushing river; and in old age, he was still moving, but slowly, like a pool" of water, the pope said. He said he likes this latter image of a pool of water -- to have "the ability to move with kindness and humility, a calmness in life."

4. "A healthy sense of leisure." The pleasures of art, literature and playing together with children have been lost, he said.

"Consumerism has brought us anxiety" and stress, causing people to lose a "healthy culture of leisure." Their time is "swallowed up" so people can't share it with anyone.

Even though many parents work long hours, they must set aside time to play with their children; work schedules make it "complicated, but you must do it," he said.

Families must also turn off the TV when they sit down to eat because, even though television is useful for keeping up with the news, having it on during mealtime "doesn't let you communicate" with each other, the pope said.

5. Sundays should be holidays. Workers should have Sundays off because "Sunday is for family," he said.

6. Find innovative ways to create dignified jobs for young people. "We need to be creative with young people. If they have no opportunities they will get into drugs" and be more vulnerable to suicide, he said.

"It's not enough to give them food," he said. "Dignity is given to you when you can bring food home" from one's own labor.

7. Respect and take care of nature. Environmental degradation "is one of the biggest challenges we have," he said. "I think a question that we're not asking ourselves is: 'Isn't humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate and tyrannical use of nature?'"

8. Stop being negative. "Needing to talk badly about others indicates low self-esteem. That means, 'I feel so low that instead of picking myself up I have to cut others down,'" the pope said. "Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy."

9. Don't proselytize; respect others' beliefs. "We can inspire others through witness so that one grows together in communicating. But the worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyzes: 'I am talking with you in order to persuade you,' No. Each person dialogues, starting with his and her own identity. The church grows by attraction, not proselytizing," the pope said.

10. Work for peace. "We are living in a time of many wars," he said, and "the call for peace must be shouted. Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive" and dynamic.

Pope Francis also talked about the importance of helping immigrants, praising Sweden's generosity in opening its doors to so many people, while noting anti-immigration policies show the rest of Europe "is afraid."

He also fondly recalled the woman who helped his mother with the housework when he was growing up in Buenos Aires.

Concepcion Maria Minuto was a Sicilian immigrant, a widow and mother of two boys, who went three times a week to help the pope's mother do laundry, since in those days it was all done by hand.

He said this hard-working, dignified woman made a big impression on the 10-year-old future pope, as she would talk to him about World War II in Italy and how they farmed in Sicily.

"She was as clever as a fox, she had every penny accounted for, she wouldn't be cheated. She had many great qualities," he said.

Even though his family lost touch with her when they moved, the then-Jesuit Father Jorge Bergoglio later sought her out and visited her for the last 10 years of her life.

"A few days before she died, she took this small medal out of her pocket, gave it to me and said: 'I want you to have it!' So every night, when I take it off and kiss it, and every morning when I put it back on, this woman comes to my mind."

"She died happy, with a smile on her face and with the dignity of someone who worked. For that reason I am very sympathetic toward housecleaners and domestic workers, whose rights, all of them, should be recognized" and protected, he said. "They must never be exploited or mistreated."

Pope Francis' concern was underlined in his @Pontifex Twitter feed just a few days later, July 29, with the message: "May we be always more grateful for the help of domestic workers and caregivers; theirs is a precious service."

END

Feed Them Yourselves

Feed Them Yourselves! (2014-08-04)

Matthew 14: 22-36

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God." After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe you want me to have faith in you, faith that hearkens to your words without any second guessing. I hope in your words, not relying solely on my own strength or reasoning. I love you. You continue to astonish me by showing me that your ways are not my ways.

Petition: Lord, may my prayer lead me to step out from my comfort zone today.

1. Loneliness and Prayer: Jesus dismissed the crowds and went up on the mountain by himself to pray. He was willing to leave the comfort of others’ company to be alone with God. Being in silence without others may lead briefly to a certain loneliness and interior emptiness. We may feel the impulse to seek out others – anything – to anesthetize us from the pain of being alone. If this is the case, we need to persevere in prayer. This suffering from silence can turn into joy and peace. But we must remain with God and learn to enjoy his presence in quiet prayer.

2. The Price of Prayer: "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." At times our fear of silent prayer can be stronger than Peter’s fear of Jesus on the water. We are so used to the company of others, of keeping busy, of being needed, of “zoning out”, that we fear relinquishing these comforts even for a short time of prayer. We must be willing to give up these common comforts, at least temporarily, if we will learn to pray. We must empty ourselves to be filled by Christ, to trust and rely on his strength.

3. A Firm Resolve: “After they got into the boat, the wind died down.” Once we “get into the boat,” that is, once we resolve to embrace silent, focused prayer, our fears die down like the wind. We have to make a firm decision to dive full force into our prayer, overcoming inertia of every stripe, if we wish to experience the freedom, peace and joy of true prayer. Ask the Lord for that grace and be generous as you begin.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you know the sluggishness I experience as I set out to pray. You know how I am tempted to put it off and just do something else. Give me the faith and courage to launch into the deep – to begin to pray with all my heart.

Resolution: I will make a firm resolve to pray intensely today.