Ave Maria:-)
Facebook does have its benefits, one of them being automatic reminders of people celebrating birthdays.And that is so helpful for many of us... ooops..you're good at remembering birthdays?
anniversaries and the like? I must confess, it is not one of my gifts,
God forgive me.There is a couple in our community who are so graced with remembering almost everyone... - you will see them making the rounds - if time and health permit, they even buy a mass card with the celebrant's name submitted for year long prayer offerings by a religious congregation..what a superb gift indeed for it covers all needs. There will also be a gift that they personally deliver.What a blessing they are especially for those barely remembered by loved ones.Through them we experience God's love.
anniversaries and the like? I must confess, it is not one of my gifts, God forgive me.There is a couple in our community who are so graced with remembering almost everyone... - you will see them making the rounds - if time and health permit, they even buy a mass card with the celebrant's name submitted for year long prayer offerings by a religious congregation..what a superb gift indeed for it covers all needs. There will also be a gift that they personally deliver.What a blessing they are especially for those barely remembered by loved ones.Through them we experience God's love.
But that is them... and there is you and me
... and we both have our own way of remembering and reaching out to others. TRUE CONFESSION: I'll remember months in advance, even weeks before -- and then just when the date happens I am so totally clueless- amnesia attack - it's so embarassing. Ugh.
... and we both have our own way of remembering and reaching out to others. TRUE CONFESSION: I'll remember months in advance, even weeks before -- and then just when the date happens I am so totally clueless- amnesia attack - it's so embarassing. Ugh.
Today I am jolted out of my forgetfulness by Amy, I love calling her Amy even if her nickname is Am...short for Antonia.
It's her birthday, and y-i-k-e-s 
...she hugs me first and reminds me after the mass -- and I have the nerve to insist her bday is still on the 22nd --- but darn...
she knows her birthday and I meekly remember , it's another 1st cousin pala who has a birthday Aug.22 (Hi Gemmatot)
...she hugs me first and reminds me after the mass -- and I have the nerve to insist her bday is still on the 22nd --- but darn...she knows her birthday and I meekly remember , it's another 1st cousin pala who has a birthday Aug.22 (Hi Gemmatot)
It being Amy's birthday, can't help but remember how she was as a young teen-ager. She was quiet and reserved then .. still is... but like many brothers and sisters who have started that very personal walk with Jesus..how she has bloomed through the years...as a wife, a mother of 2 beautiful children.. as an elder in our community, as a businesswoman.. oh yes how she has grown and become a sweet blessing for many.
We never know how much we are capable of doing in life until years pass by and we look back and ask ourself
:"Wow..how did that happen?"
:"Wow..how did that happen?"
There will be enumeration of personal achievements ( education, career path, talents developed, fame, fortune and glory, the works
) ..perhaps we will also remember various tests... challenges... difficulties...even tragedies ..yet we are amazed how we survived it all. And it is not just merely surviving , but growing stronger in our faith in God... learning from our mistakes... and with God's grace becoming better persons... grounded in Christian truths , abounding in Christian love.
) ..perhaps we will also remember various tests... challenges... difficulties...even tragedies ..yet we are amazed how we survived it all. And it is not just merely surviving , but growing stronger in our faith in God... learning from our mistakes... and with God's grace becoming better persons... grounded in Christian truths , abounding in Christian love.
We are not amazed about worldly success... these we gamely applied our powers and resources to... not caring if there was a lot of sacrifice and pain involved..anyway--as we say in Tagalog : " Well tutal
...Makikinabang din naman ako in the end. So ok lang" . ( I'll benefit from all these hard work anyways.Won't lose. "
...Makikinabang din naman ako in the end. So ok lang" . ( I'll benefit from all these hard work anyways.Won't lose. "
But when it is growing up spiritually.... finding out that inspite of ourself (our weaknesses, our ungrateful and unbelievably proud and stubborn hearts) - that virtues can grow... that good fruits can abound..As Jesus commanded for us to bear " fruit... fruit that will last " --- ahhh that is when we marvel at God's goodness , at the might of His love... because really it was only by the love and sacrifice of Jesus our Saviour that we once again could become... be transformed into vessels of God's love.Praise the Lord!
... because really it was only by the love and sacrifice of Jesus our Saviour that we once again could become... be transformed into vessels of God's love.Praise the Lord!
A funny thing happened to Amy and to so many young men and women... they met Jesus along the way...discovered His Way of Life..and life was never the same.
Amy's first fruits were learning to be a good youth leader..then later on was elected Servant Leader of the community - how young she was then yet how wise ... yet she bore even sweeter fruit when she embraced marriage and motherhood. Her service didnot stop... she just found even more delightful ways to serve her Lord. Caring for a family , oh my this was the real challenge.
Sharing Jesus with her husband and children... there'd be times we'd prefer to be marooned on some island rather than let the Christ grow in us. Ex. Hu-wat me ask forgiveness from that fiend? No way, Jose.
Caring for a family , oh my this was the real challenge.Sharing Jesus with her husband and children... there'd be times we'd prefer to be marooned on some island rather than let the Christ grow in us. Ex. Hu-wat me ask forgiveness from that fiend? No way, Jose.
So what shall it be for us? Please Mama Mary pray that we choose wisely... to never..never take the easier , painless path as it often is a trap.May we choose You Lord Jesus. May we allow your incomparable love and wisdom to transform us.
A member in the family or in your office makes a career out of making life miserable for you -- yet you donot go down to his level... you donot , will not resort to the eye-for-an-eye.... buhay kapalit ng buhay type of justice.... Instead we pray for them , we ask the Lord to teach us how to deal with them... there will be glorious times when the Lord Himself fights our battles - that is soooo cool
as there will also be times when Jesus will ask us to be humble and suffer for His sake.
as there will also be times when Jesus will ask us to be humble and suffer for His sake.
Love as interpreted and parodied by the world is a conditional, false love... you do this for me..and I'll do this for you... Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.Stay as beautiful as ever... donot make the mistake of actually aging or losing your coca-cola figure and I'm yours forever.... or how about this... "how could I not love you when you are so rich and provide for all my caprices and whims.?"
It's wonderful to learn little by little true love as Jesus has shown us... It is a committed love... How it seeks the good, only the good for the beloved.
How it is willing to endure suffering, even lay down one's life ..if it leads to the salvation of another.
Painful tho' it may be to accept.. yet when the love we propose separates us from the Lord.. then it cannot be called love.
How often I asked Fr. Blanco to explain this predicament... of how we insist it is love... yet in God's eyes, and by His truths and purposes for us, it is not love. The dear old priest would not budge by his stand. Yet he gently added: "THAT IS WHY WE MUST PRAY, AND CONTINUE INSTRUCTION OF GOD'S WORD AND COMMANDS."
How often I asked Fr. Blanco to explain this predicament... of how we insist it is love... yet in God's eyes, and by His truths and purposes for us, it is not love. The dear old priest would not budge by his stand. Yet he gently added: "THAT IS WHY WE MUST PRAY, AND CONTINUE INSTRUCTION OF GOD'S WORD AND COMMANDS."
Teach us your ways oh Lord, and I will walk in your truth.
Reading 2 Eph 5:15-20
Brothers and sisters:
Watch carefully how you live,
not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity,
because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not continue in ignorance,
but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks always and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
Watch carefully how you live,
not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity,
because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not continue in ignorance,
but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks always and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
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