Poetic Doses: Brave Soul / Cold Shoulder

#365daysofpoetry Day 5

To the brave soul ...

Who scoured the hidden
Chambers of my heart;
And charted my unknown scars
In the pale light of a single dusk ---

Thank you.

I am much braver because of you.

Cold Shoulder

Who knows what lies
Behind her eyes' dark wells;
Or why there is palpable strength
Lurking in her veiled silence;
How those pursed lips cut
Deeper than the sharpest tongue;
That many have retreated
With barely a flick of her finger.

Poetic Dose: Finding You

#365daysofpoetry Day 4

(Mt. Batulao pic by Elmer Gabini)

Finding You

For in this vastness
There is You
And in my heart
A void only You can fill;
Here
In this wide open expanse
Is Your embrace
Liberating in its closeness;
In my heart are echoes
Of ghosts Past, Present & Future
You tame them
And I am calm in the silence.

Poetic Dose: Giggles

#365daysofpoetry Day 3

(Art by Romeo Tabuena)

Giggles

Giggle me this, giggle me that

Spare me some of your precious time

And sing with me some silly rhymes.

Giggle me this, giggle me that

Lay to rest that buzzing laptop

And nuzzle me upon your cushy lap.

Giggle me this, giggle me that

Pick me up and hug me tight

To set your furrowed eyebrows right.

Giggle me this, giggle me that

Together let's fly to Neverland

Where, for you, I'll stop Time's swift sands.

Poetic Dose: Tapestry of Life

#365daysofpoetry Day 2

(Life in the Forest by Trisha Co Reyes)

Show me the poetry 

In everyday tapestry

In the bright yellows

And the gray that mellows

Whether joyful or tearful

This tapestry of Life is beautiful.

Poetic Dose: She Knew

#365daysofpoetry Day 1

Mary, Mother of God

(Art taken from Internet)

Growing up, I always felt a special bond with Mama Mary.

This is probably the influence of my maternal grandmother who taught us the discipline of praying the rosary daily (promptly at 6 pm, after playing outside).  She was, in many ways, a lot like Mama Mary:  a woman of few words with a quiet strength about her (and especially in her embrace) and the ability to find humor and laugh uncontrollably even in the most difficult times.  

I realize only now, that the dynamics of my relationship with Mama Mary is much the same way.  We do not really need a lot of words.  When I feel troubled, lost or heartbroken, I find a quiet spot and wait for her to come.  With just a touch of her hand or her arms around me, I feel my soul speak in torrents, unburdening.  Sometimes I don't even realize how heavy my heart is until she touches me.  And in ways only a mother can, she makes everything alright.  No fail.

Today, at Mass, she gifted me with a warm hug that I didn't know I needed. (Needless to say, it took everything not to bawl my eyes out.  I didn't want to have to explain crying over something even I don't fully understand yet.  But it felt good).

I wrote this to honor her today - the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

Mama Mary

kneeling down

i groped for words

that would not come

yet she came

touched her forehead against mine

and held me

pulling at my heart

drawing feelings undefined

lifting burdens long untouched

while i sank deeper

surrendering to the rain

in the comfort of her embrace

and then she whispered

her hand upon my chest

"He has not forgotten you".

(Art by:  Megan Hagel)

#365daysofpoetry Day 1

A New Year Blessing

Let us welcome the New Year with arms open to God's blessings; and heart opened wider  to His love and gentle proddings. 

May you and your families be mediums of God's love to everyone whose lives you touch in 2018!

Sharing God's blessing below to kickstart the New Year.

Numbers 6:22-27

22 The Lord said to Moses: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 The Lord bless you and keep you! 25 The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! 26 The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! 27 So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Family is Heart

(Holy Family II by Jason Jenicke)

Yesterday was the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  At Mass, while the priest gave his sermon, I rode on my train of thoughts that took me to a place of gratitude for my lovingly-always-on-each-other's-nerves family.

Like any family, ours is made up of an eclectic group of imperfect individuals; each with their own unique set of quirks (a lot of them annoying) that come with the (thankfully redeeming) perks.  Yet, somehow, we work.  And, actually, we wouldn't have worked any other way.  I consider this, in itself,  a miracle and a testament to God's wisdom.

We complement each other.  Where one lacks, another is abundant or strong.

