BLUE GREEN
Lately, I have been giving talks and staging concerts in many countries in the world with a co-preacher and good friend of mine. Let’s just call him my “companion.”
From Canada and the United States, all the way down to Australia and New Zealand, my companion and I would tease each other about who was the “better man” between us. In the great amount of time we’ve spent together, we even managed to invent a crazy game. This game is our version of the age-old rivalry between two universities you surely know about. Some clues: I would point out the GREEN grass to him, smiling naughtily as if to say, “Yeah, go green, green grass!” One point for me. He would in turn even the score by pointing to the BLUE sky, and sigh, with arms spread wide open, while shouting “Hallelujah!” Then we laugh in utter enjoyment. (Hope you’ll still believe in our preaching, by the way.)
One time we were driving along the highway and he would draw my attention to a certain policeman, who was in BLUE. One point for him. I would just smile and pucker my lips pointing to the traffic signal and say, “See, all GREEN!” We chuckle. Sometimes, I hear him humming the song, “On EAGLE’S Wings.” And so I, not wanting to be outdone, would sing louder, “You make me lie down in GREEN pastures.”
Come to think of it, perhaps, had we been kids today, we would play the Hunters Game. I would be the ARCHER, the hunter, and he would be the EAGLE, the hunted. I win. Ehem.
By this time you probably know what we were so joyfully teasing about. Yes, I’m a LaSallian, and my companion is an Atenean. The Green Archers and the Blue Eagles. (Of course I get to be first in the billing, it’s my article.)
In almost all aspects our schools compete with each other. In sports: we can fill up the whole Araneta Coliseum for an ordinary basketball game. In academic excellence, both claim to be superior over the other. And lest we forget, even in the game of love- in winning the hearts of colegialas -we still try to outdo each other. The list goes on and on.
But in the midst of competition my good companion and I have a common mission. One that we share with other schools and institutions in the Philippines: we are all called to share the love of God.
St. John Baptist De LaSalle, loved the poor, he founded a brotherhood to educate the young people who are poor (believe it or not: the De LaSalle Schools are for the poor. 70% of LaSalle schools in the Philippines cater to poor students).
St. Ignatius De Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, who are in charge of Ateneo De Manila, created the Jesuit Order to defend and share the Christian faith.
In a nutshell, these two saints simply lived their lives sharing the love of God. In doing so, they had left no less than a legacy and a challenge. The legacy is many lives brought to fullness. The challenge is that those who choose to follow them must live a life sharing the love they had found in God.
My companion and I, to the best of our abilities, tried to respond to that call. We set aside our differences (upbringing, culture, past experiences, community life, etc.) and set out to spread the love of God wherever He called us to go.
We did away with competition, believing that if the other wins, we both win.
Because what really matters?
That many come to know that they are deeply loved.
Because of this partnership, despite bumpy flights, long nights and confusing timelines, I have experienced great ease and tremendous joy in serving God.
And surely, whether to Blue Mountain or Green Meadows, I’m looking forward to our next mission trip together.
P.S. By the way, my companion was none other than Bo Sanchez. What a privilege!
(This article was first published in the January 2007 FISH Magazine)
October 1st, 2008 in
GogNuggets
i heard you talk at LSGH in an advent Reco in place of Bro.BO (2006?)
and I was blessed in many ways! Thanks to you…
You were our guest speaker in DYD ‘06 in Tanay, Rizal..Hope to see you again..
this is my favorite..,promise..,i love this one..,
your avid fan. bennie =)
Your the best speaker i’v ever seen..
More power to you..
I love your books..
i just heard your talk in Kerygma TV this morning through preacherinbluejeans and it was so inspiring.. i hope to learn from all the kerygma preachers during the conference.. My sister also attended your retreat in Pasig Catholic College.. thank God for allowing you to be his instrument for His messages.. God Bless you and may He empower you more..
very inspiring as usual….
you are a great instrument of God, and inspire every individual who listen to you. and you’re always alive with your jokes that everyone would deeply give their 10% attention to what you are talking. More power and God bless.
Your always “on the go” for sharing God’s love….thank you so much for all the inspiration you have given us, God is so good for allowing us to meet you in person and share all you have,making a better ways of understanding God’s love for mankind… your great!
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as a christian, i am so blessed to all of your preachings,. it is my dream to meet you all especially mr. Sanchez… and when that time come, pls teach me how to be more like you do… keep up the good work and continue to bless many people just like me… GODBLESS US ALL….
GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!! Thank you for the inspiring messages i have viewed and listened to in preacher in blue jeans… God has a way of making you an instrument for His messages.. making you a light of the world just like your name arun - sun .. continually showering us your viewers/listeners with rays of enlightenment and uplifting messages which gives me not only happiness but joy,peace and love.. I thank God for giving us gifts — you and bro. bo and having the chance to listen to your inspiring words of wisdom and now receiving nourishing emails! More power! GOD BLESS US ALL!
very inspiring kuya Arun. Tnx and God bless!
kip safe!
i am a fan of didache. i attended already a retreat given by the group of Bo.Sancez last year. i had the priveledge to know you personally and hear you when our school gave us a retreat together with the parents last month in tagaytay.Kudos to you and to your group who have been so full of life and inspiration in sharing your thougths and feelings about God.May God bless us always and God bless your group!!!!
Dear Arun Gogna,
God Bless you. more power.
thanks for a wonderful talk for us last October 2008 at St. Paul College of Parañaque. It was fun listening to you. and I read also you book “gognuts”. it made laugh hardly and that book was so wonderful. thanks for the e-mail. thanks a lot sir!
E0w! Thanks for coming at St. Paul College of Paranaque, you’re really funny and inspiring. I’ve read one of your books and it was hilarious, haha. uhm…that’s all for now, ^_^, have a nice day.
-=kimshane=-
Thanks for sharing God’s greatness to every one! You’re such an inspiration in the community of believers! I have heard you talk during our SFC Metro Manila Assembly at San Carlos Seminary. I couldn’t resist laughing out loud with your funny yet inspiring stories. More power and Godbless po!:-)
hi, im from st paul… you know the assembly and everything… i just wondered that I haven’t said thank you to you… and this is it… THANK YOU FOR SHARING GOD’S GRAETNESS…. i wish you a happy life…. GODSPEED!
i was just surprised to recieved email from you…but thats besides the point. ive heard so much about you from other mla BLD members, im from BLD Imus, hope to see you in person…all the best…
Hi Arun,
).
Great to hear from you after all these years.
Yep, grass is still greener from where we came from.
Heard a lot of your great works from Sis Indette Gaspillo - our professor in engineering who is now my sister in CFC. I saw that fire for Christ in you even during our freshman years pa in college. I never understood until I came into community.
Well, look at you now. God has blessed you with a wonderful ministry (and some pounds, it seems in your pics
Hope to have an opportunity to see you soon. God bless.
It’s still a wonderful world despite all the problems we encounter in life… there are still people like you who makes life bearable inspiring the downtrodden through your inspiring messages. God bless and let’s continue praying for God’s graces especially for the least, the lost and the last.
hello Bro. Arun pls send me a copy of the “7 gifts we have to give to our children”, i’m one of the participants in your last recollection in st. scholastica’s prayer house in tagaytay, i’m with the JGSS group last Oct.24, 2008, thanks so much for sharing wisdoms of God to all of us. God bless and protect you always!
Hello Sir,
thank you for sharing this,,i just bought your book last friday but i havent finished reading it,,you were the source speaker of the seminar i attended entitled I AM A STUDENT..A LEADER..you were great!
I hope to i could attend another seminar, having you as a speaker..
God bless Sir!
thank you 4 sharing us, im 1 of ur participants n recollection held here in zamboanga….tumbs up!!!i love da way u deliver ur speech and jokes as well as ur books!GOD bless u….continue to inspire us (youth like me!!!)More power…
you’re a very good speaker in st. paul pque
3rgVXR Thanks for good post
Hi! A Great Post. I was just playing with blogs. i was really excited.
Hey, you have a great blog here! I’m definitely going to bookmark you!
This blog is awesome!
I also agree..
Hey, I was searching blogs, and came onto yours, and I like it.
Thanks for all you ideas! I sure will be back to visit your site again so i can learn more.
Remember romblon? i was one of those who stood until the end of your preaching “session’ not withstanding the pain of keeping myself stand that too long! But, its all worth it. I have learned a lot and was inspired by your deeds and words. Hope you visit again there…maybe soon!
Thank you so much. Keep inspiring SIR!!!
Hi, cool site, good writing
brother arun you are the best preacher i hope i will met you someday. im working here in iraq where i can buy your video cd.
god bless
hey this was nice just read it today i was really waiting to recieved some of your articles …just love listening to you just like bo sanchez …u both are the best preacher i knew….Godbless and more power…………..hope your partner can also visit zamboanga city and do some talks for the singles in bukas loob sa dios…….hope to see you bro.arun…..
Hi Arun,
Thanks a lot.. ur such a talented man God’s sent to us. Im one of ur participants in ur Recollection in Tungchung, HK.. im inspired and e can feel d presense of God. I cnt explain… while singing, i shed tears of joy, reconciliation to God and healing. Godspeed.
Hi Arun,
It is still a wonderful world despite of all the trials we encounter in life, thanks a lot for such a nourishing message of God you shared. Please, send me a copy of your “7 gifts we have to give to our children”
Keep inspiring, God bless!