A MORNING WITH GOD....

Sunday morning, I asked the retreatants to be at the hall by 6:15 a.m. with their Rosary for our morning prayer. Oh, it was cold, still a bit dark. As I told them, they could come in their pajamas, even if they had not yet taken their bath, or they still have morning stars in their eyes. That would be okay, God will accept us as we come, as being the real us, who we are.

And so, I explained to them about the essence of the Glorious Mysteries and that we would be praying individually, slowly, chewing and chopping each word and each mystery, reflecting on them, while walking slowly and separately around the grounds of the retreat venue.

It was a very beautiful experience. They were such a wonderful sight to see. At times, some sat on a rock or stair step, pause in front a tree, or the image of Mama Mary, look up on the sky, then continue walking slowly again, holding the Rosary.

The time I gave them was 6:30 - 7:00 a.m., just in time for breakfast, though I anticipated that it may took them 45 minutes to do that because some may even be led to linger to staying in God's Presence after the Rosary. Oh, yes, it happened. They were in the dining area 7:15 a.m., there two by 7:30 a.m. They appreciated the experience.

After breakfast, as I wait for our gathering time, I reflected on my own experience in our morning prayer and wrote in my journal:

* As we started, I went to a gazebo and wanted to stay there and sit down as I pray. You see my right foot has a handicap from polio and I use a cane to walk. I didn't know if I can walk easily on the paths I would encounter since I would be alone. But the morning was oozing with God's Presence and I couldn't say no to His invitation to me. So I decided to get out of my comfort zone and slowly walked around while praying. I was glad I did......My comfort zones hold me back. They make me stagnant and prevent me to experience new and beautiful things in life.

* I pause from time to time, I look up, I look around and I also looked down. I saw new things, beautiful and not so beautiful ones, fresh plants and withered ones and cut trunks......Life is like that. It is given, there are good and bad sides so I have to accept everything and always look at the bright side to live happily.

* Along my path, I saw two stairs. I wanted to go up in both to see what was beyond, but as I assess the steps, I would not make it on my own, they were not cemented, not flat and there were no handrails. I could if I had somebody with me......In living my life and in my journey, I have to admit I have my limitations and that I need the help of people. I am not super human and only God can do everything. I have to be humble enough to admit my weaknesses and accept help from others.

* I came to an y-intercessection. One path where I came from, another would lead me towards the dining area, my destination and another would seem to take me further away with longer walk and I didn't know where it would lead me, but it was beautiful. I took the chance and walked on the latter path. It was just a short distance, a dead end, but with an open area, with an image of Mama Mary in the middle. I saw one retreatant seated near the image and praying. One was standing in the midst of our distance and was also praying. I was happy to see them quietly praying with reverence......Jesus wants me to be happy. He leads me to have site seeing in my journey in life to see the beauty of it. He surprises me with what is there and gives me the joy of His Presence in others as well as in His Mother.

* I went back to the y-intersection and took the path going to the dining area, my destination. But as I walked further, I remembered seeing the area from the hallway above. Oh, there will be a stair ahead, that was the only way I could proceed. I hesitated and thought of tracing back the path where I came from. But that would take me longer and more tiring for me. If I would take the stair, it would be harder for me but a shorter distance. So I decided to check out the stairs. It was cemented, there was a handrail though on the right side, but I could take it and I did......Sometimes in life, I think I can’t do something because I foresee or see the blocks, but if I do not check it out first and take the risks how can I know that I truly cannot do it, most especially if I am walking through it with God and He is the One leading me?

* I remembered, as I packed my things before I went down for our morning prayer, I saw my excess clothes that I didn’t use. They just made my bag heavy, then the disciples of Jesus crossed my mind at that moment when they were sent two by two and was instructed by Jesus to bring nothing but their walking stick, not even an extra shirt…...Sometimes, I tend to bring more than I should for my own comfort. In life, there are things I think I need, but only to find out, they are just wants that I can live without. Or I bring things from my past that I should have let go long time ago because they are just extra baggage and they just burden me when I can travel my life light if I just leave them behind.

