Recollection Talk of Fr. Sam Gonzales, SMM
LIKE MOST RECOLLECTIONS, the crowd was prepared by the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When the mini rosary concluded, Fr. Sam took to the front and started to warm his audience.
The title of his Talk was “Marian Path to Advent: Becoming Bearers of Christ.” And, in his rapid-fire fashion, bombarded
the crowd with questions without losing his signature smile, so much so that the audience never took affront to his machine-gun
manner of questioning. Anong achievement ang naaalala nyo? Kailangan bang maitama ni Kristo ang mga mali nyo? Gusto nyo
bang kumanta ako? The crowd evidently enthused to his endearing manner he could have gone on and on without their minding
it. They were having as much fun as Mary would have had, too. All thanks to Fr. Sam’s sense of infectious humor.
As ostensible as his obedience, Fr. Sam approached Sis Becky in the audience and asked her expectation of the experience.
The regular rostrum reader answered that, whatever the challenges that come one’s way, Mary is there beside the person to let
her/him cope. Which Fr. Sam supported by, “With Mary, you will never be frustrated.”
There arose a technical difficulty, an opportunity for Ate Marivic to squeeze in the message that waiting for the glitch to be fixed
was a foreboding of our waiting for His coming. She reminded me of my reply to Fr. Sam’s earlier question to me if I am better.
I quickly joked that I’m better than him and disclaimed it just as quickly with, “I’m good and thankful to be here because of Ate Marivic’s
invite and will surely be better after his talk.”
When the sound system was no longer getting in the way, Fr. Sam resumed control by enjoining his audience to think of all their
experiences, graces, and sufferings. “Talaga bang dinadala nyo ang Diyos? Ano ba sa inyo ang Advent? Sino ang pinaghahandaan
ninyo?” And, because he’s a teacher, he instructed everyone to reflect on the Second Coming asking, “Handa ka na ba?”
Then he used his first visual, Luke 1:33-44, “Mary’s visit to Elizabeth.” She travelled in haste, three months pregnant herself, there
was no grab at that time, no angkas, no joyride, no food panda, gutom ka na ba? (snickers) She travelled some 90-100 miles, by the
available means of transportation then, horse, donkey, dove, and he said mas mahirap pag kalapati. Which the audience
lapped up in polite laughter.
All of the above Mary went through because God found favor with her. Which is why her fiat late became the “Magnificat.”
Then he broke the silent spell with, “What Good News have you heard lately?” Advent ba o Lent? God forgives me for He loves me.
This is a moment of reconciliation. To forgive other people. And he shared a little of his life story.
They were five siblings. He was the eldest. His mother died in childbirth. His father remarried after a while. And left them to fend
for themselves. The result of which was he could no longer spend more time to sleep, etc. He remembered one Christmas that his
younger sibling asked why they had no exchange gift. It made him shed. But he shifted the subject to his first employment as a
Merchandiser in Gaisano. And his first pay going to his Dad. Sad. But he didn’t dwell in it.
Forgivveness is freedom, he said. He is grateful for his father. It is not how they were, but how he is. He has been – is – grateful,
therefore, he forgave – forgives.
Mary, he continued, hurried because she was grateful, not thinking of what she lacked but of what she had. Which is why the
child in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy. Who wouldn’t in the presence of the grateful mother of God, and God Himself in her
travel-weary womb?
He segued into the contemporary Marites, and most of us having the habit of swearing, and if it sanctifies other people or, worse,
if it shifted to a curse.
May mga kinikimkim ba kayo? Dahil walang pakimkim? Laughter.
Anger depresses, he advises, pati hinanakit, nasaan si Nanay Pilo, the seemingly innocent jumping from one subject to an
irrelevant other only feeding the fun the audience was deriving out of his banter.
Anger depresses, he advises, pati hinanakit, nasaan si Nanay Pilo, the seemingly innocent jumping from one subject to an
irrelevant other only feeding the fun the audience was deriving out of his banter.
The problem with us, he said, is we assume, when we can instead address whatever is unclear or vague to us. And he called
Bro Harold in front.
What, Fr. Sam asked, do you do when you’re angry? Bro Harold’s answer was he is non-expressive so suppresses it.
Fr. Sam suggested that instead of suppressed, anger should be expressed, projected, for it to be replaced with anticipation and
even joy. I inwardly remembered Jesus at the Temple getting angry at the money-changers.
And he warned us to avoid remembering mistakes, to replace them with expectations (not as great as Dickens’) but with
appreciation to encourage confidence and fill the lack.
Then he called on Ate Maricar to ask her how she feels about non-appreciation. The Evangelization team member who said the
opening prayer responded with, “People differ in ideas and personalities, so carry lang.”
