Marry Me

Ave Maria:-)

26yrs praise the Name of Jesus... thanks be to St. Joseph, Mama Mary..angels and saints in heaven.. thanks be to the holy souls in purgatory who can also pray for us..and would not wish us to have their experience . Better for us to be todo purified on earth and when we exit ..we open our eyes and realize we made it to heaven! Hallelujah.thank You Jesus

Ahhh ...Married LIFE.

Everyone who has had an experience of married life whether it was blissful, tumultous, harrowing, roller-coaster, challenging, boring ..hehehe .. will proclaim : " I am the Resource Person for this. I could write a book... no,no.. make it...I could write volumes on this and give the Harry Potter author a run for her money."

Ah yes... the __________ world of marriage.Not all the adjectives after all in Webster's could possibly describe it.

What would be one's thoughts after making it to the 26th year.. and still counting 

Dare I list do's and don'ts..?

Could one offer to write a manual .... tada! Presenting---> The Intro to married life.. Buhay Mag-asawa 101... Perfecting the Husband and Wife role... Daddying and Mommying...

How to have a Successful Marriage ( now that somehow sounds "off" becoz it makes marriage sound like a business endeavor , and we know it is much more than that)

Well on our 26th year..Dilbert and I will stare at each other..eyeball to eyeball ... we will scan our current horizon..look at the people and circumstances that lace our life... we will gingerly recall the past... sometimes with a lot of good humor.. but also with some regrets and remembrance of pains and sufferings.. we will scratch our heads..and if we were humble enough give our self and then each other a kick in the butt for all the stubborn, foolish decisions we made.. for the times we cared more about our pride..our friends... the culture... the image... the principle... rather than care about each other ..in the way that God wants us to.

This is my only Marvelous Declaration:   HE DID IT.

Jesus did it.

He paved the way for us.

He carried us many times thru the years, picked us up when we were at our weakest... fought for us..when  we no longer cared to put up a fight (against all evil oppressions)... Marriage and family life is a venue where we can experience  how His words are true : 

Jesus says: "I am the Way, the Truth..the Life... no one goes to the Father except thru me."

Jesus showing the Way :

In our chaotic, selfish world... we are exhorted... warned even.. to not give our all in a relationship... to fight for our rights... to set certain limits... to have pre-nups ( imagine, this little document immediately divides a couple.. it is a tho' you enter a marriage with the intent of making a sure hasty exit the moment you smell "fire")

but The Way of Jesus is the Way of faith in God's plan for us.. the way of humility ..of obedience to the Father's Will...it is the Way of building, not destroying ..and building always with love, faith and truth as our Master teaches us... The Way of Jesus is that of forgiveness ... selflessness... charity. 

these are building blocks that Jesus shares with us while we build our relationships.

He is the Truth : 

The world preaches that marriage is as good as a shoe.When you no longer find it suitable..when it becomes old and broken.. when a shoe of newer fashion, sleek and glamourous comes along..we may discard of the old shoe .. we may end the marriage without blinking an eye.. nor taking into account dangerous and painful  consequences. To be sure , if a marriage was tinged with authentic abuse such  as forcing a partner into prostitution ..these are grounds to consider having a marriage annulled --- but as it is... we find the tiniest misunderstanding as sufficient cause to terminate the marriage.

Jesus is the Life.... Whether it be marriage ... a friendship... a career... an apostolate... a vocation... we cannot rely on our human resources/powers to carry on and to do it exceedingly well. It is God Who is the Sole Giver of Life and  life encompasses all His abundant gifts: wisdom, good health, opportunities... strength... loving, supportive freinds... Christ's life is such that even in the midst of our most painful circumstance... his Life, His love helps us overcome all adversities... and we come out even better persons, perhaps wiser..perhaps humbler.. growing in goodness.

Jesus lends us His patience, He teaches us when  to laugh and when to cry.. when to speak and when to hold back our words lest it cause irreparable damage... His life in us makes us desire for others to recieve and delight in this life..

