# data[].attributes.headline
When we love, we must make Him the center of our relationship with other people. 

# data[].attributes.subject
When we love, we must make Him the center of our relationship with other people. 

# data[].attributes.body
When I listened to the discussion, it is relatable. Because I am the type of person who loves to give love to other people to the point I have nothing for myself, to the point I'm not receiving anything in return, to the point that I'm already hurting myself. But because of the discussion made by Sir Maynard, I do realize a lot about love. Love is a give and take relationship. For example, in order to get closer to God, we must take some actions to get closer to Him. By what? By reading the Bible, praying or devotion. By doing this, we are getting to know Him. This kind of topic is really interesting and at the same time, it is sentimental, because I realize that I was running away from Him. These past few days, I've been away and looking for His presence. But then, I'll try my best to avoid doing mistakes, even I am a sinner, He loves and accept me for who I am. That's why His love is unconditional and eternal.

"Iyon ang pinakamalungkot na pwedeng gawin ng isang tao. Ang mabuhay na hindi nagmamahal at mabuhay na hindi nararanasan na mahalin sila."

That's why when we are still alive, let's love one another, and make memories that are worth remembring.

Julia Marie V. Canama
12-STEM

# data[].attributes.body
I Learn that Even the worst of sinners, God loves us for who and what we are, and he is willing to forgive and grant second chances. God is always present, regardless of who you are or what kind of human you are. His love is always available to all kind of people
-Theodore Q. Abella Jr

# data[].attributes.body
Our body that made by God symbolizes the sincerity of God's love towards us. As a human, we should be grateful for what he had sacrificed for us, if God loves us, we must love our flaws and accept ourselves. God created love and that's why love is the powerful thing in the world because by love we can able to have a relationship with God. God deserves everything other than us, he gives everything we want, he would rather be hungry than us, and he would rather sacrifice his life just for us. All he wanted is us to live a better life that gave to us, God is our only hero, he deserves to be treated as how he created our bodies with his all love and by this we must create a powerful relationship towards God.
- Tiffany Ross L. Manansala

# data[].attributes.body
I learned that most of us focus our self-worth on how others perceive us and our achievements, feel regret from our past, define our value depends on our attractiveness or set unreasonable expectations for ourselves. But that doesn't really it has to be that way since God made us exactly the way we are, and that there is a reason for every difficulty we encounter. We must put ourselves first with God and have faith in him. Intimacy is formed on trust. The more we trust another, the farther we allow them to get closer to us. We can't be intimate with somebody else we don't trust. As we learn more about God's essential personality, we learn more about His love. God is flawless, and so is His love.

- Tolentino, Via Nicole
(:

# data[].attributes.body
It really amazed me that our bodies work in a very mysterious way. Of course, Science has already explained how our body works and is able to prolong life. But there are still unexplained mechanisms and still no matter how good and advance Science is, it cannot stop life and death. Through this we know that somebody that is Almighty is working on our bodies. God is the one in control of our body.  Only Him knows our pain and of our life. He also is the one who heals. There is always hope even in the most dreaded disease and life in the brink of death. It is all possible because of God.

I have learned that God’s unconditional love through my body, He gave us the power to love one another. Love is not all about giving yourself and sharing your life with others. We should know how to give love and at the same time appreciate the love that we receive.  Through spreading God’s love for us, we can strengthen each other and unite one another.  One of thing I’ve also realized is that God is always there for us no matter who, what, and how grave our sins are. He welcomes us with open arms and continues to protect us in His own way. We should also take care of our body because it is God’s gift to us.

- Alyssa Joelle Lacuna

# data[].attributes.body
Humans were created with the ability to love and the rights to be loved. God did not want to withhold all the love to Themselves that They were moved to create life with the capacity to love. Above all, humans are to share and to spread love. Love is free, love is unconditional, thus, love is of will and not an obligation. More so, I believe that God did not share this ability for humans to be obliged to love all of those along our way, at the same time, we are not forced and pressured to find love. Although God already loved us since the beginning, it was still mentioned that love between humans is of will, therefore, I believe that love itself will find us. In addition, we can say that love may be too complex, but this may also be the reason why it is such a beautiful ability for us to share.

-Ian Abelardo

# data[].attributes.body
God is always there for you, no matter who you are or what kind of human you are, even if you are broken or vulnerable. God didn't have a favorite. His love is always freely given to all. I never imagined that our bodies would be the primary source of affection. God shared his love with us and gave us the freedom to do what we wanted with it. Despite our struggles and sacrifices, we managed to be unselfish and return the love God had given us. His caring compassion endures throughout our lives and beyond. God exists because you and I exist as a result of His act of love. It allows us to glimpse gorgeous scenery and God's magnificent works.
- Katelyn Roze Baylosis

# data[].attributes.body
We are made different and by that, I mean we should not dream or wish to be like someone else. God created us to do our own things and 'missions' in our lives, he wants us to live happily and freely, but to live, we should know how to associate or get along with each other because we have different opinions, mindsets, goals, and battles in our own lives, though i know it is his way of giving us strength but through the love of God and respecting one another we can achieve our own goals.