• My parents are staunch Catholics, strong in faith; continuously growing by studying Scriptures and the Catholic Catechism, and through fellowship with their communities / groups.
• With us, siblings, one is the prayerful conscience of the family; another is the everyone's-sounding-board peacemaker; another is the mighty bond who is also the embodiment of charity; and one is the cheerleader with a heart constantly expanding.
• We all enjoy eating.  It's our primary bonding medium.
• We all cook (except for Mama), but we have different specialties.  We can actually put up a cafe and have everything covered from soups/salads/starters to main entrees and grilled dishes to dessert and coffee.

The quirks?

We are a good mix of crazies:  impatient, given to anger, super sensitive, drama king/queen, sleepyhead, nocturnal, terrible at communication and coordination, immensely fluid, stringent, and a good range of OC-ness (obsessive compulsive traits).

But it is this family that saw me through my lowest and darkest moments; and rejoiced with me at my most meager triumphs.  And, most especially, they are the ones who saw me through my early single-motherhood phase, when it dawned on me that I bit off more than I could really chew.  I am grateful that they were (and still are) my strong support system.  Without their constant "reality check" and concerned reminders, the many times they filled in for me while I was on business trips (to the point of taking my son to client calls --- which he thoroughly enjoyed, by the way), and the ranting air times they afforded me, I probably would have had a mental breakdown by now.  Because of them, my son is turning out fairly-normal-and-mildly-amazing despite my shortcomings. 

We have climbed amazing heights and kept each other afloat during our wildest storms.  So, on the Feast of the Holy Family, I bless God for giving me this crazy bunch I call Home, where my heart always will be.

Reflection on Readings: Not Forgetful, Just Time-Sensitive

"You shall have your sunset.  I shall command it.  But according to my science of government, I shall wait until conditions are favorable."

(Antoine De Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince)

We ask like children, always wanting our wishes to be granted promptly ... even though we know there is a proper time for everything.  

I understood this even more when I became a mother.  I held off treats just before meal time to ensure that my son does not spoil his appetite.  I pushed him to finish his school work on weekdays, so that he can do more fun stuff during the weekend.  But it took a lot of ruined weekend plans before he finally got it; that cheating on his daily schedule will, in consequence, result to school work spilling over the weekend --- which means, no time for having fun.

I imagine God shaking His head right now ... because I am still stumbling over this one, pushing for what I want when I want it (NOW) and inevitably dealing with the unfavorable consequences.

And then, when I do wait (patience is not my strong suit), I often find myself frustrated at the silence or the delay.  I lose faith and fall into despair. (God must have forgotten me! Waaahhh!) But I shouldn't.  I should hold firmly onto His promise that: "He did [will do] for her [me] as He had promised ... at the set time that God had stated". 

I will have my sunset ... when conditions are favorable.

Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3 (or Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14)

1 The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” 3 Abram continued, “See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” 5 The Lord took Abram outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” 6 Abram put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. 21:1 The Lord took note of Sarah as he had said he would; he did for her as he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time that God had stated. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to this son of his whom Sarah bore him. 

Poetic Doses: Baler

Waves

I feel it always
Pulsating just beneath the surface
Like waves coming home
Constantly to the shore
Sometimes crashing in a rush
sometimes a weary gentle kiss
But it is there
Always
In endless search
For an escape
One day
Into the light.

Mind Suggestions

Sometimes we want things so badly

That we only see them 

for what we want them to be;

and not for what they truly are.

***

I wished only for a heart strong enough to love me;

But all I found was a stone that vaguely resembled a heart;

And in despair, I realized, there is not a heart quite like mine.

Flame

And there it was

The door with the tiny flame tree;

A lone bike parked in front,

This morning's freshly-picked tulips still in the basket;

There is comfort in the scene,

Like a feeling of homecoming;

I stood in front of the door for a few more moments,

Relishing every detail, unhurried;

I knew then, without a doubt,

I have found her;

This is where the search finally ends

And my forever begins.

("Pinto" by  Sherwin Gonzales)

Coraline's Child

I knocked;

She opened the door.

And there he was,

A child nestled, content, upon her bosom;

While my every hope and dream

Came spilling, crashing - one after another - on the floor.

She beamed.

I tried to smile despite my phantom tears.

