Spirit break
“I cannot understand the depths of this mystery. Give me the grace to love it.” — Thomas Merton (1915-1968), Trappist monk and mystic, Lent and Easter Wisdom
EVERY year, at this time of the year, I give me way to my medical school classmate, Fr. Greg Gaston to share his thoughts.
“The Lenten season invites us to reflect a bit more on God’s love, in preparation for Easter. Ash Wednesday reminded us of our nothingness, a nothingness that we especially experience when we deal with the sick and dying – that indeed, from dust we came, and unto dust we shall return. But with God’s infinite love, we become His greatest creation.
Lent invites us to prayer, fasting, and good works. These is foolishness to some, who might see them as an invitation to waste our time, and even to harm and punish ourselves. But when we pray, we turn to God who is our source of life and being. Fasting makes us forget ourselves a bit and reminds us to unite ourselves with those who have less in life. Good works bring us to share with others not only our spare time, coins, or old clothes, but our very selves.
Lent actually invites us to discover God’s power and wisdom by looking at the cross, so that even though we are dust and nothing on our own, we can do great things because of God’s love.”
The UP College of Medicine (UPCM) Class 1990 is holding a 2-part Lenten recollection webinar series by Fr. Gregory Ramon D. Gaston SThD, Rector of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino (www.pcfroma.org & www. friendsofthecollegio.org). The Collegio is the residence in Rome of Filipino priests doing further studies for two to four years, after which they are assigned to seminaries and specialized ministries back home in the Philippines. Fr. Greg did the first two years of Medicine proper with our batch, after which he discovered his vocation to the priesthood.
Our class is also inviting everyone to the following:
• Beyond Physical Healing: A Spiritual Journey (March 22, 2019, Fri., 12-1 p.m. MNL) with Dr. Edgardo Ulysses Dorotheo (reactor)
• Becoming Instruments of Divine Grace and Healing (April 5, 2019, Fri., 12-1 p.m. MNL) with Dr. Edgar Manaois (reactor) Moderator: Dr. Jose Paciano Baltazar Reyes Open to all healthcare providers, medical and allied medical students, religious, patients and their families, here and abroad. CPD/CME units are available for MDs, nurses and pharmacists.
Registration is FREE at bit.ly/lenten032219 and bit. ly/lenten040519
Join online through UP Manila livestream and FB LIVE using any computer or mobile device.
For inquiries, contact upmedwebinars90@gmail. com