on Pain and Suffering

We should not always consider suffering as a punishment. It can be accepted as expiation not only for ourselves but above all for others. Christ was innocence itself and He suffered the most for the expiation of our sins. Only in Heaven will we know all that we have obtained by suffering with patience in union with the sufferings of Christ.

Don't waste your earthly sufferings , pains, feeling of helplessness, abandonement, worry ,lift them to the Lord for the relief and deliverance of souls in purgatory, for those who do not believe in God, for others who feel hopeless ...

Pain and suffering is part and parcel of those wanting to follow Jesus, moreso we should not lose heart because we are never more near to God than when we experience suffering.

....and to you , yup you who is reading this, right this minute  and is in struggle, God has seen your struggles, and knows it God has this to say for you ...

                   " My Child, soon it will be over, believe I love you and that help is on the way."

ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL

All Saints Day is coming ( November 1, 2011)  so want to share this very beautiful story about one of my favorite warrior saint :D ST. MICHAEL the ARCHANGEL :)

the Letter from Michael...

There's a story about a young Marine named Michael who wrote a letter home to his mother while he was in the hospital after having been wounded in Korea in 1950.  A Navy Chaplain named Father Walter Muldy apparently was given the letter, checked the facts and concluded what was in the letter was true. A year later he read the letter in public for the first time, to a gathering of some 5,000 Marines at the Naval Base in San Diego.  Here is the letter:
Dear Mom,
I wouldn't dare write this letter to anyone but you because no one else would believe it. Maybe even you will find it hard but I have got to tell somebody. First off, I am in a hospital. Now don't worry, ya hear me, don't worry. I was wounded but I'm okay you understand. Okay. The doctor says that I will be up and around in a month.
But that's not what I want to tell you.
Remember when I joined the Marines last year; remember when I left, how you told me to say a prayer to St. Michael every day. You really didn't have to tell me that. Ever since I can remember you always told me to pray to St. Michael the Archangel. You even named me after him. Well I always have.
When I got to Korea, I prayed even harder. Remember the prayer that you taught me? "Michael, Michael of the morning, fresh chord of Heaven adorning," you know the rest of it. Well I said it everyday. Sometimes when I was marching or sometimes resting. But always before I went to sleep. I even got some of the other fellas to say it.
Well, one day I was with an advance detail way up over the front lines. We were scouting for the Commies. I was plodding along in the bitter cold, my breath was like cigar smoke.
I thought I knew every guy in the patrol, when along side of me comes another Marine I never met before. He was bigger than any other Marine I'd ever seen. He must have been 6'4" and built in proportion. It gave me a feeling of security to have such a body near.
Anyway, there we were trudging along. The rest of the patrol spread out. Just to start conversation I said, "Cold ain't it." And then I laughed. Here I was with a good chance of getting killed any minute and I am talking about the weather.
My companion seemed to understand. I heard him laugh softly. I looked at him, "I have never seen you before, I thought I knew every man in the outfit."
"I just joined at the last minute", he replied. "The name is Michael."
"Is that so," I said surprised. "That is my name too."
"I know," he said and then went on, "Michael, Michael of the morning ..."
I was too amazed to say anything for a minute. How did he know my name, and a prayer that you had taught me? Then I smiled to myself, every guy in the outfit knew about me. Hadn't I taught the prayer to anybody who would listen. Why now and then, they even referred to me as St. Michael. Neither of us spoke for a time and then he broke the silence.
"We are going to have some trouble up ahead."
He must have been in fine physical shape or he was breathing so lightly I couldn't see his breath. Mine poured out in great clouds. There was no smile on his face now. Trouble ahead, I thought to myself, well with the Commies all around us, that is no great revelation. Snow began to fall in great thick globs. In a brief moment the whole countryside was blotted out. And I was marching in a white fog of sticky particles. My companion disappeared.
"Michael," I shouted in sudden alarm.
I felt his hand on my arm, his voice was rich and strong, "This will stop shortly."
His prophecy proved to be correct. In a few minutes the snow stopped as abruptly as it had begun. The sun was a hard shining disc. I looked back for the rest of the patrol, there was no one in sight. We lost them in that heavy fall of snow. I looked ahead as we came over a little rise.
Mom, my heart stopped. There were seven of them. Seven Commies in their padded pants and jackets and their funny hats. Only there wasn't anything funny about them now. Seven rifles were aimed at us.
"Down Michael," I screamed and hit the frozen earth.
I heard those rifles fire almost as one. I heard the bullets. There was Michael still standing. Mom, those guys couldn't have missed, not at that range. I expected to see him literally blown to bits. But there he stood, making no effort to fire himself. He was paralyzed with fear. It happens sometimes, Mom, even to the bravest. He was like a bird fascinated by a snake. At least, that was what I thought then. I jumped up to pull him down and that was when I got mine I felt a sudden flame in my chest. I often wondered what it felt like to be hit, now I know..
I remember feeling strong arms around me, arms that laid me ever so gently on a pillow of snow. I opened my eyes, for one last look. I was dying. Maybe I was even dead, I remember thinking well, this is not so bad. Maybe I was looking into the sun. Maybe I was in shock. But it seemed I saw Michael standing erect again only this time his face was shining with a terrible splendor. As I say, maybe it was the sun in my eyes, but he seemed to change as I watched him. He grew bigger, his arms stretched out wide, maybe it was the snow falling again, but there was a brightness around him like the wings of an angel. In his hands was a sword. A sword that flashed with a million lights. Well, that is the last thing I remember until the rest of the fellas came up and found me. I do not know how much time had passed. Now and then I had but a moment's rest from the pain and fever. I remember telling them of the enemy just ahead.
"Where is Michael," I asked.
I saw them look at one another. "Where's who?" asked one.
"Michael, Michael the big Marine I was walking with just before the snow squall hit us."
"Kid," said the sergeant, "You weren't walking with anyone. I had my eyes on you the whole time. You were getting too far out. I was just going to call you in when you disappeared in the snow."
He looked at me, curiously. "How did you do it kid?"
"How'd I do what?" I asked half angry despite my wound. "This marine named Michael and I were just ..."
"Son," said the sergeant kindly, " I picked out this outfit myself and there just ain't another Michael in it. You are the only Mike in it."
He paused for a minute, "Just how did you do it kid? We heard shots. There hasn't been a shot fired from your rifle. And there isn't a bit of lead in them seven bodies over the hill there."
I didn't say anything, what could I say. I could only look open-mouthed with amazement.
It was then the sergeant spoke again, "Kid," he said gently, "every one of those seven Commies was killed by a sword stroke."
That is all I can tell you Mom. As I say, it may have been the sun in my eyes, it may have been the cold or the pain. But that is what happened.
Love, Michael