Marriage covers just about everything from learning how to raise a family.. to character building.. to earning a livelihood for the sake of family, we need God's sustaining love  to fulfill our responsibilities  . ...even when our bodies are dying , yet our spirit remains strong because He is our life!     

It's a different story..different set of elements in every marriage... that makes it all the more exciting... I think Dilbert and I are just grateful , we had enough common sense to simply yield and cooperate with God's grace... because if we insisted on our own merits... all hell will break loose..and that's putting it tamely. 

Does it get better... Can the deepest of wounds be healed... Can love grow again...Can we learn to trust and have faith and be willing to take a chance with our loved one?

The answer to all of the above is :YES...YES... YES!!!!

And only because God loves us..and has a good plan for us... 

We are beholding each other's grey hairs... he used to have more..but I am fast overtaking him... when we lie down... we have our individual groans of where it hurts... a back.. a leg.... hahahaha.... we still drive each other crazy..and vow never to marry each other again if that were possible...and then in the same breath I know we will vow to still marry each other Again.

sharing this song with you titled My Tribute ...thanking also all family and friends who have been such strong spiritual, moral support these years...God bless you evermore. May Christ provide for Your every need and more.

How Can I say thanks for the things You have done for me..things so undeserved..yet You give to prove Your love for me... the voices of a million angels could not express their gratitude ..all that I am and ever hope to be...I owe it all to Thee.

Chorus: To God be the Glory ... for the things He has done

With His Blood He has saved me..with His power He has raised me 

.. to God be the glory for the things He has done. 

Just let me live my life.. let it be pleasing Lord to Thee..and should I gain any praise ..let it go to calvary....!

All praise and glory to God Alighty!...................te mye 

Padre

Ave Maria:-)

Countless times have I thanked the Lord for the gift of priests.

This morning at mass ... another Augustinian priest...he has grown old gave again a most enlightening , inspiring homily. I guess that's the domino effect, that when our mind recieves enlightenment , the following action would be to be so inspired...just ready to do as God bids us How clear, how simple , how powerful and precise his preaching  was...  was so frustrated that I forgot my celfon at home , could not record his homily, was forced to jot fast as I could his talk.

Blessed be God for priests who prepare...who give it their all..who truly want to teach the faithful...and who in all probability have an interior life, because if not, they would not recieve this glorious anointing.    

Last week there were 2 funeral masses in one day... it so happened that at both masses , twas the same young priest present. I was smiling to myself in the evening at the funeral parlor because right after the mass , an impromptu eulogy was held , the poor priest was stuck ... he had another appt. but could not leave ... he braved the longgggg speeches. The captive audience (this one included) was dying to make a fast exit, hehe but we couldn't as we were sitted in front. 'Was just reflecting how this experience is like a regular thing for priests ( weddings, baptisms,countless holy masses, anointing of the sick, funeral masses, pastoring the flock --- list goes on and on) there is no day off, once you get ordained as priest -- you are a priest forever!  how fast we are to complain about them , to put them down, to castrate them, without taking into account the great sacrifice one makes to have this vocation... to leave safety and fulfilment of one's family, even homeland ..or a prosperous career. One must do that to follow the footsteps of Jesus.

  

Now the young priest has a sunny disposition... his homilies well prepared yet one can sense his humility and openness to any last minute inspiration from the Holy Spirit. He has a musical gift ..uses it quite often, singing very beautifully in his tenor voice - but you will not be put off because it does not sound as tho' he is showing off -- if at all... it enhances his service. I pray that as he continues in his priestly ministry , that no matter what the challenges will be, that he will not lose the joy and hope he exudes... and that he grows in wisdom and love for Christ and the church.   

Even as the church is beseiged by complaints of some abuses made by priests of a magnitude we think we will never recover from... yet the light of Christ still shines brightly thru his anointed ones... his consecrated ones.

