​A lot of civil servants are still in their respective jobs, not much due to the honorarium they receive but because of their love and dedication to it. We know some of them, through CRFV’s training and seminars, being in the service for many years and have no plans of stopping until the age of mandatory retirement. An agency is truly blessed to have dedicated men and women of unwavering service. Such a breed of people have “the willingness to give a lot of time and energy to something because it is important,” defines Cambridge Dictionary on dedication.
 
One significant reason why we have to be dedicated to our work or task is that what we do is an act of worship. The Scripture says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ”. Accordingly, worship is not only through prayer, Bible reading, and attending mass or church activities. But also in doing our duties and responsibilities in the field, office, and home. With this,  we ought to exercise dedication.  
 
In the course of carrying out our work, there comes a time when we get exhausted, we are tempted to quit, and we get less to no recognition at all. In such situations, our dedication is tested and forged in fire. Nonetheless, a dedicated person will weather it through and continuously offer his time and energy because he recognizes that his role and what he does is valuable. In addition, a dedicated person knows why he does what he does. It is a worship to his creator God. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, said: “The man who builds a factory builds a temple, that the man who works there worships there, and to each is due, not scorn and blame, but reverence and praise.”
 
Dedication to work must be exercised consistently. One way is by getting to the workplace before time. This means arriving 15 to 30 minutes before the work formally starts. Two, quality work - wherein outputs were excellently done thus needless to redo by colleagues or higher-ups. Three, take initiative. A dedicated person offers help to his peers though beyond his work sphere and working hour. In such a manner, a dedicated person is productive, and a valuable asset to his field of service.  

 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Spirituality is defined by the quality of life generated and nourished by the Spirit of God, in which believers experience the power and presence of God in their lives. True spirituality comes from living under the control of the Holy Spirit and is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit, spiritual maturity and growth in holiness. It is more than knowing the Almighty God but it’s encountering the Divine that drives us to believe and move us towards a divine purpose. Encountering the holy God causes us to turn from our wickedness towards His righteousness. All of our desires would be anchored in pursuing a life that is pleasing to Him: a righteous life with no compromise. We shift from our filthiness towards purity and holiness. We allow the divine to change us - our hearts and minds.

Living a life of true spirituality is seen beyond what is seen by the naked eye. It is inward, which radiates on the outside of us. A divine shift! We no longer desire for our own self-gratification but to please the righteous God. Zacchaeus desired to encounter Jesus that brought Him into something spiritual, a life-changing experience! It was his decision; it was his choice with no external compulsion to repent from his wickedness and change. Our desire to live a life anchored on the value of spirituality starts with our firm decision to encounter the Divine Who enables us to move towards righteous lives. Are you desiring for a divine shift? Decide now! Have a genuine divine encounter through a genuine prayer like the Psalmist and David prayed:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 
 
 

Excellence is the general description for outstanding, beyond average, or anything supreme. It is a value that is applicable to character and work output or services. It is expected among public servants and workers in the corporate world. The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public officials and Employees requires that public officials and employees shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill. In the same manner, employers of business enterprises expect their personnel to do their best in the performance of their duties in order to generate desirable profit.

Excellence, however, cannot be consistently demonstrated without possessing excellent nature on the inside. Any excellent act or work is the natural outcome of the exceptional character of a person performing such act or work. If a person is internally good, it is expected that he or she will do well outwardly. How then can a person be excellent on the inside? He or she must allow God to work on the inside of him or her because God is the source of all goodness and beauty.

The above proposition is derived from the Scripture itself. In one of the accounts of Jesus Christ, there was a rich young man who ran up, knelt before Him, and asked “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you call Me good?  No one is good except God alone.” Thus, God alone is good. But while He alone is good, He also intended to share His good nature to us. That is the reason why He created us according to His image and likeness. Having been created in the image and likeness of God, we, therefore, have the potential to become good and excellent as He is. Every time we fail, we just need to surrender our lives to Him that He will dwell in us and supply us the grace to be excellent.

