“Exploring new paths, Discovering new meanings
Leading a Christ-centered life”.
Inspirational Message on the 46th Commencement Exercises of
BS Accountancy, BSFMA, BSBA
of the University of the Assumption
(April 15, 2011)
By: Belina S. Katigbak
Your Excellency, Most Rev. Roberto C. Mallari, D.D. the University President, Rev. Fathers of the Executive Council, the Vice-Presidents, Deans, Administrators, Faculty, dear Parents, Graduates, Guests, and Friends, warm greetings!
Today is the culmination of those long years of study. Dear graduates, I offer a toast to each one of you for your great sacrifice in burning the midnight oil. Some of your parents are teary-eyed, and every heart is so filled with joy that the lips are silent. I just want to embrace every father, and every mother, and say, “You are the star of this graduation ceremony!” So dear graduates, in a moment of silence, let us thank God for your parents for their greatest sacrifice, self-emptying, and enduring love that brought you to where you are now!
During the past few days, I was excited to convey my message. Your theme for the 46th commencement exercises aptly captures the essence of college graduation, namely:
a) Exploring New Paths, b) Discovering New Meanings, and c) Leading a Christ centered-life
I would like to tell you a story. There was once a little girl who was born in a small nipa hut. It was the third time that that nipa house was transferred because her parents didn’t own even just a small piece of land where they could settle permanently. At the early age of six this little girl worked for her education. She was a shy little girl, with only one faded uniform, and who trekked everyday the narrow road leading to her school. Everyday she would drop by the church and after some lengthy prayers she would go to her classroom, got focused with studies, and at the end of the class, she was assigned to sweep the floor and clean the desks – an arrangement her parents made with the nuns in exchange for an education. Life was hard for her family of 8 siblings. At age ten she learned to wax and scrub the antique floors of the school and turned it so shiny! At age twelve, more responsibilities were added. In high school, she would already help the nun in-charge of the canteen by selling snacks to her classmates. In her junior high school years, she was assigned to mop floors, help the librarian and the principal until her graduation. No, she didn’t have any money to even buy snacks. Her parents were so poor that she didn’t experience a single class field trip. But lo and behold, upon graduation she was the class valedictorian. Through hard work, sacrifice, and mercy, this little girl grew to be a fine lady. With full scholarship in college, she was more focused now, and with great mentors, she finally graduated as Magna cum Laude, Batch 79 of the then Assumption College, now University of the Assumption.
Did the story inspire you? Why am I telling this story? Dear graduates, here before you stands that once little poor girl. It is not about POVERTY, rather it is about God’s love and Good People helping others. It is God’s love and providence that I am who I am today. God sent so many generous people who helped me and my family.
The story did not end there. After graduation, I was given every opportunity to explore new paths, to discover new meanings, and to strive to lead a God-centered life. Our alma mater, UA, prepared me to become a Certified Public Accountant, to be a dedicated employee, to be a responsible citizen of our country, and to be a little servant of the church!
Let’s go to the first point of your graduation theme…Exploring New Paths
Some of you would probably pursue higher studies, others might rest for a while, while not a few may be considering going into business, and probably the great majority would start seeking jobs. Dear graduates, you will be competing with about half a million newly graduates seeking for employment. Because of this stiff competition, you need to explore new paths. But before anything else, 1) create a vision in your mind, and 2) find your purpose! Exploration requires you to be grounded, to know who you are, and what you want to be. In the field of employment, do not be choosy but be the “chosen”. Exude the aura of being trustworthy. Embody the Assumptionist values. Be your best in any field of endeavor. Above all, pray and ask God what He wants of you.
The second aspect is…Discovering New Meanings
Life is ephemeral. We need to discover new meanings in everything that comes our way. In every phase of my life, I found progressive meanings, each one building on top of the other. Even with a successful career that was heading me to my dream position in the largest brewery in Asia where I worked for 17 ½ years, I discerned God’s will for me. At that critical crossroad of deciding what to choose, to stay and grab the new position being offered to me, or to serve my family and the church? I prayed very hard for God’s guidance. Because God had already brought me to a deeper and intimate relationship with Him, I was inspired to search for a greater meaning. How could I not respond with love? It was a time to pay back. My life is full of grace, GRACE UPON GRACE, and I am challenged to let that GRACE flow from me to others. And so I chose the latter. This brings us to the third aspect of our theme…Leading a Christ-centered life.
