I.

National Bible Month:

National Bible Day in the Philippines -last Monday of January every year, and we are happy to mark
this day of meditation and deep spiritual connection.

This year, it is celebrated on January 30.

It’s a day dedicated to studying the “Bible.” We are sharing amazing facts about National Bible Day
in the Philippines — an annual event observed to honor the word of God by reading the “Bible,”
having “Bible” quizzes, and distributing the “Bible.”

It is celebrated to inculcate in young and old Filipinos, individually or as a family, the practice of
reading the “Bible,” whose words empower them to live with hope in difficult times.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared that for every year, the month of January will be National Bible
Month, under Proclamation No. 124 signed last January 5, 2017.

This rings true of the need for national transformation. In the words of the proclamation, “it is fitting
and proper that national attention be focused on the important role being played by reading and study
of the Bible in molding the moral fiber of our society.” Celebrating the Bible reminds the Filipino
people of the primacy of God’s Word over their lives and decisions.

This annual event started in 1982 after former President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed
Presidential Proclamation No. 2242 declaring a nationwide Bible celebration. President Marcos
originally declared the first Sunday of Advent and the last week of November every year as
National Bible Sunday and National Bible Week (NBW).

The celebration in January came about during the term of President Corazon C. Aquino who
issued Proclamation No. 44 in 1986 which transferred and made official the NBW celebration
in the first month of the year. The proclamation was reinforced by President Fidel V. Ramos in
Presidential Proclamation No. 1067 which urged that “national attention be focused in the
importance of reading and studying the Bible in molding the spiritual, moral, and social fiber
of our citizenry.” As more and more people read and study the Bible, the universal truths
found in its pages empower them to live with hope and courage in these days of despair and
difficulty.

How to Observe National Bible Day

Attend a church service

Enjoy doing the things you normally do on Sundays on this special Monday. Go to church,
listen to soul-lifting hymns by the choir, hear the gospel and bask in the incense-filled
atmosphere of the church.

Study the "Bible" with a loved one at home

You can choose to read the "Bible" at home. Do it with a family member, get into
discussions, and let the Word deepen your understanding.

Participate in "Bible" quizzes with friends

 If you like "Bible" quizzes, team up with a couple of friends and take part in one, or organize
it yourself and invite your friends or neighbors. There may even be interesting prices to be
won.

Summary of Book of Eli

One day he arrives to a fledgling town ruled by a man named Carnegie. He gets in a fight with some
of Carnegie's men and wins. Carnegie encourages the traveler to spend the night in his town. That
night he sends one of his servants Solara to keep Eli company. She discovers his book and begs him
to read her some passages. It turns out the book in question is a Bible, the last one known to exist.

The next day Solara is forced by Carnegie to tell him about the time she spent with Eli. When he
discovers that Eli has a Bible, he decides use it for himself as a way to control the townsfolk. Eli,
however, manages to kill nearly all of Carnegie's men and even injures Carnegie.

He leaves the town, heading west, with Solara joining him. On the road, the two bond as Eli tells the
young girl stories about the world before the war and recites to her passages from the Scripture. He
reveals to her his mission: to take the book westward, where a voice told him it would be safe.

They reach a house occupied by an elderly couple who turn out to be cannibals. Carnegie's men
track Eli and Solara to the house. In the ensuing shootout Solara is captured and Eli hands over the
book in exchange for her life. Carnegie takes the book and Solara, and shoots Eli, leaving him for
dead. Solara manages to escape and returns to Eli, who bandages himself.

The two continue their journey, eventually reaching Alcatraz. There, they are welcomed by Lombardi,
a man who has been collecting and storing the remains of civilization. It is revealed that Eli is blind
and the Bible he was carrying is written in Braille. He then proceeds to recite the Bible to Lombardi
word for word, allowing him to make new copies.

Eli completes his mission, but dies from his wounds.

Context Summary
Matthew 5:1–12
contains the beautiful Beatitudes delivered by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount.
The series of nine sentences describes an unlikely group of people as blessed: the poor in spirit,
those who mourn, the meek, those hungry for righteousness, and the merciful. All are blessed
because of their part in the kingdom of heaven.
This includes those persecuted for the sake of righteousness and on account of Jesus.
Instead of despairing, they should rejoice for the great rewards they will receive in heaven.
These are not prerequisites for salvation; instead, they are the natural expressions of saving faith in
the life of those who know Christ.