The need to be excellent nowadays is needless to state and is obvious under present circumstances. It is a must especially in the Philippines because the nation has been ripped-off of its beauty due to lack of excellence. The lack of discipline among us creates widespread and lasting devastation in the country. The poverty that we suffer now and the disservice to the public are simply the results of imperfection and continuing negative practices. We, ourselves, create our own disaster. While we plan well technically and financially to address any form of disaster that may happen, we devoid all these preparations due to poor implementation of established policies and programs. The ill effects of substandard projects alone make the innocent populace vulnerable to risk and hazards.
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Excellent, thus, should not only be a value but a goal to achieve in every field of endeavor. It is a short-term goal that once we have achieved it, we will likely attain and fulfill our long-term goals. It is like dealing first with the root cause of the problem in order to realize a lasting solution. In short, pursuing excellence is pursuing our dreams and visions. 

“Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.”

Happy new year everyone! We welcome the year 2023 filled with hope and in faith. We desire to see an acceleration in the manifestation of what we have been working on in our respective agencies, communities and families. The transformation of our nation through values by raising value-laden individuals to be a people movement in influencing others towards their own transformation. The transformation of our nation and rebuilding of our societies become the supreme evidence of our noble deeds as we remain true to our mandate and call. God intends that nations become our legacy; the inheritance we’ll have and be passed on to generations. He’s already given us the nation and it will always be our responsibility to safeguard her. He already gave us tools to restore and build her through Values Restoration Programs. In living the values, we actually lay down our own selves and become selfless to exercise our authority and influence in every domain that also should stretch to the ends of the earth.

Our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal once said, and we quote: “I wish to show those who deny us Patriotism that we know how to die for our country and convictions.” We are looking at an angle that our national heroes fought and died for the people and generations to receive a freed country as their inheritance. Technically, an inheritance will only be received by the heir once the testator dies. As for us in our own time, in living the values, we die to ourselves and be freed from the bondages of lawlessness that are equivalent to selfish interest nature. The 10 social illnesses that deny us patriotism are eliminated and we do can declare that we know how to die for our country and convictions. This is the spirit of patriotism that dwells within us.

The nation, as our inheritance, is calling and the answer to her cries is in the spirit and knowledge that God has placed in the inside of us. We have a value-laden life to live and a testimony to declare; that the power of a changed life can restore, rebuild and free a nation. It is God who wants that the moment we step into our respective agencies, communities and families, any negative principality, adversarial power and corrupt culture in that place bow in acknowledgement of the fact that we, a child of the Almighty God that obeys His commandments, living a noble and regal lifestyle has stepped on that ground. This is the spirit of patriotism that is at work within.

Today, as we entered the new year, our earnest prayer and desire as we move towards receiving the promised heritage- a Nation transformed and built in righteousness, peace, justice and truth, we hold on with fervent faith and living hope that it may come to pass and in fulfillment. That on this day of the year, we enter into heavenly blessings in Christ Jesus by an immediate act of faith in behalf of the nation- this is the power of the spirit of patriotism. Also, through the spirit of sonship, we surrender to God and acknowledge His will. With the Spirit of sonship and patriotism, we truly lay down our lives for the people. We pray that all of us will receive supernatural strength to persevere in seeking justice, upholding truth, showing mercy and practicing righteousness. By the divine strength at work in Patriotism, we altogether get out of the turbulent times and from this great and terrible wilderness, and come into our inheritance- a freed, peaceful, progressive and righteous Nation. This is the inheritance that God has given us to enjoy in the finished work of Christ Jesus, who was once proclaimed by a supreme religious leader that it is more expedient for the people that one man should die for the nation and not the whole country should perish. Jesus Christ died not only for a person “but for the nation and for the rest the nations.” This heritage, upon which we are now looking down from the summit of our faith.

Again, Dr. Jose P. Rizal said: “I die without seeing dawn’s light shining on my country, You, who will see it, welcome it for me, don’t forget those who fell during the nighttime.” As Filipinos with the spirit of patriotism, may we realize our completeness in the Almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ this day and cease from the wanderings of fear! It is time to enter our rest and take back our inheritance. We take possession of that goodly heritage which God has made our own as He worked through our forefathers. We rise in the spirit of patriotism to go over and take possession of our inheritance. Above all, we welcome a transformed Philippines that will always be a haven of peace, hope, progress, prosperity and life.

“That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” 

Praise is usually an act of declaring the wonderful works of God. It is when we appreciate Him of what He has done and thank Him of His goodness. It is also a time when we make an expression of admiration and glorify Him of His indescribable nature. Worship, on the other hand, is when we render a deep reverence and honor to Him. It can be in any form like raising our hands, bowing down, or lying prostrate before Him. What matters most is our heart that is in awe of Him. In churches, they are normally taken as one in singing songs to God.  
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Praise and worship, in its simplest form, can be done by a genuine act of thankfulness. When we get into a deep praise and worship, out of the overflow of our hearts, we are able to sing new songs because of the wonderful and awesome glory of our Creator. In deep admiration to Him as the object of our affection, we are able to lift our hands, shouting for joy, as we remember the goodness and faithfulness of God in our lives. As well, we willingly once again offer our lives as a pleasing sacrifice unto Him.