Jesus will not allow his priests to perish...for as long as they seek shelter in Him be faithful to His teachings and that of   Mother Church, they will survive all onslaughts...all evil oppressive attacks upon them.

Jesus in his wisdom knew that someone must continue his work of shepherding his people. May we no longer take them for granted ,

 nor nail them to the cross to the point where instead of helping them be effective priests, we cause them to fail even more  and to finally give up. 

Shame on us if this be the case.We will be the ones held accountable. 

 In these times how helpful it would be to review the value of the priesthood.

After all it was not established by our Lord just so that men could have a platform for their vanity or be a perfect tool for the power-hungry. Everything that our Saviour did had a sublime reason. 

One becomes a priest thru a holy sacrament ( there are seven).

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is the continuation of Christ's priesthood, which He bestowed upon His Apostles; thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the Sacrament of Holy Orders as "the sacrament of apostolic ministry."

"Ordination" comes from the Latin word ordinatio, which meansto incorporate someone into an order. In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, a man is incorporated into the priesthood of Christ, at one of three levels: the episcopate, 

the priesthood, or

 the diaconate.

Even as far back as the Old Testament we will see how priests figured in important roles for the chosen people..the Israelites.

The Priesthood of Christ:

The priesthood was established by God among the 

Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. God chose the 

tribe of Levi as priests for the nation. Their primary duties 

were the offering of sacrifice and prayer for the people.

Yet these priests would never be able to perfectly atone for the sins of mankind... even if they offered all unblemished lambs, all oxen, pigeons, creatures or even men and women to obtain the complete forgiveness of mankind's sins, their efforts would be futile.

hence the Coming of Jesus....

Christ, in offering Himself up for the sins of all mankind, fulfilled the duties of the Old Testament priesthood once and for all. But just as the Eucharist makes that sacrifice present to us today, so the New Testament priesthood isa sharing in the eternal priesthood of Christ.

While all believers are, in some sense, priests, some are set aside to serve 

the Church as Christ Himself did.

And what are the 3 levels of priesthood ?

did we think that bishops' work was primarily administrative..?or just to be bosses in their jurisdiction? In the following explanation, I now realize why on several occasions the past years.... why many have been so moved, even converted by powerful preaching of bishops -- no wonder 

since it is one of the gifts bestowed upon them.

 Especially when the church is rocked with sensitive issues such as abortion, relativism, etc... the preaching by bishops is so authoritative, many times divinely inspired. 

There is only one Sacrament of Holy Orders, but there are three levels. The first is that which Christ Himself bestowed upon His Apostles:

 the episcopate. 

A bishop is a man who is ordained to the episcopate by another 

bishop (in practice, by several bishops). He stands in a direct, 

unbroken line from the Apostles, a condition known as 

"apostolic succession."

Ordination as a bishop confers the grace to sanctify 

others,as well as the authority to teach the faithful and to 

bind their consciences. Because of the grave nature of this 

responsibility, all episcopal ordinations must be approved 

by the Pope.

No wonder that when they speak..they have such power... it is because they are commissioned for it...praise the Lord.

2nd level: priests

The Ordination of Priests:

The second level of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is 

thepriesthood. No bishop can minister to all of the faithful in his 

diocese, so priests act, in the words of the Catechism of the 

Catholic Church, as "co-workers of the bishops." They exercise 

their powers lawfully only in communion with their bishop, 

and so they promise obedience to their bishop at the time 

of their ordination.

The chief duties of the priesthood are :

1)the preaching of the Gospel and

 2)the offering of the Eucharist.

The Ordination of Deacons:

The third level of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is the diaconate. 

Deacons assist priests and bishops, but beyond the preaching of the Gospel, they are granted no special charism or spiritual gift.

when one becomes a priest ..there is a distinct change in him...