********

 The Prayer the mom taught Michael the soldier ,  this is from Fr. Joseph Reitz, who knew the prayer.  Here it is: 

Michael, Michael, of the morning,

Fresh chord of Heaven adorning,

Keep me safe today

And in time of temptation,

Drive the devil away.

PRAYER OF A CURSILLISTA

RENEWAL OF OUR COMMITMENT AS CURSILLISTAS
" Go, be a disciple, proclaim the Good News!"

O God, who from a most busy world led me to the Cursillo
Grant me to abide by my ideal
Let me Your hands to hold out bread to the hungry.
Let me be Your lips to whisper loving words of correction to an erring world.
Let me be Your ears to listen to the problems of my fellowmen.
Let me be Your eyes to look with compassion and mercy
on those who offend You.
Let me be Your feet to run after the lost sheep of your fold.
Let me be Your big heart to love the unlovely and to care for your little ones.

O Lord, make me humble to recognize my faults
and to appreciate the greatness of other people.
But give me strength and courage to stand the pressure of challenge
and to brave any raging storm.
Instill in my mind optimism in defeat
and create in me a compassionate heart in victory.
In the present struggle for survival,
Let me find You
my light in darkness,
my charity in justice,
my delight in duty,
my beauty in misfortunes,
my cheer in adversity,
Make me Your little instrument to bring peace
to troubled homes and to share with others the happines You gave me.

My Loving Redeemer, let me sing to You my perennial song of love
and ring the bell of victory as i die giving life to another.
Let me forget myself, and think of YOU alone
who live in me by Your grace
And die for those whom you lovingly died for...AMEN

DECOLORES!!

Tolerance vs. Love

Tolerance says,-- "You must approve of what I do."
Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will love you even when your behavior offends me."

Tolerance says, "You must agree with me."
Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will tell you the truth, because I am convinced 'the truth will set you free. even if you do not agree with it or like it'"

Tolerance says, "You must allow me to have my way."
Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will plead with you to follow the right way, because I believe you are worth the risk."

Tolerance seeks to be inoffensive; Love takes risks.
Tolerance glorifies division; Love seeks unity.
Tolerance costs nothing; Love costs everything.

THE BEAUTIFUL HANDS OF A PRIEST

(poem by an unknown author)

We need them in life's early morning,
We need them again at its close;
We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,
We seek them when tasting life's woes.

At the altar each day we behold them,
And the hands of a king on his throne
Are not equal to them in their greatness;
Their dignity stands all alone;

And when we are tempted and wander,
To pathways of shame and of sin,
It's the hand of a priest that will absolve us,
Not once, but again and again.

And when we are taking life's partner,
Other hands may prepare us a feast,
But the hand that will bless and unite us
Is the beautiful hand of a priest.

God bless them and keep them all holy,
For the Host which their fingers caress;
When can a poor sinner do better
Than to ask Him to guide thee and bless?

When the hour of death comes upon us,
May our courage and strength be increased,
By seeing raised over us in blessing
The beautiful hands of a priest.


O Jesus,
I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
for your unfaithful and tepid priests;
for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields.
for your tempted priests;
for your lonely and desolate priests;
For your young priests;
for your dying priests;
for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
the priest who baptized me;
the priests who absolved me from my sins;
the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
the priests who taught and instructed me;
all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way
(especially …___________).
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,
and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.
Amen

Source: http://www.rockvoc.org/main/Families/prayer_for_priests.htm (Rockford Diocese, Office of Vocations); also as second part of prayer # 3 in: Chalice of Strength, pages 14-15. Detroit, Michigan: Crusade for Priests, 1996, where Cardinal Cushing is named as author. (www.opusangelorum.ord).

PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priests. Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of their priestly life.

In their loneliness, comfort them. In their sorrows, strengthen them. In their frustrations, point out to them that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and show them that they are needed by the Church; they are needed by souls; they are needed for the work of redemption.

O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your sons who are close to you because of their priestly ordination and because of the power which they have received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs them so much. Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength, and especially help them to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy.

(By J. J. Cardinal Carberry)

Prayer for Priests
by St. Therese of Lisieux

O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.

Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Your Sacred Body.

Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.

Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.

Let Your holy love surround them and
shield them from the world's contagion.

Bless their labors with abundant fruit and
may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and
everlasting crown. Amen.

A GOOD PRIEST
Baroness de Hueck Doherty

A priest is a lover of God. A priest is a lover of men.
A priest is a holy man because he walks before the Face of the
All Holy.
A priest understands all things.
A priest forgives all things.
A priest encompasses all things.

