The Sycamore Tree.

When Jesus called Zacchaeus, a Chief Tax Collector, to get down from the Sycamore Fig tree because he would dine at his house, Zacchaeus came down without hesitation.

According to Luke 19: 1 -10, Zacchaeus went up the Sycamore tree because he was a short man and could not see Jesus amid the thick crowd. Once perched up the tree, he saw Jesus and Jesus saw him immediately.

The Sycamore Tree of Zacchaeus

Nowadays, people climb high fences or structures in order to see their favorite movie stars or sports celebrities. But this happens rarely because most of the time, the stars or idols are carried high in special made-to-order carriages.

During the time of Jesus, the closest thing to a carriage that he mounted on was a donkey during His triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

If Zacchaeus did not climb up the Sycamore tree, Jesus would not have called him and he would not have received Jesus' special blessing and grace, and he'd remain a sinner.

Being persistent proved worthwhile. Zacchaeus must have been frustrated upon not being able to see Jesus amid the towering men and women, so he conjured the plan to be on the tree top.

In Luke 5: 18 - 26, persistence also proved the friends of a paralytic man right when they lowered the sick man through a roof which they tore so that Jesus could heal their friend.  When Jesus saw how strongly they believe that He could help, he said to the sick man, " Son, your sins are forgiven and then, "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go home."

Going the extra mile as the modern idiom goes, means to make more effort than is expected of you. Or as Mathew 5:41 relates: "whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two."

Thou Shall Not Steal or something like that.

The big time thieves drive Porsche, Lamborghini's and Aston Martins. They had been sensationalized in movies like Godfathers as Mafiosi, or they are rotting in jails or Scot- free as drug lords, money launderers, money market or stock manipulators, pyramid scammers, illegal pork barrel and illegal numbers games operators, and gun for hires or modern-day sea pirates.

The low class thieves pilfer other people's hard-earned money by short changing services or products.

Two weeks ago, we called a refrigerator repair company to fix an almost four-year old refrigerator; the service guy had been recommended by someone known in the community.

The owner/repairman came, diagnosed the problem and offered his service: the motor was gone, he said and  he would replace it with a brand new one. He took the unit to his shop.

The following day, he brought it back and it worked. The next day, it went dead.

After calling him and giving him a piece of our angry mind, he brought a service unit and said that our unit went on defrost mode. He took our unit for further work. Then he called and offered that we keep the service model if we liked it. The service unit was much bigger and had plenty of shelves. But after two days, the lower portion became warm and only the freezer worked.

We had enough of him and demanded our money and motor back. He agreed after much convoluted explanation.

After two weeks' surviving on an old refrigerator and a small bar refrigerator, we decided to call the brand's service department to order a new motor/compressor. That's how we found out that there's a five year warranty on the compressor.

On the very same day, two crewmen arrived and announced that the motor of our refrigerator had been replaced and it was not the original anymore, and sorry, the warranty could not be honored.

We called the old repairman and told him point blank that he conned us; that the refrigerator's after sales service discovered the original motor missing and replaced with another brand's dead motor. We told him we'll take the matter to the police if he didn't bring the original to our house.

In an earlier conversation with the service crew, they said the compressor might not have been the problem; it could just be the overload relay.

The old repairman came in a huff with a motor in hand but the bona fide service guys said the motor he brought in was not our refrigerator's. We told the man that a new motor would cost us this much, and nothing, if we had the original one because it was covered by the original warranty.

He didn't stop lying. He offered to give a brand new motor by another brand. The service crew said it wouldn't work as another brand had different sensors and that they wouldn't install it.

After asking him to produce our original motor, he confessed to having it installed in another refrigerator he sold which he could no longer remember and so forth and so on, weaving a tale of  lies.

Having been cornered and as he ran out of plausible excuses, he then agreed to pay for the cost of a new motor, a price quotation given by the company's service crew.

Lesson of the day: Have appliances serviced by the brand's official repair service centers. And keep original or photocopies of receipts and read the fine prints of the warranty.

House Blessing.

When we were young and living in a rented house, we constantly bugged our father to build us our own house. My aunt and uncle with whom I  lived during my elementary years at school had their own house set amidst fruit trees of varying kinds, clean and tranquil river at the backyard,  "cascos" (small rigs) plying the river in the afternoons and huge space where we played hide and seek, "tumbang preso," and even "teks" or card game. 

