Chapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response PDF

1 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response WELCOME TO CHAPTER 2! After learning the history and goals of the LEARNING OUTCOMES National Service Training Program, we should be able to demonstrate our love for country and be proud, responsible Filipino In this...

1 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response WELCOME TO CHAPTER 2! After learning the history and goals of the LEARNING OUTCOMES National Service Training Program, we should be able to demonstrate our love for country and be proud, responsible Filipino In this chapter, you will learn about: citizens. Identify with the Thomasian identity by integrating values of competence, compassion, and commitment into Now for this chapter, to deepen our personal and professional endeavors. understanding on how we can implement the goals of the program, we must first know one’s self, one’s value and interrelationship Explore and analyze the life and with other people. It is expected that you will contributions of a notable individual associated with the University of Santo comprehend the value of life, love and human Tomas (UST), focusing on how they dignity as a Catholic Christian, inspired by the exemplified the core values of values taught by St. Dominic and St. Thomas. competence, compassion, and After all, it is the within the mission and vision commitment throughout their career and of the University for us to be distinctive, personal life. selfless and compassionate Thomasians 2 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response A. ME AS HUMAN, UNIQUE AND SPECIAL We are all taught that we are made in the image and likeness of God. We are HUMANS possessing dignity. We are not just something, but SOMEONE. We are all special and unique and at the same time responsible for one another. As humans, we are composed of a material body and a spiritual soul. When we die, our body decomposes but our soul is immortal. It continues to live even after death. Our soul, together with our intellect and will, distinguishes us from the rest of God’s creation. Through our intellect, we know that every person has dignity and so through our will, we protect everyone’s dignity. HUMAN DIGNITY is a gift only human beings have – the gift that gives worth to our human life and because of this, our life is inviolable. Human life is so precious that we “So God created man in his own image, in the need to PROTECT and PROMOTE it. Life is a gift from God. image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1: 26-27 Whatever the color of your skin, gender, and social status-- you have WORTH as a person- you have DIGNITY. Unfortunately, we are faced with several threats in preserving human dignity such as social order, extreme poverty, the dehumanizing effects of the urbanization and exploitation of workers to name a few. As Pope Francis stated in his 2015 encyclical entitled “Laudato Si’: “No system can completely suppress our openness to what is good, true and beautiful, or our God-given ability to respond to His grace at work deep in our hearts. I appeal to everyone throughout the world not to forget this dignity which is ours. No one has the right to take it from us,” Don’t forget our dignity Taken from http://www.beliefnet.com – Pope Francis 3 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response It’s a striking and enriching declaration. Pope Francis is reminding us that dignity is given to all of humanity. If we believe that we were wonderfully made in the image and likeness of God, and if we believe that Jesus, Our Savior, humbled Himself greatly for our sake, gave His life and was resurrected to save us, how can we not see the dignity in ourselves? It’s a gift that will also help us see the dignity in others and follow Jesus’ commandment to love one another. Another great story about the importance and sanctity of human dignity is the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She was a humanitarian who spent her years lifting and carrying those who were dying and sick not minding her physique (4 feet and less than 100 pounds). She chose to serve “the poorest of the poor and to live among them and like them”. She saw beauty in every human being. She, along with other Missionaries of Charity, strove to make the lives of those around them to be more peaceful and full of love. She fed, washed, and cared for anyone who needed assistance. The streets of Calcutta were dangerous, dirty, and crowded. People were infected with cholera and leprosy, dysentery and other diseases that were fatal in most cases. Mother Teresa and her group of helpers went among them every day with courage and conviction to do what they could to ease their pain. One day, Mother Teresa came across a young woman in the gutter of the street, directly in front of one of the Calcutta hospitals. The woman was so ill that she did not notice or care that the rats and cockroaches were eating her feet. Mother picked up the woman and carried her into the hospital. She told the nurse inside: This woman is dying. She needs help. But the nurse replied: Sorry, no room for her here. She is poor and can't pay and we can't save her anyway, so we can't waste a bed on her. Now please move along. Mother Teresa's heart broke as she carried the woman back to the street, and there she stayed with the woman for hours until she died. Mother Teresa was angry and she felt like no one should have to die alone, forgotten and in despair in the dirty street. Mother Teresa found an old abandoned hotel just behind a Hindu Temple and started bringing in the people the hospital refused to admit. They were so sick that she knew there was no hope of survival for them, but she felt compelled to make a place they could come to die. It was a horrible undertaking as the people who filled the rooms had open wounds covered with maggots or had parts of their bodies missing due to disease. The Hindus from the Temple did not want these people close to them and threw garbage and rocks at Mother Teresa. 