The heart of a priest, like Christ's, is pierced with the lance of love.
The heart of a priest is open, like Christ's, for the whole world to
walk through.
The heart of a priest is a vessel of compassion.
The heart of a priest is a chalice of love.
The heart of a priest is the trysting place of human and divine love.

A priest is a man whose goal is to be another Christ.
A priest is a man who lives to serve.
A priest is a man who has crucified himself, so that he too may be lifted up and draw all
things to Christ.
A priest is a man in love with God.
A priest is the gift of God to man, and of man to God.
A priest is a symbol of the Word made flesh.
A priest is the naked sword of God's justice.
A priest is the hand of God's mercy.
A priest is the reflection of God's love.



A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
By the late John J Cardinal Carberry

Keep them; I pray Thee, dearest Lord.
Keep them, for they are Thine
The priests whose lives burn out before
Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world,
Though from the world apart.
When earthly pleasures tempt, allure --
Shelter them in Thy heart.
Keep them and comfort them in hours
Of loneliness and pain,
When all their life of sacrifice
For souls seems but in vain.
Keep them and remember, Lord,
they have no one but Thee.
Yet, they have only human hearts,
With human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host,
That daily they caress;
Their every thought and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord, to bless.


Remember...

If the priest is a saint, his people will be holy.
If the priest is holy, his people will be good.
If the priest is good, his people will be fair.
If the priest is fair, his people will be mediocre.
If the priest is mediocre, his people will be bad.
: -Anon.


Jesus, Savior of the world, sanctify Thy priests and sacred ministers.
Indulgence of 300 days, Raccolta


0 Mary, Queen of the clergy, pray for us; obtain for us many and holy priests.


AS FOR US :

DAILY PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

Have you ever considered adopting in prayer a brother Priest? "Mary Help of Christians" has suggested the following:

·Ask Mary to assign him to you.
·Love him like a real brother.
·Daily pray and sacrifice for him.
·Shield him from temptation.
·Beg God that he avoid giving scandal.
·Call him back to fervor.
·Become a saint that he may become one.
·Pray that Mary be a tender Mother to him and
find him good friends.
·Ask for new vocations to replace him.

The Great Invitation Sunday- Homily of Rev. Fr. Mario P. Rivera

(Jesus does not force Himself on people, He too waits for our invitation, neither does Jesus force people to come to Him… He invites them.)

Was so sleepy when I came to mass, ( sorry Lord, for not coming prepared) due to so many activities Friday and Saturday, and the stressful week that was plus was contemplating my laundry .sigh…. and so was trying to keep my eyes open. Thank you Lord, as usual Father Mario did not fail in keeping it open by educating and convincing all of us mass goers, that JESUS LOVES US :)



In our usual daily lives, we acquire so many stressful events, happenings that this Sunday, Jesus invites us to stop awhile, rest, have peace, to again develop a contented heart in this temporary life.

WHY DOES GOD INVITE US:

In special occasions, in family gatherings, we always want people we love to share our joys, we invite people we love, we want to see them, we dont invite people we do not like, we sometimes even hide from them, nor do we feel like welcoming them.

1.) JESUS ACCEPTS US UNCONDITIONALLY In this life, not all people will accept you for who are, not all will welcome you, without the trappings of money, beauty, looks, power, positions. Or in some cases look at your history/ past . Hence the feeling of being burdened by rejection. You just cant please everybody.

Jesus does not,look at your past. does not look at your age, how much you have, what position you hold, your looks, how powerful you are.

We are reminded that Jesus says “Come to me and learn from me “ ~
We are reminded that Jesus accepts us UNCONDITIONALLY.

2.) JESUS LOVES ME


when you love people, you want to share everything with them you invite them, you want them in your life, you don’t want to see them hurting or suffering.

People tell us they love us but when they do/act the opposite, that is not love.
ex parents children relationship

Jesus tells us He loves us , He is here for us,He does not want to see us hurt nor to see us suffering, He wants us to come to Him and rest.

3.) JESUS KNOWS THE DESIRES OF MY HEART
God knows your sufferings your, worries, fears, the things we want. Jesus knows the the inner workings of our hearts, things which no one knows, the deepest desires of our hearts. We are called to learn from the heart of Jesus.

What does our hearts contain : Earthly Desires, earthly wants and upon acquiring one or the other, desires will not end there.

The desires of the heart is infinite and only the INFINITE God can quench or satisfy the desires of our hearts
If the infinite desires of our heart is/are infinite and if we try to focus on material and finite things ….. we will never be satisfied/content.

When we see any heart symbol, what should it remind us ? love, Valentines day?

~ it should remind us that this is “ the place where God and Man meet “




In our limited mind we cannot ever comprehend the greatness of God, God is incomprehensible! ... and yet He is so very small that we can contain him in our hearts.

Ex : Heart tattoos

Trivia : Tattoo have Biblical in origins : First Tatoo : put by God on CAINS forehead, Cain brother of Abel, sons of Adam and Eve, Cain killed Abel out of jealousy, on fearing people would hurt him because of what he did to his brother, God put a tattoo on Abels forehead to signify his sinfulness.

Years ago those we see with tattoos bear the stigma of being incarcerated.

In order to quench the infinite desires of our hearts, we should accept Jesus and accept the invitation He extends to everyone.

and to remind myself that

I WILL PUT JESUS IN MY HEART AND BE HAPPY ATLAST :)

Thanking GOD, i still have my DADDY

God the Father , thank you for your great and undying LOVE and MERCY for us all,HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO YOU! thank you for giving me a DAD,thank you he lives healthily still, and for bearing with your stubborn daughter.




