Knowing HIM

Me and my boyfriend decided to take a glimpse of the exhibit about the different images of Sr.Sto.Nino the patron of Cebu City. And both of us were amazed by the different facts we discovered about Him. My boyfriend told me that all the question he had before in his mind about the famous image were answered by that trip of ours. Religion may come in different form and images but the most important of it is we worship and praise the same Savior. Cebu City is not the only city who worship the Sr.Sto.Nino image various country depicting different names of the Holy Child have their own beliefs of this miraculous image.

 

 

Races may vary as well as the dresses of the Holy Child and it was overwhelming to know that we have this unique faith in Him and that sum it all. So,don't wonder anymore if ever you'll find an image of the Holy Child having a different clothes and don't ridiculously utter that it's a fake one because it's all the same.

 

After discovering the truth,we kneeled before Him  and thanking for the chance of knowing Him better.

Reminded by Some Final Prayers

Dhammapada (attributed to Buddha)

It would be better if, instead of a thousand words,

There was only one, a word that brought Peace.

It would be better if, instead of a thousand poems,

There was only one, a poem that revealed true Beauty.

It would be better if, instead of a thousand songs,

There was only one, a song that spread Happiness.

People tends to develop different ideologies that bring change in our lives,societies, and even in our own selves. This Prayer will always remind us that you don't have to utter a thousand words just to be sure that you've been heard by majorities. Sometimes, for you to be able to achieve the peak of understanding you need to close your mouth and open your eyes and ears. Thus, in doing so you can create a well-rounded society that is not only good for you but also for everyone.

 

  Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi (thirteenth century)

Outside, beyond what is right and wrong , there exists a vast field.

We will find each other there.

I truly believed that if you have the courage and determination to go for what you think is right and what's best for you, you'll fear nothing because there is always an omnipotent hands that will never let go of you even if others will. And after all that you've been through you can proudly say to Him that " ye will has done". Surely, your a worth created clay He has ever made and the prize awaits you.

           

 

Lao Tsu, China (sixth century B.C.)

If there is to be peace in the world, the nations must live in peace.

If there is to be peace among nations, the cities must not rise up against each other.

If there is to be peace in the cities, neighbours must understand each other.

If there is to be peace among neighbours, there must be harmony in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home, we must each find our own heart.    

Certainly, this Prayer reminded us once again about the importance of having a peace within thy soul and mind

if you'll be able to achieve that attitude you need you'll become the fountain of peace within

your neighborhood, your city, your nation and most importantly your world.

You may keep on wandering why is it that there was a certain point in your life that people tends to

pull you down that resulted to a trouble within yourself and eventually lead to a much greater

self crisis thus, you were not able to attain the peace you've been looking for

but if you will always put in mind the basic rule of self reliance you'll be able to find that

the reason they are pulling you down is because you are above them.

Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 7:7-8)

Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find;

knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,

and to him who knocks it will be opened.

This Prayer may sound familiar to you but sad to know that we often tend to forget this God's promise to us especially if we are in the midst of unending calamities, unresolved problems,

impossible conquest and self-doubt. We often rely to our own thinking that sometimes lead us

to the depth of our own calvary. God's want us to ask even if He knows already what our needs are, He wants us to be close to Him through Prayers and you'll be able to find the perfect answer you've been searching for because during Prayer the presence of God is there.

  

"YOU will always have a special place in my heart"

Yesterday my brother called me and we spent long hours chatting with each other. How I miss those times when we had our non-stop conversation in our humble home. He told me that he will go abroad and that struck my heart it made me think that my younger brother is now a grown up man.I felt the same feeling 5 years ago when he told us over dinner that he will enter the seminary and eventually become a priest, a vocation he ever dreamed of. 

 

Early in the morning I checked his account and my attention was caught up with his writing which says"YOU will always have a special place in my heart" and it made me cry because I know exactly what it means. He already finished the first step of becoming a priest when he decided not to continue with the second stage. I'm very awed with his decision because I know and I can feel it that he really like to serve God in that way. But I also know that his keeping his promise to our father before he left us that "he will take care of our family". I remembered one of our conversations when he told me that "Becoming a priest is not a contest, it doesn't mean that there is a certain finish line that you have to reach in a given time, as long as your keeping your dream alive in your heart you will achieve it in God's time". He wanted us to be secure first before he will fulfill his dream. Thus, I explore his life in the seminary to be able to share with his dream.

My brother loves children by nature and during his stayed in the seminary he became the "Kuya" of those kids that needs love and affection. Every vacation period he had a lots of gospel, teaching and even stories to share with us in our family.And he always asked me philosophical questions that would let my mind keep on wandering.

