Reblogged: Humility in the eyes of a lily

'THE HEART WHERE I WILL SPEAK': Humility in the eyes of a lily: Humility, in the perspective of an erring humanity, is not the absence of pride, arrogance or conceit but the acceptance of having these... continue reading

(Note: Public confession is unnecessary if confessions were already done in the confessional.)

DU30 and the broken Sto. Niño

I had a dream in my sleep barely a month before this man was to take a seat in the highest office of the republic -- and the dream goes this way: There was a certain platform, a bridge that looks like a stage as well, it was made of steel and plywood installed in the vicinity of a local marketplace. It appears to be an impermanent structure because it has no foundation at all -- it was like a table being put up to be folded back again afterwards. On either ends of the platform, two sets of stairs opposite to each other were being assembled. And I saw this man holding a statue of the Holy Child Jesus or the "Santo Niño" ascending the "bridge" via stairs on the left. He was holding the statue by the left hand and the hand was down, gripping the statue in its middle. I was following him on his ascent -- but I lost sight of him because a group of persons was following him as well. But I was with the group of those following him. On reaching the top left of the platform, he and the entourage walked down the stairs opposite to the stairs he used to make ascent. As I was behind them, I saw the same statue of the Sto. Niño he was holding lying broken beneath the stairs where they passed through on their way down. End of dream.

Divine defense - Four

Reading 1PHIL 4:10-19

Brothers and sisters:
I rejoice greatly in the Lord
that now at last you revived your concern for me.
You were, of course, concerned about me but lacked an opportunity.
Not that I say this because of need,
for I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself,
to be self-sufficient.
I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.
I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

You Philippians indeed know that at the beginning of the Gospel,
when I left Macedonia,
not a single church shared with me
in an account of giving and receiving, except you alone.
For even when I was at Thessalonica
you sent me something for my needs,
not only once but more than once.
It is not that I am eager for the gift;
rather, I am eager for the profit that accrues to your account.
I have received full payment and I abound.
I am very well supplied because of what I received from you
through Epaphroditus,
“a fragrant aroma,” an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

source: usccb.org

The Caller, the called and the calling

The called is independent of any influence, control and dictates by anybody except the Caller. This blog cannot be influenced, controlled and dictated by any of the opposite sides of the Catholic Faith: the traditionalists and Novus Ordo. I listen to both in the pulpits -- yes -- but, in the end, write the way God wills of me to write. One traditionalist priest said in a sermon, however, that I am writing this blog "my way." I beg to disagree. Had I done it "my way," I would have listened and done it "his way" because of his brilliance in the rostrums but God has His Own Way of saying things -- like, putting ourselves in the shoes of another person (group, for that matter). I need not elaborate on this because clerics know better what this means. If this blog work, on the other hand, is the brainchild of "my" own concoctions, how brilliant a person would I be to be able to think of all of these. Try asking those who have known me since childhood. I am not brilliant. Just one person whose name happens to be associated with 'heroism' -- a good pseudonym for a writer, one of my professors said. Or am I under the influence of "spirits" other than the Holy Spirit? But I can boldly say to you: all of these experiences that the Lord has graced me with are, naturally, of God because I have no fear when I experience them -- but love, joy and hope. God is love. God is joy. God is hope. God is not a God of confusion, a feeling of mental discomfort, a headache that I felt when once I watched a TV show of David Blaine doing spirits-guided "magic." I would agree if someone tells you of me as "just gifted" because I cannot do it all by myself. I am under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Why am I still struggling with my sins? But, at least, I own them, I confess them, I struggle against all odds -- and there are too many of you on both sides, et cetera. One more thing, please fathers of both sides of the Faith, never look at this calling as a higher calling because which calling is higher than turning bread and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ? -- but God is patient with you. Rest assured that since God called me to do this work, He will finish His work in me in time He sees fit.

Reblogged: Self-respect

'THE HEART WHERE I WILL SPEAK': Self-respect:

When we think others are 'devoid of respect' towards us, we, sometimes, demand respect from them. But why do we think we are disrespected? Why do we know? What are our basis? Why do we think? We think because we are doing what we are thinking. We point our index fingers at others; but three fingers are pointing at us. Let us see within ourselves first. Maybe, it is we who are devoid of respect towards our own selves!