I am thankful that i still have my father to give affection too, to love and still get to hear me when i say i love him, to drive me on mornings, rain or shine, supportive of me, we may not agree at times LOL, because of whom else would i have inherited my stubborness but him :) and my good looks ahahahahaha. First time ive acknowledged i am his carbon copy.

I used to remember when i was young and just started nursery we were in a hammock (DUYAN), where we usually have our bonding time and he was not away assigned in some dangerous other parts of the Philippines, he taught me to count, and know the time and so many pep talks and most specially to make the sign of the cross, to always pray the Rosary, and carry it in our pockets at all times, and the Lord of Pardon, this he told us was what kept him sane, hopeful and safe from so many dangerous missions.

In that hammock he formed me, he sang me songs which til now i remember,one was a militay song in Tagalog and one in English, but what i remember most is PAUL ANKAS~ TIMES OF YOUR LIFE : He sang that to me everytime til i could sing bits and pieces which only now i got to really appreciate and to me its always he's song to me:

Times Of Your Life :
Good morning, yesterday
You wake up and time has slipped away
And suddenly it's hard to find
The memories you left behind
Remember, do you remember?

The laughter and the tears
The shadows of misty yesteryears
The good times and the bad you've seen
And all the others in between
Remember, do you remember
The times of your life? (do you remember?)

Reach out for the joy and the sorrow
Put them away in your mind
The mem'ries are time that you borrow
To spend when you get to tomorrow

Here comes the setting sun (the setting sun)
The seasons are passing one by one
So gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life?

Gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life?

theres so many anecdotes my dad always tell us , to treat people equally and respectfully, whatever status, to give respect, he's jokes that even if you remember it years after we still laugh heartily, and most times has lessons to be learned, to listen to what people have to say, and on arguments : less talk less mistake, and to always in everything in our lives to put God first, and to fight for what is right, specially in Gods eyes, even if its not a popular course or decision to take.

so many still i want to write about my dad, this does not even scratch the surface. All i want to say for now is i really thank you LORD GOD , i still have a living breathing good Dad. THANK YOU FOR giving us him. I LOVE YOU DADDY! HAPPY FATHERS DAY! :)

Cursillo Class 14 - May 26-29, 2011

to you Oh LORD again, THANK YOU for the 25 souls, for the chance to serve them, and prove God loves them, Mama Mary thank you, all the Holy Angels and Saints~ Thank you! to all my CURSILLO FAMILY - job well done guys! to our sponsors and all those who helped, spiritually and financially, may God in His goodness continually bless you and reward you! to all my friends and those who helped pray for us and the success of the the Cursillo class thank you and GOD BLESS YOU, our mission and jobs in the Lords vineyard is not finished yet.... DECOLORES!! ONWARD!

The Promise

I know that the skies look grey,
The way may look unsure;
But God has each step ordained,
Your future is secure.
Sometimes the greatest trials in life
Become the sweetest blessings;
If we can only keep our faith,
As we endure the testings.
For in His way and in His time
He works things for our good;
Why can we always stand on this?


...Just because He said He would.



The Lord will Hear Your Prayers!

a very good friend emailed me this and i wanted to share this beautiful promise, so much has been happening in my life since the last time i wrote here and so many learning experiences , some good, some bad, but always there is something to be realized, decided upon and learned, Lord i love you too! and am counting on that promise! :)

Mama Mary & the Rosary of the Unborn

..Last Wednesday April 13, 2011.. Mama Mary answered one of my prayers and St. Michael made sure it reached me:) THANK YOU LORD! THANK YOU MAMA MARY, THANK YOU ST.MICHAEL, THANK YOU ST ANTHONY, THANK YOU PADRE PIO and THANK YOU JOHN!!! for being Jesus and Mama Mary's instrument.




eversince i could understand, i have been pro-life, for the simple reason that Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE ", (John 14:6) am against Abortion in any form, and along with it am against Contraception in any form ( even the word itself is anti-life- CONTRA) , why? because if JESUS IS LIFE, and the only giver and taker of life, then anything that is ANTI-LIFE IS and WILL always be ANTI the giver of life. if ANTI LIFE is ANTI THE GIVER OF LIFE and JESUS is LIFE.. then if your ANTI_LIFE OR PRO-ABORTION, then YOUR ANTI -CHRIST JESUS.


So what has CONTRACEPTION got to do with abortion then?

its simple really.. any failed contraception results in a pregnancy, the main reason why contraception is used is because the user wants to have sex without the responsibility of pregnancy ( hmmmm..) and does not want to get pregnant, so when contraception fails, and since pregnancy is the result and it is unwanted, then abortion will not be far away.



And so, after browsing pro - life and anti-abortion websites two years ago, i came across the website www.holylove.org and saw there the ROSARY OF THE UNBORN :) .. When i saw it i whispered Mama Mary i want one, i hope i have one :D but only if its Gods will i have it and there is a dire need of having one.... since i do have an MP3 of the ROSARY FOR LIFE, and my usual rosary, i didnt give it a thought anymore until December last year, when i renewed a friendship with a friend who was from Ohio, the home of the Rosary of the Unborn :). and the rest resulted in me having the blessing of the Rosary of the Unborn.


whats the big deal about it? ALOT..!!!

- it reminds me to fight for life, God alone is the giver and taker of life
( Oct 12, 2001 - in Jesus message to Maureen Kyle : " I am your Jesus, born incarnate, please understand that the more man tries to become like GOD, the more he will be humbled. The more humanity assumes the role of giver and taker of life, the more selfcenteredness and hatred will flourish in hearts" Do not allow the prince of lies any doorway of opportunity.