My father finally bought a house in the capital city of the Philippines, Quezon City, far from the town of my childhood.

So, last Saturday when I attended a house blessing, I never thought much about it, because in my entire life, I'd probably just gone to a couple of house blessings.

When I was still writing for a magazine in my younger professional life, I used to do advertising supplements and one popular feature was  "Building Your Dream House," in which I discussed financing, constructing, and decorating a house.

I wrote based on what I read and researched because I have not gone through the process of building nor owning my own home.

Blessing a new or a renovated house, condo unit, or building is a built-in activity to the whole construction process.

"In Christianity, house blessing is an ancient tradition, that can be found in Protestantism, Orthodox, Christianity and Roman Catholicism. They are usually performed by a parish priest who sprinkles holy water as he walks through every room of the house, accompanied by the occupants of the house, whilst praying for the occupants.

House blessings date back to the early days of  Christianity and in Catholicism, the ritual takes the form of a prayer. Matthew 2:11 says:

"On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."

Consequently, Catholics often have their homes blessed at Epiphany, on January 6. This commemorates the visitation of the Magi to the child Jesus."


In the Philippines, house blessing or house warming,  is usually  a grand occasion much like a town fiesta in which the new owners choose "sponsors," -  friends or relatives who'd lead the festive day, throwing coins into each room or nook that has been blessed by the priest, in order to bring luck.

September Rain, Oh!

September Rain, Oh! from Gene Pagkanlungan

SA GITNA NG DESIERTO.

Sa gitna ng disierto from mrgene

Let's drink to that, Father.

I remember one parish priest who held a series of talks and one talk took place in a pub near the U of T. in Toronto. Yes, an Irish pub.

The priest was not even Irish; he was a Filipino-Canadian.  But yes, there are many Irish priests in Canada and the U.S.A.  In fact, a second cousin's daughter is married to an Irish-Canadian who has a priest for an uncle. And for an Irish, going to a pub (bar) is like going for a walk - it is the most natural thing to do.

I figured, that priest must have many Irish priest friends and that he was attending the University for post graduate studies and that the pub was the best place to hold a talk because it was populated by students from the nearby university whose attendance he probably wanted.

And then I read about "pub talks."  One Australian priest  in an article says,  "It is one thing to discuss key questions among ourselves as Catholics, it is another to go into the public forum and raise the issues that are current and important," says Bishop Julian. "Holding these talks in pubs in the city provides young people with an informal relaxed environment in which they can engage with the important questions that are currently being debated in newspapers, on talk back radio and on many television programs."

A typical pub talk.

My mind flashed back to this scenario because at a recent church group meeting I attended, someone admonished the members to avoid posting photos in their social networking sites which show them drinking in the presence of a priest.

According to the individual, others may misconstrue it and think that the priest was drinking.

What's wrong with a priest drinking beer during a ministry fellowship, anyway?

The warning by the group member was  a classic case of 'beauty is in the eyes of the beholder," or more like "sin is in the eyes of the sinner."

Vatican II changed the way the Catholic church treated the laity; the laity was made more involved with the Church through the various ministries and apostolates; it became a partner of the Church in spreading the kingdom of God. Corollary to this, the priests became more in touch with their parishioners.

As a Knight of Columbus, I became aware of how the laity should defend its priests. Instead of  worrying how others may perceive an ordinary photograph, I would take the positive action of  explaining (if need be) what's probably behind the image.

I won't take the high road of snobbery.

Here's another piece on  pub talks.  " Archbishop Donald Wuerl stepped onto the stage at the archdiocesan sponsored Theology on Tap on Oct. 17 to cheers and applause from the young crowd. "That's the warmest welcome I've ever received in a pub," he said. And then added, "That's the first welcome I've ever received in a pub." - from Catholic online (http://www.catholic.org/diocese/diocese_story.php?id=21800).

Is it a concert?

I remember a friend in high school telling me that he was a junior cursillista. My father, a sister and auncle were also cursillistas.

What is a cursillista? A cursillista is a member of the Cursillo Movement, or Cursillos in Christianity (in Spanish: Cursillos de Cristiandad, short course of Christianity), an apostolic movement of the Roman Catholic Church. 