Gillee Ann S. Valdez

# data[].attributes.body
I learned or realized that our bodies are mere symbols of love made by God. God is with us anytime and anywhere providing us with unconditional love. But in order to fully have a relationship God, we must allow him to create a connection with us and not be distant. God deserves an intimate relationship with us because he is the one that teaches us how to love and be loved through his creations (our bodies).

-Aldreich Ong

# data[].attributes.body
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son , so that whoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I realized that we are so caught up on the idea of having the perfect relationship with someone we cannot have, we forget that God is there all along waiting for us to reach out to his hand. I always think and say to myself that I do not deserved to be loved. That I am not worthy of love, but after listening to our lesson I realized that God loves everyone and he loves me enough to accept me and forgive my sins. In listening to our lesson, I realized that what I had in my past relationship is not love. Love should be taking and receiving. One should not only be the one who takes and not one should only be giving. You have to reciprocate what the other is giving so that it is fair for the both of you. When you love someone it should not be because of their physical looks such as their body appearance, that is not love but it is lust. Knowing their soul, appreciating the small little things about them, accepting their imperfections and you know them inside and out is true love. Before you love someone and be in a relationship with them, you should first love yourself. If you cannot love yourself, you will not learn how to love others and you can hurt them in the process. Some of us are in a hurry to find "the one" but we should first love ourselves and allow ourselves to be loved by God. God has a plan for us, we should be patient because love will find us. We should first focus on ourselves, correct things within ourselves, and most importantly we should love ourselves. I am still in the process of healing from my past relationship, I realized that just because what I had in the past was not real love it does not mean I am not worthy of love. I am focusing on loving myself more and loving God. I trust God that he has a plan for me and there is a right time that love will find its way to me.

# data[].attributes.body
"Magmahal para mabuhay at bumuhay"

God's aim to reach out to humanity was never forsaken. His words are filling our lives in ways we never expect. However, words that I've heard and read from individuals about God is meaningless if it is a closed book. I learned it in a hard way because I was lost in the process, but I had to live it out. Live out with His words as a compass to be found. An influencer once said, He created us like him, therefore, if I want to get to know myself deeper, I need to get to know him better.
We can't live without love and love without life. God is the ultimate source of love and life, in order for myself to live with full definitions of love, I must be connected to its source.
"The end of yourself is the beginning of God." Just like what we do to our gadgets, I also need to recharge and rest, and whenever I get too tired of worldly things, I go to him to be at my rest.  In the discussion, I had a clarity that when someone is at peace and healed, the more love it can pour or even receive to one's self and others. Saying "yes" to love is a decision, not just to fill a void, but it is saying yes to eternal.

-Nicole Grace E. Celestino, STEM

# data[].attributes.headline
"The Tunnel" by Franchesca  Nicole R. Castrillo

# data[].attributes.subject
"The Tunnel" by Franchesca  Nicole R. Castrillo

# data[].attributes.body
I used to believe that hate is the opposite of love. In the introduction to theology of the body, I learned that lust is the opposite of love and it totally makes sense.

Love isn't envious, boastful, proud, impolite, self-seeking, or easily irritated, and it doesn't keep grudges against one another. Love, on the other hand, is patient, kind, truthful, protective, and hopeful, it never fails, but constantly persists with the other person. To put it differently, love is centered on the other person. It's all about putting your loved one first, even if it means putting yourself last, and sometimes at your own expense. Selfishness, disrespect, and a lack of self-control are at the heart of lust, none of which are desirable qualities in God's eyes. Self-centeredness is exemplified by lust. It's all about putting your desires first, without considering the person you're lusting after. The attitude of your heart distinguishes between love and lust. When you are in love, your heart has a selfless attitude, with the other person as your focus, whereas when you are in lust, your heart has a selfish attitude, with yourself as the focus. It's the desire to care for the other's needs that drives true love; lust is motivated by the need to care for our own sinful desires. When you love someone, you choose to stick with them at the expense of everyone else, even if it's difficult.

I also learned that broken things can't be fixed. What’s done has already been done. No matter how hard you try to put all the parts back together and no matter how precisely you may have restored it, it will never be the same again. When it comes to love, it's the same. Broken hearts will never be able to heal and return to the way they were before. Whatever we do, no matter how hard we try, if it's broken, it's broken. We can't rely on someone else to build us, and the same is true for others. It's impossible to fix someone else. We can't fix ourselves since only God can.

Scars on the other hand last a lifetime. The only one who can mend a damaged heart is God.

I once experienced being hopeless and I never want to go back to that dark place ever again. I felt that I was carrying the world at my shoulders. I felt drained and tired in everything that happened in my life. I kept chasing the light at the end of the tunnel but felt that there was no end at all. I still believe that to this day because I experienced His guidance. There is light inside the tunnel, because the light is God himself. The light was with us all this time, guiding us through our darkness. I refer the tunnel to be the world, and us, searching for light. When are we going to realize that the only thing to see the light is to believe in Him? The light at the end of the tunnel is hope, peace, and happiness. But the light that guided us to that place is God.