- it reminds me that i need to pray harder when i feel like relaxing and being lazy in helping Jesus in the battle for lives and souls
(Oct 5, 2001 message - i have come to tell you what the adversary does not want you to hear: That every MASS you attend, every COMMUNION you receive, every HOLY HOUR you make, every ROSARY YOU SAY, weakens the enemy forever in some soul somewhere in the world")

- it makes me realize how precious life is, that human life is fragile.(Oct 5, 2001 Message of Jesus) each life that is snuffed out changes the world forever.

- the realization how big our responsibility is, in protecting the womb in not becoming a tomb!. October 5, 2001 - message of Jesus, In truth I tell you that your nations stance on legalized abortion is the determining factor in your national security.Recognize abortion as the face of evil

- the importance of the ROSARY as the weapon which will bring about SATANS defeat, and the Bible bearing the words of GOD our ARMOR.

-That GOD always answers prayers! it may not be sometimes the thing you prayed for or the the thing/person you exactly you want BUT always what you need and is GOOD for you.

- where God leads you, He provides the tools you need and the resources.

and still i guess so many things to learn and re-learn:) understand and pray for, and LORD , am only just beggining... in my weaknesses do not leave me, wanting for help, provide for me and please always be with me.

THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING!

PALM SUNDAY - HOMILY OF REV FR. MARIO RIVERA

All over Christendom today is PALM SUNDAY, in our parish coconut branches of all shapes designs and sizes are all around being waved and blessed before and after the mass.

In other countries where there are no palms, used are the most common local tree branches from olive branches , yew, willow etc.

What does Palm Sunday tell us :
-to receive Jesus with Joy! we need to have joy in our hearts despite our sacrifices, trials and sufferings, joy should always be there radiating in our hearts because Jesus is there. Only in having and accepting Jesus will you have that inner joy.

Jesus rode to Jerusalem on a donkey, he did not select a horse which during those times were a symbol of war and used for battles, but specifically asked for a donkey, a symbol of peace,humility and loneliness.

-we should not lose our peace, in our hearts , true enough, we have so many worries that we lose peace, we have no peace, we need to reconcile ourselves with God, this is the time to reconcile with God,to reconcile with other people, until there are people you do not forgive in the past you cant lose the chains that bind you.

"only with a forgiving heart do you achieve true peace"

we want happiness and a peaceful life, BUT only with Jesus will we have it.

-to learn to be gratful, we almost always resort to complaining to Jesus, ask Him a gazillion prayer petitions,and yet most often than not after a request, after a prayer we have long been asking is granted, we fail to thank God properly. Even in trials and suffering we must remember to thank God.


Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,
"The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints,
is when I carried you."
Mary Stevenson



this poem reminds us,in sadness, in suffering, in pain, in loneliness, that the LORD is carrying us



and as followers of Jesus, may the Palms we carry home symbolize that we need to always have that joy, peace and gratitude.

THE SHEEP WITH A BROKEN LEG

i love pictures of the Good Shepherd and the story of the Good Sheperd, sinful that i am, it makes me feel that God loves me still, is all merciful, is so loving, that even if i stray, He will not leave me as i am.

So when ive read this i was touched..and told myself i needed to share this, not just because we need discipline but when we think we suffer and when God disciplines us, we shouldnt rebel nor be angry with God but instead .. to pause ,to be still and learn from the Shepherd Himself, i call it special loving time with Jesus ..


A Foreigner traveling in Syria who became acquainted with a shepherd. Each morning noticed the shepherd giving food to a sheep with a broken leg. As he looked at the animal, he asked the shepherd, "How did the sheep break its leg? Did it meet with an accident? did it fell into a hole? or did some animal attack its leg?"



"No," said the shepherd, "I broke this sheep's leg myself."

"You broke it yourself?! " queried the very surprised traveler.

"He lovingly smiled and said, Yes i did, you see, this is a wayward sheep; it is stubborn and would not stay with the flock, and if i leave it on its own would eventually lead other sheep astray.

Also it would not let me near it so I had decided to break its leg so that it would allow me, day by day to feed it.


In doing this it will get to know me as its shepherd, trust me as its guide, and keep with the flock." Sometimes, just sometimes, when we insist of going our own stubborn way and may lead others astray, the Good and all loving Shepherd, may lovingly need to discipline us .. not because He does not love us BUT because HE LOVES US VERY MUCH!



HEBREWS 12
{12:5} And you have forgotten the consolation which speaks to you like sons, saying: “My son, do not be willing to neglect the discipline of the Lord. Neither should you become weary, while being rebuked by him.”
{12:6} For whomever the Lord loves, he chastises. And every son whom he accepts, he scourges.
{12:7} Persevere in discipline. God presents you to Himself as sons. But what son is there, whom his father does not correct?
{12:11} Now every discipline, in the present time, does not seem a gladness, of course, but a grief. But afterwards, it will repay a most peaceful fruit of justice to those who become trained in it.

STILL ON LIFE...AND OUR ONE AND ONLY SOUL

life is the greatest gift God has granted us, we didnt ask it but here we are, breathing in and out, struggling in this life to hopefully be doing the things that God created us for, our God mission, God entrusted us this precious life and along with it our one and only soul..

the recent happening in this country should definitely make us pause and think and re-think, specially on our countrys current media hype..

were all for compassion, but LORD remove the blinders from our eyes, SUICIDE is wrong! nor is it honorable as an option as means of covering the TRUTH, WHERE IS heroism in that? . There are other means of proving your innocence or protest, We forget that the GREATEST FAILURE we can commit is LOSING OUR ONE AND ONLY SOUL. we have no spare.

