Vocation Sharing – A Life That’s Never Zero
Sr. Bubbles Bandojo, RC
Ateneo de Manila
15 February 2007
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I am often asked why I became a sister. And often, my quick answer is “Ah, dahil sa Pag-ibig. Hindi dahil bigo ako, excuse me! Kundi dahil dito ako inuwi ng Pag-ibig.” I’m here because I‘ve been loved so much and so well. And I desire to learn to love back.
After graduation here at the Ateneo, I taught at the Ateneo Grade School. When I resigned to enter the Cenacle, my co-teachers threw me a party and they sang me a song entitled “Love is the Answer.”
Love is the answer to so many questions
Now I know and I can stop my endless wand’ring
Love gives meaning to my world,
I see the answer now.
Love gives meaning to my world
And I see the answer now.
Love is the answer. Love.
If you are familiar with the song, you’ll know that it is often sang at weddings. I was a little puzzled that my friends chose to sing me that song. But now, as I look back, I realize it was a most appropriate song. I did chance upon Love and it changed my life.
This Love is mysterious. It weaves its way ever so slowly at first. You can hardly notice it. It’s so there and yet you don’t recognize it. But one day, in a moment of sweet wooing, it surprises you, sweeps you off your feet and then it just wont let you go. And you don’t want to let go because it becomes very clear to you that only in this Love can you make your home; that this, this is your joy, your roots and wings; your very life. This love seduces. It moves so that everything about you is focused on it and you want only to respond to it. This Love is dangerous. It transforms you and the way you look at the world.. It tames all your fears and doubts so that you summon up courage to dare to choose in its name. If you’re feeling cowardly, it offers new strength you never knew you possessed. This Love embraces you, frees you so that finally, you may utter your Yes.
Love was my crossroad’s homecoming. It brought me to the Cenacle twenty years ago to begin the molding of the heart. Love it was that accompanied me through times of learning and groping; through dark days of unknowing and bright days of clarity; through moments of discovery of the true meaning of “se livrer”( self-surrender) which was Therese Couderc’s, our foundress’ charism; through opportunities to embrace the blessing and bane that community could be . And Love it was that gave me the boldness and daring to promise chastity, poverty and obedience one December morning, with sisters, friends and family at my side sharing my joy at having glimpsed this Love.
The Cenacle is my Love’s home. It is Upper Room, heart-space, where the Last Supper took place. It was to this same room that the disciples returned after the Ascension, and with Mary in their midst, devoted themselves to prayer until the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is a space of prayer, of waiting, of deep encounter and intimacy, of a celebration of friendship. In the poignant symbols of broken bread and shared cup, in the humbling and intimate gesture of washing of feet, Love healed, was given, accepted, remembered. It is in this spirit that we, Cenacle Sisters, live, share life and minister today ( as retreat and spiritual directors, teachers, parish/pastoral workers, counselors, campus ministers, musicians, Zen masters, etc.)
Life in the Cenacle can be hard, stressful, demanding. Such is life among “amazonas,” as we say. But it is also challenging, rich, fruitful, meaningful. Buhay ang buhay. I am where I want to be. Here I’ve found the fullness of Love’s promise. Truly, God is good. God is more than Good. God is Goodness.
Yesterday after giving points for prayer to a sister on 8-day retreat, I handed her a heart-shaped lollipop and greeted her a Happy Valentine’s Day. She smiled this big wide smile and said to me, “Ay, sister, hindi ako na-zero.” And I said to her, “Ah, sister, hindi tayo zero kahit kailan. Lagi tayong 100!”
I am in charge of our Pre-Novitiate program. Yesterday, we had simple entrance rites for a young woman beginning Postulancy in the Cenacle. For days I held one question in my heart as I prepared for the rite: What would I like to teach her? Many things for sure and all of the above. But most of all I’d like to be able to teach her that she who finds Love and chooses it is never ever zero.
Click HERE to read more about the Cenacle Vocation.
Sing of Him – More Prayers from the Upper Room
Produced by the Jesuit Music Ministry and the Jesuit Communications Foundation, Inc., Sing of Him is the second album from the Cenacle Sisters Philippines – Singapore Region following the success of Prayers from the Upper Room.
Last Supper
Seasons passed swiftly in His heart
Echoing memories of lakes and hills
Pressing crowds and sheltering silence
They were there with Him, as tonight.
And while the night Deepened into darkeness
He rose with one more lesson to give:
I have called you friends…
They are familiar to us, many of these songs. But now arranged for and sung by two voices, they speak to us anew. For these songs are celebrations of a very special friendship: that between God and us. A tremendous, astonishing, unbelievable gift. A lasting grace.
And so with hearts full of awe and longing, we follow Him who first called us His friends. May the friendship of Jesus lead you through your heart’s own seasons, across lakes and hills, through crowd and quiet, darkness to light. And may these songs of friendship become truly your prayers from the Upper Room, forged by broken bread and shared cup, and one irrevocable, self-emptying Love.
Click HERE to view photos of the Album launching last December 2007.
Album Tracks:
To listen to audio clips, please download and install Adobe Flash Player for your appropriate browser.
Sing of Him - Featuring Atoy Salazar, SJ and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup How Beautiful - Featuring Oggie Benipayo and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Joy Is Like The Rain - Featuring Jun-jun Borres, SJ and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup God Is Love - Featuring Susay Valdez, RC and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Only This I Want - Featuring Tony de Castro, SJ and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Yahweh, The Faithful One - Featuring Veepee Pinpin and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Dwelling Place - Featuring Susay Valdez, RC and Atoy Salazar, SJ [0:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Father, Mercy - Featuring Bishop Chito Tagle, D.D, S.T.D., and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Song Of Ruth - Featuring Tony de Castro, SJ and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [1:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Holy Darkness - Featuring Susay Valdez, RC and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Naalala Mo - Featuring Veepee Pinpin and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup One Little Candle - Featuring R.B. Hizon, SJ and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup The Memorare - Featuring Veepee Pinpin, Susay Valdez, RC and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Sa Pag-Ibig Ng Panginoon - Featuring Sheila Mae Jaso, RC and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Spirit of God - Featuring Oggie Benipayo and Bubbles Bandojo, RC [0:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Amazing Grace - Featuring R.B. Hizon, SJ and Bubbles Bandojo, RC with obligato by Jett Galindo [0:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup I Sing The Mighty Power of God - Featuring Himig Heswita and Friends [0:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup
Cenacle Retreat House and Spirituality Center
From its beginnings in 1968, the Cenacle Retreat House has always been an oasis of peace and solitude right in the midst of the city.
Sing of Him
Listen to some excerpts from latest audio production from the Cenacle Sisters. You will need Adobe Flash Player installed on your browser to listen to the clips.