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Reflections on the Theme:
The Call to Love

Last November 29, 2006, Ate Abel, our son Francis and I were literally caught in the eye of typhoon Reming in my hometown of Baao, Camarines Sur. Although typhoons are no stranger to me having experienced more than a dozen including typhoon Sening in 1972, they remind us of man's frail nature, our weakness, our helplessness. They remind us that there is somebody greater than us, somebody stronger than the forces of nature, in fact that Somebody who wills everything.

While there was no casualty in our town, the damage to property and livelihood was catastrophic. Many families lost their home and possessions, literally blown by the strong wind. That night, as we reflected on the things that happened, little did we know that in the nearby province of Albay, hundreds of lives were lost because of lahar caused by the heavy rains of Reming. We were only to learn about it two days later from the newspaper as we boarded the plane back to Manila. Driving back to Bulacan, we had this eriee feeling that we were not seeing reality. Coming from a place were not a single banana plant stood, coconut trees shaved of its crown, galvanized sheets literred all over, and people scouring for their next meal, we found Metro Manila and Bulacan intact and complete. The houses stood, the trees green, flowers in bloom, and people going through their usual chores. Two places -- one devastated, the other normal. I felt depressed. My mind kept on going back to Baao, to the woman who begged for help because her house was flattened to the ground.

As we reflected on the things that happened, we thought that it is also in times of calamity that the best in people can come out. We remember Fr. Orly Sapuay's words - God gives us sorrow to make us human. God gives us suffering to give us the opportunity to strengthen our faith, not to lose hope. Looking back, damage to property was massive, the people did not lose hope. Immediately after the typhoon they started picking up the pieces of property, picking up their lives back to normal. Afterall, they too are no strangers to typhoons.

With the devastation and loss of lives in Albay, we started asking: shall we continue with the plan to hold the PREX 10th convention in Legaspi, Albay? Would the people be in the mood to prepare for the event? At first we thought that we might be a burden to a people who would be reconstructing their lives anew. But on second thought, we think that it would be a best time as any to make them feel loved, to make them feel God, to give them hope. At the same time, it would give us outsiders the chance to share whatever we have with our stricken kuyas and ates.

Thus we thought that the theme for the next convention may aptly be "THE CALL TO LOVE". As a segue to Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical : DEUS CARITAS EST", a call to Love would be very apt in light of the tragedy that befell our kuyas and ates in Bicol.

It takes two to tango, the saying goes. In loving there is the one who gives or makes the act of love, and the recipient of the love. In the genuine act of love, the lover becomes the loved, and vice versa. The act of love transforms not only the lover but the loved as well.

In this period of devastation brought about by calamity, there is an opportunity for us to practice love, not only in spirit, but in the concrete. With more reason we should go to Legaspi for the 10th PREX National Convention. Considering the tragedy that befell Legaspi and the entire Bicol for that matter, we should make it easier for our Bicol kuyas and ates to attend the convention than if it were held elsewhere.

Kuya Manny & Ate Abel