PASTORAL LETTER : CHOOSING LIFE REJECTING THE RH BILL by BISHOP NEREO P. ODCHIMAR,DD

since its PRO-LIFE MONTH, reposting this very important PASTORAL LETTER for future use and for information dissemination, we Filipinos are a very intelligent and God fearing lot, sometimes i just wonder why its difficult to understand the call of the Church against this BIll, for my fellow Catholics who are Pro-RH BIll,sorry but in my opinion definitely you cannot call yourself Catholics if your pro RH Bill, When Jesus speaks through His Church we are called to follow ALL OF IT,Either we heed the Voice of Christ through His Church or we deny Him, you cannot just chose what you want to believe in and reject another.



(A Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines)

Our Filipino Brothers and Sisters:

The State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights (Art. II, Section 11). The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception (Art. II, Section 12).

Background
We begin by citing the Philippine Constitution. We do so because we intend to write you on the basis of the fundamental ideals and aspirations of the Filipino people and not on the basis of specifically Catholic religious teachings.

We are at a crossroads as a nation. Before us are several versions of a proposed bill, the Reproductive Health bill or sanitized as a Responsible Parenthood bill. This proposed bill in all its versions calls us to make a moral choice: to choose life or to choose death.

At the outset we thank the government for affording us an opportunity to express our views in friendly dialogue. Sadly our dialogue has simply revealed how far apart our respective positions are. Therefore, instead of building false hopes, we wish at the present time to draw up clearly what we object to and what we stand for.

Moral Choices at the Crossroads -- at EDSA I and Now

Twenty five years ago in 1986 we Catholic Bishops made a prophetic moral judgment on political leadership. With this prophetic declaration we believe that we somehow significantly helped open the door for EDSA I and a window of political integrity.

Today we come to a new national crossroads and we now have to make a similar moral choice. Our President rallied the country with the election cry, “Kung walang corrupt walang mahirap.” As religious leaders we believe that there is a greater form of corruption, namely, moral corruption which is really the root of all corruption. On the present issue, it would be morally corrupt to disregard the moral implications of the RH bill.

This is our unanimous collective moral judgment: We strongly reject the RH bill.

Commonly Shared Human and Cultural Values – Two Fundamental PrinciplesFar from being simply a Catholic issue, the RH bill is a major attack on authentic human values and on Filipino cultural values regarding human life that all of us have cherished since time immemorial.

Simply stated the RH Bill does not respect moral sense that is central to Filipino cultures. It is the product of the spirit of this world, a secularist, materialistic spirit that considers morality as a set of teachings from which one can choose, according to the spirit of the age. Some it accepts, others it does not accept. Unfortunately, we see the subtle spread of this post-modern spirit in our own Filipino society.

Our position stands firmly on two of the core principles commonly shared by all who believe in God:

(1) Human life is the most sacred physical gift with which God, the author of life, endows a human being. Placing artificial obstacles to prevent human life from being formed and being born most certainly contradicts this fundamental truth of human life. In the light of the widespread influence of the post-modern spirit in our world, we consider this position as nothing less than prophetic. As religious leaders we must proclaim this truth fearlessly in season and out of season.

(2) It is parents, cooperating with God, who bring children into the world. It is also they who have the primary inalienable right and responsibility to nurture them, care for them, and educate them that they might grow as mature persons according to the will of the Creator.

What We Specifically Object to in the RH Bill

Advocates contend that the RH bill promotes reproductive health. The RH Bill certainly does not. It does not protect the health of the sacred human life that is being formed or born. The very name “contraceptive” already reveals the anti-life nature of the means that the RH bill promotes. These artificial means are fatal to human life, either preventing it from fruition or actually destroying it. Moreover, scientists have known for a long time that contraceptives may cause cancer. Contraceptives are hazardous to a woman’s health.

Advocates also say that the RH bill will reduce abortion rates. But many scientific analysts themselves wonder why prevalent contraceptive use sometimes raises the abortion rate. In truth, contraceptives provide a false sense of security that takes away the inhibition to sexual activity. Scientists have noted numerous cases of contraceptive failure. Abortion is resorted to, an act that all religious traditions would judge as sinful. “Safe sex” to diminish abortion rate is false propaganda.

Advocates moreover say that the RH bill will prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. This goes against the grain of many available scientific data. In some countries where condom use is prevalent, HIV/ AIDS continues to spread. Condoms provide a false security that strongly entices individuals towards increased sexual activity, increasing likewise the incidence of HIV/AIDS. “Safe sex” to prevent HIV /AIDS is false propaganda.

Advocates also assert that the RH Bill empowers women with ownership of their own bodies. This is in line with the post-modern spirit declaring that women have power over their own bodies without the dictation of any religion. How misguided this so-called “new truth” is! For, indeed, as created by God our bodies are given to us to keep and nourish. We are stewards of our own bodies and we must follow God’s will on this matter according to an informed and right conscience. Such a conscience must certainly be enlightened and guided by religious and moral teachings provided by various religious and cultural traditions regarding the fundamental dignity and worth of human life.

Advocates also say that the RH bill is necessary to stop overpopulation and to escape from poverty. Our own government statistical office has concluded that there is no overpopulation in the Philippines but only the over-concentration of population in a number of urban centers. Despite other findings to the contrary, we must also consider the findings of a significant group of renowned economic scholars, including economic Nobel laureates, who have found no direct correlation between population and poverty. In fact, many Filipino scholars have concluded that population is not the cause of our poverty. The causes of our poverty are: flawed philosophies of development, misguided economic policies, greed, corruption, social inequities, lack of access to education, poor economic and social services, poor infrastructures, etc. World organizations estimate that in our country more than P400 billion pesos are lost yearly to corruption. The conclusion is unavoidable: for our country to escape from poverty, we have to address the real causes of poverty and not population.