 

The seminarians in their congregation had been chosen in the entire Philippines and my brother was one of them. But after how many years,they were only 5 of them that survived the test of God. Truly, the way to follow the footsteps of God is not an easy way you will face unimaginable storms, unconquerable trials, and experience loses as well as defeats. But my brother always pray to be tough when he experienced trials, to be strong  when he is weak, and to be happy when sadness came. He believes that God is a refuge when you know how to call on His name.

His stayed in the seminary is the best days in his life which he encountered his true friends. It's true that seminary is a silence place but it's also true that only in "silence you will be able to find the serenity of your true self". They were one big happy family in that place in which they share to their fellow brothers what they had for themselves. I know that the memories they had shared in that place will be carved forever in my brother's heart.

He may go to other places, meet other people and experience the true challenges of living a life outside of his dream but one thing is for sure he will always go back to the place where he can walk with God and can hold His hand instantly. And now that he will begin his journey in the other side of the road I always pray that God will continue to nourish my brother's calling of becoming a priest and may God always bless His dreamer because I know that  "YOU" will always have a special place in my brother's heart.

My Father and I

I was in the grocery store at that time,when I noticed a little girl trying to reach a certain canned goods;I instantly walked to help her but before I reach her place;I saw a big man lift her up and heard her saying"Thanks Daddy". I was awed at that situation for a moment and left me standing there thinking about my father. It has been two years now since he left us all and I still couldn't bear the pain just thinking how he died in that terrible accident. I remembered one of my classmates before saying that the more you talk about your father's death the higher the possibility of bearing the pain. Now,I'm finally giving it a try.So,here's our story.

January 7,2007

It's my 20th birthday, I was peacefully sleeping in my room when my father dash off in my bed and greeted me "Happy birthday!your going to leave again for school this night what gift do you want me to give you?" I just didn't mind him and said "Dad will you please shave your beard it's itchy" and pull my blanket. My father just laugh and turn to me once more "It will take many months before we'll see each other again and your graduation is fast approaching as well".

And he leave me in my room,I looked at his back and smile.My father is always like that he always takes everything easy,he do things that you can't imagine just to surprise you and he always have a new discovery for us.He is an adventurous,athletic,and intelligent man when it comes to numbers no wonder he captured the stiff heart of my mother.He is a pro-active member of religious activities as well as,civic organization's works and some charities.It 's unusual for us to see him doing nothing.At that night,we ate dinner together and talked about school and politics.Around 10:oo P.M. they accompanied me in bus station and waited until the bus left. I kissed and waved goodbye to them.It was 2:00 AM when I arrived at our boarding house and greeted by my boardmates a warm"happy birthday!" I didn't expect them to stay awake just to greet me.I blow the candles in the cake and whispered for a wish.

April 2,2007
It's vacation already but I can't still go home because me and my group-mates need to submit our last project for our particular major. I was busy texting my father because he will going to meet up with my bestfriend to get the medals and certificates that were given to us during our college recognition day,they were not able to make it that time because of his hectic schedule in the office. And so,I gave it to my bestfriend so that they will be able to see it in advance.My father called me when he received it from my bestfriend,"When are you going home?I miss you already,your brother is already home I want us to have more time together". My brother was also studying in other place and so he was so sad that we only have little time to be together because it's enrollment again on May. I just said to him that "I will definitely go home Dad.""Hope it will be soon so that I can still see you"that's what he answered to me. After we talked I went to our cafeteria and bought some snacks,I texted my father to asked for some load but I got no response I wondered for a while why he didn't reply because it's very unusual for him not to reply in my messages.I just didn't mind it thinking that his maybe mad because I can't still go home.
Me and my classmates were chatting something when my I received a message from my "sister" but I was not able to read it because my phone went off. I went to our classroom and looked for a phone were I can insert my simcard. When I turned it on I received a call from my sister "Sis, papa is in the hospital and your Kuya was dead"she was crying so hard that my mind cannot process what she's talking about. When my phone rang once again it was my brother calling me "Ate this is terrible please come home as soon as possible you may not able to talk to Papa alive,he still in the hospital and in a very critical condition were planning of bringing him to Davao today".I was not able to utter any words at the moment,I couldn't believed it I was thinking that they were just joking but how could my brother tell a joke like that,his serious in every ways and his always blurted the words in a philosophical way. I was standing there not moving and not even hearing things around me. One of my classmates told me that I looked "pale" but I was not able to react on it. All I could see is that the surrounding turned white, then my phone rang again I was surprised to see that it was my father's number and hope for a while that it was just a joke but when I pressed the answer key I called his name "Papa!they told me you had a terrible accident!"but all I could hear was a hissing sound.I immediately went inside our room and cried;our Professor asked me what happened and I told him suddenly my classmates gathered around me and tapped my shoulder "We're sure your father is okay"and they hugged me.