What is a Christ-centered life? It is all about Jesus Christ, it is being His friend, and living His life example. Graduates, when you’re out there in the world, there will be a lot of temptations… the temptation of Power, Influence, and Money. These are the very temptations that Christ faced, but He was victorious because He chose the path of sacrifice and love. He did not choose the easy way out. He could have turned the stones into bread for did He not feed the hungry with the multiplication of the bread? He could have shown the tempter that He was powerful since He created you, me, and the world. But NO! He didn’t heed the tempter’s challenge to prove His might. Rather, HE CHOSE THE WAY OF THE CROSS, WHICH IS SALVIFIC. I too was not spared of many temptations in life. Sometimes I fell, sometimes I was victorious. But the Good News is that, even with a number of times of falling, SOMEONE up there picked me up. Muchas Gracias to God who saves and who forgives!
Graduates, as you embark on a new phase of your life, EMBRACE THE CROSS – THE WAY OF SACRIFICE, LOVE, AND GOOD WORKS. Don’t settle for the instant. Surely, you will face ups and downs along the way. When you’re down, just remember that there is no other way but up. And that Christ will always be there to pick you up when you have fallen. Be Christ-centered. Live out the Christian values that Assumption instilled in you. Life is not all about material prosperity rather, it is about faithfulness and living life to the full! Leading a Christ-centered life, to me is to always involve God in every step of the way. It is to do God’s work. And in the end, it is giving glory to God. St. Irenaeus wrote, “The glory of God is man fully alive”. Let the glory of God shine in you, in whatever field of endeavor you wish to take. Let the Virgin Mary, our Lady of the Assumption be your inspiration in your quest to be the pride of UA!
Congratulations!
Leading a Christ-centered life”.
Inspirational Message on the 46th Commencement Exercises of
BS Accountancy, BSFMA, BSBA
of the University of the Assumption
(April 15, 2011)
By: Belina S. Katigbak
Your Excellency, Most Rev. Roberto C. Mallari, D.D. the University President, Rev. Fathers of the Executive Council, the Vice-Presidents, Deans, Administrators, Faculty, dear Parents, Graduates, Guests, and Friends, warm greetings!
Today is the culmination of those long years of study. Dear graduates, I offer a toast to each one of you for your great sacrifice in burning the midnight oil. Some of your parents are teary-eyed, and every heart is so filled with joy that the lips are silent. I just want to embrace every father, and every mother, and say, “You are the star of this graduation ceremony!” So dear graduates, in a moment of silence, let us thank God for your parents for their greatest sacrifice, self-emptying, and enduring love that brought you to where you are now!
During the past few days, I was excited to convey my message. Your theme for the 46th commencement exercises aptly captures the essence of college graduation, namely:
a) Exploring New Paths, b) Discovering New Meanings, and c) Leading a Christ centered-life
I would like to tell you a story. There was once a little girl who was born in a small nipa hut. It was the third time that that nipa house was transferred because her parents didn’t own even just a small piece of land where they could settle permanently. At the early age of six this little girl worked for her education. She was a shy little girl, with only one faded uniform, and who trekked everyday the narrow road leading to her school. Everyday she would drop by the church and after some lengthy prayers she would go to her classroom, got focused with studies, and at the end of the class, she was assigned to sweep the floor and clean the desks – an arrangement her parents made with the nuns in exchange for an education. Life was hard for her family of 8 siblings. At age ten she learned to wax and scrub the antique floors of the school and turned it so shiny! At age twelve, more responsibilities were added. In high school, she would already help the nun in-charge of the canteen by selling snacks to her classmates. In her junior high school years, she was assigned to mop floors, help the librarian and the principal until her graduation. No, she didn’t have any money to even buy snacks. Her parents were so poor that she didn’t experience a single class field trip. But lo and behold, upon graduation she was the class valedictorian. Through hard work, sacrifice, and mercy, this little girl grew to be a fine lady. With full scholarship in college, she was more focused now, and with great mentors, she finally graduated as Magna cum Laude, Batch 79 of the then Assumption College, now University of the Assumption.