In the light of the above, we express our clear objections:

1. We object to the non-consideration of moral principles, the bedrock of law, in legislative discussions of bills that are intended for the good of individuals and for the common good.

2. We are against the anti-life, anti-natal and contraceptive mentality that is reflected in media and in some proposed legislative bills.
3. We object strongly to efforts at railroading the passage of the RH bill.

4. We denounce the over-all trajectory of the RH bill towards population control.

5. We denounce the use of public funds for contraceptives and sterilization.

6. We condemn compulsory sex education that would effectively let parents abdicate their primary role of educating their own children, especially in an area of life – sexuality – which is a sacred gift of God.
What We Stand For

On this matter of proposed RH bills, these are our firm convictions:

1. We are deeply concerned about the plight of the many poor, especially of suffering women, who are struggling for a better life and who must seek it outside of our country, or have recourse to a livelihood less than decent.

2. We are pro-life. We must defend human life from the moment of conception or fertilization up to its natural end.

3. We believe in the responsible and natural regulation of births through Natural Family Planning for which character building is necessary which involves sacrifice, discipline and respect for the dignity of the spouse.

4. We believe that we are only stewards of our own bodies. Responsibility over our own bodies must follow the will of God who speaks to us through conscience.

5. We hold that on the choices related to the RH bill, conscience must not only be informed but most of all rightly guided through the teachings of one’s faith.

6. We believe in the freedom of religion and the right of conscientious objection in matters that are contrary to one’s faith. The sanctions and penalties embodied in the proposed RH bill are one more reason for us to denounce it.

Our Calls

As religious leaders we have deeply and prayerfully reflected on this burning issue. We have unanimously made the moral judgment – to reject the RH agenda and to choose life.

1. We call for a fundamental transformation of our attitudes and behavior towards all human life especially the most defenseless, namely, human life being formed or being conceived. The cheapness with which many seem to consider human life is a great bane to our religious-oriented nation.

2. We call upon our legislators to consider the RH bill in the light of the God-given dignity and worth of human life and, therefore, to shelve it completely as contrary to our ideals and aspirations as a people. We thank our legislators who have filed bills to defend human life from the moment of conception and call upon all other legislators to join their ranks.

3. We thank the great multitude of lay people all over the country, and particularly the dedicated groups who made their presence felt in the halls of Congress, to defend and promote our position. We call upon other lay people and adherents of other religions to join the advocacy to defend and promote our commonly shared ideals and aspirations.

4. We call on our government to address effectively the real causes of poverty such as corruption, lack of social and economic services, lack of access to education and the benefits of development, social inequities.

5. We call for the establishment of more hospitals and clinics in the rural areas, the deployment of more health personnel to provide more access to health services, the building of more schools, the provision of more aid to the poor for education, and the building of more and better infrastructures necessary for development.

6. We echo the challenge we prophetically uttered 25 years ago at EDSA I and call upon all people of good will who share our conviction: “…let us pray together, reason together, decide together, act together, always to the end that the truth prevail” over the many threats to human life and to our shared human and cultural values.

We commend our efforts against the RH bill (or the Responsible Parenthood bill – its new name) to the blessing of our almighty and loving God, from whom all life comes and for whom it is destined.

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, CBCP
January 30, 2011

Prayer for asking graces through the intercession of the Servant of God Pope John Paul II

:) really so happy with this :)


O Blessed Trinity

We thank You for having graced the Church with Pope John Paul II

and for allowing the tenderness of your Fatherly care,

the glory of the cross of Christ,

and the splendor of the Holy Spirit, to shine through him.

Trusting fully in Your infinite mercy

and in the maternal intercession of Mary,

he has given us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd,

and has shown us that holiness is the necessary measure of ordinary Christian life and is
the way of achieving eternal communion with you.

Grant us, by his intercession, and according to Your will,

the graces we implore,

hoping that he will soon be numbered among your saints.

Amen


With ecclesiastical approval
CARDINAL CAMILLO RUINI
the Holy Father’s Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome
© Libreria Editrice Vaticana

January 9, 2011 - The Baptism of Jesus – Rev Fr Mario Rivera

January 9, 2011 - The Baptism of Jesus – Rev Fr Mario Rivera


Baptism – removes stain/ shame of our inherited original Sin, from Adam and Eve.
- heals the wound , removes the wound of sin.
- indelible mark, will never be erased, it is your IDENTIFICATION in Gods kingdom.

Ex. A father whose been sentenced to prison not only will bear alone the stain and shame of his sin but all his children will bear the shame and teasing.

Genesis 3;16-19

16
To the woman he said: "I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing; in pain shall you bring forth children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall be your master."
17
To the man he said: "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat, "Cursed be the ground because of you! In toil shall you eat its yield all the days of your life.
18
Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, as you eat of the plants of the field.
19
By the sweat of your face shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dirt, and to dirt you shall return."

We still are bearing the brunt of our first parents sin.

John didn’t want to baptize Jesus, Jesus was without Sin, God became Man.

Jesus submitted to being baptized fulfill scripture, to shoulder our sin, and to ensure our acceptance in the Kingdom of God.

- The beauty of our lives reflect the beauty of God

- we need to be dignified
- We are a child of God , You are a dignified person, Live as a child of God!
- You are Baptized, it is an indelible mark! it will never disappear, will never be erased.
even if in a moment error you change religion, being baptized Catholic, you need not get another Baptism, and upon Gods grace you go back to being Catholic, you need not have another baptism , but to go to Confession and to recite the Apostles Creed.