Praise and worship, taken as one, is also an avenue to experience the presence of God. It starts with an act of surrender and acknowledgment that we need Him which will help us succeed in all our undertakings. While in the act of praise and worship, with divine illumination, we are able to make a personal assessment of ourselves. It becomes a moment of reflection and evaluation of what we have done and who we are that leads us to a deep conviction and repentance from all our sins. As others say, we become the God we worship. We become holy and better person. Praise and worship, thus, brings change or transformation of lives.

In this joyous season of Christmas, it is best to celebrate His birth by praising and worshiping Him. When He was born, the angels sang “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” (Glory to God in the highest). We, too, should also do the same in this season of Christmas for there are a lot of reasons for us to exalt Him. We thank God of all that He has done this year 2022. We adore Him for His faithfulness. We are able to surpass the pandemic and remain alive to this day. We are still surviving notwithstanding the disasters and calamities that our nation has gone through. Our situation in the Philippines is still much better compared to the refugees of war though we may have been affected with price increase of commodities due to oil price hike. We should therefore praise and worship God and enjoin others to do the same.

2022 is ending soon and it is always healthy to look back, count your blessings – tangible or non-tangible, and give thanks to the Almighty God.

The past years had been full of unexpected events that pressed and pushed us down. Numerous things happened as repercussions of the pandemic, international conflicts, and disasters. In retrospect, we can just take a deep breath and say, “Thank God, we are still alive.” Thank God we are still living while others had gone ahead because of Covid-19, debilitating diseases, accidents, wars and conflicts between nations, and the ill-effects of climate change. Thank God that we have something to eat on the table, and there is still enough for tomorrow. Thank God that we have shelter and clothing. Thank God that we have family or friends who are there to support us in times of loses and victories.

Being thankful is a character that must be innate if we want to live a peaceful and joy-filled life. Cicero, one of the Roman Philosophers said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” Although these were not fully expounded, we can interpret his words saying that gratitude is the greatest virtue and all other virtues emanate from gratitude. When we are filled with thankfulness, our words, actions, and deeds are also pleasant, as it is said, out of the abundance of our hearts, the mouth speaks. When our hearts are filled with thankfulness, we are also filled with gladness that translates how we do, how we act, or how we say. Having a heart filled with gratitude will not make any room for anger, hatred, or other negative vibes. Instead, it encourages love, hope, peace, and joy.  People with grateful hearts feel happier and more content, according to Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury. In her article entitled,  A sincere “thank you” can help soothe one’s heart. It brings encouragement to the recipient and satisfaction to the giver. It helps in maintaining good relationship with others since we communicate better. Being thankful brings positive emotions and therefore can also impact our health. Saying “thank you,” expressing our gratitude in other ways, and receiving expressions of gratitude increases the release of dopamine and serotonin which makes us feel ‘good,’ according to the same article. So with all these, why not be filled and abound in thanksgiving?
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There are long-listed benefits of thankfulness and gratitude. How about you? Have you something to share about what it can do to you or what it has done to you? As the year ends, explore and validate its benefits by giving someone in your sphere of influence a sincere, “Thank you” and experience the benefits mentioned. Consider and recollect also what great things God has done for you this year and the previous years, and utter your sincerest thanks. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Let us be reminded in the next year ahead not to be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known to God. Be amazed of what thankfulness and gratefulness to God and fellowmen can do to you.

​As the year draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect on how well we have used our words. Can we recall situations where our words enlightened, encouraged and edified others? Were there instances where our responses damped a joyous atmosphere, stirred up fear and worry, altered the flow of discussion, placed others in an uncomfortable or disadvantaged position, or even shaken our relationship with family members, friends and colleagues? Were there moments, too, where we felt disturbed, worried, uncertain, or even regretted after uttering words that could have been rephrased or exercised with due restraint? Surely each of us has varied experiences and different stories to tell. Much more when we feel so convicted with Saint Paul’s admonition about “not letting unwholesome words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear”.
 
