Time Flies

Was it just last February 14 when we celebrated Ash Wednesday?  It coincided with the celebration of Valentine’s Day. We are now in the middle of Holy Week. Holy Wednesday is also called Spy Wednesday.

The word spy means, to ambush or snare. It was on Holy Wednesday when Judas Iscariot had the intent to betray Jesus. He was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Judas agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

It rained last night. When I went out to sweep the yard, the garden was wet and my plants looked so happy.🤩  There were puddles on the side streets and infront of the house. I always feel disappointed that some passersby still throw their garbage on the street, cigarette butts, plastic cups with straw on them, candy wrappers and what have you, even plastic water bottles. Sometimes they even deliverately leave them atop my dwarf flowering Santan. What a shame!

“Heavenly Father, as I begin this Holy Wednesday morning, I come before You seeking Your peace and serenity.

Thank You Lord for all Your blessings.”

Read Full Post »

A Simple Prayer 26

Read Full Post »

Early Morning Gardening

Yes, I was at the garden at 6am, barely light but I love the early morning breeze that touch my cheeks and the sound of a morning just waking up. There is something nice about seeping a hot cup of plain black coffee with a small sachet of Stevia while thinking of what to tackle first, uprooting weeds or pruning. Sad really because some portions of my carabao grass finally dried up. Some plants are full of debris of old paint of the ceiling outside. It looks a little better now.

Josef cut one of our lime trees because some portions have dried up as well. There are some shoots emerging now, fresh young leaves that promise a lovelier growth than before.

These plants in our planter box suffered the brunt of repainting the ceiling and the walls.

Read Full Post »

Presence

There is a great happiness in knowing that you don’t suffer alone

When the strength of God’s love is always with you

God doesn’t give us crosses that we can’t bear…

One thing that gives me strength amidst trials and tribulations

Is God’s presence in my heart!

Help me oh Lord

to know  You

allow me to seek

and love You more!

Read Full Post »

Inspired And Moved

How important is spirituality in your life?

This is quite an interesting topic but really hard to define in one’s life. Some of us think that being religious and spiritual are the same. Being religious means you follow a set of rules within a community or congregation while being spiritual involves the recognition and sense or belief that there is something greater than yourself, a higher Being.

Back when I was scheduled for sigmoid surgery several years ago, we visited the Shrine of St. Padre Pio and I asked for petition that God would always guide me to do what is best and Padre Pio to pray for me as I undergo the knife. I was amazed when I wrote a two-page prayer spontaneously, my pen scratching the paper with gusto. We went back before I was scheduled for my first chemotherapy. Every time I had a check-up before chemotherapy schedule, we would pass by some churches and pray the rosary before going home. It always gave me a sense peace and well-being. I still do it until now while waiting for my doctor at The Medical City.

I remember these words from Henri Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey. The spiritual life of Nouwen is something so inspiring and uplifting, he says:

“Each day holds a surprise, but only if we expect it can we see, hear or feel it when it comes to us. Let’s not be afraid to receive each day’s surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or joy. It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity”.

When Fr. Lovell was still in the seminary, he used to share his journey to priesthood, he would even share my own experiences having cancer in his talks during spiritual retreats of UST students. One time he called me his spiritual mother. He is always supportive of my writings and being active as admin of our page, The Filipino Catholic.

Spirituality in my life? It is really important🙏🙏🙏

Read Full Post »

Remembering Those First Meetings With My Religious Friends

What a mouthful of a title.

Yes I met those cute and smart seminarians when I worked as a student librarian at the UST Main Library. Since I was assigned at the Humanities Section where they frequented, I met so many of them. That was wayback in the 70s. Our Prefect at the library was a Spanish priest who is now in Korea. My fellow student librarians at the section and I were even invited to some ordinations of our friends. Some are now friends on FB.

I met Lovell for the first time when he graduated in Theology in 2008 but he was Nissa’s friend in UST during their college days. I remember him gifting me with a Vatican rosary when we met. He is now almost 10 years into the priesthood and is assigned in Iloilo down south. He is one of my prayer warriors and we get in touch from time to time. He calls me his spiritual mother.

Fr. Louie who is also a Dominican is the creator of The Filipino Catholic page on FB. When he learned that I am a friend of Lovell back in 2010, he asked me to be one of the co -admins of our page which I hold until now. The family met him for the first time when we went to Santo Domingo Church during our Visita Iglesia in 2011. He came back here after his doctorate in Rome and is now the Secretary General of UST. I met the rest of my Dominican friends then.

