Man’s Contribution to Salvation

While reading my Bible and reflecting on salvation this morning, Jose Garcia Villa (a critic, artist, and National Artist of the Philippines for literature in 1973) jogged my memory. I particularly remembered his poem “The Emperor's New Sonnet.”

This is a famous experimental poem that alludes to the children’s storybook "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian Andersen. It is a satire on the poor quality of Philippine poetry; it challenges readers' perceptions of literature. It was Villa’s way of forcing readers to question what makes a poem and to think critically beyond superficial appearances. 

If you are familiar with this storybook, then Villa’s intent is clear as day. 

The poem has a title, but the page is totally blank, zero words. It is to make the reader confront the void where text should be. 

In a deeper context, what is man’s contribution to salvation? 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

Rise and Shine

To someone who has attended all (except when I was in school abroad) our annual clan reunions to end and begin the year—the 81st just concluded—I’d describe each one as, “Same, same.” 

Same energy, same enthusiasm, same fun, same respect for our forebears—who started it all—and  same reverence for our common faith.  Only tiny details (theme, IDs, competition) change to cater to varying birth and age limitations.  

Those days when my battery was fast-charging, I’d be part of the planning process. Now low-bat,  I  have barely enough energy to bring old albums and files to the venue and let the young ones take over. 

As a tradition, the Chit (my mom) sub-clan (SC) would arrive in custom uniform t-shirts, which we change to a different one the next day and the next. In advertising, and in our sub-clan, we fiercely call that branding. Today, branding is unheard of. 

But not to the non-seniors in our SC. They are always concept-driven, hyped up to win the SC presentation contest. I guess competitiveness is in the genes. 

The concept: Rising Up (based on the reunion theme). What we do when we rise up every morning. Everyone in the SC was ordered to make a video of his rising up activities. 

The execution: (10 minutes) 

Part 1: Live intro. 

Night. zzzzzz

Morning. Rise and shine!  

Part 2: Video (with music and voice over) 

VO: “Routine. Typical. Every day. Waking up. Exercising. Cooking. Walking the dog. Doing regular things. Living one day on to the next one. And the next one. We often think that God only works when something extraordinary happens. But He's there, even in the everyday. 

VO: “Now on its 81st year, the Vergara Clan annual reunion might already seem ordinary or routine. Something we do every single year. But the fact that we are still here, together, shows that God is continuously working in our family. He is a constant presence in our everyday."  

VO: "God is with us in our rising up. In fact, He is whom we rise up for."

VO: “The Lord is here, with us, with His abounding grace and love. His mercies are new every morning. As we celebrate 81 years of being together, we look forward to the 82nd. And the next. And the next. We PASS IT ON."

That foreshadows the coming 82nd reunion theme, which our SC will host. 

The curtain call:  

The winner: 

Isaiah 60:1. "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you."

What’s Great about the Great Pumpkin

Nothing is impossible in creative writing.  It can include facts that are colored, shaped, textured, and positioned differently to present a unique message. Words convey emotion through imagination and invention. 

Charles M. Schulz, inventor of the Peanuts comic strip, created a unique message in the “Great Pumpkin” character in 1959.  He meant it to be a sincere alternative to Santa Claus, inspired by the idea of a child getting his holidays mixed up and expecting presents on Halloween. 

My dad, although a lawyer, must have been a fan of Peanuts and a closet creative writer. He saw The Great Pumpkin as a symbol of faith and hope. In the comic strip, every Halloween, Linus* (Charlie Brown’s intelligent, security-blanket-carrying best friend) waits for the The Great Pumpkin for his gifts. But it does not appear. And so he waits again the next year, and the next, and the next. He never gives up, even if he is mocked. 

If that isn’t faith and hope, what is? 

It’s 2026, but I look back on many years ago when my dad gave son #1, JC, the Great Pumpkin book. He wrote: 

Deeply touched, I wrote about it in my “Gifts of Grace” (Book 2), published by OMF Literature in 2002. So why am I writing about it again 24 years later?  

My sister Aie’s library in the province was ravaged by a flood. But she had salvaged a few books, one of which is this:  

She gave it to JC as Christmas gift, stirring in me what I had written in Gifts of Grace. The old Great Pumpkin book (top two photos)—now with decayed pages and deckled edges—is one of JC's treasures.  

JC has long been grown up, dad has long been gone (soon I will be, too), that's why we now know too well what he meant by the Great Pumpkin. Many readers have interpreted it in different ways, but my dad’s definition remains in me: 

Amidst life’s lows, from then till now, sit sincerely in a pumpkin patch, wait, keep the faith, and escape the pit.  

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 

ooo

*Linus acts as the philosopher, theologian, and "house intellectual" of the group. He is known for his wisdom, deep thoughts, and for often quoting the Gospels. He is the only character who believes in the "Great Pumpkin," whom he expects to rise from a "sincere" pumpkin patch every Halloween.

Discaya Moment?

Based on recent news and opinion pieces from late 2025, the word Discaya is primarily associated with a couple who owns multiple construction companies that have secured significant flood control contracts. The word has become synonymous with great wealth: 80 cars, 40 of which are luxury, among others.

Wow! 

In many friendly huddles, this has become a word for playful ribbing. Anything that elicits a “Wow!” is a Discaya moment.

I had such moments during our traditional Chit-sub-clan-one-day meet-up (my siblings and their families) before we all trek to our annual big clan. This year, there were only 10 of us (30%); the rest are abroad. Nonetheless, we tried to make the most of this rare time together in an Airbnb. The highlights were naturally food and kunol-kunol. 