# data[].attributes.body
It's amazing how God is forgiving despite the mistakes and bad deeds people have committed, he still wants us to be with him, he still wants to walk with us in our chosen paths.

He is always there for us, listening and helping, God's never ending love towards his own creation is what fills the void in my heart, my mom would always remind us that. GOD is always first and till this day, GOD is my everything, he is my salvation, and I will always put my faith in him forever and ever.

- Abella, Tedelyn

# data[].attributes.headline
Here are my learnings from our discussion:I learnt here that we may discover God in ourselves and in other people, which is why we should never do evil things to anyone, especially ourselves, and that we should not live only for ourselves, but also for others, since doing so allows us to share the love that God has bestowed upon us. God will still love us even though we are broken, much like the cramped plastic cup that can still hold water, and no matter how badly we sinned, we should simply return to Jesus and he will cleanse us with his love, which we must share with others. My favorite realization is that we all have a purpose in life, which is to be loved and to love.Here are my sentiments that weren’t mentioned in our discussion:I realized that I should thank God for the heartbreaks that I've experienced, not just in romantic love but also with my friends, family, and from my problems, because it led me to my breakthroughs and I am here now and I can feel less pain because God's love weighs more in what I'm feeling right now. I'm sorry for hurting my body (wrist) in the past during my sad moments since I can't remember why I did it, and now I view it as immature, as if I'm damaging God's creation in order to find out why I have to exist. Most sermons refer to our body as a temple which wasn’t much discussed last time, which surprised me because it is a cliche for me, and I like how you sir explained theology of body through water and cups, but with the help of that, I now understand the meaning of our body as a temple, and just like the temple, we must keep it clean, disciplined, full of love for God and other people, solemn, and peaceful.                  -Rivera Jamie

# data[].attributes.subject
Here are my learnings from our discussion:I learnt here that we may discover God in ourselves and in other people, which is why we should never do evil things to anyone, especially ourselves, and that we should not live only for ourselves, but also for others, since doing so allows us to share the love that God has bestowed upon us. God will still love us even though we are broken, much like the cramped plastic cup that can still hold water, and no matter how badly we sinned, we should simply return to Jesus and he will cleanse us with his love, which we must share with others. My favorite realization is that we all have a purpose in life, which is to be loved and to love.Here are my sentiments that weren’t mentioned in our discussion:I realized that I should thank God for the heartbreaks that I've experienced, not just in romantic love but also with my friends, family, and from my problems, because it led me to my breakthroughs and I am here now and I can feel less pain because God's love weighs more in what I'm feeling right now. I'm sorry for hurting my body (wrist) in the past during my sad moments since I can't remember why I did it, and now I view it as immature, as if I'm damaging God's creation in order to find out why I have to exist. Most sermons refer to our body as a temple which wasn’t much discussed last time, which surprised me because it is a cliche for me, and I like how you sir explained theology of body through water and cups, but with the help of that, I now understand the meaning of our body as a temple, and just like the temple, we must keep it clean, disciplined, full of love for God and other people, solemn, and peaceful.                  -Rivera Jamie

# data[].attributes.body
Ma. Cristina Ignacio

I have learned that love must be reciprocated. We always have a chance to give others everything we have, our love and compassion. And those people are very grateful for that, however, we shouldn't just give and give. We must also allow them to love us as they want. We must give them a chance to experience the compassion that they too wanted to give you for everything that you have done for them.

# data[].attributes.body
In today’s conference, I learned how love really works. Actually it works in many simple ways. Most importantly, I realized that we have to also be responsible in influencing or sharing our love to others in order to protect them rather than disrupting their peace. It is also important to give space to Jesus in everything including our decisions when it comes to loving. Today, a realization that really hit me is that openly reciprocating the lovers action doesn’t automatically equate to love. Let’s say you gave someone some of your lunch, the next day they gave you some of theirs but only out of guilt. Pure love has no intentions of seeking return, but the simple gratitude or even the betterment of the beloved is more than enough.

Kristen Caoile
12- STEM

# data[].attributes.body
Tobias, Keziah Beatrice C.

We love because someone loved us first, and that "someone" is Jesus. I was once again reminded that Christ was the first tonlove us, and that our basis of love should come from Christ. When we love, we should at least give opportunities to others for them to show their love back to us. I think that is how Jesus is. He loves us no matter what, and He waits for us to love Him. I am reminded that I am God's beloved, that He, in any way, would love me the way I am and change me in the process for the good. It says in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:3-8 (NIV)  "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.", notice that when you do not love, you gain nothing, it gives us the emphasis to do everything in love and not ego. In love, there is purity and honesty in our intentions. Love makes us whole, and God is love, meaning to say, God makes us whole. I learned in class that loving is a decision, and indeed it is. Nobody forced God to love us. In fact, He can not care at all for us. We see in the Bible that it is in God's desire to love us, so chin up because God himself chose to love you. He didn't demand that we reciprocate His love, but God is patient in us to want us to make the decision to love Him the way we can. The Bible came from God, and we get to see the standards of what makes love. How good it is to learn love to the lover Himself? Our generation now gets confused on what is real and what is not. A rollercoaster of emotions surges in us and we confuse it with love. Let us remember this Bible verse, and see if our love stands the same ground with God's love. Another verse I find comforting is this, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
John 14:18 (NIV), see how God shows us His love by making His presence known in our midst. I don't think love should be forced, nor should it be confusing. It also states in Ephesians 2:10 (NLT), "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.", God's love include our future, He didn't sya it would be easy, but His plans are good and will prevail. So, Love God, and you will find yourself in the process —that you are His beloved masterpiece.