And, as she reached out for an embrace,

I retreated, defeated, inside of me.

Still single?

Me, too.

Tentatively, I peered back out,

Tried to rearranged my life in my head.

She hoped.

I regretted.

This is her reality.

And it is not my dream.

(Painting by an artist from Baler)

Christmas Renewal

(Filipino Nativity:  Manny Baldemor)

Christmas this year was different, mostly because this year changed me; or, more appropriately, I had the courage to change, let go of my internal rules and just live. 

I allowed myself to take risks (within comfortable parameters, of course; too risk averse to just go all out cray cray), have fun and let loose, and deal with or revel in the consequences.  I lived my life in accordance with my values and spent my time (and resources) on things/people in direct proportion to their importance to me.

And what did I realize? 

• There are just too many things and people that I value, and just too little time --- so I can't go around wasting time on those that don't matter to me. 
• I want to do big things, but I have limited resources --- so I have to be more creative.
• I have grand ideas, waiting to be executed, but it's okay to start small.  It doesn't matter the size of the step.  What matters is it's in the right direction.

And, most of all, I realized that everything depends on God and His plans.  I realized (again; slow learner; repeat student) that the key to peace of mind is complete surrender to His Will and just allowing His plan to unfold.  Swim with it and it will get you to where you ought to be. Faster.

This Christmas was a lot more quiet for me.  It came so fast that I panicked.  Thankfully, there is always the Misa De Gallo novena Masses, which had always felt like Christmas retreats for me.  The readings and homilies, that bring to light old and new learnings, help me-refocus my perspective and recalibrate where I am vs. where I want to go (cross-reference to my other blog:  Compass).  They are a good reminder, that Christmas celebrates:

• God's Love for us:  (1) He loved us into being; (2) He loved us so much that He sent His only Son (unico hijo), not just to save us, but to show us how to Love.  "All things come to be through Him, and without Him nothing came to be."
• Jesus opening up eternal Life to us.  He basically gave us the road map to eternal Life, paving the way and opening the door for us through His death and resurrection.  "What came to be through Him was life, and this life was the light of the human race."
• Jesus as our Hope. So much of what is happening in the country and around the world has got me thinking "What has gotten into people?  Have we become so calloused and indifferent that we will let people and the earth just die?"  BUT "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has NOT overcome it".   There is hope.  And, as long as there is hope, every little thing we do will add up and won't be for naught.  We will be "the spark that will ignite the rebellion" (Star Wars) which will "rage, rage against the dying of the light" (Dylan Thomas). 

John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; 5the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. 12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ ” 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, 17because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

Misa De Gallo - Day 9 (Addendum: HOLE)

We made it! And, boy, was the struggle real.  If it weren't for our list of prayer intentions, I would have gladly killed the alarm, rolled over and continued sleeping.  But we made it and it felt really good, especially since we are praying for some serious stuff.

The first reading was a head-nodder. It's nothing new, really, but it showcased how easily we are distracted by material luxuries and Man's folly at thinking he can do "great" things - in a different way.  David had thought of building a temple for the Ark of God, which had always been kept in a tent.  But God aptly pointed out to him: It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel..."  (Duh!) It was a long text of everything God had done for David and everything He planned to do for him.  But, the point is, God does not really need a grand temple.  Indeed, there is nothing we can do for God that can outdo what He has done and will do for us.  So, while it is a fitting honor, it is not as important as building a temple for Him in our hearts.  Afterall, it is all He has ever asked of us.



As our Parish Priest pointed out, all God needs is a HOLE to get into our lives, move us and turn things around.  I can't quite remember all that the acronym stood for (I'm getting old), but what stuck with me was the "O", making the daily ordinary Extraordinary by mixing in a bit of Love - because, really, "all we need is Love". (*wink*).





ADDENDUM:
So ... thanks to technology, I was able to get what HOLE stood for:

• Hiddenness - These days social media has become an integral part of our daily lives.  But it is in the most hidden and private areas that our unmasked, vulnerable and raw parts reside.  That is where God wants to be.  That is the part God wants to hold and loves the most.
• Ordinariness - The daily ordinary that we can turn into Extraordinary with Love.
• Lowliness - It is only when we recognize our lowliness, that we become more open to God's courtship.  In humility we become more malleable to His beautiful hands that mold us. 
• Emptiness - For only when we completely empty ourselves, can God fill us - full to the brim and overflowing (siksik, liglig at umaapaw).

