This is my world.-Charis

By: Charis Emmelynn Madera Bautista, BS Accountancy 4

I have spoken in behalf of a college, a class, a family and myself, but never for a batch of around 2000 minds harnessed by various courses for diverse fields or future professions. And if the Alton Bigelow Memorial Award is given to a graduating student who best embodies the ideals of the Christian faith that Central Philippine University professes, I believe with all my heart, that it is not I alone who gained it, but it is the grace of God granted to me as an unmerited gift which I must use to glorify His and only His name alone, and not mine.

I humbly speak in behalf of this graduating batch: our sheer joy of having finished four or more grueling years in training for our future professions is somewhat dampened by the hopelessness of the chaotic society we were born to and live in. What is there in store for us after student life, when the cold hard realities of life fall smack on our faces and the four walls and corners of the classroom expand into the horizon of the “real” world? In a world which swings between lawlessness and legalism, apathy and radicalism, uncertainty and misplaced confidence, I know there is One who never wavers, remains steadfast and ever faithful until the very end. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God who has the words of eternal life, in whom we can experience the fullness of life, in and beyond this earthly life. Truth, which Pontius Pilate assumed to be a thing but is not, is the person of Jesus Christ.

I have seen His face in some of the faces I have come across in this University. I have heard His voice in the voices of those who instruct in the halls of the academe. I have experienced Him and felt His hand in the joys, sorrows, victories and trials that I had faced. And I urge you, fellow graduates, to take up the challenge with me, to follow and to place our lives and our whole being on the One who has the words of eternal life. And to do this, the call to live our lives excellently follows, which we cannot answer without heavenly wisdom. This real wisdom cannot be found in the pages of our notebooks or books, for even the foolishness of God is far wiser than the wisest of man-made wisdom. This real wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, for all those who follow the Lord’s instruction have the better and wiser understanding.

And when we have lived our lives excellently, we reap the fruits of our labor, which the Lord has given to us to enjoy. These successes that we enjoy, fellow graduates, are gifts from the Heavenly Father which we all must use to glorify His and only His name alone. Trophies, medals, ribbons, plaques, and titles that we treasure will be broken, stolen, taken or fade away, but there is one kind of success which will not pass away: it is the kind of success which comes when each of us listens and obeys Jesus’ calling to follow Him. This is the kind of success which makes heaven beam in pride, and the Father spread his hands to applaud you, with a resounding “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

As we exit the portals of this university, let us never forget the academic lessons and most importantly, the spiritual truths impressed upon us during our student lives in this institution. Let us put to practice what we have learned in pen and paper.

Let us cover our ears to the seductive whisper of corruption, blind our eyes to the lure of mediocrity, unfold our hands from apathy and bare our hearts to search for the truth for as we are sent out from this university, we become the human face of our alma mater, and the ears, eyes, hands and heart of our God to a blind, deaf, unfeeling and cold world.

I remember a recent CEW convocation where the speaker was questioning the effectiveness of our Christ Emphasis Week program by asking why the Philippines does not rise up from her pathetic state, even when thousands of students who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, are sent out as professionals occupying positions crucial to helping stop corruption. I reflected over this shocking query, and realized that the seed, the Word of God, which was sown in this very auditorium, probably landed on rocky or thorny kind of soil. When corruption seems rampant, when apathy takes the upper hand and mediocrity prevails in a seemingly bleak society, it is because good men do nothing. But I believe that the Word of the Lord will not return void and it can and will accomplish what the Lord so desires and achieve the purpose for which He had sent it, and praise be to God, because there are still those who hear, believe, act on what they have heard, and accept Jesus to be the Absolute Ruler of their lives, the Master of their souls and the Captain of their destinies.

I urge you, my fellow graduates; let us hold fast to our Alma Mater’s motto: science and faith, the seeming paradox of the secular world, where science fails to believe the invisible and where faith does otherwise. Scientia stands for our lifetime pursuit of excellence in our profession, and fides stands for our lifetime commitment to following the Lord Jesus Christ.