" It was founded in Majorca, Spain by a group of laymen in 1944, while they were refining a technique to train pilgrimage Christian leaders.

Cursillo is the original three day movement, and has since been licensed for use by several mainline Christian denominations, some of which have retained the trademarked "Cursillo" name while others have modified its talks/methods and given it a different name.

The cursillo focuses on showing Christian lay people how to become effective Christian leaders over the course of a three-day weekend. The weekend includes fifteen talks, some given by priests and some by lay people, those talks are called "rollos". The major emphasis of the weekend is to ask participants to take what they have learned back into the world, on what they call the "fourth day". The method stresses personal spiritual development, as accelerated by weekly group reunion (after the weekend)."

It was in the mananita or dawn serenade that I first heard of the cursillo songs -  sweet and touching songs of praise to God. And then these spread like wild fire, and were incorporated in mass songs during the late 60's. In the early 80's, the Charistmatic movement whose prayer meetings were punctuated by the Holy Spirit slayings started to flourish in the Philippines and their stirring song-invocations drew more and more people into their groups and events.

Yesterday, we were at the Eucharistic Chapel of the Lord for the nine a.m. Healing mass and before the final blessing, Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite called on the sax player of the choir, Joshua Espinosa, to play a jazz number, while a second collection for the formation of young priests was being done.

I thought for a second that I was in a concert of Josh Groban until I heard the final blessing. 

Click here to view the complete mass.

Loving Latin.

When I was new in Canada I got to hear mass one Sunday in an old Catholic Church in the west side of Toronto, where the priest celebrated mass facing the altar, not the congregation. And then during communion the parishioners knelt in front of the altar to receive the Eucharist.

This also happened at a special mass which was celebrated for our group of pilgrims in the chapel underneath the Basilica of the Poor Clares of  Perpetual Adoration- the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, a mass in pre- Vatican II style.

Latin Mass

As kids, we used to attend Catholic mass at the Sta. Ana Church near Panaderos. The mass was still in Latin and women wore veils and had missalettes. From time to time, the parish priest scaled the steps leading to the pulpit from where he gave his Sunday homily.

Sta. Ana Church is an old church having been established in 1578 and its architecture and history added magnificence to the masses celebrated there. But today, all masses are celebrated facing the parishioners.

As a converted Catholic, I thought that the mass orientation of today has something to do with Vatican II and that all masses should be celebrated facing the congregation. But further research told otherwise.

Priest celebrates mass "ad orientem," facing the altar

A mass celebrated facing the altar is called "ad orientem," or facing east, and a mass celebrated facing the congregation is called "versus populum" orientation.

The present-day Roman Missal does not forbid the ad orientem position for the priest when saying Mass and only requires that in new or renovated churches the facing-the-people orientation be made possible: "The altar should be built apart from the wall, in such a way that it is possible to walk around it easily and that Mass can be celebrated at it facing the people, which is desirable wherever possible."

I find the "versus populum" orientation very welcoming and inclusive but I also remember the Latin masses of my childhood very appealing and holier.

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated mass "ad orientem" at the Sistine Chapel

At the Cathedral in Seattle, Washington, the priest celebrates mass at the centre of the church, so he faces basically everyone in the church, in a circular way.

St. James Cathedral in Seattle, Washington.

 At the end of the day, whether "ad orientem or versus populum" orientation, the appeal of going to mass rests heavily on the priest celebrating it and the one giving the homily.

While Jesus Christ is the Host of the Mass, the priest is the celebrant whose great task is to make the people feel the love of Christ through him.

The Charismatics.

I used to attend Sunday masses at the Holy Rosary Parish in Steubenville, Ohio. The parish priest then was Monsignor Marshall, an Irish.

My nephews attended the parochial school adjunct to the church, while an older sister went to the University of Steubenville for her master's in business administration. I used to tag along with my sister and was able to use the university library from time to time.

Years later, the charismatic movement at the University became stronger, and foreign students from the Philippines started enrolling at the University.

On a visit to University of Steubenville

In the Philippines, the El Shaddai is the biggest Catholic Charismatic Renewal group. It was founded in 1982 and today has a membership of some 8 million worldwide.  At Goodwill Industries of Toronto where I used to work, I met a Caucasian guy who was boyfriends with a Filipina, who was a member of El Shaddai.