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16

1 When King David was settled in his palace, and the Lord had given him rest from his enemies on every side, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” 3 Nathan answered the king, “Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” 4 But that night, the Lord spoke to Nathan and said: 5 “Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build me a house to dwell in? 8 “‘It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. 10 I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, 11 since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. 12 And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his Kingdom firm. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. 16Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’ ”

Misa De Gallo - Day 8

What is in a name? So much.  Sometimes it is prophetic.

Fr. Lambert said, in Jewish tradition, a child's name is important.  It is a pity that these days children's names are not as meaningful.

• Some names are given in honor of family members, which is why Elizabeth was questioned when she wanted to name her son John, when the more appropriate would have been Zechariah or any male name in their family.
• Some names highlight what the child means to the parents.  John means "YAHWEH is gracious"
• Some names call out the parents' beliefs and values.  Elijah means "my God is YAHWEH".  
• Some names indicate special abilities.  Raphael means "God is Healer" or "God has healed", an apt name for the Archangel who is instrumental in the healing of Tobit. Samson means "Sun child; bright child", which alludes to his tremendous strength.

The homily struck my son so much, that he researched the meaning of his name.  He came into my room and said, "Mom, my name means 'Man of God' or 'Soldier of God'". I looked at him and said, "And you need to live up to that name".  He looked at me solemnly and said, "I'm sorry, I am not a Man of God the past days"; and I saw a resolve in his eyes (that, I hope, holds out for longer than a day).

How many times have you inadvertently lived up to your name?  How many times have you disgraced it?

Luke 1:57-66

57 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zec

hariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” 61 But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 62 So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63 He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 65 Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.

Misa De Gallo - Day 7

Day 7's 1st Reading strongly resonates with me as a mother.  Like most girls, my pretend play centered around being a wife and a mother.  As I grew older, I did not know the magnitude of my heart's desire until my heart's secret prayer was answered even before I had the courage to speak it.

God gave me my son in a most unexpected way and time.  And my world was never the same.  I knew that he was a special gift from God and that God has a special purpose for him.  So, when I heard the 1st Reading, it was as if the verse spoke my heart.

It is our responsibility, as parents, to mold our children into the likeness of God; and to guide them gently towards the path God has chosen for them, a path that, we must acknowledge, is between God and our children.  At some point, "mother knows best" has to take a back seat and we let our children forge their own path, fully trusting that their lives are in God's hands.

That is why when my son asked about our parish's Prayer for vocations, I felt a joyful hope lightly tinged with nervous anticipation (my son is maturing by the day!).  It starts with awareness and recognizing the need.  And then we nurture --- steadily and daily, so that he translates this into action wholeheartedly.  Whatever his calling may be, my wish is that he will always have a heart of service for others.

1 Samuel 1:24-28

24 In those days, Hannah brought Samuel with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the temple of the Lord in Shiloh. 25 After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull, Hannah, his mother, approached Eli 26 and said: “Pardon, my lord! As you live my lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. 28Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” She left Samuel there.

And then, the Magnificat.  Mary's Song and my song, too.

Misa De Gallo - Day 6

#ChristmasFeels

The Song of Songs is one of my favorite books in the Bible.  More than the fact, that the verses embody every girl's dream of a romantic relationship, the book feels like a love song between me and my God.  And Day 6's 1st Reading captures perfectly the joy of knowing that He has come to save me --- because He is here, winter is over.

So I will just leave this here and share with you my #ChristmasFeels passage.


Song of Songs 2:8-14 (or Zephaniah 3:14-18)

8 Hark! my lover — here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills. 9 My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Here he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices. 10 My lover speaks; he says to me, “Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come! 11 “For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance. Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come! 14“O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, let me see you, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.”

Misa De Gallo - Day 5

The overall theme for Day 5's Readings is Obedience in Faith - both by Jesus and Mama Mary.  While Jesus, being God, knew exactly what He was saying "yes" to, I wonder if Mary had any inkling at all of what she was getting into based on St. Gabriel's greetings (which sounded like a really awesome deal, by the way).  I bet she felt there was more to it than just the simplistic way St. Gabriel put it.  And yet she said "yes" without hesitating nor asking further questions.