# data[].attributes.body
pia's thoughts

The truth is I have yet to discover what God has planned for me. I am in this stage where I am still wondering and questioning what my purpose in life is. But God has never failed to show me that I am not alone in this journey. Always remember that God will always be there for us and He will never forsake us no matter what. On the days that I feel down or lonely, I always look back to this bible verse, “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid,” (Psalm 118:6).

I’ve also realized how powerful our bodies could be. There are different roles in our bodies that ceaselessly carry on many functions and activities. It is our part to take care of it and nourish it with love. In class, I’ve also learned the importance of how our bodies work in ways that we could never imagine. We are being taught to guarantee that our body is our personal space and we have the right to decide for our own bodies.

With that in mind, God wants an intimate relationship with us through our faith and decisions in life. He wants us to trust Him and at the same time be closer with Him. God also wants us to love ourselves for we are committed to learning about our whole body and emotions as well. To conclude these thoughts, I would like to share this bible verse as a reminder to everyone that every one of us matters, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that fully well,” (Psalms 139:14 NIV).

- Crucillo, Philomena B. (pia)

# data[].attributes.body
I learned that have trust in your God, i am a type of person that is not religious and i am not even a catholic neither and i was thinking if i should be an atheist cause i feel like i never feel God in my side and i am fighting all alone, but after what our teacher told us it enlightens me to try to be more closer to God and have faith in him.
-Pineda

# data[].attributes.body
"You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and you know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins." - Psalm 139:3-4

God works in mysterious ways but one thing is for sure, God knows why we are here and what he has created us to do. God knows us and wants to be close to us. Above all, God loves us unconditionally.

God desires to be with us and to create an intimate relationship in ways that no other human can provide. Although God created us to experience human love, romantic love will never be able to trump an intimate love relationship with God. Some things with God are so personal, so private, that they can only be felt with the heart, not explained with words. This is actual intimacy with God; we believe that no one else can fully comprehend the unique tie we have with Him since it is so personal.

- Lizardo, Gwen

# data[].attributes.body
Some interactions with God are so unique, so private, that they can only be felt with the heart, not articulated with words. This is how true closeness with God feels; we believe that no one else can truly grasp the unique relationship we have with Him since it is entirely personal. Even if a close connection with some other person involves communication, so does a relationship with God. Reading the Bible and praying are two ways to communicate with Him.Some religious and theological viewpoints hold that the flesh and the spirit are diametrically opposed. By the incarnation of his Son, God, on the other hand, shows once and for all that the flesh is not intrinsically evil or sinful. Jesus took on human flesh and lived among us. We must also learn to love and care for our bodies, which God has given to us for his wonderful purposes. They will eventually be his. - Kenichi Hisata

# data[].attributes.body
We may seem to think so negatively about ourselves and unworthy of anyone's love, but in reality, God is always there to accept us no matter who we are and what we do. We also tend to love others too much, to the point that we forget to love ourselves and struggle in accepting their love in return. I wanted to convey the message that while we are trying and sometimes failing to accept love, there will always be those who will remind us.

Franchesca Chiara M. Mutuc

# data[].attributes.body
God loves us for who and what we are, even the worst of sinners as he is willing to give second chances and forgiveness. Some, those who maybe outcasted, broken, or have lost all hope, may think that God has abandoned them, but the truth is he didn’t. He has, and still is, always there just watching over, and the only way we can actually see or feel his presence and his love is if we accept what he is trying to give us. Besides receiving love from God and others, we must also learn to give, because is it actually love if it’s only one sided? Love is about caring and sharing, so giving love is the key to receiving.
- Ko, Julianna

# data[].attributes.body
No matter what type of cup or person you are, God still loves you no matter what. He desires to have an intimate relationship with us and continuously fill our empty cup with his overflowing love. The overflowing love of God may be invisible, but we have the role to make it visible and be known through our actions. God made us love others and be loved by others; that is why love is about giving and taking. Love will not be considered as love if you only give or receive love. The opposite of love is lust because love’s goal is to give for the benefit of others, while lust’s goal is to take for the benefit of self. There is hope for people to continue to love as long as Christ is in their lives; they will continue to love others. With Christ in our lives, there will always be hope for us to continue to love.
- Julienne Lim

