Make it Happen this Advent

Ave Maria :-)

Such a special Season and one we often take for granted.. Good morning from our little space on earth in Quezon City... from the Family Tree  Tree?? hehe I married a Puno which means tree in Tagalog. Love to muse about the streets where we lived..grew up in a quaint street called Biak-na-bato -- translated roughly would mean broken stones -- I wondered if that was a clue to the Narrow Road that leads to salvation Loved that street of San Juan where in the early evening everyone youth ranging from three to thirty yrs old  to  would come out and play tumbang preso kinda like tag using a tin can you kick around...patintero too wonder if they play this in other countriesOur home started as a one house affair -- but with both sides of my very Visayan parents knocking at our doors seeking temporal help/moral support or refuge -- the one house by God's grace soon became two houses - a much smaller one constructed at the back . 
 I was an only child - sickly often sad or lonely but was exposed to a mingling of the Boholanos my dad's side and Leytenos from my mom's province - the place where Tacloban of Yolanda fury is situated... This is how I learned a bit of both dialects.

I believe the Lord places us in a particular environment - a setting where one can grow up... be educated, be loved...nurtured   oh there is my dear father Ramon and our beloved Uncle Msgr. Nonoy Gaviola -- pic taken in one of their visits to Cagting ,Bohol -- so much love in this place during the Japanese occuppation  WWII

----- OR and you will hate me for saying this vice -versa --- one grows up in a setting so bereft of love, of spiritual and material nurturing ... could even be a place so reminiscent of hell.... Why is that so?

Our faith  teaches us that God has a wonderful plan for every human being -- that this plan would include being created in His image and likeness -- this plan so tarnished by sin's entry thru Adam and Eve our first parents -- but..and this is the biggest BUT of human history , thru the coming of God's only Begotten Son Jesus Christ -- we have been redeemed from our sins, from an eternal death --- and that this divine salvific package --Dream Package if you wish--- includes the fulfillment of our true calling  for our  life.
  the apostles  sure shifted their careers..

Phew.... pls bear with me - I pray God helps me find the right words for this -- it means that our short stay on earth --whether this be 5 months, 5 yrs or 5oo can be spent living a life full of divine purpose -- that parenting ...slugging it out in our daily labours...our chosen profession.. our leisure..our passions... our hobbies... our family/social life... every breath we take and expel..every action..movement we make..even our sleep our rest...our thoughts ..everything except our sins -- can Be our Way of Expressing and Sharing God's love and salvation to each and every soul we will encounter -- it is so heady this knowledge -- because we can become  just like the saints who lived hundreds of years ago -- 
their lives had  a powerful impact on us -- St. Peter, St. Paul, the Blessed Virgin Mary and nameless un recognized un canonized saints who are in heaven just the same  --we benefit by their merits and sacrifice All united to the greatest Sacrifice of all - Christ Jesus whose life was offered for our sake...All glory and honor to Him forever

From Biak-na-bato we finally landed at Yakal street --good Lord Yakal  is a native tree tho' I'm not sure if I've seen one. And so what's with a tree? Well Jesus is the Tree of Life - He said I am the Vine and you are the branches...cut off from me you can do nothing ... from the beautiful gospel of John
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

... throughout my married life I am reminded then of this truth ..I am married to a man who carries Tree as his surname..and I am no longer called by my maiden surname but called Mrs Puno... how's that for a daily reminder? -- how do you escape living out this truth..Yet the sinners that we are -- time and again -- I commit sins , yes plural po...  I pray for that glorious day when I can honestly say: " Dearest  Jesus I am so done with sin, ayoko napo talaga : OK na po ako..I am yours... a hundred plus percent .. but part of our suffering dear friends includes bearing with  our flaws ..our inclination to sin... patiently trusting this process of purification   -- it is suffering because when we truly love someone and that Someone happens to be Jesus ...it is painful for us to bear -- no one wants to hurt a loved one right?

 

      Advent is a gift from never -ending gifts from our loving Father in heaven.

you and I and most folks must be scurrying like squirrels running here there everywhere for endless appointments of a merry season... As if our work and family duties are not enough ..we can also have other obligations, passions..hobbies..extra-curricular activities that beg..beg..beg for our time. And we borrow that line from that Christmas carol --we better watch out we better not cry ... cause our heart minds..whole being must be so attuned to the Reason of the Season... prepared for the Coming of the our Saviour his re-birth this time in our hearts. 