El Shaddai (Hebrew for God Almighty, which is one of the names of God),  is currently headed by Brother Mike Velarde, its Servant Leader and founder. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Teodoro Bacani of the Roman Catholic Church serves as its Spiritual Director.

On a recent visit to the Philippines, my sister and her husband stayed in a friend's condominium unit at the 10-hectare Amvel City in Paranaque, where the El Shaddai is now headquartered. You'd know the residents are members of El Shaddai because the community's logo is prominently displayed in their apartment doors.

Many years ago, I attended a charismatic renewal activity at the Varsity Stadium of U of T. That was my first, and there, I listened to a sharing by a woman named Lola Falana. Garbed in a dull dress, she said she was a former Las Vegas showgirl who got tired of the glitzy life and wished that she wouldn't dance again. The next day, she couldn't walk.

She got cured and was able to walk again because she devoted much of her time to praying and became a believer of the Lady of Medjugorje. On this event, I also witnessed "slayings" by the Holy Spirit and was even asked to catch the fall of some.

Ms. Lola Falana

For Ms. Falana's complete story, go here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lola_Falana or independently search Lola Falana in your browser.

Then, whenever I'd visit Manila, our family attended the 9 a.m. Sunday mass at the Megamall Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord, a charismatic healing mass regularly officiated by Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite of the Order of St. Paul. 

In our parish, there's a worship group of El Shaddai and another charismatic renewal community in the offing.

The call "Jesus, Jesus," resounds at the Eucharistic Chapel on Sunday mornings, and "Come, Holy Spirit," in our prayer group meetings on Fridays.

What a lovely way to proclaim one's faith. 
 

El Shaddai Prayer Rally

Cabizera seat for Jesus.

Filipinos have always been known for their hospitality; even tourism pamphlets promote this aspect or asset of the Philippine Islanders.

Perhaps this hospitality theme came to fore because of the people's penchant to give an easy smile, especially to foreign people.

Hospitality is a treasured trait. It is a warm welcoming of guests and visitors. In the gospel reading from Luke 7: 36 - 50, hospitality is an underlying theme.

In the gospel reading of Luke 7: 36-50, Jesus was invited by Simon into his home for dinner. A woman known for her sinful past sat behind Jesus at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair, kissed them and anointed them with the ointment she brought.

Simon got scandalized and thought to himself, "surely if this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is, a sinner."

Jesus as a reply to Simon told a story of two men who owed a creditor; one owed five hundred days' wages and the other fifty days. Both were not able to repay and were forgiven by the creditor.

Jesus asked Simon, " Which of them will love him more?'

PHOTO ABOVE; 

A Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee; Peter Paul RUBENS; c. 1618; oil on canvas; the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

Then Jesus said to Simon "do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet but she had bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil but she anointed my feet with ointment. So, I tell you her many sins have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love."

If the story happened today in Manila, Jesus would have been given house slippers upon his entry at the door, cold buko (coconut) juice or a bottle of Coke upon reclining in a sofa, and the cabizera or the most prominent seat, reserved for the head of the family, at the dinner table.

I am pretty certain Jesus would have been shown hospitality even in a most ordinary Philippine house. If he were invited to a peasant home in the rural Philippines, the man of the house would have fetched water from a well for Jesus to wash his feet and hands.

Painting by late artist, Joey Velasco

Yet, ordinary hospitality is not enough to welcome Jesus, Lord of Hosts. He must be welcomed not just into our homes, but into our hearts, and reside there forever.

A Gem in an Island.

Chants of "Viva La Virgen de la Penafrancia" rang within the confines of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 as the Image of the Our Lady of Penafrancia emerged within sight of hundreds of faithful lined up outside the glassed gate.

The rhythmic chant continued as INA (Mother) was carried through the crowd into the parking lot where a specially-prepared SUV decorated with a wooden mount and floral bouquet waited for Her arrival.

Crowd at NAIA Terminal 3 greets INA.
ABOVE -Fr. Vic Flores, parish priest of San Andres Apostol shown carrying INA

The priest clutching INA and his entourage waved through the early afternoon crowd and didn't mind the various stops as people went near and touched the statue of the Our Lady of Penafrancia.

INA, as the Virgin of Penafrancia is lovingly called visited the San Andres Apostol Parish in Cainta last May 25, and was returned to her Basilica on Monday, May 27.

