Family Occasions, Speaking Heart to Heart

June 25, 2024 Hi!  How is each and every one?  I am working on this post today, June 24, Solemnity of the Nativity of St John the Baptist.  The readings allude to his life and mission and I somehow see your life and mine in his history, identity and mission.  And I find the responsorial psalm a motivation for thanksgiving as well.  “I thank You, Lord, for the wonder of my being” or “I praise you, Lord for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14). Please allow me to share with you the first reading of today’s Is 49:1-6. Reflect on it and see how you can identify your life with what is said in reference to St John the Baptist. Islands, listen to me, pay attention, remotest peoples.   The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name.   He made my mouth a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of his hand.   He made me into a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in his quiver. H said to me, ‘You are my servant (Israel) in whom I shall be glorifi

June 18, 2024 Hi!   How is each and every one?   I just can’t manage to start this post.   It is taking me time.   It is the 20 th of the month and I know some of you might have been expecting this post since 2 days ago, Tuesday?   It was the burial of my only brother in law and it is taking me a bit of time to get back to function as usual, business as usual or back to business.   I am not excusing myself; I am simply having a good number of realizations lately, opportunities of learning.   I find myself a beneficiary of this particular post. Could that be the reason for this delay?   The week before last was full of surprises for me.   God is truly a God of surprises.   When He wills things to happen, you find yourself wondering at the same time enjoying the surprises.   What you have been hoping and wishing to happen suddenly becomes a reality. I found myself saying, ‘Ikaw talaga, Lord! ’   I asked Google to translate and it says ‘You really are Lord!’   ‘It is You, Lord!’ ‘You

June 11, 2024 Hi!   How is each and every one? Last Wednesday at long last my young friend and I met again after five years?   We met when she was in Grade 11.   After a year and a half, I transferred residence and we would just get in touch through messenger.   Another friend informed me that she enrolled in the University of Sto. Tomas, Manila.   I also learned that from her, herself.   The usual case is that students get a unit around the area of the school to stay in during the school year and go home to spend the weekends with the family. Maybe we really did not try hard to get to meet each other those years she stayed over around the University which was not very far from my place.   And now that she has made it and graduated and learned how to drive just three months before graduation, she expressed her intent to come and visit me.   And sure she did, after scheduling and rescheduling the date, we finally saw each other and had a good time sharing and updating one another on h

June 4, 2024 Hi!  How is each and every one?  We started the month of June with the beautiful Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (Corpus Christi Sunday). Within the whole octave after, we will be celebrating the Solemn Benediction.  Allow me, please, to share with you nos. 1374-1375; 1378-1381; 1396 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for better appreciation and understanding of this great mystery of our faith, you and I should never get used to. 1374 The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend." 199  In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." 200  "This presence is called 'real' - by which is