As it happened. Just saying.

With all that hype on Canada being the second country legalizing Cannabis, not much happened concerning people going on a rampage. Cannabis is no comparison to losing a significant hockey game. So, much ado about nothing. On that day, Oct … Continue reading →

This is where it ends. This is where it begins.

Studying in public school, our creed has no bearings. We are unified as human beings in singing daily our national anthem out in the courtyard, rain or shine before we start our regiment of learning academics. Religion is not a … Continue reading →

On this date: History of Perpetua

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Perpetua, a noblewoman, and Felicity, a slave, were imprisoned and killed on March 7, 203 in Carthage. Carthage is a magnificent ancient city in Tunisia, part of Africa. During Perpetua’s imprisonment, she kept a diary and accounts that provided a vivid picture … Continue reading →

Lost for Words

I am lost for words, so I am sharing a video of The Last Word. To watch the original 60 second The Mark is a badge of honor of The Last Word  click  here.  

Sophie’s Choice

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Making a choice in cutting off ties in any situation is difficult when it’s a no-win situation, an unbearable option that one is forced to choose. Even thinking that it is the lesser of two evils, it can still remain … Continue reading →

The Last Word

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For years I dreamt of being in a company of a local news icon with strong roots in the community reporting uplifting stories of ordinary events and people from garbage to gardening, from the old and the new, from ashes … Continue reading →

Markings

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I don’t know who – or what – put the question, I don’t know when it was put. I don’t even remember answering. But at some moment I did answer yes to Someone – Or something _ and from that … Continue reading →

The temple bell

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The temple bell stops but I still hear the sound coming out of the flowers ~ Matsuo Bashō We can tell when Catholic churches in Cuba are no longer use to celebrate mass, tower bells were taken down and displayed beside … Continue reading →

Focus

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The world of dew Is a world of dew, and yet And yet… I believe in God thinking that my life is preordained and yet a Buddhist priest can make me believe that there is more to life in three … Continue reading →

The Problem of Belonging: Being a Catholic in a Big Family

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We are a family of 13 and we are Catholic. I happen to be the tenth in line and drop in the bucket in Catholic community. As a younger sister, the rule is to listen to your elders. be respectful and … Continue reading →

Finding Time

Joining a guided walking and sightseeing holiday in Cuba with Walker’s World is not actually a pilgrimage. However, I made sure that I consider it as one for I always consider myself a pilgrim on this earth. Visiting Churches is … Continue reading →

Grant me the Grace to desire it.

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Litany of Humility O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being loved… From the desire of being extolled … From the desire of being honored … Continue reading →

Pilgrim’s Ending

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It was the end of Cesar’s pilgrimage. I know Cesar’s wife, Bennie. She organizes pilgrimages and I have joined a couple of her many pilgrimages. The Celebration of Life for Cesar seems to be a reunion all pilgrims. Such a beautiful celebration. … Continue reading →

Stick and Stone May Break Our Bones, but Your Cartoons Will Never Hurt Us.

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As a catholic, I am trying to understand the humor in Charlie Hebdo’s caricature. I looked for anything that Charlie created depicting Jesus and I found these. I don’t remember that Catholics went on an uproar and started shooting the cartoonist … Continue reading →

Dreams do come true.

Thanksgiving celebration feels like Christmas and Easter to me. It’s the sharing, giving and gratitude. Where I came from, Philippines, it’s not part of a tradition since every day is Thanksgiving Day.  Now that we are in Canada, we embrace … Continue reading →

Mother Less Child

It’s Mother’s Day. I don’t feel like celebrating, not because my Mother has long since gone, not because I do not have children, but because of mother less child.

Every Friday, on the way home, at a corner street, I see a group of people with a baby stroller with no baby in it. Instead pictures of a baby inside of a womb occupies the stroller.  Out of curiosity, I asked  what is the purpose of their presence and jokingly asked where the real baby is?

“We are here to educate people.”

“About what? “

“Abortion.”

“Abortion? Why here?”

“See that building across the street?  Above that bank is an abortion clinic.”