A journey is a path strolled with God from one area to another. As long as I remain in God as I travel, there is nothing to worry nor be afraid about….


What God inspired me to see as I reflected on my morning prayer experience is not only a lesson for me, but for everybody journeying in life. I pray God also touches your hearts and reflect on your own on these inspirations based on your own life. Always stay happy with God. Never leave Him out of your journey in life. Life is beautiful in spite of the certain circumstances we experience. We just have to look at them through the eyes of God. This can happen, if we humbly choose to let Jesus teach us to stay a child to the Father and allow growth in our relationship with Him. God bless your homes!

-luisadelacruz

WHILE I STILL CAN....

My loving Aunt as I remembered her before

I have an Aunt who was always kind and loving. She would always welcome us in their home and cook immediately for us to eat. She wouldn't allow us to leave their house without making sure our tummies were full. She was the wife of my Papa's brother and she became my Mama's best friend, too.

She always had so many stories to tell with her loud voice. She was also fond of making different kinds and sizes of beautiful flowers out of crepe papers and straws, very artistic indeed. She was very good at this. It always made her happy to give us a little something. She was very friendly and likable that whenever it was the feast day of Sto. Nino in their place, their house was always full of friends and relatives.

Last Thursday morning, my two sisters, my niece and I visited their house to see her and bring our Christmas gifts for them. I noticed something different with my Aunt. Her face was more wrinkled than months ago when I last saw her. Her hairs were whiter. She looked thinner. She was weaker than before. She could not cook anymore. She was noticeably quiet and answered our questions briefly with a soft voice. She answered us like a shy little girl. She said with sadness that she couldn't make the crepe paper flowers for us anymore. Her memory was not good anymore. She even had a hard time recognizing us, at times even exchanging our names.

As I sat in front of her, I took a close look at her. I remembered how she was before and it pinched my heart a bit to see her like that. I couldn't see the light I saw before in her eyes, no laughter just smiles from time to time. She was not really herself anymore.

Oh, how time flew and yes she is older now, in her 70's in fact. And then I thought, "Someday....one day, I will be like her. I will get old. I will be weaker and I can only do less. But before that happens, Lord, use me while I still have my strength. Change me and make me more loving to You, to my family and to others while I still have a chance. With the time I still have, may I give glory to Your name and by Your grace, build a home for You in the hearts of people and bring You home to them....while I still can..."

In a few days, we will be welcoming another new year in our lives. May we put more meaning, more love, more joy, more peace and more God in each of the 365 days we will have.

As the clock turns to midnight on December 31 to welcome the 1st day of 2013, may the desire in our hearts to have God's Presence in our lives be inflamed enough that we can not deny it so we can strive to have more of Him in the whole year coming our way...and in the next years beyond it, if God will allow us still to breathe His breath...Let's live a fruitful life worthy of God.

May the peace and joy of Jesus be in your homes. A wonderful New Year for you and your families! God bless your homes! 

-luisadelacruz

 

SECONDS COUNT...

Tik! Tak! Tik! Tak! 

Have you ever wondered what happens in every corner of the world in each tick of the clock? 

As I reflect on Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, I thought of these:

How many are dying in 1 tick?

How many are crying in pain or so hungry?

How many are feeling angry?

How many are smiling or hugging their loved ones?

How many are praying and loving God?

How many are….?

Many things happen at one single tick of the clock. I can not do much for the world, but I can do something of value every tick of the clock…I won’t be here forever…

Have a Radiant Life!

 -luisadelacruz

WORSHIPING IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH...

