Magnificat

 

Sing to me, O Mary, your magnificat.
Sing it to me when my heart is overwhelmed and when my senses are lusting for the glitters of this world. Your magnificat is both promise and proof that no matter how much they are attractively packaged, the values of this world are not what they appear to be. They leave me craving for more. They will never appease the restlessness in my heart.

Sing with me, O Mary, your magnificat.
Sing it with me everyday as I try to choose according to the mind of Jesus. Your magnificat assures me that if I willingly accept the truth about myself, that I am a creature living by God's mercy, then I will always live in joy. God will be the source of that joy. And it will be enough for me.

Mothers

Yesterday was Mother's Day. Since it was a Sunday, I didn't open my Facebook page (it is sort of a personal discipline for me that I don't use the internet on Sundays) and missed a wonderful message from a dear friend:
"Mother's day is a wonderful time for each of us to take a moment and honor motherhood. Motherhood is not merely defined by the bearing and raising of children but is rather a statement regarding the divine nature of women. All women, whether or not they bear children, can fulfill the role of mothers. The work they do should also be remembered as we celebrate Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day ..., thank you for all that you do and for taking good care of our youth...the hope of our future, the future of our Church. God bless always."

I pray that all women may not renounce their unique privilege of being mothers, God's collaborators in creating life and in making it grow. 
May we look at our children as God's gifts, not as product of our arrogant and sophisticated intelligence.
May we respect our children as unique individuals with a life of their own, not as trophies to banner around when we want to. 
May we patiently teach our children, first through our life and then through words, that life has a purpose that is found only in a true relationship with God.
May we be guardians of life, of each person's equal right to it, despite the gloomy external circumstances.
May we be expressions of the God who delights at our happiness and wipes away the tears when we are heartbroken.

To love because it is the natural thing to do

Humanly speaking, when we love someone we desire that that person loves us back.
Humanly speaking, when we love someone it is because that person has certain traits that attract us.
God's love is not like that. He loved us "while we were yet sinners".
God loves because He is love.
Love is God's nature.
So I pray to God that as He loves me every moment of everyday, I may be able to love as He loves, without conditions, without objectives.
May I love because it is the natural thing to do.

Mean-ness

I am saddened whenever I hear or read a mean remark, and it is very alarming to see how it is growing in the social networks. Aside from their meanness, some comments are downright obscene and discriminatory.
Why?
Why do we mistake being "myself" or being sincere with being hurtful?
Why do we consider witty a comment that is downright insulting or rude?
Why do we call "hypocrites" people who try to think first and consider the consequences of their words before blurting them out?
Meanness never helps anybody. It just pollutes society with more anger and defensiveness. It is divisive. It doesn't foster sincere and caring relationships. It makes people downright snobbish or forever lacking in self-esteem.
Let us be kind.
If ever we have been a victim or a witness to meanness, let it stop with us.
Let us make this  courageous stand. Indeed it is courageous because it shows the greatness of our heart that doesn't indulge in pettiness.