# data[].attributes.body
I have learned a lot in our conference about the Introduction to Theology of the Body. First and foremost, our body is a gift from God; it is a sacrament of God’s love. Sacrament, meaning our bodies make the invisible be visible. God called us to love and to be loved. No matter what size or form we have, how similar or different we are from one another, one thing for sure is that we look very good in God’s eyes for we are His creation and that we are all capable of giving and accepting love. Just as what St. Thomas Aquinas have said, “Love is a decision to will the good of another person”. This reminds me of the 1 Corinthians 13 which tells us what love is; it is patient, kind, it perseveres, and is not self-seeking. Love is never wrong, it does not fail. The reason why we experience pain and suffering is because of our own decisions in life. It is because we choose to follow our own plans with the mixture of our own emotions instead of God’s plan. In this lesson, I am reminded of how worthy I am because God loves me. That no matter how many times we fail, even though our bodies became dirty, once we seek God in our lives then we will all be cleansed; for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, for us to be saved. If we feel empty as if we are not deserving of love then maybe we are becoming distant to Him. Just as what is said in our discussion, when love is present, it is never in isolation. The analogy of “Theology of the Body in a Glass of Water” really fascinates me because we are able to picture how amazing and powerful love is, especially or specifically God’s love for us. I was deeply reminded that God is always here for us, that we just need to let Him rule our life and trust His plans so that we would be able to love one another just as He loves us.

- Gianna Oandasan

# data[].attributes.body
As God gave us the gift of life given us a soul, and created our bodies, He all made it with pure intentions so that's what he also expects from us. From which form we were created, we are also expected to die the same way. This means God expects the intimacy and purity of thought He has given us from us. Love plays a huge part in this thought, two parts of love exists for us humans, there is conditional love and unconditional love. Our body is temple. Our body is used to give love but also receive love. And love is provided by God which is unlimited, so we are taught to always love unconditionally as there are no boundaries to what God provides.
- James Carls

# data[].attributes.body
The body has always been a taboo for me. I have always had an issue about it not looking good enough or just not fitting into the standard that has been set. It's a constant reminder of how flawed and imperfect I am. I once despised it, I once wanted to get rid of it or have it switched with another. I know that I am not alone on this train, but today I learned that the body is not just flesh. It is and has always been more than that and I see it now. It's an instrument, a tool made and used by God to show His love for me. It's a tool I use to profound my love for others and to receive their love for me.

This love for me is truth. It is genuine, It is kind. Just like how my body tells me one thing: "This is who I am, this is how I am." and that is the truth. The truth hurts, like how love hurts, sometimes it is difficult to accept, it is difficult to understand...but you can never deny yourself of the truth. "You are loved, you are deserving and you are worth it." it will sound like gibberish...but once again, you cannot deprive yourself of the truth. It may not make sense, it may not be clear but it is there for a reason, it is there because it's meant to be there.

This world is impure, we ourselves are impure. We tend to get overwhelmed, blinded and get centered on darkness. We sin and we revolt. However...He never thinks of us any less despite all of this. Love is a decision, and we will decide if we shall purify ourselves. If we find our way back on the right path set for us.

We lust. We Love. It is nature, and it is who we are.

The Flawed, Imperfect and Loved.
-Ella Mae M. De Asis

# data[].attributes.body
We often think that we can never be forgiven with God once we sinned. But the latter wasn't always like that. If we connect an intimacy with God we can better understand ourselves and our purpose on this plane. We just need to be accepting with ourselves and always accept God in our very hearts. This will make us see the better picture in almost any situation. Trust in God always and put our faiths in him everyday.

-Shekinah Bulanadi

# data[].attributes.body
it's like my mind has been refreshed that we are what others say is a copy of The Supreme Being, and so therefore must be treated with respect. We must love it, cherish it, and treat it as if it was something precious someone powerful have given t us, because it is. another thing i have learned is love and lust, I have just been surprised because I did not know its relation, or rather its opposite-ness of each other. We must not be selfish and take what we want out of selfish desires, but rather give out of our goodness.
-Bea Balasabas

# data[].attributes.body
No matter how broken we are or no matter how much we think that we are undeserving of love, it is undeniable that God still loves us regardless of how broken or imperfect we are. No matter how different we are, God is still there. God wants an intimate relationship we are regardless of what we are as a person.

Love is a constant decision to will the good of another person. God picked me because I am worthy of his love. He never isolates us, and he is always present. God is always willing to give us love. He generously gives it to us no matter how flawed we are. That alone shows that he wants to have an intimate relationship with us. He was never away from us. It was us who is away from him.

-Marie Sophia A. Santos

# data[].attributes.headline
"The Tunnel" by Franchesca Nicole R. Castrillo

# data[].attributes.subject
"The Tunnel" by Franchesca Nicole R. Castrillo

# data[].attributes.body
I used to believe that hate is the opposite of love. In the introduction to theology of the body, I learned that lust is the opposite of love and it totally makes sense.

Love isn't envious, boastful, proud, impolite, self-seeking, or easily irritated, and it doesn't keep grudges against one another. Love, on the other hand, is patient, kind, truthful, protective, and hopeful, it never fails, but constantly persists with the other person. To put it differently, love is centered on the other person. It's all about putting your loved one first, even if it means putting yourself last, and sometimes at your own expense. Selfishness, disrespect, and a lack of self-control are at the heart of lust, none of which are desirable qualities in God's eyes. Self-centeredness is exemplified by lust. It's all about putting your desires first, without considering the person you're lusting after. The attitude of your heart distinguishes between love and lust. When you are in love, your heart has a selfless attitude, with the other person as your focus, whereas when you are in lust, your heart has a selfish attitude, with yourself as the focus. It's the desire to care for the other's needs that drives true love; lust is motivated by the need to care for our own sinful desires. When you love someone, you choose to stick with them at the expense of everyone else, even if it's difficult.

