A-R-I-S-E

Ave Maria :-)

Wow longest leave ever from blogging ..and well so grateful for the opportunity granted now... this very moment

We all go thru phases... seasons... moments...situations.. much as we'd want to be the control freaks we pride 

ourselves in... we KNOW that there are a zillion things we cannot control, no matter if we have the greatest resources at our disposal - the wealth of Trump or an oil sheik, an arsenal of military weapons, genius,incredible talent, abilities, postcard-pretty family with an equally postcard-pretty home - material, career, political , social success success to the nth degree, beauty and brawn ... you name it... But...when phases or seasons come knocking ...we Do Lose Control - our coiffed hair (oh ??no more coiffed hair in year 2013?) , our well-made -up face, our ultra techie , marvelously organized life goes out the window... poof, bammm, gazzam...!!! 

a list of things you cannot control:

1) Mother Nature in a Rage - think tsunami, glaciers melting, the ozone layer destroyed, super typhoons,super fires

2) debilitating illness -- and it can pop out of nowhere -- one minute you are Godzilla or Wolverine in the flesh.. the next minute you are diagnosed with a Stage 2 sumthin

3) Broken Relationhip -- and we did didn't see it coming.. or did we? or maybe we were into denial.. or too busy with life?

But is not a relationship, the important ones anyways -LIFE itself. Can't hug the bank or the diamonds can we?

4)Serial Killers, Cuckoo crazy criminals who just decide to to kill dozens of innocent children , men , women and find 

their ideal setting -- a school..a mall ... a church... what is wrong with you guys?

5) Even Crazier Terrorist Groups - Dear God... somebody left hell's gates open and these demons now inhabit terrorists who donot think twice of blowing up an entire village or camp -- who think they go to heaven as they tie explosives on their body and then go and blow up the chosen site -- carnage everywhere and they shout the Name of God  as they do this... gives me the shivers as I try to imagine what this God would look like? Heaven help us.

In our own quiet Zamboanga ...a province in Mindanao --- the group MNLF has wreaked so much damage and loss of lives... burning 2,000 homes.. destroying economy of Zamboanga - nope... President P-NOY himself couldn't stop this in a jiffy..

Hey not even Obama could stop SYRIA or whoever caused that chemical attack killing hundreds of innocent children in Syria.

You and I go thru our seasons...phases.. some are long... could last a years, decade in the making... others just a few months 

or a few weeks... and then we have the short stories (for lack of a better term).

How are you my friend? How was your month? How was the last 6 months? a great 2013 for you. Praise God if you say yes..and if the reasons for this YES answer are life-giving reasons.

For me the past possibly 6-7 yrs have been extra special -- it's a mix of joys and sorrows... a lot of personal growth ... a lot of pruning ... my, my... didn't realize God takes special liking for the gospel passage of Jesus the Vine and we being his branches  -- where God prunes us ...cuts us so we can bear more fruit...fruit that will last (hehe FRUIT THAT IS WRITTEN ON HIS MENU NO DOUBT - this would refer to fruit of the Holy Spirit, virtues, good works, acts of mercy and the like) and if we fail to bear fruit ...we get gathered and thrown into the fire ... ouch.  

The branch Pruning Process seems to take eternity..and in fact till our last breath..there is always a greater surrender we can give to the Lord... but the great thing is we come out the better for it.

I know...can't make you read this forever... would just like to share with you how a gospel story LiteraLLy Rsurrected me.

Was sick the whole of August... never have been gifted with an athlete's strength.. my strength might be in areas other than my tiny physique... so.. coughed up a storm.. too many trips to the doc.. some wrong diagnosis along the way--- dear God please bless all doctors as they could actually kill us..hahaha.... praise God for docs who were given the healing touch -- bombardment of meds... more meds... till couldn't take meds anymore -- couldn't even taste the food... everything was bitter... 

Concurrent with this were important issues regarding our church community... and then I wondered was I the only one making an issue? dahil parang di naman affected ang iba hahaha.  but the Lord gave me so much needed guidance for this matter. 

when we have our storms or trials --we can't ask other stuff in life TO PLEASE STOP I AM SICK HERE -- time -out muna,puede?... I HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT PROBLEM TO ATTEND TO... so buzz off or take a holiday my other duties and obligations in life... !

