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  • Reflection on the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help 2023

    Reflection on the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help 2023

    Drawing strength and inspiration from the recent events in my professional & spiritual life, I am sharing this reflection to all the followers of this beautiful blog, “A Dose of God Today”.

    This day, June 28, 2023, we celebrated our Parish Fiesta in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help here at St. Clement’s Church, Redemptorists, La Paz, Iloilo City.

    As one of the volunteer counselors of our St. Clement’s Pastoral Care & Counseling Ministry, this year’s fiesta theme “Hands of Mary, Hands of Hope resonates well with me.

    Looking back on how I started my devotion to this blessed image, brought me to acknowledge the hands of Mary – the hands of God in the unfolding of the events in my life. As early as elementary days, we gather as a family to pray the Holy Rosary each night. During Wednesdays, my late mother would lead the novena prayer to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Being a college student at Iloilo Normal School (now West Visayas State University – my current workplace), her strong devotion to the Blessed Mother became a solid foundation of our family’s spiritual life. She inspired & taught us to become closer to Jesus through Mama Mary. This, too, I know has been contributory to my decision to join the Redemptorists as Lay Vocation Promoter/Guidance Counselor for fifteen (15) years. I always behold Mama Mary’s loving care in those precious years which deepened & concritized my being a missionary partner of the Redemptorists. I have been growing & flourishing in all aspects of my life.

    After my missionary endeavors with the Redemptorists, I treaded a different path: counseling and teaching in the academe. I always recognize God’s hands in the scheme of things in my new life. Due to my immense love for Mama Mary & Jesus, I started to answer a calling to found the St. Clement’s Pastoral Care & Counseling Ministry together with my counselor-friends and two young Redemptorists, Fr. Jom & Fr. Deriz.

    Weeks before the fiesta of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, I had been crazy busy as the Associate Dean of our Graduate School. There were no appointments and referrals for counseling. I know Mama Mary has been taking good care of me during these challenging times. She allowed me to rest- practice Self-care on Sundays even if it’s my turn to be on duty at our Pastoral Care Office since there were no clients in need. When I was able to regain my strength and ready to serve again, a new client asked for a counseling appointment. So I have a reason to be available on that Sunday. In the course of our counseling session, I was teary-eyed and a deep sense of joy wrapped around me as I was listening to the narration of my client. In the road to recovery from a major setback in life, she recognized God’s and Mama Mary’s hands. One of the protective factors she pointed out was her parent’s prayerful and deep connectiom with Jesus/God.

    I know that our fiesta’s theme: “Mary’s hands, hands of hope – are words made true in the life of my client. Indeed, I am always hopeful that our clients in the ministry will recover & get healed.

    God through the intercession of Mama Mary has arranged the events which allowed me to join the Procession & Parish Night with another volunteer counselor. It is Providential that today is a holiday – thus we both were able attend the Fiesta Mass. We also shared the meal with the Redemptorist Community after a simple yet beautiful and inspiring mass. The preacher who was a young Redemptorist priest shared a very deep and moving life story of how Mama Mary played a crucial role in his journey as a Redemptorist priest – brought him closer to Jesus and answer the call to be of service to the needy and the most abandoned.

    These events inspired me to continue to serve as a Volunteer Counselor & Directress of Our St. Clement’s Pastoral Care & Counseling Ministry. Being a partner in the Redemptorist missions calls for a deeper commitment to love and serve the needy. With huge responsibilities and a plate full of tasks, I am not hesitant to devote my time during weekends to this ministry. This apostolate draws me to be closer to Jesus. Through the intercession of Mary – Her Hands, Hands of Hope- I am entrusting my professional life and our apostolate to Jesus through Mama Mary. With a deep faith in these two central figures in my spiritual life, I resolved to be an instrument of healing and recovery.

    Thus, let us be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit so that God’s/Jesus’ and Mama Mary’s hands will be instrumental in our desire to be of service to humanity. VIVA MARIA!!! VIVA JESUS!!!

  • Judging others

    Judging others

    June 26, 2023 – Monday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062623.cfm)

    Moral life is all about our practice of christian faith in life. It begs the question as to how we live out our lives as we believe in Jesus.

    We do live nowadays in a world in which it is very common to judge, criticize, & condemn other. Easy for us to see the failures & mistakes of others, dwell on their sins, points out their weaknesses, & speak of their faults to others. Yes, we do have the tendency & the habit to judge, criticize, & condemn others, that greatly influence our thinking, attitude & actions towards others.

    In this regard, Jesus teaches & advices us to “stop judging… stop measuring others”. Meaning, to stop the habit of judging, criticizing & condemning others.” Why? Because the habit corrupts our very person. Such habit not only unhealthy & harmful to the judged other, but above all to the judging person. Judging, criticizing & condemning others makes us not only sinful, but above all corrupt persons.