I also learned that broken things can't be fixed. What’s done has already been done. No matter how hard you try to put all the parts back together and no matter how precisely you may have restored it, it will never be the same again. When it comes to love, it's the same. Broken hearts will never be able to heal and return to the way they were before. Whatever we do, no matter how hard we try, if it's broken, it's broken. We can't rely on someone else to build us, and the same is true for others. It's impossible to fix someone else. We can't fix ourselves since only God can.

Scars on the other hand last a lifetime. The only one who can mend a damaged heart is God.

I once experienced being hopeless and I never want to go back to that dark place ever again. I felt that I was carrying the world at my shoulders. I felt drained and tired in everything that happened in my life. I kept chasing the light at the end of the tunnel but felt that there was no end at all and I still believe that to this day because I experienced His guidance. The light was with us all this time. There is light inside the tunnel, because the light is God himself, guiding us through our darkness. I refer the tunnel to be the world, and us, searching for light. When are we going to realize that the only thing to see the light is to believe in Him? The light at the end of the tunnel is hope, peace, and happiness. But the light that guided us is God.

# data[].attributes.body
In last meeting discussion, I’ve learned many things that I will surely apply in my daily life. It made me realized that the most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in. God wants for us to love one another as He has loved us, but in order to do so, we must first accept God into our lives. I know there are times where we question God's love, especially when we are sad or in suffering, but what we don't realize is that He is probably just waiting for us to embrace Him into our lives. His love will have endless power to heal, set free, cleanse, and bring peace as we accept Him in ourselves and allow Him to be the center of our lives.

Sometimes, people might think na okay lang na wala silang ma-receive na love as long as nakakapagbigay sila nito sa kapwa nila, pero ang hindi nila alam na if we are receiving love, we are also gifting back to the giver. Here’s the thing; if we don’t have someone on the receiving end, how can we give? Receiving isn’t just about us. it’s about the other person too. We are giving them the gift of the joy of giving. So it goes both ways. I am hoping that all of us will be able to open our hearts and receive more love, as well as celebrate who we are, which is a beautiful individuals worthy of receiving love.

- Krizha Maigne Eleazar

# data[].attributes.body
During the discussion, I learned that our body is precious and it serves as God’s love for us. He filled us with his unconditional love and created us in his own image. Throughout the years God’s love never changes and despite the mistakes we have done he will always forgive and accept us all the time. Love is the most precious thing we can give and receive, so we must spread it to all of his creation.

- Rose Angela Airoso (STEM)

# data[].attributes.body
What more explanation could one define the love of God when he gave his life for all of us from that brutal event on Mt. Calvary? As the Good Shepherd, he knows and he does not want us to stray away from him because we are safe with him and he will defend and lay down his life for his flock, why? Simple, he loves all of us. And it is by his image and count against evil the number of flock he has with him.

Now let’s talk about the relationship part between God as the Good Shepherd and we as his flock. It is a simple context with a powerful backstory. If the shepherd is willing to offer his life for you, are you willing to offer your life for your shepherd? What does this mean? It means that when God gives protection and incomparable love like no other, when he asks for the return, expect not the impossible but just very difficult.

- LEYANN KURT BORRES

# data[].attributes.body
Even to this day, I still have a lot to learn about myself, especially about why am I the way I am. As God created us in his likeness, it is still unclear to me what my mission is, what my purpose is in this world we are living in. As time passes I would discover that we are more and more different from one another, having established our identities that would lead us to our desires. Whether our decisions make or break us is completely up to ourselves on how we would want to fulfill it. It is where I would also learn how Love is important to this journey.

Through love I was able to make friends and the bonds that come along with it. I experienced firsthand how love can change me in a sense that I would never imagine myself doing things differently. As I continue to study, work, or even rest. I believe that with patience and faith in God, I will become who I want to be.

- Watabe, Tsuyoshi C.

# data[].attributes.body
God provides everyone of us with a physical body. Our bodies enable us to participate in God's grand plan for our lives. Tattooing, in my opinion, is a sin because it entails altering God's natural creation while inflicting unnecessary agony. Tattoos, like lying and theft, are things I consider to be filthy.
- Matienzo, Banna

# data[].attributes.body
God wants intimacy with you. Christ has done all the hard work in the cross to make it possible. All he requires is that you believe in him (John 14:1). He wants you to trust him with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5). Which means his invitation to you to enjoy intimacy with him is the providences in your life that are testing your faith more than anything else. What you must trust God most for right now is where he means for you to draw closer to him.