Hehe, oh no dearie... life goes on ---and that is why it is called a TEST ... we have to keep the home fires burning..we need to keep loving and caring for a family friends..we need to attend to our work if our health permits it... Life does not stop really.

BUT OUR LORD SUPPLIES THE GRACE.

I learned the merry month of August to respect even more those who are sick and weak and disabled.

I learned and valued more doctors, nurses, caregivers, all in the health profession and how we must pray for them so that they too recieve their own healing and be able to be channels of God's healing love.

I had precious Face-Time with the Boss ... and He wuz like  WHO'S THE BOSS ,child?... and I am like : You are, Lord.

He does get our utmost full-attention when we are on the sick-bed... we stop being vain, precocious, self-sufficient -- we just thankfully slip into our Heavenly Father's arms , sleep and rest and Get Healed... with tons of Sorry , Lord 

The illness was recurring... not ever being completely healed... but even there I saw God's wisdom and infinite love.

I valued much more the days I could talk or sing... and constantly prayed please God deliver me from talking about foolish matters -- since I can't talk ... move as much as I'd want to... then we take care to use our energies for things that Do Matter, for the things God actually wants us to do..His To Do List not ours. hallelujah.

Illness gives us a different kind of courage..a deeper wisdom and faith ..even hope in the Lord.

There is no time to beat around the bush. We know when something is off-track, and we sense when the Lord wants us to speak up on the matter - and incidentally you don't have a moment's peace until you deliver God's Truth, no matter if it hurts. just do it in love.. and  God will deal with the matter in His perfect time.

Finally... inspite of being sick myself... the days that my health was better ... had golden opportunity to visit other sick brothers and sisters ... graver illness... when we pray for others -- we must take care we are prepared both spiritually and physically.

In one instance ..paid a visit to a brother - and seemed to absorb all the sad vibes he and his family had.... needless to say felt 

terrible afterwards... huhu.. mas lalo ako nagkasakit coz couldn't bear  their family was going thru.

On another occasion...prayed for someone with Stage 4 Cancer ... was with husband Dilbert and another couple, the Llanas and this particular pray -over was so joyous... you could feel the family's love for the sick brother ...there was so much faith hope and love -- a surrender too  to God's Perfect will .. it was such a Healing Visit...we came home so filled with God's light and love...   this kind of setting invites the Lord's grace and healing presence indeed.

 ... Had to go back to work ...was on forced leave for like a month -- I was soooooooooooo dead...

 and I didn't know it till I read a reflection based on the story of Jesus raising a young son and giving the boy back to his mother.

This reflection mentioned how each time we pass thru a trial in life... how something inside of us dies in the process.

I mean you don't just pass thru divorce, dialysis... calamities... kidnapping, financial crisis without something inside of you dying ... perhaps these essential  things die to mention a few:

-faith in God

-hope

-persevering spirit

-joy

-inspiration

-good health

-ability to forgive and to love again

-to sing, to dance to rejoice in the Lord

-desire to serve the Lord

and when these things die we need to hear Jesus calling out to us : "Young man, Arise!" 

 Dear family and friends..that very day I heard Jesus calling out to me : " Maye, arise...arise.... on your feet.!"

I was physically up but my spirits were in the doldrums until I came across  this gospel again...and it was for me..

May it also be for you.

May we recognize which part of us needs to resurrected by Christ's light and love.

Haha..I can't do a triathlon... but I am doing cartwheels  thru my spirit and my heart and mind.. the body will follow as much as it can.

JESUS HEALS. Believe!

gotta go... it's prayer meeting tonite.... will lift you all in prayer... when you have time ... go to a quiet place..prayerfully read the gospel below ... note how the grieving mother didn't even call out to JESUS...that it was the Lord himself who reached out to her and approached them.

Jesus calls you and me ....A-R-I-S-E!

and we shall:-)   God bless you .. let's pray the rosary and try to hear mass often...... love and prayers... te mye    

        

GospelLK 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.