I love the Philippines

By now the whole world knows of the most recent calamity that has devastated our beloved country, the Philippines, as if the Philippines doesn't have enough of its share of calamities (both natural and man-made).
Any Filipino's ordinary reaction was to inquire about the condition of our families, friends and loved ones. And I am sure (and I am included in this), each one of us must have heaved a sigh of relief when we were assured that not much damage has befallen them.
I guess now is the time that we are called to look beyond and to widen our horizons. We thank God that our loved ones are okay, and are spared, sort of. But we cannot also neglect to remember that our other co-Filipinos are in dire need of help.
Much is still left to be said about the need for the re-construction of our nation (especially its moral dimension), but in this moment of urgency, we cannot be indifferent. Our country and our people need us NOW.
Sometimes it makes me angry, esp. when happenings like this show very clearly the inability and even irresponsibility of our government leaders. Why is it that church groups and non government organizations are the ones providing the people the services that our government officials and institutions are supposed to render?
Since this is a time of emergency, we need to act NOW. People's lives are at stake. I believe that all of us are called to do our part.
As we thank God for the blessings bestowed on us, He also calls us to share these blessings. He is not asking us to do something impossible or great. In fact, in the last judgment, Jesus will tell us "in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40). Let us share our blessings to our less fortunate brothers and sisters.
We Filipinos are a very resilient people, sometimes, I think, too resilient for our own good. We will be able to hurdle this experience, but I hope that it will also become for us a moment of growth - to know what are the things that matter most in life, to be able to live responsible citizenship, to extend our natural love for our families to all our countrymen.
Wherever we may be, I know that deep in our hearts, there is a special love for our motherland. We only have one motherland and she needs us at this moment.
God bless the Philippines. God bless us all.

The good shepherd

This is one of my favorite stories.
A sheep found a hole in the fence and crept through it. He wandered far and lost his way back. Then he realized he was being followed by a wolf. He ran and ran, but the wolf kept chasing him, until the shepherd came and rescued him and carried him lovingly back to the field. In spite of everyone's urgings to the contrary, the shepherd refused to nail up the hole in the fence.

[Anthony de Mello]

My sister

Last Monday was my sister's birthday. She is special because she is my only sister. Our relationship has developed throughout the years. There were a lot of moments of misunderstanding because of words said and unsaid, gestures that left one or the other hurt. Each of us has chosen her own path but since we are sisters we cannot but find ourselves together at certain crossroads. I thank her for having allowed me not only to be her sister but her friend, as well. She is to me a source of inspiration because of how she has always been sincere and true to who she is. This, for me, is her greatest quality. No half-measures for my sister. And she is such a woman of strength, and it comes from a conviction that she is truly loved by God, the only One who never fails. Thank you, Gi, more birthdays to come.

The joy of Easter has to dawn

Remember that the passion of Christ ends always in the joy of the Resurrection,

so when you feel in your own heart the suffering of Christ,

remember the Resurrection has to come, the joy of Easter has to dawn.

Never let anything so fill you with sorrow

as to make you forget the joy of the Risen Christ!

(Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

Mother Mary in me

I just recently read the book "The Secret Life of Bees" and I love the way the author wrote about Mother Mary. Since today is Mother Mary's feast, here are some excerpts:

Our Lady is not some magical being out there somewhere, like a fairy godmother. She's not the statue in the parlor. She's something inside of you...

You don't have to put your hand on Mary's heart to get strength and consolation and rescue, and all the other things we need to get through life... You can place it right here on your own heart. Your own heart...

All those times your father treated you mean, Our Lady was the voice in you that said, 'No, I will not bow down to this. I am Lily Melissa Owens, I will not bow down.' Whether you could hear this voice or not, she was in there saying it...

When you're unsure of yourself, when you start pulling back into doubt and small living, she's the one inside saying, 'Get up from there and live like the glorious girl you are.' She's the power inside you...

And whatever it is that keeps widening your heart, that's Mary, too, not only the power inside you but the love. And when you get down to it, Lily, that's the only purpose grand enough for a human life. Not just to love - but to persist in love...

(From 'The Secret Life of Bees', by Sue Monk Kidd)

Yes, not just to love but to persist in love, like Mary at the foot of the cross.

Moving on

When we look with faith at our experiences, we know (at least in our heads) that everything falls into place in God's plan, even the unpleasant ones that make us suffer. But it is different for one who suffers, because there is a big distance between what we know in our mind and what we feel in our hearts. We just want to end the pain because we feel we do not have anymore energy. We are sapped of even our good resolutions when we really find ourselves in the depths.
It is then that we need to be kind to ourself. Be aware of what we feel, admit it, without laying any blame or guilt in ourself. Sometimes what happens to us could be a consequence of a bad choice of ours, but there is no use blaming ourselves. Just admit the pain, cry as much as you want to. When it subsides, make a choice just to continue to live just for this moment. Most importantly, consciously ask God's help, without being in a hurry. Ask God to bless you because even if you are not aware of it, you are moving on.

Fly

When you have come to the edge of all the light you have
And step into the darkness of the unknown
Believe that one of the two will happen to you
Either you’ll find something solid to stand on
Or you’ll be taught how to fly!
(Richard Bach)