Fr. Sam showed his second slide which was “Mary’s Charity Towards Others.” Briefly delineated the preparation requirements
for Second Coming, recalling Fr. Sherwin’s homily on the Gospel of what you did to the least to My brethren, you did to Me.”
And Fr. Sam called on Ate Taki for her insight on it. Like her father’s daughter that she is, Ate Taki obediently replied, “Bago pa
ako sa AMQAH (Association of Mary, Queen of all Hearts) but I know that to mean giving of self despite one’s present, and financial
state. Her presence she manifests by playing the guitar at Mass, and helping out the other teams on administrative matters.
Sometimes, she meets resistance from her family but it reduces to nothing after she expresses her free, uncluttered mind.
Her most memorable preparation (and insight) was a visit to prison. And added Sr. Angela’s catechism as a supplement.
Fr. Sam thanked her generous sharing and, without losing a beat, called on Ate Angel next. To his question “What have you
shared?” Ate Angel was not as reluctant to speak as she was during our TTJ-LBS and gave her reply: “Service to DepEd teachers,
through a development test material for their pupils. Service that she did not save for herself, including her siblings.”
From which Fr. Sam recalled a day in his life with the poor. Who told him that they no longer have rice to cook. His customary
response was “Trust God.” Then there came a knock on the door. Somebody was giving them a sack of rice. Then followed, sugar,
and Milo. And he counseled his audience to always see who is knocking.
He followed it through with saying that Mary did not scrimp on her Son. True, she had nothing but swaddling clothes to wrap Him
with in childbirth. But the difficult journey that she and Joseph went through up till the no room at the inn, was only the beginning
of the sacrifices she underwent to fulfill the incarnation of Jesus.
Which led to the third visual of Fr. Sam: “If we walk with Mary to Bethlehem, she mRecollection Talk of Fr. Sam Gonzales, OFM
LIKE MOST RECOLLECTIONS, the crowd was prepared by the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When the mini rosary concluded, Fr. Sam took to the front and started to warm his audience.
The title of his Talk was “Marian Path to Advent: Becoming Bearers of Christ.” And, in his rapid-fire fashion, bombarded
the crowd with questions without losing his signature smile, so much so that the audience never took affront to his machine-gun
manner of questioning. Anong achievement ang naaalala nyo? Kailangan bang maitama ni Kristo ang mga mali nyo? Gusto nyo
bang kumanta ako? The crowd evidently enthused to his endearing manner he could have gone on and on without their minding
it. They were having as much fun as Mary would have had, too. All thanks to Fr. Sam’s sense of infectious humor.
As ostensible as his obedience, Fr. Sam approached Sis Becky in the audience and asked her expectation of the experience.
The regular rostrum reader answered that, whatever the challenges that come one’s way, Mary is there beside the person to let
her/him cope. Which Fr. Sam supported by, “With Mary, you will never be frustrated.”
There arose a technical difficulty, an opportunity for Ate Marivic to squeeze in the message that waiting for the glitch to be fixed
was a foreboding of our waiting for His coming. She reminded me of my reply to Fr. Sam’s earlier question to me if I am better.
I quickly joked that I’m better than him and disclaimed it just as quickly with, “I’m good and thankful to be here because of Ate Marivic’s
invite and will surely be better after his talk.”
When the sound system was no longer getting in the way, Fr. Sam resumed control by enjoining his audience to think of all their
experiences, graces, and sufferings. “Talaga bang dinadala nyo ang Diyos? Ano ba sa inyo ang Advent? Sino ang pinaghahandaan
ninyo?” And, because he’s a teacher, he instructed everyone to reflect on the Second Coming asking, “Handa ka na ba?”
Then he used his first visual, Luke 1:33-44, “Mary’s visit to Elizabeth.” She travelled in haste, three months pregnant herself, there
was no grab at that time, no angkas, no joyride, no food panda, gutom ka na ba? (snickers) She travelled some 90-100 miles, by the
available means of transportation then, horse, donkey, dove, and he said mas mahirap pag kalapati. Which the audience
lapped up in polite laughter.
All of the above Mary went through because God found favor with her. Which is why her fiat late became the “Magnificat.”
Then he broke the silent spell with, “What Good News have you heard lately?” Advent ba o Lent? God forgives me for He loves me.
This is a moment of reconciliation. To forgive other people. And he shared a little of his life story.
They were five siblings. He was the eldest. His mother died in childbirth. His father remarried after a while. And left them to fend
for themselves. The result of which was he could no longer spend more time to sleep, etc. He remembered one Christmas that his
younger sibling asked why they had no exchange gift. It made him shed. But he shifted the subject to his first employment as a
Merchandiser in Gaisano. And his first pay going to his Dad. Sad. But he didn’t dwell in it.