Both Mama Mary and Jesus said "yes" to the Father's will in full Obedience and Faith, out of Love. And, I believe, that is what makes their "yes" powerful and Christ's sacrifice, effective.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named  Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Misa De Gallo - Day 4

(Side story)

"Mom, why didn't you wake me up?"  Because we had to finish my son's exams this week, I had to make the call of not letting him attend the Misa De Gallo; explaining to him that he needed to be alert in order to finish before Christmas.  I dangled Star Wars, for good measure, and he conceded.  He drew comfort from knowing that the presiding priest was not his favorite.

***
Have you ever wondered why angels in Scriptures typically start out conversations with "Do not be afraid"?  I read from one of Madeleine L'Engle's books that angels look scary.  Very plausible theory, I thought ... until I heard Day 4's readings.


In the 1st reading, Samson's mother described the angel as "terrible indeed"; while in the Gospel, Zechariah was described as "troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him."  So, it must be true.  Angels are not the beautiful creatures we grew up to know. (I think we need to tell our children these stories truthfully.  Perhaps, then, beauty will not be as overrated as it is now).  Imagine seeing a scary creature who introduces itself as coming from God and actually bears good news?  What irony!  It must feel the same way as when going through trials.  Thus, no matter how terrible the trial is, we must trust that there is some good news enfolded in it.  In all my years I have proven time and again, every "bad" thing is actually a blessing in disguise.

Two other lessons were reinforced in the readings and deserve to be highlighted:

• Nothing can prevent fulfillment of God's will, not even our disbelief.  There will be repercussions for the lack of faith, yes, but His will always prevails.
• There is a proper time for everything.  Prayers are answered in God's proper time, when they are best able to serve their purpose.

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25

2 There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. 3 An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son. 4 Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean. 5 As for the son you will conceive and bear, no razor shall touch his head, for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines.” 6 The woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me; he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed. I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. 7 But he said to me, ‘You will be with child and will bear a son. So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb, until the day of his death.’ ” 24 The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up and the Lord blessed him; 25 the Spirit of the Lord stirred him.

Luke 1:5-25

5 In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. 8 Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, 9 according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. 10 Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, 11 the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, 16 and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” 18 Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”19 And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. 20 But now you will be  speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. 23 Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. 24 After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”

Misa De Gallo - Day 3

Sunday is family day.  And, since our sister can't come over my parents' house, we brought family day to her with the intent of going to Sunday Mass in the evening. It turned out that some of the evening Sunday Mass schedules got cancelled to give way to Simbang Gabi (the anticipated Mass version of Misa De Gallo).  Thus, while attending Mass with the family, we had Day 3 covered already.  Yey!

Matthew 1:18-25

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. 20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your  home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. 25 He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.

It was a blessing that we were able to attend Mass at the St. Benedict Church in Sta. Rosa.  The priest gave very good insights on St. Joseph and what he was like, based on the very few verses written about him in Scriptures.  St. Joseph was:

• A man of few words. He had not said any Bible quotable quotes, not even when he and Mama Mary found Jesus at the temple after days of looking for him.  It was Mary who mildly admonished Jesus.  BUT he was ...
• A man of faith IN action.  He acted upon all of God's bidding immediately and without question.
• A man of meditation and reflection.  He is, I just found out from the priest, also the patron of sleepyheads and dreamers.  In the middle of chuckling, I realized, that would be most apt --- because that's all he did in the Bible:  receive instructions in dreams.  But, if we look at it more closely, this means that he gives time for quiet meditation and reflection which enables him to "listen" to and receive God's message.
• A hardworking and meticulous man.  Jesus was known as the Carpenter's son, so St. Joseph must have been quite notable in his trade.  And, if we go deeper into one of Jesus' famous lines: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - we will see the influences of St. Joseph.  A yoke, in order to be easy, needs to fit the animal's body structure perfectly and smoothened out; else, it will cause bruising or wound the animal. 

• A good father. While Jesus is the Son of God, He is also the son of Joseph, the Carpenter.  In choosing Joseph to be Jesus' earthly father, we see God's wisdom.  Joseph's principles, values and living example helped form Jesus, in His critical years of growing up, to be a good man.