Most of the time, we read the Beatitudes as passive statements or promises of future rewards. I
always here them being recite during contest for Bible Verse: Memory Verse. In Tondol, I was tasked
to read Matthew 5 every time we serve the Holy communion.
The Beatitudes do not disregard or downplay present suffering in exchange for a future life of joy in
heaven. Jesus does not glorify or promote poverty, suffering, pain, misery, grief, or persecution.
(kahirapan. Pagdurusa, sakit, misery, kalungkutan, pag-uusig)
But the truth is that they are an active proclamation of God’s reign in the midst of human misery, Ang
Beatitudes ay active proclamation buhay na pagpapatotoo ng paghahari ng Diyos sa gitna ng tao sa
lahat ng aspeto ng kanyang buhay.
True Blessedness is not meek or submissive but rather subversive(tending or intending to subvert or
overthrow, destroy, or undermine an established or existing system, especially a legally constituted government or a set
of beliefs.) It is an invitation to rise up (bumangon) and act righteously.

How then can we become blessed? How to have true blessedness (Joel Bengbeng)?

True blessedness- starts with holy anger (Jesus cleaned the temple and that’s why I need to put
the recitation of the Apostle’s creed in the liturgy)
Psalm 4:4 English Standard Version Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your
Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV “In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still
angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
and divine discontent/ BANAL NA KAWALANG KASIYAHAN (just like John Wesley Prayer in
1731 incident about giving: Lord, will I still be qualified to be called your servant?). divine discontent
will lead us to faithful action. Divine discontent is not an invitation to stay in our comfort zone,
mabubulabog ang iyong puso, isip , diwa at damdamin, di ka makakatulog, hanggat di mo nagagawa
ang tama.
THUS, True blessedness start with holy anger and divine discontent ment,
FOLLOWED by a BURNING DESIRE TO CHANGE THE WORLD TO CONFORM WITH THE
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. Kung totoo at galling sa Diyos ang pagiging pinagpala mo ikaw ay
mag-aalab na baguhin ang mundo na ayon sa katuwiran ng Diyos. Gusto mo na magkaron ng True
Holiness ang mundo. Magsisimula iyon sa iyo.

My friends, True Holiness ay nagsisimula sa nabagong puso. Nagsisimula ito sa paghahanap mo din
ng katuwiran ng Diyos sa lahat ng aspeto ng buhay ng tao. At ang mga values na mula Kingdom of
God di lamang pumapasok at nagagamit sa sarili ninyong kapakanan. Ito ay dapat ding makaapekto
sa inyong pamilya, ekonomiya, kultura at politika. (How awesome it is to see the leaders of our
community taking up leadership trainings that are church based. Take note: I don’t campaign political
leaders. But I strongly suggest to support those who humble themselves to be part of the disciple
making ministry of the church). Because Holiness without SOCIAL JUSTICE is an exaggerated image
of the Gospel of Christ.

Therefore., the Beatitudes are both a promise and a demand. Promise dahil pinapakita nito na ang
Diyos natin ay intentional na makialam sa mga affairs ngmundong ito/humanity. Demand dahil
nirerequire nito ang mga Christ’s Followers na ihayag at isapamuhay nila ang mga values ng
Beatitudes sa kanilang pang araw araw na buhay. Upang maganap na maging Totoong parte sila ng
tinatawag nating Church, katawan ni Kristo. Kaya, binaliktad ni Jesus ang values ng mundong ito.
Pinagpala niya ang mga dukkha, ang mga brokenhearted, ang mga bilanggo, ang mga
malulungkot(Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:18-19) Bilang mga anak ng Diyos, pwede mong piliin na tanggapin
mo pagpapala ng Diyos at pagpalain mo ang iyong kapwa.
In your blessedness, ano man ang magiging dahilan o dahilan mo para bumangon, sige lang go
ahead, do something, and move toward social justice.

How are we going to apply this then:

Matthew 5:13-16 Be the salt and the light of this world:

Salt is a common image Jesus used to illustrate how he hoped his followers would act in the world.
Salt is not an element useful to itself. Its value comes in its application on other things.
Nagkakahalaga lamang ang asin kung ito’y ginagamit para sa iba.
Likewise, the followers of Jesus Christ are called to exist for others. Yet Jesus warns that salt may
become literally foolish, that is losing its value.

And in the same way light functions in order to allow humans to see. Noong unang panahon, sa
tuwing sasapit ang dilim o gabi, parang bulag ang tao na kumakapa sa mga pader (Isaias 59:10)\
\

O God, “give us the freedom and power… to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms
they present themselves`s. Amen