Ave Maria:-)
Weather in Manila at present is the perfect type to invite those invisible viruses...
'was chatting with a dear cousin.. she too had a lingering bout with coughs and other pluses 
.. funny how when our body decides it has had enough (of everything
) that the affliction multiplies ..So for starters you can have the cough, then the chest/ back-pains in the evening provide background music... a tooth-ache pops from out of nowhere and of course it if there's a tooth-ache.. the head-ache can't be far behind, hehehe.
In all of these , would we then be tempted to call out: " Yoo-hoo Lord
, where are you... just wondering if you took a break, becoz things are kinda difficult down here...
.. funny how when our body decides it has had enough (of everything) that the affliction multiplies ..So for starters you can have the cough, then the chest/ back-pains in the evening provide background music... a tooth-ache pops from out of nowhere and of course it if there's a tooth-ache.. the head-ache can't be far behind, hehehe. In all of these , would we then be tempted to call out: " Yoo-hoo Lord, where are you... just wondering if you took a break, becoz things are kinda difficult down here...
" In fact our beloved Lord did not take a break..and if we thought Jesus was close to us in "good times"... oh the closer He is... when we're on our low-bat days -- was looking for a better adjective than low-bat -- pero talagang low-bat even my thinking processes... hahaha , so now believe me.
Am not masochistic... but maybe moms and wives can relate to this
.... how when our batteries have run low... there's also a wonderful side?? In the sense that you are officially "on leave" , becoz even if they drag you out of your bed... they can't find any usefulness for you, hahaha.. not in the way they're expecting anyways... this simply means calling your office :
.... how when our batteries have run low... there's also a wonderful side?? In the sense that you are officially "on leave" , becoz even if they drag you out of your bed... they can't find any usefulness for you, hahaha.. not in the way they're expecting anyways... this simply means calling your office :
1) phone in and say you can't make it --Ta-da!
2) household duties, the heavy stuff at least temporarily ON HOLD ... YES Virginia, the laundry and ironing can wait.. this is not the week you do spring-cleaning, give the dogs a bath .. clean the closets.. check supplies... go to the grocer, do all the errands... and the list goes on and on
3) in church or the organization you're affiliated with and where you normally do cartwheels daily, managing 3 -4 assignments at the same time...i know..i know
..it's crazy, a killer pace..not healthy..and in the end probably not even productive ...hahaha... for sure the Lord has the last laugh at the silly choices we make in life.
, managing 3 -4 assignments at the same time...i know..i know ..it's crazy, a killer pace..not healthy..and in the end probably not even productive ...hahaha... for sure the Lord has the last laugh at the silly choices we make in life.
4)so everyone who is used to you being Mrs. Wolverine or the 2013 edition of Wonder Woman -- cannot ...for the life of Shrek understand why you are limp and useless... that is the funniest part of all. Dark Victory if there ever was one.
Admittedly... raising the white flag and confessing you are not invincible after all is So Liberating.... 
thank You Dear GOD.
whether I've met these characters in the past... eons ago..the present or in a dream about the future does not matter but here are snippets of how human beings cope with illness.
First Tale - believe it or not this story has been replicated a dozen times over
1) visiting at a hospital --- the patient ( X) whom we were going to pray over also had an unexpected visitor... this male-female visitor(B) arrived with the news that he/she was also sick
.. a suspicious growth somewhere in the body ... My friend automatically says " well
, let the doctor take a look at it , where's your health card?"
.. a suspicious growth somewhere in the body ... My friend automatically says " well, let the doctor take a look at it , where's your health card?"
... B: " I wish we were covered as much as you and your peers are - this is a nice hospital you checked in , you sure have great health benefits"...
X: " How much is your coverage?"
B: "uhmm about _______"
X:" Hey that will suffice... go to your doc.. have that growth removed... pronto..enseguida!"
Maye ( getting the creeps ) :( to myself) " How is it the Lord is not consulted at all in this situation...?? after all He is both Saviour, Healer, Provider and All to us -- He can guide and anoint the doctors who minister to us.. and make the procedures truly healing... He can even spare you surgery, He can do what's best for us...
How hard to be so self-sufficient and so on top of everything..that there is no need for God , no need for His saving help. How sad that for every problem..we must check our wallet..whom we know..what human powers /resources we have " Ang yabang natin.