I met Fr. Rey when he was still a seminarian in UST. We are from the same province so we speak the same language. We lost touch after college graduation. He went to the US for further studies and came back here when he was ordained as a priest. He stayed in New York for a number of years and came home I think a couple of years ago. We are now friends on Facebook. We always have a healthy exchange of comments when it comes to politics.

I have been a friend of Fr. Pao since 2018 I think but we haven’t met personally until last Monday. I often attend his masses online. Met the rest of the Paulinians friends when we went to the wake of my friend’s mom.

Last 2014, my friends and I had a small gathering here at home, pot luck but I did most of the cooking. For the first time I personally met Fr. Tacky, a Franciscan and Fr. Boy, who is a Dominican. They came over too. That was a lovely occasion, full of laughter and food. I also met some online friends who are members of our page.

Funny how after all these years, we are still in touch, kumustahan once in a while. Like Fr. Lovell, they are my prayer warriors too.

Read Full Post »

Oh Yeah!

I have these one Catholic page and two Catholic groups at Facebook of which I am an admin. Yesterday one of my co-admins featured me at Sambuhay Interaktib, a Society of St. Paul offshoot from their program every week.

Here’s what she posted at our site.

One of my grade schoool classmates who is a doctor disagreed with the word remission. According to her “remission of cancer means reduction of the signs and symptoms of cancer. Arlene is cancer free for many years now. Not on remission because cancer no longer exists within her. God is so great”.

All these years I also thought that once you have cancer and you get well, you are in remission. Now I learned another medical word with its true meaning.

I do enjoy being an admin of Sambuhay Interaktib. I get to meet SSP (Society of St. Paul) priests and brothers along the way and some members who work mostly outside the country.

Read Full Post »

A Simple Prayer

Read Full Post »

It’s Good Friday

I no longer remember how many times I blogged about Good Friday since I started at WordPress.

We used to have our Visita Iglesia on Good Friday. We visit seven churches in other towns and pray the Fourteen Stations of the Cross. In the afternoon, we watch The Seven Last Words. They are inspiring reflections of how Jesus died on the cross. For the second time now, celebrations of Lent and Holy Week are quiet affairs. I miss the procession in our town usually held very early on a Good Friday morning. It is a blessing though that we get to watch everything online.

It is so quiet here now except for the ocassional noise of cars passing by our subdivision. I took the opportunity to update our Catholic page and two Catholic groups of which I am an admin.

I remember a post I wrote nine years ago today. The message was sent by a close friend on a Good Friday.

These are reflections of an old man who donated blood one Good Friday.

“I gave blood, Christ gave His long ago; I gave a pint, He gave it all. My needle was short and sharp, His nails were large and dull. My cot was soft and restful, His cross was rough and hard. My med techs were kind and gentle, the soldiers were cruel and mean. The crowd applauded my sacrifice, those who passed by reviled Him. Mine was type A positive, His was positive for all. Mine, at best, will prolong life for a while, His without doubt will save us for all eternity”.

A blessed Good Friday to all.

BTW, it’s St. Pope John Paul II’s 16th death anniversary today.

Read Full Post »

It’s Holy Tuesday

We are on the second day of Holy Week. Busy with attending short recollections online before the Paschal Triduum begins on the night of Holy Thursday and ends on Easter Sunday night.

Holy Week is one of the most important event in the Catholic calendar.The most important feast day by far is the Feast of Pascha (Easter) – the Feast of Feasts. Then the Twelve Great Feasts, which commemorate various significant events in the lives of Jesus Christ and of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary).

Fr. Pao sent me his schedule starting tomorrow – they have the Stations of the Cross, recollection and the Seven Last Words on Friday.

My regret though is not being able to read your posts and commenting too. Monday next week, I won’t be busy anymore. Then I’ll have those backreads on your posts.

Nissa is doing well. Thank you so much for all your prayers and good thoughts for her. She received some gifts from friends. What caught my attention was this small crate of different fruits from three of her high school friends. Love that green avocado on top.

Kiwis, oranges and apples are usually imported but those fresh strawberries usually come from Baguio. Fruits are important when you had Covid.

I miss Nate. I miss those moments when we would play in the garden and pick kalamansi. I wonder when I’ll be able to see them again.

Read Full Post »