    Pope Francis, once said: “We are all sinners, but we are not all corrupt. Sinners are accepted but not the corrupt.” Meaning, sinners are forgiven, but corrupt are not tolerated & accepted in the church. So, stop the corrupting habit of judging, criticizing & condemning others.

    How? Jesus asserts: “Remove out your beam first, & then you can remove out your brother’s speck.” In other words: “Bago mo linisin ang dungis ng iyong kapwa, hugasan mo ang putik sa mukha.” In Cebuano: “Manalamin sa, bag-o mamintana.” Have a good look then at yourself first. If you have something to judge, criticize & condemn on others, do it to yourself first& perhaps you will be more slow & careful to do so.

    Lord, teach us to do & live your ways in our daily witness of our faith in life. So, May it be. Amen

  • LORD, IN YOUR GREAT LOVE ANSWER ME

    LORD, IN YOUR GREAT LOVE ANSWER ME

    June 25, 2023 – 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062523.cfm)

    Have you been so angry with a person that you imagine how you would take your revenge? You thirst for justice, you seek for vengeance because you were so hurt, insulted or humiliated. Yet, you are powerless. You feel desperate because there seemed to be no justice. There seemed to be no one to stand and fight with you.

    Such was the feeling of Prophet Jeremiah. The first reading tells us about this kind of desperation. The prophet portrays to us a turbulent time in the City of Jerusalem because a powerful nation was about to invade them. Though there was a resistance to it but it was not enough. People were afraid.

    Thus, the Book of Jeremiah confirms that there was terror all around! People were aware of it but many chose to whisper it only. They did not want to stand up and fight. As people, they were afraid of this powerful nation. It was too overwhelming for them. This was perhaps the reason why they only whispered about it.

    This prophet among the people could not just stand and passively see it unfolding. Jeremiah stood up for them with all his might. However, at his back, his enemies were also plotting on how to bring him down. Even his friends betrayed him and wanted his destruction.

    These were the situations surrounding the life of Prophet Jeremiah, that is why, we also find his prayer quite aggressive. Jeremiah prayed for revenge to be delivered by God. He prayed for the destruction of the enemies. Jeremiah prayed, “let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause.” Indeed, this is a prayer born out of desperation and hunger for justice and freedom.

    The same plea we can also find in today’s Psalm, “Lord, in your great love, answer me.” There is so much terror in life. So much fear and anxiety that has caused our life to be disturbed. This is the same feeling that we too might be are experiencing now especially as we face conflicts and problems in our life. Thus, the Psalm, is indeed, our prayer also.

    In the midst of many threats in our life perpetrated by the those with wealth and in power, or by those who wished for our destruction and defamation, the words of Jeremiah in the first reading reechoes, “The Lord shall rescue the life of the poor from the power of the wicked.” This is hope, not an empty promise of God.

    Moreover, in the Letter of Paul to the Romans, the apostle reminds us of the great grace, a gift from God that we have received. The gracious gift is Jesus. Through Jesus, grace overflows for the many. He light in the midst of darkness. He is grace in the midst of sin. He is hope in the midst of desperation.

    Let that grace, then, to overflow from our heart to those in need. Let our devotion, our faith to overflow through our generous actions and words. The Gospel of Matthew speaks to us of this. “What I say to you in darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” Meaning, as God comes to rescue us in our difficulties, as God gives us enough grace as we face our own battles whatever that be, as God reveals his presence in our desperate moments – we are called to share them to others too. As we encounter God in those dark moments of our life, let us also bring God with us in the light.

    Remember also, Jesus reminds us three times in the Gospel today not to be afraid. As we are called to translate our Christian faith in concrete ways, never hesitate and be afraid to stand up for what is right and just, to show your kindness to others and to express boldly your faith through your generosity to those in need. Hinaut pa.

  • GLOCAL

    GLOCAL

    June 18, 2023 – Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061823.cfm)

    In our gospel today, Jesus summoned his disciples, and gave them authority to heal every disease and sickness. He made his disciples share his authority and mission to preach the good news of salvation to all. He commissioned them and gave them the tasks to be preachers and evangelizers of God’s kingdom. Jesus added however that they should start, not elsewhere, but at home.

    Since then and until now, as followers of Christ, we share the same authority and commission with the disciples to preach and witness the reign of God’s kingdom to all in our world today. And in the same way, we are to establish & begin in our own homes, families, and communities.

    Start locally and then… globally. Or we may say…. Go GLOCAL.