This reality is vitally important to understand. As Christians, we want to experience intimacy with God. With the psalmist we say, “for me it is good to be near God” (Psalm 73:28). And we want to heed James’s exhortation and realize its promise: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8). But we can seek that nearness in ways that don’t produce it. This is as true in our relationship with God as it is in our relationships with other human beings. Our experience of God’s nearness or distance is not a description of his actual proximity to us, but of our experience of intimacy with him. Scripture shows us that God is intimate with those who trust him. The more we trust God, the more intimately we come to know him. A felt distance from God is often due to a disruption in trust, such as a sin or disappointment.

-Marl Wil G. De Andres

# data[].attributes.body
Carlo M. Rabutin
GOD's love gives us life and energy to keep pushing forward and we must accept him in our life to have everlasting life. accept him and he will guide us to the best future we have.

# data[].attributes.body
Unconditional Love for everyone of us. God is always there no matter who you are, what type of human you are, even though you are broken or a fragile person. God never had his favorite. His Love is for is always free for everyone. You know the feeling when you love someone, the feeling that you always want to be with that person you love. The same with God, he always want to be with us but be honest some of us only remember him when we are in trouble or in need right. But even though we often forgot him, he never leave and stop loving us.

-Irah Velasco

# data[].attributes.body
I learned today that our existence matters since our bodies were given by God to share his love to everyone.  In a common question that is "who am I?" there are many interpretations but in common we are love since God put his love on us and created us on his own likeness.  Our body is the vessel for God's love and therefore it is sacred. Our body is full of God's love that is why we should also love others how God had loved us since most of the things we see are made by him therefore we should also love his other creation. Like how love is invisible yet felt, God is also there for us to return when we run out of love to give to others since God is the first to love us and he will never run out of love for us even if we turn our back at him. As what was once said by Laozi "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage" that is why we seek love and that love can be seen on God since he is the one who had first loved us. Our bodies should be love by us since it is a gift from God and we should also share this love to others as well as experiencing the same love from others. And by Jesus Christ we are saved from any sins and this makes love pure and because of that we can maintain a happy feeling when being accepted by others. In an example of different kinds of paper, all paper can be written on whatever class it is even if it is crumpled. Let Jesus be the tape of torn pieces of paper by that we are able to accept the love for ourselves and as well as the love of others.  Jesus is our healing and through him we can create meaningful relationships with others accepting their own unique bodies as well. With Jesus we can maintain relationship with others since he is the one to clean our love away from lust.
- John Paul Ureta

# data[].attributes.body
God is everywhere. He exists beyond time and space, beyond the comprehension of a man or the like. He is ever Knowing and able to do anything. One thing most certainly God can do is to love. To shower every creature with his love and with that to share it with every kind, being, disregard of shape, form, color, or intellect. God loves us beyond the physical or material reality. He exceeds into the zone of transcendentality. It is through the constant comfort of his existence that we bear hope in our hearts, carry light to others, and ignite the spark that keeps us living with joy, peace, and happiness in mind.

God desires to form a connection with us. To weave an intimate relationship with every one of us. An unbreakable string that attaches our soul to an infinite possibility of God’s graciousness and haven. He exists with our choices and paths taken, to ensure safety and security, to provide bliss and sanctuary. He delights in the relationship we constantly strengthen through prayers and gratitude. And in turn, we are blessed by His almighty love and power.

God loves us in an intimate setting of understanding us despite our sins and flaws. His nurturing love lives in our lifetime and beyond. There exists God because you and I exist through His act of love. And simply enough, His words desire for us to have a close connection with Him through kindness and love. With everyone else, and of ourselves, love is what God grants. -Cielo M. Umali

# data[].attributes.body
We were really made as the image and likeness of God because us humans share love as how God gives us His. Theology of the body forms our soul and our hearts in understanding how God made us like ourselves, how gifted we are with our bodies and what would be our role/purpose with the guidance of God’s love. I liked how sir explained that love cannot be seen but can be shown through our bodies; I never really thought that our bodies would be our main inception of love. God shared his love and gave us freedom on what to do with the love He gave us, all throughout our sufferings and sacrifices we still managed to be selfless and give back the love God has given us to share.

Rancapan, Amanda M.

# data[].attributes.body
"Love is a seeking desire, while lust is a disordered desire. While love seeks, lust seeks to get". Although I think both are completely part of human nature, in terms of this subject, I'd say otherwise. God wants us to be in an intimate relationship with them first and foremost, because we are their masterpieces; we reflect them, and we are to be in a relationship with them. We are bound with their love, together with the human ability that enables us to think for ourselves. As we are able to think for ourselves, it is also essential that we give and receive love from one another, in order to keep this world, moribund of hope, forward. Since the world is not of felicity and rainbows, with things like hope as a sewer rat, percolating through much of opportunities, adding up love in those gaps will make our existences worth it. Though tediously enough, it is our job, love is one of those abstract arts that brings about our relationship with them. It is one of the requisite things in life, especially to our being of humans. - Rathnait Banga

# data[].attributes.body
We are all loved by God,
as He even sacrificed His own son for us.
But still, we sometimes felt empty.
And now I think, I know the reason why.
It's because we become distant from Him.
Which makes us forget that we are always God's beloved.
No matter who we have become or what we've done.
God will always be there waiting for us to be found.
Just like what happened in the story of "The Prodigal Son".