" Ang yabang natin.
At any rate we did get a chance to pray...invited B to join the prayer... X was going thru the motions
of prayer-- but really it was B who openned up to the grace of GOD. he/she followed the prayer...
listened intently and when the time came to confess our wrongdoings... our amnesia in seeking God, our ungratefulness, unkindness of every sort...... and after lifting the illness, all weaknesses and fears to the Lord... glory of glories..! tears started streaming down B's face.... X so totally unprepared , even incredulous ... how could B be affected by that prayer.
Hu-wat duh??
Hu-wat duh??
Simple Answer : when we realize our weakness..that empty space within us ..there is a natural movement to yearn for GOD... He comes and lets Himself be found.
Praise Him!
Praise Him!
Tale 2
In the year 1950 --- hehehehe --- ok, I cannot will not divulge identities -- here is a true story of a family so ridden with conflicts : basically stemming from love of money, love of the world, love of self.. am almost afraid to say possibly love of the devil --- because when we alienate ourselves too much from GOD and do everything that opposes Christ ..then who is it we worship and serve indeed? And we even try to disguise this with self-righteousness ... tricky..trick
y........
y........
Let this family be called Takeshi : with the proud , self-sufficient Father and Mother rearing equally proud , willful children ... At the apex of their material wealth, they had everything money could buy.. so much power even in the political and business arena... In the process ...forgetting GOD, as they themselves became demi-gods.
The bible keeps repeating how we must make God our Firm Foundation or else whatever it is we build will not stand...
1) their family life suffered... each child marrying and divorcing ... bearing children who would not love their parents
2) entering businesses that would one day claim due punishment for the businesses harmed the lives of people, the very souls of people.
3)poor little rich girl/poor little rich boy would often enter your mind as you mused on each sibling's life.
4)the quest for ownership of properties driving them to do things you only see in movies... hair-pulling, physical violence over the family's wealth, too much hate , bitterness, envy, unforgiveness, the greed enough to choke whatever Monsters sail the 7 Seas.... to such a scandalous degree.
No one is strong and invincible for ever... God can raise the lowly and bring down the mighty, Mama Mary mentions this in her Magnificat... yes in the twinkling of an eye, God can put man in his proper place.....
there is nothing we can boast of before Him.NOTHING.
St. Paul urges us instead to boast instead of what the Lord has done for us..hmmm that makes sense.
No one would ever think that in future decades , the once powerful, beautiful and strong family would loose capacity to think, to eat or bathe one's self... their very memories taken away from them... at the mercy of caregivers.
The remaining siblings one by one succumbing to a new unknown phase in their life.
Everyone , and I mean everyone suffering affliction - physical affliction in itself is painful -- but to be bereft of love and peace ... of hope and knowledge of a forgiving GOD that is the greatest tragedy of all.To be a family yet not a family for there is more division than love. This is more than the heart can bear...this is the real poverty...poverty of spirit.
As one sibling succumbs to an affliction , we pray and hope that the heart softens, that there be a humbler stance in life... a timely surrender to GOD... ... your heart goes out to them for all you hear will be : contacting the most renowned doctors...submitting to the most expensive procedures... making sure papers are in order...
being cold-blooded about healing is dumbfounding.... for how can healing reach a cold, cold heart.?
And still the talk on their lips is of wealth that must not be shared....
Dearest God.... have mercy on us when we cannot see the error of our ways....
when we do fall ill... may it lead us to deeper reflection of life and more important our new life in Christ.
have to go sweeties.... God bless you all..... te mye
Hebrews 13:1-8 something to ponder on.....
Let brotherly love continue.
Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment,
and of the ill-treated as of yourselves,
for you also are in the body.
Let marriage be honored among all
and the marriage bed be kept undefiled,
for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.
Let your life be free from love of money
but be content with what you have,
for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.
Thus we may say with confidence:
The Lord is my helper,
and I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment,
and of the ill-treated as of yourselves,
for you also are in the body.
Let marriage be honored among all
and the marriage bed be kept undefiled,
for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.
Let your life be free from love of money
but be content with what you have,
for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.
Thus we may say with confidence:
The Lord is my helper,
and I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
