LAST week, I shared my journey of defining my faith. For me, my faith is not merely my religion or words of prayer. I believe that true faith is how we choose to live it out in our everyday lives. It is trust and toil for our rightful future.
I remember leaving university with a commitment to concretely manifest my faith, to be a “man for others.” I also wanted to seek more knowledge to deepen my beliefs. I wanted to continue the side-by-side philosophical and theological exercise I experienced in Ateneo. I remember valuing the insights from our exegesis, alongside learning true prayer in the Christ Youth in Action group. An exegesis, according to Oxford Dictionary, is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture. So this seeking of depth led me to going to Church more often, as well as immersing myself in philosophical books like The Celestine Prophecy and The Grifin & Sabine Trilogy.
At the time, we were living in San Antonio, Pasig. I remember attending a human resource seminar at Edsa Plaza Hotel one time. I met a member of the Opus Dei. She invited me to attend Sunday Mass and other activities at her Church, which coincidentally was within San Antonio, Pasig. I never officially joined Opus Dei but I am grateful for the lesson of “True Solemnity”—to learn to “quiet down” so we can listen more effectively.
By my early 20s, I had gained a firm grasp of my Catholic faith by knowing who Christ was in my life. I found the balance of not wanting to join any subsects and focus on my personal faith, but ensuring the solemnity of attending Church sacraments. When I reached my mid-20s, married life was just around the corner. Given how I work on “plans,” I found myself immensely overwhelmed. I still had a lot of “to do’s” in my life. I wanted to be a good wife, build a family, finish my master’s degree and do a lot more things.
I was lucky that a friend, Cecil, introduced me to Noel Resella, a mediation teacher. His method involved clear lectures, homework and practical tools. On my first class, I asked him a candid question: “Will this affect my Catholic faith?” I told him if that would be the case, I preferred not to proceed. His explanation was clear. What he would teach me were life tools; it was my choice on what would be my center of reference.
I started from basic “Ohm,” then transcendental meditation, to learning reiki. I had weekly classes for about two years. It was like taking another degree. I enjoyed learning theories and applying them to my week. Later on, I went to the classes less. Noel assured the classes were not meant for me to depend on but to know when I was ready on my own. In my 30s, I was attending class twice a year.
I had two important takeaways. First, I should credit my “sensitivity” as a gift and learn to use my intuition toward my life’s purpose, despite what I was taught in my childhood. Second, setting benevolent affirmations and living a good life may lead to many “purposeful” surprises.
In my late 30s, extremely pivotal situations were happening in my family life. A friend of mine introduced me to Kabbalah. I attended the first series. My main takeaway was the Pro-Active Formula. This allowed me to be more equipped when challenging situations arose.
Sometimes I ask myself, with all the things that need to be done daily, is there really a need to pursue all these? My personal conclusion is the busier we get, the more we need to seek knowledge and the tools to ground us. I realize that “faith” knowledge and tools are equally important as any book I read on business principles and innovation. It led me to find my God-given core and purpose; fuels me to do the work needed to achieve it; and continues to open me up to learn from great people around me.
Last Saturday, a great man, Henry Sy Sr., passed away. He is most known for building the SM retail empire. I admire him most for loving the Filipino people and embodying “majority deserves better”—in products, services and even practices. I admire him for bearing and professing such a strong vision, which has been embraced so clearly by his children. Today, this attitude has expanded beyond retail, from real estate to banks, schools and other industries; and has definitely bettered so many people’s lives. My sister Joan proudly points out the new escalator practice at SM malls, which teaches everyone the international practice in riding it. This prepares everyone regardless of income class when they travel abroad.
All of us have been and will continue to be touched by Henry Sy Sr.’s vision. Those close to him or who have worked with him are lucky to have experienced all his guidance and his example of greatness, simplicity and authenticity. He will be remembered by all of us with utmost gratitude and salutation.
God bless, Tatang! You truly embody that strong beliefs partnered with purposeful action and hard work yield positive transcendental effects to lives beyond one’s own.