That is why we must not believe when someone says we are unworthy
because we are always worthy and even worth dying for.

- QUILBAN, Anthonette Lourdes E.

# data[].attributes.body
Love isn't healthy when it comes from a place of impurity, like when it's from selfishness. Truthfully, that isn't actually love, but sometimes we think it is. Love also isn't healthy when it's only one person contributing, love is supposed to be communal, there should be an exchange happening. One should know how give love that comes from purity, and also know how to receive that love.
It's the same with God, God will always love you and accept you, but it means more if you reciprocate it.
-Sophia Aldana

# data[].attributes.body
I have learned that God is the only one to fix each one's broken body and heart. God will still love us no matter what things we do, good and bad. He will gladly accept us for who we are because we are God's creation. So, do not think that we are unaccepted because God is and will always be ready to forgive and love us.  -ORDILLAS, Aebrille

# data[].attributes.body
The thing that stands out to me is that God will love us no matter how broken we are and no matter how we push him away he is always by our side ready to help us and this conference helped understand that even more
- Daniel Ureta

# data[].attributes.body
The only thing I can share is that because of racism, other people have never had love or been loved. Like for example if you're a black American, other people assume you're violent, poor, and worthless in society. Which is wrong because God created us to be beautiful in our own way.

- Justin Fernandez

# data[].attributes.headline
All you need is love, love is all you need. Jakob Naval

# data[].attributes.subject
All you need is love, love is all you need. Jakob Naval

# data[].attributes.body
Said by the legendary Beatles "There's nothing you can know that isn't known, nothing you can see that isn't shown, there's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be, it's easy" . God's love for us is unmatched, we know that, but the task at hand is how should we love others, and ourselves. Loving was never easy, nor is accepting love easy, it's always a challenge, but if we open ourselves towards other people's love, it's a way of spreading God's own love to others, through love can we unite one another, embrace each other, and strengthen each other. Some people struggle at loving, some of them are misguided or misunderstood, but with patience and will and a dash of faith, they too can learn why loving is important and how do you love a person. At the end of the day, all you need is love and love is all you need.

# data[].attributes.body
What I have learned today in this conference is that two broken bodies can't fix each other and it will just make things worse for the both of them. One pure body cannot also fix a broken heart. Nobody can fix or purify someone but only God. God will accept His own people no matter what. Another thing that I have learned is that we, humans, tend to love and accept somebody else rather than those who love and accept us. It made me realized that I was too scared that the person who accepts me wholeheartedly will soon left me, broken and all alone. But I learned that I will never be alone for there will always be somebody out there to fulfill me and for me to fulfill them.

- Monique Cinco, STEM

# data[].attributes.body
Nine
God will always accept us even though that we are sinners by loving others and let others love us. Learn to accept love from others even in their simplest ways. Putting so much expectation will never do good.

# data[].attributes.headline
What really strikes me the most is how God loves us no matter what we do or will do, despite everything that we've been through in life God will always see us the same. I also realized how God really wants to have a deeper connection with us through his words and works towards us. That each challenges in our lives he will always be there for us with open arms. 

# data[].attributes.subject
What really strikes me the most is how God loves us no matter what we do or will do, despite everything that we've been through in life God will always see us the same. I also realized how God really wants to have a deeper connection with us through his words and works towards us. That each challenges in our lives he will always be there for us with open arms. 

# data[].attributes.body
- Margarita Angeles

# data[].attributes.body
John Ulyssis Y. Miclat
12 STEM

Truthfully, I didn't get to expect these realizations for I am not a religious person, I always seek paths in the indirect perspective of God. However, in the introduction today I felt relieved and enlighten for what I have learned that I absorbed from our teacher, it helped me clear the things that bothers me of questions of why things happen most especially to the injustices and unfair sharing of love around the world. I just wished everyone could realize something like this, so that they can enlighten themselves on how we should share and make decisions for love. Moreover, I was moved by the examples in symbolizing the lover and the beloved in that way it helped me understand more simply what God really wants us to do, that he made us to love one another; to love and to receive love. Because apparently, as I trudge my teenage era I have experienced A lot of overthinking to whom may I find validation, for why I feel lost and unloved, maybe because I didn't look at my back or the people around me, the people that stayed and appreciated. Why am I so craving for attention when I have a lot of people who really cares for me. Thus, that light of realization struck me that Love doesn't oppose to hate but rather Lust on which I have experienced not knowingly. I thought I was receiving the effort and love in return that I gave however, it was just all a distrusted desire. To sum up, this introduction was a big step for me to open new knowledge and realizations. Big thank you to our teacher and now I'm looking forward for our further lessons that might tackle some areas of my encountered problems. :)

# data[].attributes.headline
Instructions: Don't forget to input your name :)

# data[].attributes.subject
Instructions: Don't forget to input your name :)

# data[].attributes.body
No matter how many sins we have done and how we see ourselves as imperfect or broken, there's still God who's willing to love us wholeheartedly and without hesitations. He sees us equally and even if we turn our back away from Him, He will always be waiting and will still accept us despite our wrong decisions in life.
- Kris Anne Pangilinan