'Do not chew my Son!'

"Do not chew my Son!" The Blessed Virgin Mary exhorted communicants to keep from masticating the Sacred Host received in Holy Communion. Rightly so because the consecrated Host is no longer a plain wafer but Our Lord Jesus Christ in the form of a Host -- alive, breathing, pulsating, throbbing; and, above all, God and Savior! In a search to better understand the Holy Eucharist, I came across a website where I happened to read the Marian message. Change had to take place afterwards on how I conduct myself during Holy Communion. By the grace of God, upon receiving the Sacred Host on my tongue, I make it a point to just let the Host stay on my tongue unmoved as I return to my kneeler -- without allowing the Host to touch even my palate. Once on my kneeler, I will begin producing saliva to soak the Host with it, back to back; and then swallow the soft Host whole. I make it a habit to behave so since I first read the Marian message; and, not long after, in Carmel when the Host that was placed on my tongue during Holy Communion began leaping by “Itself” inside my mouth -- from my tongue to my palate and back to my tongue, up and down, half up and down, a quarter up and down, then rapid small dribbles until the Host stopped and rested back on my tongue -- the movement had beat and rhythm like a coin or ball tossed on the pavement. I was already on my way back to my kneeler when it happened so that it felt like I was walking above ground. The experience was repeated in Fatima.

Hands in worship

"All you peoples, clap your hands; shout to God with joyful cries." -Psalm 47:1. Clapping of hands was used to worship God in the Old Testament -- and even today by non-Catholic Christians, the "born-again" and the Catholic charismatics. Doing so is fitting as it is biblical -- but the location where we do the clapping is a matter worth examining. The non-Catholic "born-again" Christian communities do hands-clapping during worship at "their" place of worship -- and it is all right! -- while the Catholic charismatics do it even during the conduct of the Holy Mass and in their assemblies within the Catholic churches where the Tabernacle of the Eucharistic Host is enshrined -- let us see if it is all right. The Old Testament is the announcement of the coming of Jesus-Messiah -- thus, prior to His Passion and Death on the Cross. The hands-clapping act as a form of worship to God is proper in the Old Testament because the Old Testament is prior to Jesus' Passion and Death on the Cross.

The praying hands are opposite to clapping hands.

Why is it appropriate, then, to clap hands in worship when the non-Catholic "born-again" Christians do it? Because they clap their hands at "their" place of worship and "their" place of worship is without the Tabernacle that enshrines the Eucharistic Host (the Real Presence of Jesus Christ that bore the marks of His Passion and Death on the Cross) that only the Catholic Church has been entrusted with by Jesus Christ Himself (remember transubstantiation: only Catholic priests can turn Bread and Wine into the Real Body and Blood of Jesus Christ). Therefore, the Catholics must not clap their hands before, during and after the Holy Mass is officiated within the Catholic churches simply because the Holy Mass is a remembrance of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross and the Tabernacle that encloses the Eucharistic Host is always enshrined in the center of the Altars in all the Catholic churches of the world.

The praying hands of the Madonna.

What is rejoicing in front of a suffering man? Such is like a mockery to him. The same is true with the Lord when we clap our hands in front of His Eucharistic Presence and the Holy Eucharist. In Lamentations 2:15, clapping is not only used to worship God in the Old Testament but also to ridicule, to deride or to mock. Holy Mass is Holy Mass, it must be conducted with utmost solemnity, reverence and love -- as well as the Eucharistic Presence in the Tabernacle. Catholic charismatic communities must, therefore, withhold the practice of clapping every Holy Mass and hold charismatic activities outside the Catholic churches where we are free to clap our hands to worship God. Lastly, let me quote Ezekiel 21:22 where it is written, "Then I, too, shall clap my hands and spend my fury. I, the Lord, have spoken."

Dead bodies everywhere!