    Considering that in doing our tasks and mission as evangelizers and preachers of God’s kingdom, there is always a tendency or even a temptation for us to blame the evil in the world on others, and to reach out for our poor brothers and sisters in need who are far-away from us. But as Jesus would insist, we start to live our faith and practice what we preach in our own homes, in our own neighborhood and communities. As he said to “go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel…for the Kingdom of heaven IS AT HAND”, Jesus thus requires us to perform our mission to – our people nearby, rather than pagan territory, because the Kingdom – the Good News is up and coming available right here right now. In other words, Charity begins locally at home.

    For who are our neighbors? Our neighbor is the immediate person we live with, who needs our immediate attention and care. We don’t have to go out to help others far from us. We start with our kasambahay, kapamilya, family, relatives, friends & associates. We start to correct and clean the evils and sinfulness in our homes before we deal with our world outside. We try to witness our faith with people nearby by making our lives now better to live in.

    Remember it was only later, during Jesus’ ascension that the disciples were sent to all the nations of the world. Start locally and then globally. Begin in your own homes nearby and then, expand & extend into the world.

    Being called & sent to be His missionaries today, with Our Mother of Perpetual Help, let this be our prayer : “Lord, grant me the grace to be what You want me to be, and to do what You want me to do, not there & later, but here & now at this very moment.” Amen.

  • Banquet

    Banquet

    June 11, 2023 – Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061123.cfm)

    In almost all of Filipino houses there is a picture of Last Supper near their dining table. Have you ever wondered why in all places such picture of the Lord’s last supper is hanged near the dining table?

    This is because we, Filipinos love celebrations. We like to be part of big party or fiesta. Basically, we are meal-oriented people. We like to eat, and mealtimes are important and meaningful activity for us. Yes, we like to eat, but we like to eat together. We eat not only for nourishment but for companionship as well. For us, eating is not only a usual routine of nourishing our own physical body, but also a common activity of strengthening relationship and bonding. That is why we eat together not for the food, but for the companionship and covenant it brings. Mealtime for us is not only the time to eat, but also the opportunity to encounter – to experience one another.  This is why we don’t like to eat alone. We like to eat with companion, because for us, meals, eating, tables would mean celebrations, table-fellowship, sharing, bonding, rituals, and communion.

    The word ‘companion’ is a lovely word. It comes from two Latin words: cum which means “with”, and panis which means bread. So a ‘companion’ literally means someone whom I share bread with. And it is not everyone that you enjoy having meal with. There has to a bonding – a relationship first, which is deepened by the sharing of food and drink. Usually, by inviting a person to a meal, we seal our contracts, we show acceptance and approval. We know that once you are invited to take part in their table – to eat with them, it would mean that you are already accepted.  You become one of them. You belong to them.

    This is why we like the picture of the Last Supper hanging on near our dinner table because we want to be part of Lord’s celebration of life.  Taking our meals in front of the picture of the Last Supper, whatever the food is, whether lechon or bulad or ginamos, would mean we want to be a companion of Jesus and his disciples in their party celebration. Meaning, we like to renew and strength our faith-relationship with him. We want to be accepted and belong to His community. We like to be part of His family-banquet, His party. And All of these are greatly done and signified until now in our table-fellowship in the Lord’s Eucharist, in our celebration of the Holy Mass. 

    Today, we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. Today, we recognize and celebrate Christ’s continuing Presence and His binding promise of love and redemption to us, through His gift of Himself in a form of bread and wine.

    Our readings today remind us that as in life we feed ourselves with food, the Lord also feed us with His food, not only to nourish us but also to strengthen our covenant relationship with Him. Jesus in our gospel today specially has offered us His body and blood, as our inheritance of God’s manna in the Holy Eucharist. By sharing us Himself in body and blood, Jesus sealed us new covenant-relationship with God.

    And because of this, we are continually nourished by God’s graces and we are in communion with Christ’s eternal life. In other words, through His body and blood, Jesus is offering us not only God’s food for our faith-life journey but also a meal-time party (or a food trip) with God. That is why every time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, we are in covenant or in companionship with God, with Jesus, and with one another. Thus, through our table-fellowship as family and community in our celebrations of the Lord’s Eucharist every Sunday and also as Filipino in front of the picture of the Lord’s Supper, we are united with the Lord and we take part with His glory and work of redemption. 

    Perhaps if we say nowadays, “We are what we eat and who we eat with” (Anong kinain at sino ang kasama ay Tayo), in attending Eucharist, we as Christian proclaim that through the body and blood of Jesus we are having party-meal (food trip/ breaking bread) with God now and always.

    Today is a great celebration, a great salu-salo, kainan or fiesta party in the whole Church. This is the day that we, as Church renew and strengthen our covenant-relationship, our companionship with God by breaking and sharing God’s manna, the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ with one another. May we as community of Christ-believers always be nourished by God and remained bonded with God through the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.