Fr. MAMERTO ALFECHE, OSA

59th MU SIGMA PHI Anniversary Theme: “Charity in Times of Adversity”

Good evening, Brods and Sis.

First of all, l greet each one and all of you: “A Happy and A Prayerful Celebration of the 59th Anniversary of the MU SIGMA PHI Sorority. Then, let us thank the Compassionate Lord for bringing us together through a virtual gathering. This way, every one of good will, near and far, is able to attend and participate. Of course, this type of gathering deprives us of many things. We can not physically shake hands with one another. We cannot “beso-beso” with each other. We cannot even pat each other’s back. We cannot hug each other as brods and sis.

Meanwhile, let us keep our Augustinian hearts aflame with love for God and for our neighbors. Probably, more than in any time of our existence as a co-fraternity, we feel the real need of God’s forgiveness and mercy, of His guidance and of His abiding presence. During this pandemic time, have we not become his Anawim? Do we have someone else to have recourse to, except Him? Perhaps, during this time, it is helpful for us to own what St. Augustine says in his book The Confessions: “How often do we abandon God, even when He never abandons us, and we find it very difficult to return to Him”? (Conf. VIII.3)

Pardon me, if I sound religious and reflective before you. But, is this not my role as your spiritual adviser? Is it not that our advocacy is “Academic excellence and Moral Refinement”?
Is it not that as members of SIGMA CHI and MU SIGMA PHI Co-fraternity, we profess that as individuals and as a group we stand to uphold the motto of our Alma Mater: Virtus et Scientia?

Perhaps, it is good to refresh our memory of how St. Augustine explained the unity of these three words, virtus et scientia and how we should reflect them in our life. St. Augustine says in his book On the Trinity: “For knowledge too is good within its proper limits if what blows up in it is overcome by the love for eternal things, which does not blow up but builds up (1 Cor 8,1), as we know. Indeed without knowledge one cannot have the virtues which make for right living and by which this woeful life is so conducted that one may finally reach the truly happy life which is eternal.” (On the Trinity, XII, 14.21). To explain this long statement, we could rephrase it simply this way: “we need knowledge in order to love rightly”, or knowledge is useful for living a life of virtues.”

Brods and sis, I am happy that you chose for your theme during this pandemic time: “Charity in Times of Adversity”. On this pandemic time, our adversary is invisible – the corona virus. It attacks us from all sides. And it will certainly conquer us if we are not watchful and careful.

When the adversary is invisible, we multiply our defenses: social distancing, washing of hands frequently, sanitizing the environment, stay at home, etc. But, the call for us now is not just for defenses. The call is to express our love for others despite of our seemingly invisible and invincible enemies. I guess this is the reason why you chose for your celebration the theme: “Charity in Times of Adversity.”

“Charity” or “Orderly Love”, according to St. Augustine is God Himself. Daringly, Augustine says: “God is Love, and Love is God”. And so, Augustine enjoins us to give love to others. And orderly love for Augustine first of all starts with fixing of the lover of himself or herself. He purifies his intentions or motivations. He directs his mind and heart to the Lord. Why is this so? Augustine explains that “orderly love” is “benevolence”, that is, wishing the best for the recipient of his love, so much so that when in situations where the lover has nothing material to give, as when he is already on his death bed, he can still give his best wishes to the object of his love.

“Charity”, in the Bible, is an action word: “God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). The prophets, who were, in difficult times and situations, the enforcers of God’s Words, taught that God’s love is shown when persons of good will “loose the bonds of wickedness, … undo the heavy burdens… let the oppressed go free,… share bread with the hungry, …(Isa. 58:6-7).
The prophet Micah, on behalf of the farmers of Israel, sounded off loudly the similar message: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8).

Brods and Sis, I was trying to figure out who among the great Augustinians could I cite as an example and could inspire us with his life during times of adversities. Then, a thought came: we exist as co-fraternity because of the brilliant and noble idea of the late Brod Tomas Alejan Sajo. And, I ask myself about the roots of the family of Brod Tom. Is his root not in Alimodian? His middle name is Alejan. And, if his root is in Alimodian, was he not baptized with the name “Tomas” after the patron saint of Alimodian, St. Thomas of Villanueva? St. Thomas of Villanueva could be our model for an Augustinian who lived a productive life during the time of difficulties.
St. Thomas of Villanueva lived from 1485-1555. It was during the time of the Spanish Inquisition. Are you familiar with the events during that time (1478-1834), a span of 356 years?
The “Spanish Inquisition” was established “to combat heresy” which was suspected to have been brought to Spain and the Roman Empire because of the migration of Jews and Moslems from the Arabic countries and the Middle East. The “Reyes Catolicos” (The Catholic Monarchs of the Empire) were fanatics about the “so-called Catholic faith”. The well-known catholic monarchs were Charles I, who ruled as King of Spain from 1516-1556, and as Charles V, who ruled as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 until 1556 that embraced a large part of Europe that stretched to Holland. In their fanaticism, they did everything within their power to “Christianize” the Jewish and Moslem population. Those who refused to embrace the catholic faith were tried in court, and if found “faking” their faith were subjected to severe punishments and even death. Some were made slaves and had to fight in gladiatorial shows to gain their freedom. Women were deprived of their means of livelihood. Children of “fake converts” were banned from school.