In various contexts, imagine the positive influence, inspiration and impact we make when words used are apt and on point. However, when careless, loose, or foul words are used, it could ruin relationships, leave others wounded, change the course of the team discussion, and a lot more could go awry.  Indeed, “life and death are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs). This shows that each of us has the power to choose to release or declare life or death.    
 
While it is true that we can no longer take back our words once uttered, we can still choose to take responsibility of what we have said especially those moments when a gentle answer would have been more appropriate, a non-judgmental remark would have been more acceptable, and an encouraging comment would have shown more care and sensitivity. Taking responsibility for our words is non-negotiable for a person who has the resolve to walk with integrity, which is defined as “consistently adhering to moral and ethical principles” (CSC-CSI).
 
When we have fallen short several times of using our tongue to speak life this year, it is not too late yet. We can still take responsibility for our words. Through an honest time of reflection coupled with humility, we can acknowledge our lapses and work it out with the concerned individuals or groups. By doing so, we walk our talk and we go back to the place of wholeness.
 
As we strive to be men and women with integrity, taking responsibility for what we say and even how we say it does matter.
 

Unity and fellowship among teammates, workmates, and colleagues are essential in attaining goals and purpose. Unity is being one or united in heart and deeds as a team or group in the pursuit of achieving a vision, and fellowship is good camaraderie among the team members for healthy, happy, and harmonious working relationships that result in the attainment of such vision. Unity and fellowship are inseparable and indispensable in the family, workplace, and any field for the attainment of  success, vision, and growth.
 
Unnumbered misunderstandings, disagreements, and conflicts happen, time and again, due to disunity and dis-fellowship. Also, because of  the personal    goals and selfish interests of others that are different and detrimental to what their office or organization hopes for. The 28th president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, reminds such people that “We cannot be separated in interest or divided in purpose. We stand together until the end.”
 
The Scripture says, “Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another.” We cannot expect that our colleagues will subscribe to the above persuasion. But we can decide and strive to live by it and be one of the few individuals who does what he/she says. Therefore, we can make a difference! We can be a catalyst for positive change in our place.  As often said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world,”  in your family and the workplace.
 
In our work and service, there are greater causes wherein we play important roles and necessitates us to be united with our colleagues. One is the achievement of our mandates as servant heroes. Another is our country’s national motto: Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan, Makabansa. Such is a guiding and uniting principle we ought to live by as civil servants for better public service toward a better Philippines. Furthermore, as Values Restoration Officers, we look forward to “A community marked with a character of an honest and righteous environment geared towards a graft-free society.” Consequently, we have to be united fellows for these causes by embodying unity and fellowship as a way of life and service.

In this world that is full of disturbance, chaos and tribulations, who would not want to be delivered from it?  To have the freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions? Oh, when we can lie asleep with nothing to worry of. To have a moment where we feel safe and quiet.  A moment of tranquility. Having peace, lasting peace.

We can temporarily have it by building structures with strong foundations, inspiring calm environments, choosing calm and perfect people, pursuing fame, wealth and power and other sources of peace that we can think of. We can attain them all but again, it is just temporary. One that may last for some time but it will eventually end.  We hear stories of wealthy, famous, and powerful people who fell into severe depression and worst, some have taken their own lives thinking that they will finally rest in peace. We find buildings constructed by skilled and prominent builders break and fall. We see beautiful and calm places where we find safety destroyed by calamity. Wealth, power and fame can be lost overnight. This is the sad reality about relying from the wrong sources of lasting peace, security and refuge. Temporary sources bring temporary peace. These sources are counterfeit authors of peace.

The one and only Author of peace is He who can bring us to the safest and calmest place. For He is not the author of confusion but of peace. He is the Lord of peace the source of it at all times. Having Him is having peace. A comforting voice telling us in times of chaos and disturbance to not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests be made known to Him. For in Him we can both lie down in peace, and sleep; for He alone makes us dwell in safety.”

Who is the author of our peace in this turbulent world? If were pursuing peace from temporary sources at all cost in the past, will we also be willing to pursue its authentic source? Knowing that the peace that He can give us is the peace that the world cannot give, it’s the peace that the world cannot understand. 

We cannot deny the fact that bad circumstances, people and emotions are present but peace is also in our reach. The Almighty God is present as He promised that in me Him we may have peace. In the world we will have tribulation. But take heart; He has overcome the world.” If we want peace, we are going to be needing Him. Who in this world does not want peace?