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Laborare est orare...

ULAT: The world’s best beer, as gourmets the world over have it, is brewed by five Cistercian monks in the Saint Sixtus Abbey in a remote section of Westvleteren, Belgium. Pitting the Cistercian brew to any of the world’s best-selling beer brands is like “comparing an F-16 to a paper airplane.”

Bumubulwak, bumubulabog ang taimtim na linamnam ng ganoong bula ng serbesa sa naging halimbawa ni Tita Cory—para kasing mongha, madalas na nagdudusaryo at nag-aalay ng dalangin para sa bayan.

Ganoon kasi ang gawi sa pamumuhay ng Cistercian monks. Napapanis ang laway dahil tipid na tipid ang bibigkasing salita sa kabuuan ng maghapon at magdamag. Nakalublob madalas sa panalangin at gawain.

Naniniwala sila kasi sa kakatwang kasabihan: Laborare est orare, orare est laborare. Gawain ay dasal, dasal ay gawain.

Naituro yata ‘yon sa Sunday school— “put God first in everything you do and He will crown your efforts with success.”

Mahihiwatigan sa diskarteng Cistercian: A prayerful life is a work-filled life.

At kailangang buhos din ang pagkatao, taimtim din ang paglalaan ng sarili sa gawain.

O sa madaling sabi, trabaho… trabaho… trabaho… para maiwaksi ang gulo… Pati na Guloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Walang patumangga ang tungga nang maihayag minsan sa katoto’t kabungguang-bote na ang katagang “body odor” ay isinalang noon pang nakalipas na mga dekada ng isang higanteng kompanya ng samut-saring produktong panlinis.

Sapilitang sinalpakan ang balana ng matatawag na guilty conscience or Lady Macbeth syndrome-- na kahit na anong kiskis at kaskas at hugas ang gawin sa sariling katawan, lagi’t lagi nang kakapitan ng samut-saring putik, batik at batikos.

Para sa sambayanan ang alay na bunton ng dalangin ni Tita Cory. ‘Kako’y mas makasarili ang pakay ng pagbubunton ko ng dasalsal. O daldalangin— kasi nga, mauugat ang katagang rosaryo mula taniman ng mga rosas. And the effect of piling up prayers isn’t a lull after storming heavens with entreaties and pleas for tender mercies and clemencies… After prayers, the body pores of a supplicant simply ooze a faint scent of roses. Even a subtle whiff of sandalwood. Or maybe a hint of ambrosia. Subukang magdasal nang taimtim.

Sininghot yata pati kili-kili ko ng kabungguang-bote—na hindi naman nahilo o bumulagta. Nasabing wala nga raw anumang sansang o alingasaw.

Naungkat pati natukoy ni Dr. Masaru Emoto—that earnest prayer can transform the crystalline structure of water molecules into patterns pleasing to the eye. Maidadagdag na higit sa 75% ng buong katawan ay pulos tubig lang.

Let’s just say that stacks of prayers plied to pester God won’t change divine will. But the nature of my self surely will.

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