It was shocking for me to hear that an abortion clinic existed in this area.

“We are standing outside the bubble zone.  By law, we are not allowed to protest in front of the building.”

We discussed about abortion for a good half hour while pedestrians passed by in a hurry to catch the bus or the train.  I walked away thinking which one of these women that just passed us by just walked out of the building  after an abortion.  I cannot tell.

“See those men on the other side of the street?  They are with us as well.  They are there to pray for the women and the aborted babies.”

“I will keep your group in my prayers as well as those women and the dead babies.” And I bid farewell.

With this whole incident, I reflected the life of Mother Mary who had an immaculate conception.  This is more of what if situation.

• What if Mother Mary aborted the miraculous conception?
• If she did abort the child, then there would be no Jesus Christ.
• If there is no Jesus Christ, then there is no Christianity.
• If there is no Christianity, then there would have no reverence for life.

I am thankful that Mother Mary said YES.

 

Prayer for Reverence for Life

Almighty God, giver of all that is good, we thank You for the precious gift of human life:
For life in the womb, coming from your creative power,
For the life of children, making us glad with their freshness and promise,
For the life of young people, hoping for a better world,
For the life of people who are disabled, teaching us that every life has value,
For the life of the elderly, witnessing to the ageless values of patience and wisdom.

Like Blessed Mary, may we always say “YES” to Your gift. May we defend it and promote it from conception to its natural end. And bring us at last, O Father, to the fullness of eternal life in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

No attachments

Quite the contrary.  I must say I have grown fond of writing down thoughts that came to my mind, sharing it with you, your comments and banter.  To read so many good post of essays, haiku, poems, personal thoughts, humour, arts and photography, I will sorely miss.  And that is an attachment in some ways.  One thing that I don’t want to lose sight is my belief and faith.  And that is not an attachment.  It’s my life.

On the other side of life, I received notices from friends in Facebook that they will be off-line during Lenten season as part of fasting.  Thinking about fasting, I will be participating as well not in Facebook but from posting blogs.  In Facebook that’s where I do most of the spiritual side of me.  Lent will start on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday, March 5 to April 20, 2014.

The good news about fasting during Lent, weekend is not counted.  Maybe, just maybe, I will participate on the Weekly Photo Challenge and post the Sunday Snippet.  Whew, that is relief for me. This does not mean that I will abstain from reading your post and liking it. I will still be hovering around at a lesser frequency during weekdays.

What I will abstain from is commenting, thus the sound of silence.

Easter based on astronomy counting backwards

Religion is a strange conversation especially when an Atheist, a Sikh, a Christian and a Catholic discuss it.  I am the Catholic.

The Atheist asked me a question how do we determine Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.  How many days are there?

Well, the Sikh is a mathematician and from the top of his head he came up with the number 45 days.  The Christian joined in, pulled out a calendar, started counting the number of days and confirmed its 45 days.

And I said: “You guys got it all wrong. Its 40 days excluding Sunday.”

A recount ensued to prove that it’s correct.  Of course, I am correct since I learnt from my error last year.  I sacrificed myself for more than 40 days and I didn’t turn “holy”.

The Atheist is still not satisfied.  Being an Atheist, she questions everything.  Fair enough since I question everything myself, too.  The next question was that these days keep on changing every year.  Sometimes Ash Wednesday is early then Easter is early, as well.

This time I’m stumped for I do not know the answer.  Being a Catholic when it comes to calendar of events, I just follow the schedule.  It’s a worthy question and this is something I really don’t have the answer.  Just like a good Catholic the answer can be found through Google.

Based on my research it all depends on:

• Spring Equinox
• Easter falls on the first Sunday after the full moon of the following month
• Ash Wednesday is counting 40 days backwards excluding Sundays

Spring was on March 21.  The first full moon the following month is on April 15. The first Sunday after the full moon is April 20 and this what we call Easter Sunday.   Back to the calendar, we all started counting backwards, excluding the Sundays and it worked. We were all filled with glee in learning new things.

The Atheist proclaimed: “Allah is good!” And I responded: “Thanks be to Google.”