Once a man has been ordained, he is spiritually changed, 

which is the origin of the saying, "Once a priest, always a 

priest." He can be dispensed of his obligations as a priest 

(or even forbidden to act as a priest); but he remains a 

priest forever.

Each level of ordination confers special graces, from the 

ability to preach, granted to deacons;

to the ability to act in the person of Christ to offer the Mass, granted to priests; 

to a special grace of strength, granted to bishops, which allows him to 

teach and lead his flock, even to the point of dying as Christ did.

this will be all for now.. let us pray for all priests, for an increase in priestly vocations ...may God strengthen them... while we as lay people , humbly acknowledge the years of training and spiritual formation that these 

priests have undergone - let us not be so foolish as to think we have all the expertise in interpreting and 

explaining the Word of God... 

I must end with this reminder : God's Word cannot be interpreted without taking into  consideration several elements : like the culture, the history, theology .... church teaching and of course guidance from  the Holy Spirit -- let us humbly learn from those who have sacrificed their lives to become able shepherds of Christ's flock.Thank You dear Jesus for molding good priests. ..................................have a wonderful Sunday.............te mye  

Ang Pamilya

Ave Maria:-)

In one's so short lifetime we will have our share of laughs, tears, blows and wounds.No one is exempt..it is the reality of life..a life marred by the entry of sin in the heart of man. We take the story of Adam and Eve for granted yet... in truth the saga of mankind stems from their foolish , and arrogant mistake. To even consider the idea of living a life alienated from God... to prefer to believe the devil's lie and insinuation..that to partake of the forbidden fruit would make us like God or even greater than GOD.Such arrogance indeed. 

And yet if Adam and Eve cared to understand just how much God loved them... to the point that we were created in the image and likeness of GOD... appointed to be stewards of God's marvelous creation- to partake of the very life and love of GOD - how could they exchange it for satan's lie and empty promise.? Our capacity to make horrendous decisions is unparalleled.

Oh yes if Papa Adam and Mama Eve made this foolish mistake you can be sure , we too inherited a lot of this- the strain of sin  ... we gingerly try swimming forbidden seas... we wonder if our own strength, wisdom and love can hold out...we consider if the world and the devil can in fact offer truer joys, lasting glories...? Oh how we wonder and then wander... and inevitably we will colossally stumble and fall and be gravely hurt.No kidding.

The visit to Ubay Bohol is useful for this reflection. To be sure, no family is perfect. And admittedly .. on my father's side ... our mistakes could scare even the best of saints. Have we failed each other..have we wounded each other? Have we closed our doors on each other... and treated each other as dirt? Even if I will want to say "NO." yet the Spirit of God urges me and you to humbly say ..."Yes we have done some of that..perhaps all of that in varying degrees."

Family reunions are useless , the joys will be fleeting..if we cannot find its connection and relation to our Heavenly Father , He Who created us out of love.True love.

Any sweetness..goodness we sense and appreciate in each other... goes beyond the idea that we probably inherited this from parents..grandparents... oh the line will be traced all the way to the Source of Goodness, Truth and Life..our Heavenly Father... and His revelation thru His Son Jesus Christ. 

At the birthday pary for Ric-ric which became the instant family reunion.. at the visit of Alice and Mona to Cagting, to see where their mother lived and played with her brothers and sisters as a child... to hold a party in Bay Daku ... the ancestral home... to hear the laughter, the music... to embrace.. to savor the food... to be cocooned even if for a few hours in just tender love and acceptance... it is impossible not to remember God in all of this...both impossible and improbable.

We have many other families to visit and re connect with..may the Lord open the doors and open our hearts... may He just pave the way. But as we wait for it to happen..let us keep praying , interceding for Christ to unite our hearts in His love.. to shroud us in His mercy.Above all to heal us from the wounds caused by sin...to live for Him , following the Way He so clearly taught His disciples - a life of obedience  , to His Father..  to  be so renewed  in God's love.Amen.