I had this dream morning of the other day. I found myself in an "apartment" where a small party was about to begin. Food was already served on the table and young people started coming in. I did not know any of the people I saw there but I was there. Next scene: I found myself outside the apartment with onlookers gathering around. I could see like two men in black suits pouring water on the floor as if to clean up something and in one section of the floor were laid dead bodies of those who attended the party. Next scene: I found myself in the hallway leading to the inside of what seems like a hospital -- and there were corpses everywhere, decomposing; and milky-white worms crawling on the cadavers. A woman in silent mourning was taking watch of her dead child! A little boy -- in the kneeling position with forehead touching the floor and worms slithering on his head and body -- was about to die. There were yellowish, bodily fluids -- fresh and dried -- on the floor and live worms. And the nauseating smell of corpses! The hospital was in operation no longer. Everybody -- and everything! -- was contaminated. I ran to get out! I ran trying to step only on the floors without fluids, worms and corpses. And I woke up.

Reblogged: The city on a hill

'THE HEART WHERE I WILL SPEAK': The city on a hill:

Can darkness penetrate light? Only light can penetrate darkness! But when light is covered by "those" entrusted with it, darkness comes in and evils of all kinds are at play in the dark, for evils are attracted to darkness.

Jesus Christ is "the light of the world" -John 8:12 and has left His Living Presence to the world via consecrated Wafer and Wine in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. 

However, when the Church (say, the local Church) does not exercise its Faith in the Holy Eucharist, the Presence of Jesus-Light is extinguished in that area.

Evils, spiritual, physical and man-made like cataclysms, calamities, so-called "climate change" and "UFOs," terrorism, prostitution, crimes and the likes abound -- even murders in the name of "peace and prosperity."

It is "we" who have invited these evils to come in by our indifference, faithlessness and sacrileges committed against the Holy Eucharist.

So no matter how "we" make noise barrage in the pulpits, if the root cause of the problem were not addressed upon, we just wonder why the perpetrators still linger on in our place of jurisdiction.

"I am very happy to have arrived hither but if I must express my desire that the church does not scream, not clap hands, and not even greet the Pope because 'Templum Dei, templum Dei.' 

"Now if you are happy to find you in this beautiful church, imagine if the Pope is not happy to see his children, but as soon as he sees them good children, not their hands beat them in the face, and this is what is in front of you and the Successor of St. Peter." -St. Pope John XXIII

Born Free: Is it your life story?

Born free, as free as the wind blows

As free as the grass grows 

Born free to follow your heart 

So goes the lyrics of the song Born Free, theme song from the movie of the same title in the sixties.

The world still astounds you 

Each time you look at a star 

Live free, and beauty surrounds you 

Born Free is a true-to-life story about Elsa, an orphaned lioness cub, which game warden George Adamson took from the wilderness of Kenya to be raised by him and wife Joy at their home as a couple would rear a child.

Stay free, where no walls divide you 

You're free as a roaring tide 

So there's no need to hide

But time came for the couple to leave Kenya and the government ordered them to turn over Elsa to a zoo. Joy, however, declined to buy the idea as Elsa would never be happy being a caged captive. She wanted to set her free into the wilds. But how could she survive since she became a domesticated pet, untrained to hunt, to kill, and to be wild?

Born free, and life is worth living 

But only worth living 

Cause you're born free 

They trained Elsa to live as she should be. And they succeeded. She eventually lived in the wilderness, had a mate, and raised cubs of her own the way God willed her to live [at least, in this earth-life] -- "born to hunt, born to kill" -- and yet retained "all her affection" for the Adamsons "who nurtured her for so long." 

The song -- the movie -- our life story.

The coming season of change

Last night, I had a dream. In that dream, I was sleeping [double dream] and I sprang up suddenly from my sleep in the middle of the night as I felt the breakage of all the generational curses afflicting me and my family. I was very excited also for my loved ones because I knew that, at that very moment, wherever they might be, they were also being set free. -Diary, April 13, 2008, 1:58 p.m., Sunday. 

God is all to me. If people see my imperfections, I don't care. God knows I am imperfect; and I, too, know it. I never do things to impress the world. God is pleased by my acceptance of the truth, the truth that I am not perfect. My imperfection is actually an asset. Because, through this, I can long for God, the Only One Who can make me whole. It never saddens me when the world sees the truth about me. I rejoice instead. Because when Divine Intervention comes in my life, the world will know that "everything is possible with God!" -Diary, July 17, 2008, 6:43 p.m., Thursday.