As the song is being sang…my eyes are closed, my hands are clasped, each word touches the depth of my soul…The Holy Spirit flies me to God’s awesome Presence…The words are no more, my mind, my heart, my soul, my whole being is worshiping, adoring God in spirit and in truth. It is just Jesus and me…face to face, no words, just gazing upon each other…nothing exists but Him and me…This is during communion in the Holy Mass when Jesus rests upon my tongue and I am in union with Him.…

These past Sundays, the Gospels were taken from the book of John (John 6:41-69). They were about Jesus being the the Bread of Life. He Himself had spoken about this, many of His followers left Him. He even had a command in the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of Me.” 

We believe that in the Mass, Jesus is present - physically and spiritually. The Holy Mass is the center of our life and the highest form of worship and prayer.

There was a time before, I was so into worshiping God through praise and worship songs. I raised my hands to God with my mind, heart, soul, emotions…all that I am...I am loving God...but I looked forward to this form of worship, and I was much involved in it, more than in the Mass.

Why? Because it was exciting, it was not boring, I was emotionally high and i felt great experiencing God's awesome Presence through it.

But Jesus made me realize that adoring God is all about Him, and not about me, nor what I feel. It is about pleasing my Lord and my God and if what I gave before during worship gatherings was all that I was....then....why is it that I can not give all that I am during the Mass. 

I asked myself: "Isn't it in the Holy Mass, Jesus is present Body and Soul? Isn't it Jesus was the One who first celebrated giving His physical Self in the Last Supper? Isn't it Jesus commanded His Apostles to do that in His memory?"

He deserves much more from me than what I give Him during the Holy Mass.

Adoring God through songs and other forms is okay. There is nothing wrong with these. In fact, they also bring us closer to Him, experiencing His awesome Presence. But if they become more valuable to us Catholics, than the sacrament of the Holy Mass, then, we miss its very essence. Other forms of worship should not be above the Holy Mass where Jesus, Body and Soul, is very much present to a soul that hungers for and seeks to adore the Living Bread of Life...

Luke 22:14-20 (GNT)

¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table with the apostles. ¹⁵ He said to them, “I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer! ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will never eat it until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.”

¹⁷ Then Jesus took a cup, gave thanks to God, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. ¹⁸ I tell you that from now on I will not drink this wine until the Kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹ Then He took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” ²⁰  In the same way, He gave them the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is God's new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you."

-luisadelacruz

ARE YOU UP THERE?

I look up to the blue sky.

I saw clouds hugging each other.

I asked You, Lord: “Are You up there?”

Then the wind blew, gently touching my skin.

Aaah, yes, You are up there, Lord,

But You are also down here.

You are the wind that lovingly caresses me.

You are the flowers that put a smile on my lips.

You are the sun that shines on me.

You are the soft voice that comforts me.

You are my chair that cradles me.

You are the bird that serenades me.

You are my family who loves me.

You are my friends who embrace me.

You are the stranger who showed kindness to me.

You, oh Lord, are everywhere…

Oh, yes, even in my heart, Lord, I find You.

-luisadelacruz 

A MOMENT OF PEACE

I got my Bible and reflected on the day’s Scriptures…Then, I went to our little garden, sat in our little bench…I listened prayerfully to some prayers on celphone...Then, to some church and worship songs…then, to the Gregorian chants I put there…

There was a moment I opened my eyes. Suddenly, I was so overwhelmed by God’s Presence…When the plants caught my sight, I so sensed God is present in each of them, even in the air and space, that I don’t want to close my eyes and miss the moment…Our little garden welled up with God’s love…Suddenly, the world was shut out, it’s just God and me…It was such a joy…

This was just this morning. I got a very busy day today, I set the alarm by 3:00 a.m. to start early, but I woke up 2:00 a.m and couldn't sleep anymore, so I started my day…It’s 4:57 a.m. when I composed this. By this time I was still in our garden…

Busy day??? Ah, the more I need these special moments with God…Oh, by the way, this is not supposed to be my sharing today, but I couldn’t help sharing with you the gift of God’s Presence…

Above everything else, it’s a must to put God first…             

Have Moments of Peace!

-luisadelacruz