4 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response  One day, Mother Teresa saw a man lying on the steps of the Hindu Temple -- very sick. She learned he was one of the Hindu priests and no one at the temple would touch him for fear of getting his disease. So they put him on the steps to die. Mother Teresa picked him up and took him to the old hotel where she cared for him until he died a peaceful death. The Hindus at the temple saw what she had done and never gave her any trouble again. Retrieved from https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/The-Evidence-of-Kindness- Mother-Teresa-Caring-for-the-Poor The Catholic Teachings on the life and dignity of the human person always remind us that: “Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, each person’s life and dignity must be respected, whether that person is an innocent unborn child in a mother’s womb…or even whether that person is a convicted criminal on death row. We believe that every human life is sacred from conception to natural death, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it protects and respects the life and dignity of the human person.” (USCCB Administrative Committee, Faithful Citizenship: ACatholic Call to Political Responsibility, p. 13) B.SELFIE to SELFLESS 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39 Most of us take selfies and post it on social media. We showcase not just our looks, but also what we eat, where we are and what we wear. We post about our feelings, points of view and many others. This only reinforces that God created us as UNIQUE, SPECIAL and RATIONAL individuals. We must learn how to LOVE ourselves. 5 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response  God didn’t just create us for ourselves but also for OTHERS. We may be physically, emotionally, economically and spiritually different from one another but we NEED each other. We are INTERDEPENDENT. In today’s world, there are many THREATS in human life and dignity. One must act. Each one of us must be SELFLESS. Click the thumbnail to play the video Being SELFLESS is about caring more about other people’s needs and interests than your own. To be selfless, one must feel something and do something for people who are in need. It is one of the indicators that show how well we relate with people around us – how well we EMPATHIZE and SYMPATHIZE with others. Empathy is understanding another person's thoughts, feelings, and condition from their point of view, rather than from your own. You try to imagine yourself in their place in order to understand what they are feeling or experiencing. Empathy is a building block of morality—for people to follow the Golden Rule, it helps if they can put themselves in someone else’s shoes. It is also a key ingredient of a successful relationship because it helps us understand the perspectives, needs, and intentions of others. We have only one beautiful world and we cannot just close our eyes on issues that are happening around us that degrade human dignity. Human dignity faces numerous challenges therefore we must give selfless love to others especially for those who need it most. THE THOMASIAN Catholic FAITH is where the Thomasian identity is rooted. You and I are called Thomasians. We are molded in the University’s long history as an educational institution to be of service for others as competent, committed and compassionate leaders and professionals. 6 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response  It makes us feel proud and privileged to know that there are great men and women who have walked the same path, hallways and corridors as we have in this university. As Prof. Evelyn A. Songco, Ph. D puts it, “UST is a university of heroes and saints” and it made her wonder how the University will bring forth other Thomasians who will serve as inspiration to others. We share the same Thomasian identity as Dr. Jose Rizal, GOMBURZA priests, Marcelo H.Del Pilar, Manuel L. Quezon, Diosdado Macapagal, Carlos P. Romulo and many more great men and women who passed through the portals of the University of Santo Tomas A. Thomasian Inspiration The Thomasian identity is inspired by St. Dominic, St. Thomas Aquinas and the University’s History as an educational institution. ST. DOMINIC *St. Dominic was born to a family of nobility in Caleruega, Spain. He grew up in a family of saints. Despite his nobility, the young Dominic always had a heart for the poor. STUDY. St. Dominic founded the Order. Among the first things he did was to draw up a program of study - necessary means through which the Order can achieve its mission of preaching and saving souls. It was his means to find the truth. ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT. One truly shares the fruits of his/her contemplation not in room but among people. Dominicans choose to actively interact with the people; preaching to them the truth of the faith. They are committed to the cause of saving souls and this means being with the people. St. Dominic himself went from one place to another preaching on foot carrying in his heart the Dominican motto VERITAS (TRUTH) FIDELITY. St. Dominic’s fidelity to the Catholic Church inspired the Dominican ideals of seeking the truth through contemplation and sharing the fruits of one’s contemplation with others. 