Packed with the daily words of God, Gospel Power 2017 is now out to touch more lives and inspire more souls. A book signing by Sr. Bernardita Dianzon, FSP (Sr. Bernie) was held on September 17, 2016 at the 37th Manila International Book Fair at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. During the event, Sr. Bernie, obliged to be interviewed regarding the genesis of Gospel Power and her insights into this apostolic project. So, get ready and be “soaked” in God’s words!
When and how did you start writing the Gospel Power reflections?
Sr. Bernie: For many years, I have been nurturing the desire to offer something like daily bread to the people… something which is a fruit of prayer and reflection on the Word of God. In 2012, a convergence of signs indicated to me that the time was ripe to begin. The first sign was the series of retreats guided by Sr. Bernarda Cadavid. She said that our way of praying as Paulines is distinct, because we turn to the Bible to “eat the Word.” Second sign: before the centenary of the Pauline family, I was asked to give a recollection on the topic “St. Paul as Communicator.” It made me reflect on how St. Paul would have harnessed today’s communication technology for the Gospel. Third sign: the Juniors’ Congress that year focused on Evangelization through the Social Media, and the conference by an invited expert was opened to all interested sisters. That was the first time that I opened a Facebook account. A few days later, on my birthday (June 12), I thought of giving the Lord a gift. The Gospel that day was about “being the light of the world and the salt of the earth.” The first Facebook post of Gospel Power was born that day. It became a daily commitment until now, which is already the fourth year. Then some sisters suggested having the reflections published. And so the first volume of Gospel Power was born in 2015. It’s all the work of the Holy Spirit!
What are your hopes for the readers?
Sr. Bernie: When they ask for a book-dedication, what I write is, “May this book help you to get soaked in the Gospel.” The image I have in mind is a sponge which, when immersed in liquid, absorbs it.” My idea of being a Christian is precisely that you emit through every pore of your skin the Gospel that you have absorbed. If a person is immersed in the Gospel, every thought, action, and word will be enlightened by Gospel values. And that’s what I hope would happen to the readers.
What were your preparations in writing this book?
Sr. Bernie: I was sent to study Scriptures, and that preparation is useful in the work of training future priests. But that’s academic and confined to theological schools. I wanted something more pastoral, a reach-out to ordinary people. Writing these reflections enables me to balance the academic with the pastoral.
What’s the hardest part or the challenges you’ve encountered in writing the Gospel Power reflections?
Sr. Bernie: The time factor. For example, my classes in Tagaytay are every Tuesday, which means I have to prepare also the reflection for Wednesday, because I will be in school the whole of Tuesday. But since the reflections are fruit of actual prayer of the day, they cannot be prepared much ahead. Anyway, God provides, so I will not really call it a hardship. It’s God’s work!
Did you have any amusing stories or experiences in the course of writing the Gospel Power reflections, something that you always remember?
Sr. Bernie: Maybe not amusing but encouraging… the feedback of the people. You know that the social media is interactive. In Facebook, the readers of my posts can interact with me. When I was just starting the daily Facebook posts, I kept asking the Lord if this endeavor was just my idea or He really wanted it. So in the beginning weeks and months, I used to have doubts, because I was afraid that I was just pursuing my own project, but it was not really God’s project. But you see, whenever such doubts assailed me and I would feel discouraged, that’s the time the Lord, through the feedback of the people, encouraged me. For example, during one of those doubt-moments, I received communication from an OFW in the Middle East saying that, “you know, Sister, your Gospel Power posts serve as my daily nourishment, because the church closest to the place where we work is several miles away. We could not always attend the Sunday mass.” For me, that message was God’s assurance that he wanted me to continue because the project was his.
There are also other books that have the Gospel with reflections and prayers, but what’s unique about this book?
Sr. Bernie: What I can assure the readers is that every Gospel reflection and short invocation are the fruit of prayer. I realized that God wanted me to do it on day-by-day basis. I have tried to write reflections in advance, but I could not. It has to be day-by-day and always in the context of prayer.
What did you enjoy most in writing this book?
Sr. Bernie: Maybe not enjoyment in the sense of feeling some worldly sort of pleasure, but the certainty that God wants it, that’s what gives me joy. And I’ll continue doing it as long as God wants it.
How is writing the Gospel Power different from your other writings/ works?
Sr. Bernie: All the works I have written were not planned or intended for publication. For example, Fact vs. Fiction in the Da Vinci Code was simply meant to give information to the sisters of the province about the disturbing book of Dan Brown in 2006. Seeing that the information would also enlighten many, the sisters proposed that it be published. Then in the year of St. Paul in 2008-2009, we thought in the Editorial that we should release materials on St. Paul. I already had a compilation of articles published in Paulines Magazine, so I just gathered those and put them together with the papers that I delivered in biblical conferences. And so, Glimpses of Paul and his Message came to be published. Gospel Power was originally daily Facebook posts, and it still continues in that format.
Do you have any book/s in the pipeline?
Sr. Bernie: Actually, people have asked for alternative books on the Prayers of the Faithful. It could be an editorial project.
What marketing strategy or strategies do you find most helpful?
Sr. Bernie: The best marketing strategy is to fire the enthusiasm of the sisters themselves, so they would push for the diffusion of our publications. When we published the first volume of Gospel Power last year, we were amazed at the speed with which the copies were distributed. Almost all copies were out before December because the sisters were so enthusiastic to distribute it.
What inspires you?
Sr. Bernie: The Gospel itself.
What question you wished would have been asked to you about this book that nobody has asked yet?
Sr. Bernie: Maybe how the Gospel Power itself has shaped my life. And I would say that writing the reflections has helped me really to get soaked in the Gospel. When I speak about “getting soaked in the Gospel,” I know the experience firsthand. It’s enough to hear the Gospel at every mass. Reading and wrestling with the text makes it stay, and keeps me in constant dialogue with it throughout the day.
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