"Our Lady of Penafrancia (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, and in Spain as Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia or Virgen de la Peña de Francia) is a wooden statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary copied from the one in Peña de Francia (Salamanca, Spain).

Tens of thousands of pilgrims, devotees and tourists come to Naga City, also known as the Pilgrim City and the Queen City of the Bicol region in the Philippines, every September for a nine day novena and festivities in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the Principal Patroness and Queen of Bicol, endearingly addressed by Bicolanos as Ina (mother). The shrines in Naga, gathering more than two million devotees every year, is also one of the biggest Marian Pilgrimage Sites in Asia."

INA is the gem of Catholic Bicolandia. Revered as miraculous and a healer.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Penafrancia in Naga City, Bicol
Photo by Gener.

An astonishing island in the Caramoan Peninsula in the Bicol Province, home of Our Lady of  Penafrancia
Photo by Gener.

* Certain photos taken from the San Andres Apostol Parish facebook account.

ALAY LAKAD 2013. Penitential Walk.

Ave Maria!

The Virgin of Antipolo, better known as Nuestra Senora De la Paz y Buen Viaje, (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) is back in her home,  at the Cathedral of Antipolo.

She came back last Wednesday, May 1st, travelling from the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila to the Cathedral in Antipolo in the Rizal Province.

Thousands of faithful and devotees walked the 16-kilometer stretch that started at 8 pm on April 30th and ended at around 3 am on May 1st.

Why did the Virgin of Antipolo end up at Quiapo in the first place?

Recent history relates that the Virgin of Antipolo was brought to the Quiapo Church during World War II as the Japanese forces were wrecking havoc in the town of Antipolo, bombing and burning houses and churches. To escape destruction, the Nuestra Senora was taken secretly to Quiapo.

So every year to commemorate the Virgin Mother's temporary camping and adoption at the Quiapo Church and her subsequent return to Antipolo, the Alay Lakad "fetches" the Nuestra Senora and brings her home to Antipolo.

The Nuestra Senora De la Paz y Buen Viaje and the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo share an affinity. Both were brought to Manila from Mexico and both are made of oak wood and turned black as both the images suffered burning and destruction during trips from Manila to Acapulco in the days of the galleon trade.

Concelebrated mass at the Quiapo church

After a 6 pm concelebrated mass and quick dinner at the church courtyard in Quiapo, the Alay Lakad participants started the walk at 8 pm. They criss crossed the busy traffic along Recto Avenue, on to Legarda, Ramon Magsaysay Blvd (Sta. Mesa), to Greenhills area, crossed EDSA, on to Ortigas Ave, to Rosario Bridge in Pasig, and on to Tikling where other walkers from the Cainta and Taytay areas were waiting with various images of the Senor Nazareno and the Virgin Mother.

Fr. Vic Flores, one of the celebrators of the mass in Quiapo

Along the long route were people giving bottles of water, and there were even some providing snacks like the Beta Sigma Fraternity which handed out hot lugaw, a Philippine favorite chicken and rice porridge .

Some walked ahead of the big group. The main group laid in wait at Tikling because it wanted to reach the Antipolo Church at exactly 4 am, in time for the first mass of the Pilgrim month of May.

Alay Lakad participants taking a rest before the 4 a.m. mass

The church courtyard in Antipolo became one big sleeping camp as walkers and penitents laid mats and slept and rested upon reaching ground and before the 4 am mass.

The scene reminded me of a 2007 trip to the Basilica of Santiago Mayor in Compostela in Spain, where "walkers" from different parts of Spain and Western Europe took the route called "Way Of St. James," and converged at the Church Plaza and slept on the pavement after days of walking with wooden canes.

Participants from our parish of San Andres Apostol included the Knights of Columbus and Daughters of Mary Immaculate, and others from the pastoral council, BEC. MBG, and CWL.

NOTE: Photos lifted from the San Andres Apostol Parish facebook account. Many thanks.

Spiritually Fit?

The biggest money drawers nowadays have something to do with health and beauty.  How to stay young, how to get a fabulous body, how to be mentally alert, how to have good sex all the time, etc.

So businesses like spa, beauty treatment clinics, body contouring, plastic and all types of non-invasive surgeries make big bucks and service providers go laughing all the way to the banks.