When we were baptized we became Gods children and we have dignity and being His children, we have this inheritance, Eternal Life.

Ex. Inheritance, when informed in advance we do plan ahead what we will do with it, how we will spend it.

The same way with Eternal Life, we should plan for it! If your doing wrong here how can you claim a place in heaven.


1.) Whats your date of Baptism? We celebrate our birthdays ,but why not our birth in Gods Kingdom
2.) Importance of giving a Christian Name in Baptism – choose Christian Names , Saints names those who led an exemplary Christian Life.


We are reminded this words:
Mat 3:17
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

You are dignified person , LIVE as a child of God and May the Lord be pleased

FEAST OF THE 3 WISE MEN by REV FR MARIO P. RIVERA

Traditionally the end of Christmas is the Epiphany , the Feast of the 3 kings or The 3 wise men, or the 12th day After Christmas,( Christmas ends on February 2 - Baptism of Jesus)The Three wise men came out to search the newly born king and give homage by giving gifts.

When you give gifts you are wise, because you follow the example of the 3 wise men, when we give we think of what the appropriate gift to give the one we will give it to. As for the wise men gifts they brought were;

GOLD – Royalty, during Jesus time was the most precious metal, if you have an abundance of it means your wealthy, respectable and it is worthy of KINGS ,it represents the Divinity of Christ.

in the Old Testament – the Temple was made with Gold, hence was called the House of GOLD, why because Gold represents the power and majesty of GOD.

We cant offer Him gold but we can offer Him loyalty, because he is God, can people see that God is God and God is Divine, can people see your loyalty? through your actions? In your beliefs? That Jesus is Divine

If we have had doubts in our life and faith , time to offer ourselves to God , that we are an offering to God , we exist to glorify God and to be of service to our fellowmen, how we treat and serve others is how we treat and serve Jesus

we can only glorify Him if we believe and accept Him as God, Are you loyal to Christ ?? if you are then your like GOLD .

Frankincense – used to worship God in prayer, the smoke represents our prayers going to the heaven. DO we worship God, do we prove we worship God in words? in thought? in words?

Example; chain letters, chain mails, chain text – ignore! Our belief our faith should be based on love not on FEAR. God does not threaten us to do things
Example , Astrology, horoscopes, why base your life here?

(3 wisemen were Astronomers- study of the heavenly bodies the movement to the starts not Astrology, study of the stars in connection with man and human activities.

Superstitions - Year of the Rabbit, we are not Chinese, we are created better than animals, why then base on animals

Ang taong nagtitiwala ay pinagpapala, ang taong walang tiwala ay di pinagpapala

The 3 wise were trying to find Jesus, patient. Wag maging kuripot sa Diyos


Myrhh – for curing wounds and embalming, acknowledges the humanity of Jesus
We are human and vulnerable to pain , we abhor and don’t want pain, it’s not right to ask and say God take me specially if we are sick, and it’s a sin to say when a family member is ill to say Lord take him/ her to end his suffering, we should offer our suffering for the benefit of others, to ask God to use it as an offering to help others. Participation in Gods suffering, a purging, .. we suffer because we are no superheroes, We need to accept our humanity!. Tao ka

Being human were succeptible to pain, suffering, and everytime we do suffer, let us offer it to God.

3 wise men offered gifts to God, these gifts to Jesus a reminder ,
Pag mamahal sa iyo ng Diyos, let manifest our love for god and men and the very esse3nce of our life is to glorigy God and be of service to humanity.

January 1 – NEW YEARS DAY

A reflective start...new year, new begginings, redirection...


Feast Day of Mary the Mother of God- by Rev FR MARIO P. RIVERA

1.DESIGN A LIFE – what do u want out of your life, what are your plans for your life? what do you still want to happen in your life? if u have a design, a plan in your head youll do everything to achieve that.

God made you and gave you your life, so make it useful! everything you do good or bad affects the people around you whether you realize it or not.

" If u think you can, your right, if you think you cant, your also right" – WINSTON CHURCHILL. It matters what you think you can do.

To achieve your dreams How? start with positive thinking – all things will be easier. NO excuses. Write it plot it,then just do it.

2. PRIORITIZE – WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE?? putting into order the hierarchy of values you have,
why do u work ? for what ? why?

When what we do equivalents NO TIME for the people/reason we do things for ... then
we may have to re-organize our priorities.

So what are your priorities, LIST IT, the time is now! All we do affects others, attitudes affect others.

3. PUT THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN FRONT
Today is the Feast of the MOther of GOd, what better way than to look up to her for example, for help, for guidance, often times to keep the peace in our conversations specially with those whose beliefs and religions are different from us we refrain from talking about her, we are ashamed to talk about her, were afraid to rock the boat, we hide her, we hide our love for her, to think that we should be proud of her ,

to think that the next most important person in the NEW TESTAMENT aside from JESUS is the Blessed Mary, we should be ashamed in hiding our love for her, One of the best best gifts God gave us is the Blessed Mary.

As for those who do not believe in her who contest Catholics belief for her, we can only say that : we have the received the very best gift from God that you don’t have and that’s the blessed Mary,

a Mom who loves us, pacifies us , helps us, consoles us, who helps be our bridge,a mom who only almost always wants whats good for us, our greatest intercessor, and will always be there for us too til the last day.

Be the change you wish to see in this world!



what i learned:

design my life, plan, make no excuses in implementing it,prioritize, to not forget Mama MAry is there for me, and that in order not to be frustrated with how people bungle up things and when things dont go my way .. to try to be the change i wish to see in this world.