During the gift exchange, the opening salvo was at once a Discaya moment. A gift from my brother Matt.  Wow! It was followed by another and another. Wow! Wow! Wow! Here's how a Discaya moment looks like: 

 The story ends there, because if I divulge details, I could be summoned to a Senate inquiry.  

All kiddding aside, just being with and receiving gifts from family (near or far)—whatever it may be—is more than a Discaya moment. It is a moment of grace.    

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” Psalm 133:1 (ESV) 

All set, clad in our first-day-clan-reunion uniform: purple (favorite color of late Mom/Lola), with her name "Visitacion" printed on it 

Walking with a Limp (2)

(continued from last blog post)

Sadly, my father passed away. Losing him was one of the most painful moments of my life. But instead of pushing me further into darkness, that loss awakened something in me. It made me search for God—not just for answers, but for meaning, peace, and truth. 

 

A few months later, someone invited me to church. I am very grateful to her, because that simple invitation became a turning point in my life. Through that act, God led me to a place where I could hear His Word, feel His presence, and begin to understand who Jesus really is. 

 

As I continued attending church, my heart slowly began to change. God used the messages, the worship, and the people around me to heal me. That was where I truly encountered Jesus Christ, accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, and began leaving my old life behind. 

 

Looking back, I can see that God was working even when I didn’t notice it. He used loss, pain, and a simple invitation to draw me to Himself. For that, I am deeply thankful—most of all to God, and also to the people He used as vessels to guide me back to Him. 

 

When I reflect on my journey, I am reminded of Jacob in the Bible, who later became Israel. Jacob encountered God at his lowest point—alone, afraid, and broken. He wrestled with God and walked away with a limp, but also with a new identity. In the same way, God met me in my brokenness. I may still have struggles, and I may still limp at times, but my identity has changed. I am no longer defined by my past.  

 

Today, I am still a work in progress. I still have struggles, but now I have hope. I still fall short at times, but I now know where to run—to Jesus. My life is no longer defined by alcohol, loss, or pain, but by God’s grace and faithfulness. 

 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  2 Corinthians 5:17 

 

(Turnaround indeed! Ryan was baptized—the rite proclaiming his personal and public identification with Jesus—in October, during our church’s 50th anniversary worship service.)   

Walking with a Limp (1)

In January 2026, our church’s theme was “A God of Turnarounds.” 

This was to remind us that turning around from the farthest plot to the nearest spot is impossible. But not with God.     

Our Pastor’s message narrated a graphic example: Jacob.  He was deceitful, manipulative, self-reliant, covetous, and scheming. In today’s language: badass. But during his 20-year exile in his uncle (later, father-in-law) Laban’s territory in Haran, he became the victim of every bad thing he ever did and was. 

Guided by God’s command, Jacob fled Haran to return to Canaan to reconcile with his brother Esau and build an altar at Bethel. 

On the way back to Canaan (Genesis 32), while Jacob was alone, an angel (God) initiated a raw, hand-to-hand fight with him. While God could have easily overcome Jacob, He allowed the struggle to continue, forcing Jacob to exert all his strength. Finally, to end the stalemate, the angel touched the socket of Jacob’s hip, dislocating the joint. 

This supernatural act demonstrates that God only needed to lightly touch the strongest part of Jacob’s body to break his strength and self-reliance. Crippled and in pain, Jacob stops fighting and desperately clings to his opponent. He  cries out, "I will not let you go unless you bless me". 

Total turnaround. 

From a cunning badass, to a broken seeker of God. The mysterious figure blesses him and renames him "Israel" (one who struggles with God). Jacob’ limp for the rest of his life is a permanent reminder of his total dependence on God. He would always walk in humility rather than arrogance. 

At this point in the riveting story of Jacob, Pastor Marvin called one of the members of our youth group, Ryan, to the pulpit. 

And Ryan shared a testimony that made us listen, sitting tight.   

Before I knew Jesus, my life was going in the wrong direction. I loved to drink, and I was often intoxicated. Over time, it became more than just a habit—it became my escape. I had no real faith, no clear purpose, and no peace. On the outside, I might have looked okay, but inside I felt empty and lost. 

 

In 2024, my life reached a breaking point. I was in the middle of a drinking session when I received the news that my father had suffered a stroke. I rushed him to the nearest hospital, and while we were in the emergency room, the doctor kept delivering bad news after bad news. Each update felt heavier than the last.    

(to be continued) 

Two Ezras

There are two precious Ezras in my life.

One, the Ezra in the Old Testament (OT), direct descendant of Aaron, who served as a priest, scribe, and reformer tasked by God with leading a remnant of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem. He is called the "second Moses" for reviving the study and application of the first five books of the Bible (Torah) among the returned exiles—to rebuild the spiritual lives of the people. 

He led sinful people into repentance and his mission succeeded because he totally relied on God’s sovereignty.  The Book of Ezra strongly reminds us of God's faithfulness in fulfilling promises despite the cruel landscape of the times. 

Two, the Ezra in our church. Only 6 years old, she is pitch perfect, can sing gospel songs (even long ones) from memory. Singing at the altar, she leaves my eyes moist, contemplating the lyrics and seeing how she has been gifted with an extraordinary talent to proclaim His word.    

Affectionate, little Ezra never misses to hug me when we see each other in church, “Lola Grace!”

Then one Sunday, she gave me gifts: a unique desk calendar and a card that made me catch my throat. I know she meant them to be personal, but I am taking the liberty of sharing the card with blog friends to collectively nudge us that God uses both the learned and the innocent to shower His grace. 

The spiritual life that the first Ezra rebuilt is what is being taught to the second Ezra multiple generations later. God’s word is unchanging. 

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up". Deuteronomy 6:6-7: