All Saints' Day

In the Roman Catholic Church the Solemnity of All Saints is celebrated on November 1 in honor of all the saints, known and unknown.

This day commemorates all those departed who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. Catholics celebrates All Saints' Day (and also All Souls' Day on November 2) in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual communion between those in the state of grace who have died and are either being purified in purgatory or are in heaven already.

The Church in this great feast honors all the saints reigning together in glory. The purpose for this honor is first, to give thanks to God for the graces and crowns of all his saints; secondly, to excite ourselves to a fervent imitation of their virtues by considering the holy example of so many faithful servants of God of all ages, sexes, and conditions, and by contemplating the inexpressible and eternal bliss which they already enjoy, and to which we are invited; thirdly, to implore the divine mercy through this multitude of powerful intercessors; fourthly, to repair any failures or sloth in not having duly honored God in his saints on their particular feast days, and to glorify him in the saints which are unknown to us, or for which no particular feast days are appointed.

On All Saints' Day and in other feast days of the saints God is the only object of our supreme worship, and the whole of that inferior veneration which is paid to the saints is directed to give sovereign honor to God alone. Our addresses to saints are only petitions to holy fellow creatures for the assistance of their prayers to God for us.

In the Philippines, this day, called "Undas","Todos los Santos" (literally "All Saints") and sometimes "Araw ng mga Patay (translated "Day of the Dead") is observed as All Souls' Day. This day and the one before and one after it is spent visiting the graves of deceased relatives, where prayers and flowers are offered, candles are lit and the graves themselves are cleaned, repaired and repainted.

Short Reflection:

Our celebration of the solemnity of All Saints allows us to experience the joy of being part of the great family of God's friends whom we honor as saints. Because we know and believe that God wills to reconcile with himself the whole of humanity so that together we can share in God's own life.

May the example and prayers of all the saints be our guide to sustain us at every stage of our earthly pilgrimages towards the kingdom of Heaven.

Prayer for All Saints' Day:

Father, All-Powerful and ever-living God,

today we rejoice in the holy men and women

of every time and place,

on the Solemnity of All Saints' Day.

May they intercede for us still in journey in this world.

May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Reference: Cathlic Online and EWTN

Celebrating My Life's Milestone

Today, September 5, 2013, is an important milestone of my life as I mark 5 years of freedom from the corporate world.

It is my day of sweet memories, reflecting on life's many valuable lessons, celebrating still the gift of life that those who die young no longer get to enjoy, obviously.

As I continue with my life's journey, albeit towardsthe sunset, I REALIZE...

...that in our younger years we work hard to make a living by what we get or earn. Yet now I know that the sweeter part is that we make our life by what we give and share, especially with those in need;

... that we cannot stop living just because we think we are getting old. The truth is that we actually become old when we stop living;

... that to grow old is really easy and doesn't take any special talent. But our challenge is to continue growing up and moving on by always finding opportunities in every change we encounter while living;

... that the elderly don't have so much regrets for what they accomplished, but rather for they things that they didn't attempt to do at all while young. Yet the years remaining provide golden opportunities to start anew to do things we always wanted to do;

... that the secret of staying young is always to be happy. So we must laugh often and find humor in life's unfolding events each day; and

... that we must never stop to dream. Because when we lose our dreams that's the time we begin to die.

And so on this special day I celebrate life again with happy memories of the past, the joy of the present (while still able to enjoy it), and continue to dream about the future.

Come, celebrate with me life's journey. And as you retire for the night, please remember me in prayers, to thank the Lord for the wonderful gift of life. Thank You, Lord, for this day.

Cheers to life then!

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary

September 8 is the Feast of the Birth of Mary, mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mary who is prepared by Divine Providence to be the mother of Jesus, the Son of God, is conceived in the womb of her mother Anna, her father being Joachim, without the stain of original sin. Her birthday is considered by the Catholic Church as a solemn event, although it is not a holiday of obligation (except this year since it falls on a Sunday). The faithful are encouraged to go to Mass since this is a very important feast because it prepares the way for the birth of Jesus.

Thus, our Lady's birthday has been described as the "hope of the entire world and the dawn of salvation."

The Church's calendar observes the birthdays of only three persons: St. John the Baptist and Mary, mother of Jesus, and the birthday of Jesus Himself, Son of God.

According to tradition, the house in which Mary was born in Nazareth is the same house in which the Angel Gabriel appeared to her during the Annunciation.

In celebrating the nativity of Mary, Christians anticipate the Incarnation and the birth of her Divine Son and give honor to the mother of our Lord and Savior. This Feast provides us with the occasion for praise and thanksgiving in honor of the personal sanctity and vocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and our mother too, Happy Happy Birthday! Please pray for us always, and help us at the moment of our death. Amen.

Ad Jesum per Mariam

 Wonderful Dad

 

A Dad is a person

who is loving and kind,

and often he knows

what you have on your minds.

He's someone who listens,

suggests, and defends.

A Dad can be one

of your very best friends!

He's proud of your triumphs,

but when things go wrong,

A Dad can be patient

and helpful and strong.

In all that you do,

a Dad's love plays a part.

There's always a place for him

deep in your heart.

And each year that passes,

you're even more glad,

more grateful and proud

just to call him your Dad!

Thank you, Dad...

for listening and caring,

for giving and sharing

but, especially, for just being you!

 

Happy Father's Day!

In Tribute to all Fathers!

God took the strength of a mountain
The majesty of a tree
The warmth of a summer sun
The calm of a quiet sea;

The generous soul of nature
The comforting arm of night
The wisdom of the ages
The power of the eagle's flight;

The joy of a morning spring
The faith of a mustard seed
The patience of eternity
The depth of a family need;

Then God combined these qualities
When there was nothing more to add;
He knew His masterpiece was complete
And so, He called it.... DAD!

Happy Father's Day

Reflections of a Pilgrim

As life's sunset comes nearer by the day, I am now just a pilgrim here on earth, no longer consumed by ambitions and competition, but just the joy of living, charting my remaining steps to my destiny. So now the walk is more gentle, more calm and relaxed, savoring every single step of the way, as I make my final footprints in the sands of life.

It is more fun doing just a leisurely walk in time, enjoying every moment of dear life, I mean what is left of it anyway. That is why I become kinder to myself and less critical of myself, trying my best to be at peace with my own imperfections. In a way, I become my own best friend.

Time becomes a luxury, and among the best use of it is to pray for all my loved ones alive, as well as those who chose to leave this world too soon: my dear parents, all my siblings, my departed classmates and friends.

And especially, of course, I pray for dear ones still with me to enjoy the joy of living: my own family, my children and my wife, as together we appreciate the blessing that comes with getting old. Indeed every moment with my loved ones is a treasure. but also always ready to accept that any moment it may be a final goodbye.

Perhaps I become a bit forgetful now... sometimes. I realize it is part of getting old, I think. But even so, some of life is just as well forgotten, isn't it? Because I choose to remember only the happy and joyful things instead.

In the journey of life I had my share of being brokenhearted, too, like all other mortals, I know. For how can your heart not break at each time you lose someone dear? Or when a loved one suffers or in pain?

Yet, it is also true that the experience of a broken heart has its own blessing. For it gave me the strength, and understanding, and compassion to face realities of life as they unfold. Because a heart that has never been broken is pristine and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect, and being able to move on again with hope and trust that we are capable of overcoming.

So as I near (I think) my own sunset, I become philosophical and look at life more positively now. Like I care less about what other people think or say of me. I don't question myself anymore, especially if I can't figure out the answer anyway. In fact I feel that I have even earned the right to be wrong, at least sometimes.

Also, growing old sets me free to do whatever makes me happy. It feels good that way. I like the person that I become with just little regrets. And while I am still here in this journey I would rather not waste time lamenting what would have been, or even worrying about what will be. Just let it be... Amen.

So today is a great blessing that I reach another milestone in my pilgrimage of life. It is my special day in God's time, to celebrate life anew, while my time lasts, and enjoy the friendship of those who touched my life with love and kindness.

And so, my God and my Lord, I kneel before You today and let my heart whisper my humble prayer:

Thank You, O Lord, for the gift of my life.

Thank You for the blessing of the year that was.

Thank You for all those who remember me today.

Thank You, too, even for those who may have forgotten.

Thank you to my dear parents,
for sharing life and love with me.
Thank you to my siblings,
for the joy of living.
Thank you to all  my dear friends,
for the happiness and inspiration shared.