7 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response PRAYER. To be holy, one has to be in constant communion with God. Through prayers, one’s faith is nurtured and makes the person steadfast in what he/she is doing. St. Dominic knew this very well. SIMPLICITY and EVANGELICAL POVERTY. The Dominicans of the 13th Century were mendicant friars. They lived in simplicity. St. Dominic himself had to sell his books so as to be able to help alleviate the condition of the poor (books are important possessions back then). Such detachment from material things made it even easier for the Dominicans to live a life of holiness. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS The life and works of St. Thomas, the patron Saint of the University, has been a source of inspiration for every Thomasian. His faithful observance of the ideals set by the Dominican Order made him a great student, teacher and a saint. Besides being holy and humble, his other characteristics that are worth emulating are the following: INTELLIGENCE. When St. Thomas was five years old, his family placed him under the care of the Benedictines of Monte Casino. His teachers were surprised at the progress he made, for he surpassed all his fellow pupils in learning as well as in the practice of virtue. PERSEVERANCE and CHASTITY. When he became of age to choose his state of life, St. Thomas renounced the things of this world and resolved to enter the Order of St. Dominic in spite of the opposition of his family. In 1243, at the age of seventeen, he joined the Dominicans of Naples. Some members of his family resorted to all means over a two-year period to break his constancy. They even went so far as to send an impure woman to tempt him. But all their efforts were in vain and St. Thomas persevered in his vocation. As a reward for his fidelity, God conferred upon him the gift of perfect chastity, which has merited for him the title of the "Angelic Doctor". MEEKNESS. After making his profession at Naples, he studied at Cologne under the celebrated St. Albert the Great. Here he was nicknamed the "dumb ox" because of his silent ways and huge size, but he was really a brilliant student. At the age of twenty-two, he was appointed to teach in the same city and began to publish his first works. After four years, he was sent to Paris. The saint was then a priest. At the age of thirty-one, he received his doctorate. PASSION and GREATNESS. St. Thomas not only wrote (his writings filled twenty hefty tomes characterized by brilliance of thought and lucidity of language), but he preached often and with greatest fruit. He left the great monument of his learning, the "Summa Theologica", unfinished, for on his way to the second Council of Lyons, ordered there by Gregory X, he fell sick and died at the Cistercian monastery of Fossa Nuova in 1274. St. Thomas was one of the greatest and most influential theologians of all time. He was canonized in 1323 and declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V. (source: http://www.catholic.org) TRUTH. St. Thomas never grew tired of seeking the truth and preaching about it. Not everyone agreed with him but he continued to persevere. His commitment to search for the truth did not decrease nor waver. 8 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response B. Thomasian Graduates Attributes (ThoGAS) and the Three Core Values Mission of the University of Santo Tomas: The University, in pursuit of truth, guided by reason and illumined by faith, dedicates herself to the generation, advancement and transmission of knowledge to form competent and compassionate professionals, committed to the service of the Church, the nation, and the global community. Mentioned above are the 3’ C’s that every Thomasian should develop. Inspired by the ideals of St. Dominic, teachings of St. Thomas and the University’s excellence in shaping students in “seeking for truth with love”, Thomasians must always strive to grow not just in competence, commitment but more with COMPASSION. SEAL SERVANT LEADER  Show leadership abilities to promote advocacies for life, freedom, justice, and solidarity in the service of the family, the local and global communities, the Church and the environment.  Implement relevant projects and activities that speak of Christian compassion to the poor and the marginalized in order to raise their quality of life  Show respect for the human person, regardless of race, religion, age, and gender EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR AND COLLABORATOR  Express myself clearly, correctly, and I am a Thomasian. I carry the SEAL of confidently in various environments, Thomasian education. I am a Servant leader, an contexts, and technologies of human Effective communicator and collaborator, an interaction Analytical and creative thinker, and a Lifelong  Work productively with individuals or groups learner. With Christ at the center of my formation from diverse cultures and demographics as a Thomasian, I am expected to demonstrate  Show profound respect for individual the following Thomasian Graduate Attributes differences and/or uniqueness as members (ThoGAs): of God’s creation 9 |PageChapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response SEAL ANALYTICAL AND CREATIVE THINKER  Show judiciousness and resourcefulness in making personal and professional decisions  Engage in research undertakings that respond to societal issues  Express personal and professional insights through an ethical and evidence-based approach LIFELONG LEARNER  Engage in reflective practice to ensure disciplinal relevance and professional development  Exhibit preparedness and interest for continuous upgrading of competencies required by the profession or area of specialization  Manifest fidelity to the teachings of Christ, mediated by the Catholic Church, in the continuous deepening of faith and spirituality in dealing with new life situations and challenges (Retrieved from www.ust.edu.ph) C. The Thomasian NSTP Student: Bringers of Hope and Facilitators of Change When you enrolled in the National Service Training Program you have already engaged yourself in service. This