When man becomes a god, by Fr. Tom Pascua

You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with honor and glory.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.(Ps. 8,6-7)

Such is the dignity of man. To him is entrusted the care of creation, the expression of God’s love. And this free act of God of choosing man to be the steward of all his works is consequent upon his (man’s) being fashioned after the divine image and likeness.

God is omniscient. Sharing in God’s goodness, man is thus gifted with knowledge so that he may be able to accomplish the holy task of stewardship over creation. Nevertheless, he is not given to eat of the Tree of Knowledge (Gen. 2,9). He may taste of the fruit of any of the trees in the garden except of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in the middle (Cf.Gen 2,16). God does not let man eat of it by reason that it is the sort of fruit reserved only for God.

The knowledge which God gives man is more than adequate for him to carry out his task. Be that as it may, the prospect of becoming as God or as knowledgeable as he is (Cf. Gen. 3,6) intrigues him and appeals to him. But there is a sort of knowledge that only belongs to the economy of God. Now, man wants to cross the boundaries into the divine realm and mess with the affairs of God in the process. Quite unfortunately, he employs this knowledge not according to God’s designs but to his mere selfish follies.

With this sort of knowledge at his disposal, man, indeed, becomes a god . . yet without a heart, without compassion, without understanding, without respect for life – that singular gift of God. Yes, man as god loses the divine image and likeness.

It is very appalling how this godless god places his rule over the produce of God and puts life under his feet. Man tramples upon life as well as God's reproductive designs; life is reduced to a machine, a commodity, a toy on the hands of mindless minds and heartless hearts, a specimen on the laboratory table, a by-product of exploratory ventures, a mere deliverance of frail human choice.

O, when will man remember God and be truly man – again – and in prayerful admission, pronounce:

Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
Nor was my frame unknown to you
when I was made in secret.
Your eyes have seen my actions;
in your book they are all written (Ps. 139,13.15a.16a) [?]

Outreach conducted in Adams

The Catechetical and Mission Office conducted an outreach in Adams, Ilocos Norte in celebration of the Mission Month, October 29.

Located on top of a mountain, Adams remains one of the economically challenged towns of Ilocos Norte. This town and Barangays Balaoi, Pancian and Pasaleng of Pagudpud make up the recently established quasi-parish of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, whose church is in Pancian. Rev. Antonio Calautit, SVD administers the parish.

The office, in collaboration with the parishes' catechetical coordinators, began planning for the outreach as early as July. That same month Bishop Sergio Utleg and the clergy approved the plan as a course of action for the whole diocese.

Catechesis on the Church's missionary life was given in schools and in parish churches from August to October. Donations in cash and in kind were submitted to the parish offices and ultimately to the Catechetical and Mission Office as part of the people's response.

A Eucharistic celebration presided over by the bishop, with Rev. Nolasco Pascua, Jr., Catechetical and Mission Director, and Rev. Calautit concelebrating, at the St. Isidore Chapel formally opened the day's mission.

In his homily, Bishop Utleg said the outreach is a way to show God’s love for the least of our brethren.

He also said Adams is a perfect place to conduct such activities because of its distance and the presence of indigenous people. He admitted, “When they said that the outreach will be in Adams, I approved it because it would not only be in celebration of the Mission Month but also of the indigenous peoples who are honored during the Mission Month."

Bishop Utleg is the Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

A catechetical instruction for the children followed the mass. Meanwhile, more than 300 adults and children availed of the medical and dental clinic offered by the San Lorenzo Ruiz Medical-Dental Charity Clinic of the Social Action Commission, at the Adams Central Elementary School hall.

The office prepared lunch for all. A gift-giving ended the outreach.