Did the story inspire you? Why am I telling this story? Dear graduates, here before you stands that once little poor girl. It is not about POVERTY, rather it is about God’s love and Good People helping others. It is God’s love and providence that I am who I am today. God sent so many generous people who helped me and my family.
The story did not end there. After graduation, I was given every opportunity to explore new paths, to discover new meanings, and to strive to lead a God-centered life. Our alma mater, UA, prepared me to become a Certified Public Accountant, to be a dedicated employee, to be a responsible citizen of our country, and to be a little servant of the church!
Let’s go to the first point of your graduation theme…Exploring New Paths
Some of you would probably pursue higher studies, others might rest for a while, while not a few may be considering going into business, and probably the great majority would start seeking jobs. Dear graduates, you will be competing with about half a million newly graduates seeking for employment. Because of this stiff competition, you need to explore new paths. But before anything else, 1) create a vision in your mind, and 2) find your purpose! Exploration requires you to be grounded, to know who you are, and what you want to be. In the field of employment, do not be choosy but be the “chosen”. Exude the aura of being trustworthy. Embody the Assumptionist values. Be your best in any field of endeavor. Above all, pray and ask God what He wants of you.
The second aspect is…Discovering New Meanings
Life is ephemeral. We need to discover new meanings in everything that comes our way. In every phase of my life, I found progressive meanings, each one building on top of the other. Even with a successful career that was heading me to my dream position in the largest brewery in Asia where I worked for 17 ½ years, I discerned God’s will for me. At that critical crossroad of deciding what to choose, to stay and grab the new position being offered to me, or to serve my family and the church? I prayed very hard for God’s guidance. Because God had already brought me to a deeper and intimate relationship with Him, I was inspired to search for a greater meaning. How could I not respond with love? It was a time to pay back. My life is full of grace, GRACE UPON GRACE, and I am challenged to let that GRACE flow from me to others. And so I chose the latter. This brings us to the third aspect of our theme…Leading a Christ-centered life.
What is a Christ-centered life? It is all about Jesus Christ, it is being His friend, and living His life example. Graduates, when you’re out there in the world, there will be a lot of temptations… the temptation of Power, Influence, and Money. These are the very temptations that Christ faced, but He was victorious because He chose the path of sacrifice and love. He did not choose the easy way out. He could have turned the stones into bread for did He not feed the hungry with the multiplication of the bread? He could have shown the tempter that He was powerful since He created you, me, and the world. But NO! He didn’t heed the tempter’s challenge to prove His might. Rather, HE CHOSE THE WAY OF THE CROSS, WHICH IS SALVIFIC. I too was not spared of many temptations in life. Sometimes I fell, sometimes I was victorious. But the Good News is that, even with a number of times of falling, SOMEONE up there picked me up. Muchas Gracias to God who saves and who forgives!
Graduates, as you embark on a new phase of your life, EMBRACE THE CROSS – THE WAY OF SACRIFICE, LOVE, AND GOOD WORKS. Don’t settle for the instant. Surely, you will face ups and downs along the way. When you’re down, just remember that there is no other way but up. And that Christ will always be there to pick you up when you have fallen. Be Christ-centered. Live out the Christian values that Assumption instilled in you. Life is not all about material prosperity rather, it is about faithfulness and living life to the full! Leading a Christ-centered life, to me is to always involve God in every step of the way. It is to do God’s work. And in the end, it is giving glory to God. St. Irenaeus wrote, “The glory of God is man fully alive”. Let the glory of God shine in you, in whatever field of endeavor you wish to take. Let the Virgin Mary, our Lady of the Assumption be your inspiration in your quest to be the pride of UA!
Congratulations!