 

At the Gaudete Sunday mass - in this particular Advent mass the resounding theme was joy, joy joy -Rejoicing in God's love... Fr Larry Garces our parish priest reminded us : Hey... how can we possibly wear long faces if we believe and understand how God Almighty decided eons ago to bless grace heal deliver this planet --  redeem our very very beyond words STUBBORN human race from all evil darkness by sending us Jesus, His Son Lord and Saviour ....
This season may we take time to reflect how God our Creator , the Perfect One, The Holy One comes decides to clean up our mess --- to give us hope, salvation... to bestow upon us Every Possible Good  -- coming not as an Invisible Untouchable GOD ..but inhabiting our same flesh --- a divine effort to redeem our flesh - our humanity... We will never ever  be able to comprehend this --- and the little wisdom or enlightenment God permits us is enough for us to Be Truly Jolted out of our Deadness and Complacencies and utter worldliness --- And we Decide to Follow this Light of all Lights..to serve this King of all kings -- to love and live for this Lord of all lords -Emmanuel -God-with -Us...Jesus Christ.  

 

 How are you all dear brothers and sisters? : Life is peculiar ... and God is amayyyzzing ..because even as we can have our share of sorrows, troubles -- yes some anxietes , occasional fits of fear -- ok let's face it -- suffer a broken heart for whatever reason --- still when we stick to the Lord --draw close to Jesus-- seek shelter under the mantle of our Mama Mary ... share...talk to the saints and angels who are with us everyday ---

I am not a looney -- that is really the way it is --- they may all be in heaven but they accompany us thru their love and prayers..interceding for us -- so that one blessed day we too can be part of that glorious court in heaven singing praises to the Lamb who Takes Away the sins of the world... And they are our dependable partners ..urging us on..on .Stay the course.. walk with Jesus no matter what it takes..He will supply you with the graces you will need...How kind the saints and angels are.

I took a cab to the office which is located in MKT... early morn there are shared taxis -- this spares you from the octupus line at the MRT station --- so thank God taxi was a perfect fit, I was sandwiched between 2 heavier persons, was lugging a big plastic bag - it's our Christmas party at the office -- so I was so grateful for the cab, my middle seat,  the aircon was working too-- best of all--- the ride didn't take all that long - thank you God..He is merciful.. He knows when we need extra help.

Listened to the radio news --- it was terrible-- at our National Prison-- the NBI finally did its own investigation of drug lords continuing to run the prison -- still trafficking drugs-- making huge profits-- making prison guards obey their every whim and command--- women free to enter their cells bet. 12 to 3 a.m...jacuzzi ? inside a cell..? many other amenities --- it's scary cause they theorize that  the guards are too afraid not to cooperate , the syndicate too powerful -- puede kang ipatumba kung dika makikisama was how one guard put it... Next to this horrifying news was the very opposite of how a jeepney driver returned P22,000 to a passenger -- even as his wife was confined in a hospital and they needed money badly --- so the municipal officials honored him  ---

this was so touching--- how goodness still shows up --- might seem to be a small light but it can steadily grow into a powerful flame of faith, truth , hope and love...Courage to stand up for Christian truths.

I was so touched by the radio -- and I seldom listen to the radio ... we get the news more from  watching tv newscasts -- but while riding a vehicle - I don't know , there's a different kind of

impact... maybe because you don't see visuals so your mind is working double time to process news you recieve.

My brother my sister know as you read this that  God loves us so very much..that it was precisely for this that Jesus was born... these remaining days of Advent let us  humbly offer everything that has happened and is currently happening in our life -- offer these all to Jesus for Him to create a miracle -- for Him to draw good and grant graces from our little offering -- may His love forgiveness, peace and joy flood our hearts --- and then may we become God's precious gift to others -- His love flowing thru ..healing us,healing others..healing the world. May you and your loved ones savour the blessings of Advent. Come Lord Jesus. 

 

love and prayers, te mye