Thank You for the lesson and experience of the past;

for time of success, which are happy memories;

for times of trials, which remind of my own weakness,

and most of all my dependence on You, my God;

for time of joy when the sun is shining bright;

for time of sadness which drove me to You.

Lord, in Your mercy forgive me

for the hours I wasted,

for the chances I failed to take,

for the opportunities I missed.

Help me, O Lord, in my days remaining

to celebrate always life's unfolding,

both the rains and sunshine,

and thus bring happiness to all,

and joy to You, my loving Father.

Amen.

Deo Optimo Maximo!

Posted: 9 May 2013

Nick Isip
9 May 2013

Reflection on the 5th Last Word of our Lord Jesus

On Good Friday, I invite you to join me, as we keep our Lord Jesus Christ company in the place called Golgotha, or the Skull.

Behold our Lord hanging on that cross for all of us, for our sins. For we are the sinners, not our Lord. But he is the one crucified, not us. Is that fair, is that justice? Ask ourselves.

The sun is scourging hot. Our Lord is near the end of his human life. He senses it. He has hung on that cross for some agonizing hours by now.

Look at our Lord on the cross. It has become hard for Jesus to even get a breath. Hung from his arms, he must pull himself up each time he wants to breathe. His shoulders ache, his mouth is parched. He is physically exhausted.

And yet he does not want to die without a final word. He asks for something to drink to wet his lips for some relief.

St. John the evangelist wrote (Jn 19:28): After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said:

"I THIRST."

In the physical sense, thirst is our body's reaction to the loss of fluid. From his agony in the Garden of Olives, the scourging at the pillar, the agonizing way of the cross, our Lord has lost a lot of blood and body fluids with the extreme cruelty of his suffering. That is why he is now thirsty. He thirsts for water.

Now we know that we can live some days without food, but we cannot survive for long without water. We need water to survive. That is why we feel thirsty when there is an imbalance of fluids in our body. The mind triggers something to replenish immediately the loss of water in our body. Otherwise, we dehydrate and die. So under the intense heat of the sun and the physical suffering he endures, Jesus said, "I thirst."

Yet, more than the physical thirst for water, our Lord thirsts for our LOVE.

Remember that in his public ministry, Jesus healed so many sick, cured the lepers, preached God's kingdom to many people, and even fed the multitude who followed him. But now hanging on that cross of salvation, Jesus finds himself all alone, except for his mother, Mary, and the beloved disciple, John.

Earlier, his disciples deserted him. Judas has betrayed him to his enemies. Simon Peter denied him not once but thrice. All the people who followed him were gone. Jesus is left alone on his own, hanging on the cross and dying.

Can you imagine being in solitary confinement for a long time, cut off from all human contacts? You'd thirst for love, you'd thirst for human company. They say that the greatest sacrifice of our overseas Filipino workers, or OFWs, is loneliness, being separated from their loved ones, and that is a great sacrifice in the name of love for their families.

So our Lord in his dying moments thirsts for LOVE; he thirsts for your love; he thirsts for our love. He gives up his life for our sins, and all he asks in return is our love.

Do we respond to his invitation of love? How do we respond to his invitation of love?

Well, the Lord is not with us physically now, until we see him again in glory on judgement day. But he left us with his commandment of love: Love one another just as I have loved you. And the Lord loves us unto his death.

Today, hanging on that cross Jesus challenges us to witness our love for him through our love for our neighbors. Because whatever we do to the least of our neighbors, we do that for the Lord himself.

Jesus says, "I thirst"... he thirsts for love, he thirsts for compassion, for kindness on behalf of the poor, the suffering, the marginalized members of society.

Are we ready to take up the Lord's challenge? Are we ready to respond to his invitation of LOVE?

Our new Pope Francis calls for a Church of compassion, especially a Church that loves the poor among us.

As we await the Lord's resurrection on Easter Sunday, let us commit ourselves to follow his commandment by being faithful to all the teaching of his Church. In that way we quench the Lord's thirst for love with concrete actions of Christian living.

So that on judgement day before the Lord, we can say that the Lord was hungry and we gave him food to eat; the Lord was thirsty and we gave him water to drink; the Lord was homeless and we gave him our home to dwell... through genuine caring for the poor and the needy in our midst. Amen.


Deo Optimo Maximo!