This is the simplest way I can explain it to a cross cultural conversation without having to tell them about Paschal moon, Gregorian Calendar and  a conflict in the beginning between the Jewish and Christian calendar.

This is really how it is

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I was looking what to post yesterday that is more palatable to readers when it comes to spirituality for Sunday Snippet.  I am very much aware when it comes to the topic of religion, it’s hardly entertained.  Using Parabola is … Continue reading →

Let the little children come to me

Thousands of Catholic families from around the world gathered at the Vatican over the weekend to celebrate the Year of Faith with Pope Francis.A small group of children was invited to sit on the pope’s platform to listen to speakers from across the world speak about their faith and families.

Pope Francis was visibly amused when one child stayed on the stage instead of returning to his seat on the steps.

Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Luke 18:16

See more photos here.

 

Source:  NCR Staff

Open your Heart

Open the doors of your heart.

Give special attention, love and prayers to all those who come to the door of your home and workplace.

Let this simple gift of self be a witness to the love of Christ among us.

Tell me the truth

This year we gathered for baby James’s baptism and Sean’s first communion.  The baby is fast asleep and Sean is proud showing off his creative side.  Children when asked if they are telling the truth, the response is normally a resounding YES.  Of course.  they are telling the truth.  Look at these innocent faces. They are such angels in the making.

Baby James’ christening

Sean’s first communion

There are also confirmation, weddings, renewal of vows and funeral gatherings.  The centre of all of this is our Catholic faith.

What makes these events memorable is the sharing of stories, the one-up-man-ship and the race who can tell the best story.  We love stories.  One time, I managed to beat my brother-in-law in telling a story.  When it was his turn, his opening remark was “You stole my thunder.”

Back to tell me the truth, the event was at Mother’s funeral mass in April 2010.  When one is grieving, it’s so easy to be distracted.  I remember losing my keys in the church.  How or where I misplaced it was beyond me.  Going from pew to pew, retracing my steps, who I saw, asking the family and children if they have seen or found my keys.

The children said ” I dunno.”  Really, I thought.  I was a child before and something tells me that this is untrue.  No point on upsetting people in an upsetting gathering.

Eventually, it was found.  How it was found, I cannot remember.  One thing though the act, the thief and the liar is all recorded and I have proof.  The guilty person cannot argue with this picture as he was reaching for the keys behind me with his mischievous smile.

And I cannot help but smile, the children grow up and they love listening to this story.

“A family that prays together, stays together.”
“Create in me a pure heart, oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” ~ Psalm 51:10
“And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” ~ Matthew 6:13

Related Links:

• Sunday Snippet
• Me and the Boss:  Psalm 51:10
• Day of Grace: Matthew 6:13
• Ms. Pretty:  Cheers to a Pope

Recount 40 days

According to my count, there are 13 days left out of 40 days of Lent.  Easter is on March 31 that is more than 13 days from today!  Well, not only that I have thought so much about bacon, my mind cannot count either. 

To cite an example, I was reading other post and I came across with this picture.

Yummy… so I commented to the post. 

Seeker:  bacon

Response:  BACON!!! 

Uh-oh… I think I am in trouble here.  How am I supposed to respond to this?  The person on the other side does not know the history behind bacon.  This person sounded annoyed with all that exclamation points.  Okay, I am exaggerating, there was only one exclamation. 

Think, thank, and thump on the head.  A little bit of tact will go a long way.  So I replied back. 

Seeker:  Exactly!  Have you ever heard of Chris P. Bacon?  The luckiest pig alive ever! 

Response:  Oh the little pig on wheels. That is some pig! 

Whew … saved by a pig. 

For those who wants to know the story of Chris P. Bacon, here’s the link The joke is oink me.  

I was speaking with Sister #6 about 40 days of lent and explained to her my dilemma.  Apparently, weekends are excluded during Lent.  I stand corrected.  Knowing that, I can now eat bacon on weekends, happy dance.  Hooray, I can go to ABC Restaurant this weekend and eat all the bacon that I missed out.  Another save. 

Thank you Scott’s little pig for allowing me to use your post as a reference material.