Forgivveness is freedom, he said. He is grateful for his father. It is not how they were, but how he is. He has been – is – grateful,
therefore, he forgave – forgives.
Mary, he continued, hurried because she was grateful, not thinking of what she lacked but of what she had. Which is why the
child in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy. Who wouldn’t in the presence of the grateful mother of God, and God Himself in her
travel-weary womb?
He segued into the contemporary Marites, and most of us having the habit of swearing, and if it sanctifies other people or, worse,
if it shifted to a curse.
May mga kinikimkim ba kayo? Dahil walang pakimkim? Laughter.
Anger depresses, he advises, pati hinanakit, nasaan si Nanay Pilo, the seemingly innocent jumping from one subject to an
irrelevant other only feeding the fun the audience was deriving out of his banter.
The problem with us, he said, is we assume, when we can instead address whatever is unclear or vague to us. And he called
Bro Harold in front.
What, Fr. Sam asked, do you do when you’re angry? Bro Harold’s answer was he is non-expressive so suppresses it.
Fr. Sam suggested that instead of suppressed, anger should be expressed, projected, for it to be replaced with anticipation and
even joy. I inwardly remembered Jesus at the Temple getting angry at the money-changers.
And he warned us to avoid remembering mistakes, to replace them with expectations (not as great as Dickens’) but with
appreciation to encourage confidence and fill the lack.
Then he called on Ate Maricar to ask her how she feels about non-appreciation. The Evangelization team member who said the
opening prayer responded with, “People differ in ideas and personalities, so carry lang.”
Fr. Sam showed his second slide which was “Mary’s Charity Towards Others.” Briefly delineated the preparation requirements
for Second Coming, recalling Fr. Sherwin’s homily on the Gospel of what you did to the least to My brethren, you did to Me.”
And Fr. Sam called on Ate Taki for her insight on it. Like her father’s daughter that she is, Ate Taki obediently replied, “Bago pa
ako sa AMQAH (Association of Mary, Queen of all Hearts) but I know that to mean giving of self despite one’s present, and financial
state. Her presence she manifests by playing the guitar at Mass, and helping out the other teams on administrative matters.
Sometimes, she meets resistance from her family but it reduces to nothing after she expresses her free, uncluttered mind.
Her most memorable preparation (and insight) was a visit to prison. And added Sr. Angela’s catechism as a supplement.
Fr. Sam thanked her generous sharing and, without losing a beat, called on Ate Angel next. To his question “What have you
shared?” Ate Angel was not as reluctant to speak as she was during our TTJ-LBS and gave her reply: “Service to DepEd teachers,
through a development test material for their pupils. Service that she did not save for herself, including her siblings.”
From which Fr. Sam recalled a day in his life with the poor. Who told him that they no longer have rice to cook. His customary
response was “Trust God.” Then there came a knock on the door. Somebody was giving them a sack of rice. Then followed, sugar,
and Milo. And he counseled his audience to always see who is knocking.
He followed it through with saying that Mary did not scrimp on her Son. True, she had nothing but swaddling clothes to wrap Him
with in childbirth. But the difficult journey that she and Joseph went through up till the no room at the inn, was only the beginning
of the sacrifices she underwent to fulfill the incarnation of Jesus.
Which led to the third visual of Fr. Sam: “If we walk with Mary to Bethlehem, she might place Jesus into our heart.”
When he called on Kuya Arnel up front, the latter’s sharing was about surrendering to God by giving significantly like, he
emphasized, fr. Sam’s superb style of warming up the crowd.
Therefore, Fr. Sam intoned, we should be reminded of our journey, and God’s faithfulness, and sharing our story and self, where we saw
saw God, and when He loved and forgave us.
He called on UtoLiza, and asked her (and the audience as well) “Bakit ako narito?”
UtoLiza’s musing was, “My plans were drastically changed when I lost my husband. But I’ve tried to set aside brokenness that
I may continue to share Mary, in love with, especially, the elderly, who need it nowadays the most.”
Ate Marivic’s return was in response to the question “How will you celebrate Christmas?” Her answer was, most appropriately,
to give what we have to family, friends, and including those without, so that the season is shared not only among the few and selected
but with all, in accordance with Jesus’ Gospel of inclusion. And she followed it through with appreciation and thanksgiving to
all those who participated in the enlightening encounter.
The inspiring, invigorating recollection talk of Fr. Sam Gonzales was given a fitting cap by his and Fr. Fed’s concelebrating the
Holy Mass that followed.
Amen.