8:00 PM
I immediately packed my things and headed home;I was planning of going straight to Davao City to see my father right away but my brother keeps on telling me that it's not necessary to do so because my father had only minor injuries.But I keep on insisting because I heard my father as if his calling out my name and hanging-on his life until we'll see each other. My mother assured me once more that everything will be fine and so,I decided to went home straight. It was a 10 hours trip from Iligan City going to my hometown,I've been used to that kind of trip for almost 4 years now but at that moment I thought that was the longest trip I've taken in my entire life. I was holding a rosary and praying that everything will turn out fine

April 3,2007 3:00 AM
I was still awake, when the rosary I'm holding suddenly fell apart I caught some of it's beads so that I can still fix it.I looked at the broken rosary and felt that my heart beats faster than usual;I calmed myself and close my eyes.

6:00 AM
I arrived at our house and my sister embraced me tightly,I tapped her shoulder and said calmly"How's Papa?"but she just embraced me again and said "He was gone at exactly 3:00 AM" I couldn't believed her for an instance I slowly walked inside without minding the people who were there in our backyard and preparing the burial tents.My Aunt hugged me and said"It's gonna be okay"I sat down and thinking aimlessly,my eyes had no tears and I'm shaking.I felt that it was my heart crying;I looked around and saw the table where my father used to use when he was busy finishing his office works.I looked at the books that my father bought for me to read.Everything that surrounds me inside our house is telling me that my father is very much alive. I touched my cheeks and I felt that it was wet I didn't noticed that I've cried I wonder why?My sister gave me a glass of water and told me that my father's body will arrive at 11:00 PM. I simply nod to her and went to my room.That was the last time I remembered.

8:00 PM
My sister wake me up and told me to prepare myself.I wonder why I didn't felt hungry at that time I just shrugged my shoulder.My elementary friends are all there they were chatting when I joined them;I literally smile to them and I don't know if I'm doing it right.They hugged me and my male friends tapped my shoulder.It's like a reunion for us ,funny I was thinking that way.Our co-youth in church was also there to offer a prayer.When I looked at the center of that hall I saw the coffin of my Kuya the husband of my sister,he was dead-on-the-spot when the accident happened.The people around said something about the accident but all I could remember is this "my father wore my medals while he is driving I could imagined how happy he is for all my achievements after all this year,the NBI found him in the rice-fields because he was thrown-up that far from the road.He was holding my medal while my certificates where scattered. and his cellphenoe was totally broken so,it's very impossible for him to call me"I couldn't hardly imagined the pain he experienced in that accident.

11:00PM
I looked at the time in my watch thinking what might would happened if I saw the body of my father.When suddenly,one of my friends who sat beside me whispered in my ear "They are here"I calmed myself and told to myself "Turned your head and stand-up"but I couldn't moved for that instance, I don't have the strength to stand-up and face them.I slowly turned my head and saw my brother going out in the car,he instantly looked into my eyes and nodded,he ran towards me while crying,"Ate we don't have a father anymore,he left us"and hugged me,my classmates hold me as if I'm going to collapsed and that time but I just smile to them and said "It's okay".I saw my mother in a very miserable state when she approached and hugged me;I smile to her with tears now,rolling in my cheeks "Where's Papa?".Then,I saw some men carried the coffin of my father,I slowly sat down and cried while I was looking at his coffin.I stand-up so I could see him but my mother held my hands and told me it's not yet time for me to see him.They can felt how painful it is for me to go home and waited for my father's dead body.They were so worried about me but I know God is with us,this is the time that He carried us in His loving arms,I know that He will not give this trial to us if we are weak.And I'm happy to know that He see us as that strong.My brother is a seminarian and me,my younger brother and our adopted sister knows that thing.We will survive.

April 9,2007 9:00AM
This is the last time we gonna see our father; today is his burial.We all wore a white clothes with a black ribbon tied in our left arms.I couldn't believed when I saw so many crowd I didn't knew that my father gained all that people.They had a stories of their own how they got to know my father.The church was very full at that time but the silence is the only thing that filled the church.When I heard the 21 shots that the army offered to my father that's the time we pulled the ribbon in our arms and dropped it to his coffin.I said farewell to the closest friend I had."He keeps on calling your name and keep on asking where are you"my brother told me all that thing when my father was at the hospital.

It's been years when he left us but still the memory of him is still very clear.I still cry everytime I remember how happy our lives when his still here.He thought me how to be strong when he's not around anymore.And to trust God that everything will turn-out fine in HIS TIME.