While at christian churches, attendance continues to dwindle?

I was having a drink with friends a couple of weeks ago and one colleague mentioned about the sorry state of Philippine churches, which according to one survey, has plummeted to about 36% from a high of 74,  attendance on Sunday masses.

I raised my doubt about this particular survey and opined that "look, even in our own parish, all the four Sunday masses are almost always full," and voiced out the same theme that other Catholics were saying: that the SWS survey seems to be skewed, done during the time of Philippine local elections.

But because it was a birthday party of another friend, I chose not to pursue the topic, and joined the others in a more merry conversation.

But I heard and seen it all around; Catholic churches are experiencing a renaissance, a surge in attendance.

At the Feast, held at the PICC, there are four masses and talks every Sunday, and each one has always been full to the brim.

At the Megamall's Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord, there are two weekday masses and about six Sunday masses, and in each Sunday mass, if you're about two minutes late into the rite you can't find an empty seat.

Go to the Quiapo church on Fridays and Sundays, you cannot drop a pin amidst the church goers.

Here's Fr. Bel R. San Luis' piece on the matter and SWS survey.

Doubts on mass attendance survey

By Fr. Bel R. San Luis, SVD

Published: April 21, 2013 at Manila Bulletin

"RECENTLY the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed its survey result that the Filipino Catholics going to church every Sunday had gone down from 64 percent to 37 percent.
* * *
The Catholic bishops quickly reacted, saying that the survey was not true. Some bishops even opined that the result might have been manipulated in order to silence the church leaders for being vocal against certain policies of the administration, like the RH bill.
* * *
On the contrary, Catholic prelates said, the number of churchgoers is even increasing. Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said: “The nine masses in Jaro Cathedral are still filled to capacity. Priests maintain their masses in center and barrios.”
* * *
The same is true in the Diocese of Marbel in South Cotabato and the Diocese of Cubao. “In the 26 parishes in Marbel, attendance is up. I have visited 17 parishes and the findings also show vibrancy,” said Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez.
* * *
“In the diocese I do not see this observation. In fact, the number of churchgoers has increased because we have mall masses,” Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco said.
Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon and Msgr. Clemente Ignacio, Quiapo Church rector, also noted that Mass attendance has increased.
* * *
I am involved in the Marriage Encounter apostolate and for me, Mass attendance has increased considerably because of the numerous Catholic charismatic and renewal communities. Indifferent and lukewarm Catholics have returned to the church and their faiths are much stronger now.
* * *
In the forefront of these renewal movements are the El Shaddai, Couples for Christ, Marriage Encounter, Loved Flock, all of which have numerous communities and chapters locally and internationally.
It’s surprising, therefore, that the SWS comes out with a negative result of the church’s Mass attendance in the Philippines."
* * *

Going to mass on weekdays and Sundays is one way to keep our spiritual being in full alert, and optimum level. Praying at different times of the day, in adoration, thanksgiving and repentance, just like repetitive exercise, will make our experience and relationship with God firmer and healthy.

These days our youth are getting portly and unhealthy due to choice of food, and concerned parents  are starting to worry and are encouraging them to diet and exercise.

The same guidance should be directed to the youth who are getting lukewarm about their Catholic faith; parents must be vigilant and include them always in the family worship.

Prayers, anyone?

My mother taught me my evening prayer.  It is a simple prayer of thanks for having gone through a full day and a prayer to see the beautiful morning after. It is a prayer of thanks for having been given good health for the day and a summon for help in serving the Lord and parents.

It is a kid's prayer which I faithfully recite even as an adult,  night after night and also on mornings of each day.

Prayers are powerful, that I learned from an early age.

When we were kids, we'd also been taught a prayer by an aunt to be recited during calamities and emergencies. It is a prayer in song.

I remember me and my siblings and cousins singing it during play times on hot summer days in Manila which were interrupted by strong rains, usually in May.

I remember singing it on a late evening, lonesome trip along the long stretch of Pennsylvania turnpike, a trip punctuated by heavy snow and fog. It was Thanksgiving Eve and I was headed to Ohio to celebrate the Day with my sister and her family.

Winter storm hazardous driving

Even now, I still cry at how my prayers have been answered faithfully by Our Lord. And I marvel at His greatness and compassion for He never fails to show His presence by giving in even to the small, sometimes mundane things we ask from Him.

