“If we in this community don’t come out from our own shells, we’re BUGOKS (unborn Hatchlings)!”
These were the resounding words uttered by Fr. Arlo Yap, SVD, priest-homilist and teaching resource person at the June 7TH community celebration held at the Layforce, in connection with his talk on Stewardship and Blessings.
The talk, it was observed by many, appropriately presaged and buttressed the formal launching of the Community’s fund drive.
In pointing how members of the community can really live up to the name Magis, Fr. Arlo delved on the three convictions on which Stewardship is based. The first is that every good thing comes from God. And that since God is the giver of life in all its forms; He too, is and should be the taker of life.
Human beings used to be whole in body, mind and soul but because of sin, the human spirit is being drained. Fr. Arlo likened the situation to a bottle filled with water, the latter slowly being drained as a result of a leak in the bottle.
The root of all sinfulness, he added, is our selfishness, as we tend to play like God. It was only when Jesus came into our lives to save us that human beings became whole again.

The second conviction cited was that God blessed all His people and gave us gifts. Because of this, the human person is somehow bound to maintain a grateful heart. As Fr. Arlo put it, “buti na iyan, kesa wala” (or, better to have something than nothing). We need to improve on whatever the Lord has given us, and should bear in mind that the more regular and sincere we are in thanking Him for our blessings, the more we will receive blessings. This is especially true if we always acknowledge the very Giver of gifts.
And as Fr. Arlo put it, “Anyone who thinks, thanks!”
Finally, for the third conviction where Fr. Arlo, believes many in organizations including Magis Deo, could be guilty of non-conformity is: If you’re blessed, then comes tithing (giving a tenth of what you earn).
Tithing was likened to pump-priming a well with a little water (equivalent to the tithe) to ensure that the flow of abundant water (equivalent to God’s blessings) will be more regular and steady.
Fr. Arlo believes that most if not all, members of the community will readily agree to, if not are already upholding and living the first two convictions. However, it is the third and last conviction where many may be hesitant or adamant to practice. It is in the third conviction that many can be guilty of falling short of expectations.
Fr. Arlo advised the audience to give tithing to the community that helps them, which in this case, is Magis Deo. Community members will recall that it is from this community through its various spiritual formation programs, where marital relationships have been strengthened, family bonds reinforced, and experience of the Lord deepened. Therefore, aside from tithing, community members are supposed to be helping the community through regular monthly payments of membership dues. A quick look at the monthly chart showing the remittances of the BCGGs is proof that not all the groups are able to be at standard.  
It was in this light that Fr. Arlo enjoined the audience to fully and actively support the Magis Deo fund drive which coincides with the community’s 20th year of formal existence and which was launched shortly after the teaching by Levy and Roxanne Espiritu,  Magis Deo chaircouple.

With the realization of the community’s financial goal of P1.5M, which Fr. Arlo believes can even be doubled, the community can provide more responsive service. This is what he calls the trade-off of tithing. And when there is grateful and responsible use of God’s gifts, then there is what he considers Christian Stewardship.
In conclusion, Fr. Arlo dwelt on the three levels of Stewardship:
1-    Ordinary – giving one’s time, talent and treasure (e.g. helping make the ME weekends, the recent “lugaw” fund drive truly successful);
2-    Extraordinary – going out of what’s outside or beyond the Ordinary level;
3-    Legacy – when one gets outside of one’s comfort zone, as in giving till it hurts.
Many members might just be exercising the first level, thinking that this is enough. He feels that there may just be a few who are into the second level and probably, the third. Fr. Arlo enjoined the audience to aim for the third level by practicing Magis, or being More for God, not to wait for the right time to be and to do so, and hence, to come out of our own shells. As he stressed, if we don’t come out of our shells, we’re bugoks.
Meantime, prior to the Mass and teaching, Community Services Ministry Chair Rey Mella announced the names of 16 members who were awarded the Tree Adoption certificates: Cruz, Pestano, Reyes, Santos, Parada, Del Rosario, Tumbocon, Abis, Tumaliuan, Panlilio, Canoso, Dimanalata, Espiritu, Sta. Maria, Lubguban, and Fajardo.  The members were given the certificates by the La Mesa Dam Eco-Park Administration, to mark the tree-planting activity conducted during the annual community picnic-outing held last month at the Park. - by Arajr. 

EXCERPTS FROM FR. ARLO’S HOMILY
Pay forward, not backward. This way, we increase the number of recipients of something good.
Shepherds can be one’s gabay (in front of the sheep); kasabay (side by side with the sheep); or, alalay (at the back of the sheep providing support).  Shepherds, however, can and should not always be the sheep’s gabay, kasabay and alalay as the sheep will become overly dependent on the shepherd.
“Do not be afraid”: phrase cited more than 365 times in the Bible. Therefore, we have the Lord with us everyday or 365 times  a year.