The university has been a battle field, where the most intelligent yet dangerous minds are being trained, and where good and evil wish to establish their footholds in the minds of us who are the next generation. In a world where the truth is so often distorted and concealed, and each man has his own free will to believe in what he wishes to, grappling with concepts that run contrary to what CPU stands for and has been teaching us is a key for freeing our minds from wrong worldviews and erroneous opinions. And now, like eaglets left by their mother to try their wings on their own, we are to be left alone, trying out our wisdom away from our comfort zone. And the knowledge that dear Central has equipped us has lengthened our wingspan to reach the corners of the world. So where shall we go? The question really is, to whom shall we go? Like the followers of Jesus who deserted Him when He challenged their obedience to his difficult teaching, are we also going to fall away when circumstances challenge our godly convictions and principles? Matthew Henry, the famous Bible commentator, writes that in John 6: 67, it was at the choice of the disciples whether to stay by Jesus or not, but it was at their peril if they leave. Likewise, should we desert the Christian principles impressed upon us during our stay at Central, it is at our own peril.

Fellow graduates, our college graduation today is an occasion of celebrating God’s faithfulness in our lives. This faithfulness, which has brought us far from what we were four or more years ago, necessitates a commitment to Jesus Christ. God is not a faucet which we only open when we need Him in times of sorrow and trials, and twist to close when we experience prosperity and abundance. Neither is God a trader to whom we can ask from what we want, in exchange for the fickle promises we humans make.

This commitment is not a commitment to another lifestyle, or a promise to follow a set of rules or an oath to carry out religious activities. Fellow graduates, this commitment we should make is to a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us commit ourselves, our whole being, our lives, our plans, the totality of what we were, who we are, and what we will become to Him.

Rephrasing the writings of Matthew Henry on John 6: 68-69, I ask you, “To whom shall we go? Shall we seek the favor of the world? It will certainly deceive us. Shall we return to sin? It will certainly destroy us. Shall we leave the Jesus, fountain of living waters for the world of empty promises, broken cisterns or dry rivers?” Dear fellow graduates, let us resolve to continue our pursuit of life, excellence and happiness with Christ as our guide. Matthew Henry continues, “If ever we find the way to happiness, it must be in following the Lord.”

As we advance into this unfeeling and cruel world, let us remember our commitment to follow and to obey Christ Jesus, Him who holds the words of eternal life, because it is only in following Jesus Christ that we could find the source of eternal joy.

The good Lord bless us all.

around this time of the year last year, i suddenly woke up one morning realizing that one day, i would leave my undergraduate life and the school i spent practically two-thirds of my life.

around this time last week, i was biting my nails in the agony of anticipating the posting of the honor roll.

around this time just 3 days ago, i couldn’t feel my toes. the fact that God blessed me with a spot on the honor roll as cum laude and the much-coveted alton bigelow memorial award made me feel like i was floating, so that i couldn’t respond properly to the well-wishers and the congratulations…

what can i say? i feel as if words have failed me these past few days.

what can i say? i couldn’t thank the Lord enough for these blessings.

what can i say? i have so much to say yet so little time to organize all these in a medium that lacks descriptions for what i feel.

i remember the lyrics of a cantata song performed at church: if the world was made of parchment and the seas were ink and each man was a scribe by trade, we could start and never stop writing about God’s love and goodness.

indeed his grace is so amazing.when i look back and remember the tears that now stain my study table, and the emotions that were at their all-time low during my four years in college, i remember the God who brought me through them.

i would like to say thank you for the people who i have encountered through my 14-year stay at CPU, remembering that God never puts a person in my way that He doesn’t want me to meet.

to my teachers in elementary and high school, i may not have been the best student you taught, but i certainly have benefitted much from what you have taught me.

to my high school teachers, ma’ams and sirs, thank you…my golden years in extra-curricular activities were spent with you.

to my college teachers, especially those from the department of accountancy, thank you for igniting in me a passion for excellence in my chosen career.

to my classmates sang high school: now you know why i can’t hang out with you more often. just like someone "crazy" said, "when you study, study hard; but when you party, party hard…" . but i really can’t party now…in just a little over 6 months later, i can.hehe.

to my classmates sang college, it was fun learning accounting with you.see you in the next 6 months, and i hope we just encourage each other to pursue excellence especially magreview. won’t forget the laughs…and the noise…teehee!

to my cvcf friends, nong boy2, ng els, ng japon, ate ging, chela, ng jp, nyza, miss ko na kamo! life gets even more difficult without fellowship…now i understand why joining in the family of believers is important..

to the people of Jaro Evangelical Church, thank you for your support sang pag-apply ko sa Alton Bigelow. kitakits sa april for vcs and sunday school, which i had missed doing so much. =)

to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: when i walk up stage on March 28 to claim two medals for our honors and awards, and when i get to the lectern to deliver my speech on the morning of  March 30, and when i march down the aisle of the covered gymnasium in the afternoon to get my diploma, all of these are for you and you alone.  not to me Lord, not to me, but to You!