People relatively unknown to me regularly ask for prayers for someone who's sick or dying, or for problems big and small. I never fully understood why.

Then I heard a priest told a congregation how easy it is to pray in times of joy and financial boom, but wait when it's time of bad luck and illness and economic downturn. That's the time when it's most difficult to pray to and praise God.

That's why we need to pray for those who are in distress - health wise, financial-wise, spiritually-wise, because they are having a hard time praying for themselves.

That's probably why praying for someone has become a big business these days.

People in Manila frown at those "prayer-ladies" lined up outside the Basilica of Senor Nazareno in Quiapo, who pray for and with people in exchange for pennies or dimes. Once, we went to the Shrine of Padre Pio in Eastwood and found also individuals outside the premises asking for money in exchange for prayers.

But what about those high-end, televised worship groups who'd pray for people and then beg for regular contribution and donations? Like the lowly prayer-ladies of Quiapo, they also prey on the prayer needs of those who are sick and troubled.

Of late, prayer warriors have entered the vocabulary. 

One website describes "Prayer warriors are Christian-based group of family, friends and total strangers coming together to prayerfully support one another in times of need, as well as in thanksgiving, and in celebration. The Prayer Warriors believe God hears every prayer. He answers prayers in His own way and in His own time."

Let's remember what the Good News proclaims, in Matthew 18: 19-20, " Again (amen) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my Heavenly Father.  For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Till we meet, again. The Salubong.

Lovers do not mind at all sleeping late at night, then waking up early the following morning, to meet with the one s/he adores.

The headache and pang for sleep disappears once the lover is face to face with the beloved.

That is exactly how a faithful feels during the hours between an Easter Vigil and the "Salubong," a Philippine Catholic tradition.

So last Holy Saturday, from 9 p.m. , we attended the Easter Vigil celebration at our parish in San Andres Apostol which lasted almost three hours, close to midnight.  Then we went home and barely two hours after, woke up to attend the 3 a.m. "Salubong"procession.

Others in the parish church didn't have a wink or two.  Members of the Knights of Columbus Council 15419, for instance, acting as marshalls for the entire Holy Week celebrations, kept watch over the statues and icons which were to be used for the "Salubong."

The "Salubong," is a re-enactment of a scene in which the Blessed Virgin Mary, mourning for the death of her son, met up with the Risen Lord.

It is a joyous occasion, a VICTORY!

The Blessed Mother about to meet her Beloved Son

The Risen Lord anticipates the appearance of the Virgin Mother

The glorious event, the "Salubong," or meeting up

The Mother is reunited with the Risen Christ

Unique to the Philippines and countries colonized by Spain during the colonization years, the "Salubong," is re-enacted in churches throughout the Philippines.

 








In a "Salubong," there are two starting points.  One, wherein the Blessed Mother, accompanied by women faithfuls leaves a church courtyard or another place within the parish, and a second spot, wherein the Risen Lord, accompanied by the male faithfuls originates.

At a given point, the two central characters would meet up, a "Salubong," literally a converging point.

According to the Jesuit Gourmet, Fr. Joel Liwanag, " this is not written in the Bible, but the Filipinos' natural affinity to their mothers tell them that if there is someone to whom Christ will show himself first after his resurrection, it must be to his mother who loved him so much. This explanation is quite reasonable. St. Ignatius himself seems to have the same logic in his Spiritual Exercises (SpEx) when he highlighted this event by making it first among the contemplations of the Fourth week of the Exercises. He writes, "rising again, he appeared in body and soul to his Blessed Mother" (SpEx [219]). He explained that, "Although this is not stated in Scripture, still it is considered as understood by the statement that he appeared to many others." (SpEx [299])."

A full moon guides the "Salubong"

Fr. Vic of San Andres Apostol Parish, celebrates Easter mass, March 31, 2013 in an open field

A mass has been celebrated at the meet up point at about 4:30 in the morning, and before 6 a.m., the congregants headed back to Church in a procession.

The Easter procession passes through the streets of the village

It's Glorious Easter, a festive occasion,  called Pasko ng Pagkabuhay in the Philippines, so a marching band joins the faithful in the celebration

The Risen Lord heads back to Church after the "Salubong"

HAPPY EASTER 2013 TO EVERYONE.