Because of the Spanish Inquisition, the authorities of the Kingdom of Spain and the Roman Empire succeeded in vanquishing the Jews and Moslems. The Empire and the Kingdom, in the absence of what they called “Jewish saboteurs of economy” and “heretic Moslems, became more powerful and richer. During those times of glory, the Catholic Church identified itself with the glorious Kingdom and Empire. “The Spanish Empire was at its height of power and attained its greatest power during the reign of Philip II (1556—1598). It was during his reign that the Kingdom of Spain annexed to itself the Kingdom of Portugal in 1580, and Portugal regained her independence only in 1640. (M. Mirador).”

It is said that “Power intoxicates a person”. And when one is drunk, he loses control of his mind and heart. The mind is obfuscated, the heart becomes hard, and will is short of directing the drunk person to attain his God-set goal in life. Continuously drunk with power, the authorities of the Kingdom, and with clergy with them, they started to mismanage the human and material resources of the Kingdom. Materialism crept up on them, and greed prevailed. The few rich became richer and squandered their riches. The poor became poorer and more exploited, oppressed, and marginalized. Eventually, the resources were depleted.

To break the monotony of my on-line talk, Brods and Sis, we could say that the so-called
“expected leaders” during that time no longer aspired for “Academic Excellence and Spiritual Refinement”.

And, it was in that very bad and adverse situation that the Augustinian Thomas of Villanueva, upon the recommendation King Charles V, was consecrated as Bishop was assigned by Pope Paul III in October 10, 1544 to the Diocese of Valencia, Spain. The Augustinian Thomas was a lover of wisdom and a hands-on pastor with compassionate love for everyone. If he were living during our time, he could easily be accepted to be a SIGMA CHIan.

Before his assignment there, the Province and Diocese of Valencia did not have a bishop for one hundred (100) years. There had been many priests, but they did not have a good leader. They and their flocks were like sheep without a Good Shepherd (Jo. 10:11) in the person of a good Bishop.

In those times of adversities, what specific or concrete projects did Augustinian Thomas of Villanueva do?

1. He improved the both the spiritual and material life of the people entrusted to his care. For him, no gesture of love could be given without first addressing the demand of justice.
2. He reformed the lifestyle of the clergy by enforcing the discipline decided upon during the early sessions of the Council of Trent (1545-1563).
3. He organized the clergy in order to serve the Moslems and the Jews present in his diocese.
4. He built a seminary for a more rigid intellectual and spiritual formation of seminarians.
5. He personally visited in their homes the poor, the outcast, the sick, the marginalized, the oppressed, and raised the necessary funds for their needs. Many times, he got funds from his own pocket.
6. He looked for means to provide decent sources of livelihood for women so that in their poverty they would not be forced to sell their dignity in order to be able to eat and provide good school education for their children.

Bishop Thomas was a gifted person. He was endowed with bright mind and a golden heart. He wrote a treatise, entitled: The Rule of Life. He left behind no less than 400 delivered and published homilies. His teachings were orthodox and very appropriate especially for his time, because they addressed “head-on” the adversities of his situations. He used these gifts to the fullest. His life attracted followers. Among his well-known followers were Bishop Juan de Montañes and Bishop Alonzo de Orozco. Both were Augustinians. And Bishop Alonzo de Orozco was canonized a saint in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. Because of the orthodoxy and godly teachings and life of Thomas de Villanueva, the Augustinian Order is processing the petition for the Holy Father to declare Thomas as a Doctor of the Church, that is, raising him to the level of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquino, and many others.

Thomas of Villanueva was “gifted to give”.

Brods and Sis, are you aware that the Catholic Church has dedicated this year 2021 as a year of “Missio Ad Gentes” (Mission to all People). And the Catholic Church of the Philippines has chosen the theme and thrust: “Gifted to Give”.

We have been gifted with our Christian Faith, and we are obligated to share this with other people who may not know who Christ is in their life or may have an erroneous knowledge of who Christ is. We should share Christ with others “in word and in deed”, during normal time but most especially during Pandemic Time.

During Pandemic time, when adversities are stronger, we need to be creative. I do not need to tell how each of us or as a confraternity could be creative. Our goal is to be able to reach out. And we have to do this with courage and full of hope in the name of our faith in God.

This pandemic is passing and so are the adversities it has brought forth. We, as members of the SIGMA CHI and MU SIGMA PHI Co-fraternity, firmly believe that Jesus Christ, our Compassionate Lord and God, is according to St. Augustine “The Divine Physician”. And so, with Augustine our Patron, we together pray: “Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have pity on us in our misery. You are merciful; we need Your mercy. Is not our life on earth a period of trial? For who would wish for hardship and difficulty? You command us to endure these troubles (and adversities), not to love them. There can be no hope except in Your great mercy. For all our offenses, we ask for pardon…. Give us the grace to do what you command, and command us to do what You will” (Conf. X, 28 and 29). Amen.

VIVA SIGMA CHIANS AND MU SIGMA PHIANS.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. GOD BLESS.