is a form of service that is in accordance to your ability and passion. So even while studying, not minding what grade you will be receiving in this course, the thought of sharing what you have and showing what you can do with compassion, competence, and commitment for the sake of others, not asking for anything in return--- that is service and offering SELFLESS love. As a Thomasian student, you are therefore challenged to be the modern-day “Good Samaritans”, and to value other human beings. As mentioned by one of the NSTP Facilitators, Sir Eric Aboboto, NSTP Thomasians are Bringers of Hope and Facilitators of Change 10 |Page Chapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response END NOTES Man: Soul, Intellect and Will Man‘s dignity comes from having a soul. The With an intellect, man can search for the truth. soul is his principle of life. It is what gives As a consequence, he studies the world around him a spiritual nature. It is what makes him in order to better understand and do him like God for it enables him to think and things accordingly. With this knowledge he can to want. The power which enables man to work for the good of others by producing or reason out things is called his intellect. The making things. He searches for what is real power which allows man to decide and to until things are revealed to him with the aid of carry out that decision is called his will. his senses. But always something will be missing from the entire puzzle for his mind is not Because man has a soul, he can be called a as encompassing as his Maker‘s. But it will still person. A person is a being with a be a light in the dark, enough for him to live in rational nature. Man is called the image of peace. his Maker precisely because he is rational. He shares something in common with God With his will, man can choose the good. But and angels: his intellect and will. then not all good things are of the same quality, there are good things that are higher than others. Man can have a sense of humor. Only men It is up to man to identify the higher good so can find two things that are absurd or he can choose it. unrelated to each other amusing. Only man can joke or laugh; not even the hyena can equal man in finding wit in contradictory situations. Man can do so because he has a mind. The Thomasian Three Core Values The Three (3) Core Values are morals that must be developed in very Thomasian. These values distinguish us from other universities and provide a distinction that marks us as we strive for globalization. These are the three core values: Competence, Compassion and Commitment. COMPETENCE Every Thomasian should manifest competence. Our life and work should always be an example of adherence to truth and intellectual creativity. We are all expected to be specialist in our chosen field in discipline. This means that as a student, you are expected to study well in preparation for the kind of life you wish to lead in the future. And since your future starts now, you have to strive to become a competent student. Being a competent student means doing one‘s best. Are you satisfied with just doing the least because it is the easiest? Being the best that you can be does not mean competing with each other, it means competing with yourself. 11 |Page Chapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response COMPASSION Every Thomasian lives not only for himself/herself, but also for the people in his/her family, community and country. This means that you and I should also look into the concerns of others. Compassion is passion that is directed towards people in need. It enables us to focus on others and not on ourselves— giving our time, talent and treasure and if necessary, to self – sacrifice. Competence, coupled with Christian compassion, ensures the reign of God‘s love and mercy. You and I are called to serve our less fortunate brothers and sisters with competence and compassionate hearts. As a student, you can do this by being involved in community service programs in your parish, school or locality. COMMITMENT Every Thomasian is expected to exercise his/her work, profession, or mission in life with deep COMMITMENT. You and I are called to give ourselves fully to the ideals that we, Thomasians, hold dear as we make our presence felt in the world of work. By the examples of our lives we should serve as courageous Christian witnesses, together making God‘s creative, redeeming and renewing presence felt anywhere we are. Following the example of our Patron Saint, Thomas Aquinas, we should commit ourselves to search for the truth unceasingly. In this day and age when truth can be distorted using information technology, every Thomasian should commit to the pursuit of truth always. SOURCES Competence, Compassion and Commitment are the values we should all strive to live up as hallmarks of our identity. These are values Galleone, Christine (2017). 7 Pope Francis Quotes about Dignity. Retrieved from http://www.beliefnet.com we can use as we take our first steps into the world—knowing that we are Thomasians, Church Encyclicals. Retrieved from that name comes with the responsibility of http://www.papalencyclicals.net constant striving to carry out works of St. Dominic. Retrieved fromhttp://www.3op.org/stdominic.php greatness in honor of our God. Empathy. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com St. Dominic. Retrieved from http://www.catholic.org St. Thomas Aquinas. Retrieved from www.ust.edu.ph St. Thomas Aquinas. Retrieved from http://www.catholic.org Mother Theresa. Retrieved from https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/mother-teresa Mother Teresa. Retrieved from https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/The-Evidence- of-Kindness-Mother-Teresa-Caring-for-the-Poor 12 |Page Chapter 2: Christian Call and Thomasian Response