Just a week has passed since Lucban get-a-way.. and already a lot has transpired.About Lucban... there is this special thing about "sacred" mountains or places where God's Presence is more easily felt.
In the bible we know how Moses...Ezekiel ...great prophets had their glorious encounter with the Lord in holy mountains like Mt. Sinai... and Jesus himself... showed His divine side at a mountain..with 3 apostles to witness it..the Miracle called The Transfiguration... the sight of Jesus looking every inch God and Saviour and talking to Moses and Elijah must have overwhelmed and strengthened the 3 apostles so much.They could not be the same men. Their knowledge of who Jesus truly was increased..and this increase in knowledge led to an increase of faith and love as well. Lucban has to be mentioned again becoz today's reflection is based on what was gained from it and what could be so easily lost -- yep, in the blink of an eye!
What made Lucban special?
For one...all people you meet there at the Kamay ni Hesus shrine go there precisely to experience God's love... to encounter Him..to pray to Him..to thank and praise Him... to communion with Him and His people.
There is a vast difference worshipping the Lord in a setting where the people who sit beside you are absolutely bored , jaded...snoring or impatient through-out the holy mass... cannot wait till they can leave and go to the nearest mall..or eat at the fave resto.
Children whining only because parents have not explained to them the meaning of holy mass..of prayer... of loving and knowing Jesus.
It is not true that children cannot understand these things.. if we only tried and do it with enough faith and love..we will be surprised how young ones are the easiest to convince of how to worship the Lord..sure it doesn't happen overnite..yet if we elder ones persist and really show them how we ourselves are sincere about hearing mass and worshipping God..then children pick up and eventually worship becomes a prat of their system--- no longer something alien, outdated or boring -- but a joy to do... a gift from heaven!
Fr. Faller's birthday concert was held Sat. Evening.. upon arriving there...we immediately sensed the 'good vibes'... there were a lot of guest performers... priests..artists like Dulce and Aizza.. choirs , dancers from different communities... the audience was a happy, relaxed one.The guests not there to out-perform each other... Fr. Faller himself was relaxed, happy.. sharing God's blessings to his well-wishers... Our trip to Lucban took longer than usual..traffic so baaad.. yet this and all our tiredness
from city life were eased by the short stay we had there. 
After the show..some members spent the nite at the home of a community member -- that gave the sisters extra-precious bonding time.
The rest of the elders and brothers were billeted at Noah's ark. Strangely, tho' I suffered lack of sleep the whole week before Lucban, and suffered migraines..yet that evening I felt so refreshed and energized..almost could not sleep...and was not tired at all.
The air... the setting.. the people..even the staff who attended to us..whether this be production crew..audience or hotel staff..security gurads..were so kind.. kindness permeated the air..it healing in itself.
The following day..our young sisters arrived early... they wanted to climb the mountain.. see the sights... we had breakfast at Noah's Ark... strange how ordinary sunny-side eggs and espada dried fish and Lucban longganisa seemed divine cuisine.
I joined the brothers for breakfast...Jackson, Kuya Bong and hubby Dilbert our drivers ... Rocky ,Pips, Josh ..a giggling happy bunch.
And then the holy mass... We caught the 9 am mass..the small church is right at the foot of the mountain..From the church windows you can see the 14 Stations of the Cross lovingly built..and many pilgrim travelers.. going up the mountain.
The church is jampacked...there are monobloc chairs outside to accommodate the overflow... I observe the people... these are mostly Quezon folk, from Lucban, Tayabas...and many people from Manila.It warms your heart to notice how they are so prepared to worship the Lord.there is no fidgetting in the seats...The people make the church resound with their responses..their singing along with the choir... it is enervating and makes you want to cry from sheer happiness..because this is how it should be..and if we want heaven to open up and God's mercy to cascade unto us..we must give the Lord the praises and honor due Him.
the priest gives a simple yet stirring homily.. you notice how everyone except for babies and young children recieve holy communion and are reverent about it.
At the end of the mass... we are able to go up the mountain .. not without a lot of grunts and heaving hahaha... perspiration trickles , we catch our breath..yet as the climb goes higher..we also recieve that inner joy .. I know Jesus healed many if not all of us who went there to climb and pray.
And this healing was given in the part where we needed it most... first in our tired spirits... our heart..our anxious minds.. our weary bodies.
Jesus knows when our apparatus will conk out
..and He hears our prayers.He knows too when the crosses we bear have exhausted us so much that if He does not replenish our strength ,we will die perhaps not physically but in spirit..and that means Minus ONE more SOLDIER FOR CHRIST AND THAT does not make the Lord happy. the Lord promised He would be with us always..till the end of time and He is faithful!The keyword today is something we rarely use.
VORTEX DEFINED as NOUN: 1. A spiral motion of fluid within a limited area, especially a whirling mass of water or air that sucks everything near it toward its center.
After God had replenished and healed us , affirmed, confirmed, restored us in His love at Lucban... what do you know but that a VORTEX would await each and everyone in Manila.
We all have our Lucbans.. you need not go to a holy shrine to recieve in filling of God's love..it can happen at a seminar.. or in deep personal prayer..anywhere... but once we recieve this healing, this fresh anointing..we must be alert of the Vortex waiting out there.
For lack of a better word..let's use vortex to symbolize , the same old situation we have at home, in relationships, at work.in school..at church..same problems... same difficulties, handicaps... same strengths and weaknesses and be CAREFUL NOT TO GET SUCKED BACK INTO IT.
Instead let the whirlwind of the mighty Holy Spirit draw us...let us get caught in the orbit of Christ's Magnificent love!
Yes the same hardships might be there..they might have even multiplied hehe.
.. but we...you and I..God has changed us, is transforming us in His love..we are in better shape..He has aligned our coping mechanisms...from Can't Do...to Can do
..will do it with You Jesus, for You, Lord Jesus!Hallelujah... on this glorious Feast of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
..let us rejoice that we can always partake of the Lord...be fed and strengthened by His Body and BLood.John 6:51-58 Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
We praise and thank You Lord for knowing and giving what is best for your people. Praise You now and forever amen.
Take a break... enjoy these videos:My Tribute http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQDzoryP4gI
Lubel and Bing back-to-backhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRWMFMWdTu8
nalasing na HiponNalasing sa Hipon
Bless us this week oh God... Pour out Your blessings Most Gracious Father, in Jesus Name we pray!.......................... te mye
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