Badaliyya # 1

BADALIYYA #1

The Badaliya movement was created in Cairo in 1934 by Fr. Louis Massignon. The same spirit was shared by his friend and mentor, Charles de Foucauld.

The backdrop of the movement was the shared concern for the mounting religious conflicts in the Middle East, especially in Palestine/Israel.

By renewing the spirit of the Badaliya in the Philippines, we hope to encourage mutual respect, understanding and dialogue between Massignon's three Abrahamic traditions here in the Philippines with few modifications.  We can substitute, Indigenous Peoples’ beliefs to Judaism. 


The Badaliya began with a vow made by Louis Massignon and Mary Kahil in an ancient Franciscan church to dedicate themselves to the well-being of the Muslim community.

Since we are a small group it is reassuring to realize that the Badaliya began with only two. The initial responses to the idea of a vow led us to begin to realize the seriousness of our endeavor.

The vows are essentially a deepening of our baptismal promises. This is an invitation for us to struggle more intently with what we are called to become. We discuss the meaning of the Arabic word, badaliya, substitution, and begin some reflection on Massignon's understanding in light of his intense Christian faith.

Substitution is a controversial and challenging call which we will continue to explore through the writings of Massignon and others at our badaliya prayer session.

In keeping with the original spirit of the Badaliya we shall have moments before the Blessed  Sacrament in silence. We conclude the adoration in silence with intercessory prayers that include a plea for peaceful resolution to the unpeace in Southern Philippines and for conversion of hearts of all those whose hatred leads them to terrorist actions.

We pray for the courage to forgive them by offering ourselves in their place to be reconciled to a benevolent God. We closed with the prayer of our Church, the Lord's Prayer.

We center our gathering on the theme of peace and each person shares his/her experience on the issue of Muslim-Christian relations.  In solidarity with all the badals worldwide, we agree to join them in praying for peace in the world, especially in the Holy Land.

Peace to everyone.
Fr. Jun Mercado, OMI

25 June 2012

Badal Concept

Peace!

Badaliyya is a movement based on the concept of BADAL (an Arabic word for "Substitution" or "Ransom". The inspiration comes from the "understanding" that interreligious relation, is primarily a movement of LOVE - a PASSIONATE LOVE that moves one to offer his/her life that others may have life and life to the full. It is a movement of self-expenditure... The model is Jesus Christ in the cross who paid the price by being a RANSOM for us!

St. Francis of Assisi and Blessed Charles de Foucault are few examples of Badal.  The Badaliyya movement got the first impetus through the initiatives and efforts of Fr. Louis Massignon, Mary Kahil and their friends in the Academy specializing in Middle East Studies.

Beginning this June 28^th, 2012, Thursday, we shall revive our monthly Badaliyya  Session (every last Thursday of each month) at the Conference Hall of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (2^nd Floor of NDU Main Canteen) from 3: 30 pm to 5:00 pm.

Bring also your friends and members of your community…

For more information, visit the website of the Badaliyya Philippines at http://www.badaliyya.blogspot.com/

Be well!

Bapa Eliseo "Jun" Mercado, OMI

Blessed Charles de Foucauld

Badaliyya Philippines

Badaliyya Philippines

June 2012

Dear Friends,

The present ambiguities in Southern Philippines and in the world, have become a source of an extra push to revive the Badaliyya Prayer on each last Thursday of the month.  We will begin the monthly updates at 3:30 pm and conclude with a 30-minute prayer beginning at at 4:30 pm.  The first session is scheduled on the 28^th of June 2012 at the Conference Hall of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (2^nd Floor of the NDU Main Canteen).

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In this first session, we shall reflect on the call to “substitutionary prayer” following Louis Massignon’s own suggestion to turn to Charles de Foucauld and Saint Francis for inspiration and enlightenment.

At Tamanrasset in the southern Algerian desert Foucauld realized that he needed to know and understand theTouareg people in order to truly live with them. In fact he wanted to assimilate himself into their way of life, in a sense to “become Touareg”. Not only did he allow himself to eat what those to whom he dedicated his life ate but he learned their language as intimately as they knew it, as well as their history, traditions, folklore, poetry and beliefs. “To make oneself understand is the beginning of everything, in order to do something good”, he wrote. “It isn’t enough to pray for the salvation of others, nor even to lovingly give oneself to them, but to offer oneself body and soul for their souls”.

Please join us in person and invite your friends or in spirit as we pray for peace and reconciliation in the Mindanao and other parts of the planet. .

Peace to you.
Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, OMI

Invitation to Monthly Badaliyya Session

Dear Friends of the Badaliya,

The Badaliya Movement began in Cairo in 1934 with Fr. Louis Massignon and companions. In keeping with Massignon's spirituality as well as that of his friend and mentor, Blessed Charles de Foucauld. The movement began with a shared concern for the mounting religious conflicts in the Middle East, especially in Palestine/Israel. 

By renewing the spirit of the Badaliya for our time in Southern Philippines, we are hoping to encourage mutual respect, understanding and dialogue between Massignon's two of the three Abrahamic traditions that are found here in the Southern Philippines and wherever others join us in spirit around the world. In the spirit of our friends and guides, Louis Massignon and Charles de Foucault, we believe, as they did, that any efforts at reconciliation and social action must begin in prayer.

We are planning to begin, again, the Badaliyya in Cotabato starting July 27th 2012.  The suggested day for the monthly Badaliyya session is every last Friday of each month. We can begin our session at 3:00 p.m. and conclude with a light merienda at about 5 p.m. The place of our monthly meeting is at the conference room of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (2nd Floor of the University Main Canteen).

The revival of the Badaliyya Session each month is an invitation for us to struggle more intently with what we are called to become as people of faith and dialogue. We shall discuss and share the meaning of the Arabic word, badaliya, substitution, etc. Substitution is a controversial and challenging call that we will continue to explore through the writings of Massignon and others at our gatherings.

We shall begin our prayer together in silence. We can use a piece of music to help us focus our prayer, and then spent some time in silent reflection. We shall center our gathering on the theme of peace in Southern Philippines. There will be scripture passages, a reading from the Qur'an. Our intercessory prayers will include a plea for peaceful resolution to the crises in the Southern Philippines and the Middle East and for conversion of hearts of all those whose hatred leads them to terrorist actions. We pray for the courage to forgive them by offering ourselves in their place to be reconciled to a benevolent God. We shall close with the prayer of our Church, the Lord's Prayer.

Peace and Blessing to everyone.

Fr. Jun Mercado, OMI

June 09, 2012

Please access our website at www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

Dhikr for the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (B)

Gospel Reading: Mark 14: 12-16. 22-26

Selected Gospel Passage:  “While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many’.” Mark 14: 22-24)

Corpus Christi Sunday reminds us that we are truly “partakers” of Jesus’ Body and Blood.  As Jesus is broken and shared for the many… so are we!

Visit

www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

www.omigen.org/jpic

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1.  Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…