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

 

THE CHEF AND HIS FOOD....

 Inspiration:       Matthew 13:18-23

There’s an excellent Chef who cooks each meal from the best ingredients with love and care. His restaurant is simple, yet beautiful.

Some people ignore his food and prefer those in the food chains.

Others eat there but are more engrossed in talking.

Others enjoy his food, eats there for quite some time but go to new restaurants when they open. 

There are those who love his food. They chew it appreciatively and became friends with the Chef. They also invite people to eat there…

The Chef is God…the food is His Word…which customer are you?

A Sincere, Profound Heart! 

-luisadelacruz

LIKE THE BIRD....

During my silent retreat last June 16-17, as I attended Mass, a beautiful bird bigger than a sparrow flew to and fro on the chapel’s ceiling. There were times he hit the wall and I pitied him. I prayed that may he find his way out and not die there. Once he landed on the high window, but there was a screen, so he flew to and fro again. 

During the reading, he flew on the altar ground, facing the tabernacle, stayed awhile, then flew straight out of the lower window without falter….

I was teary eyed at this. It was like he recognized Jesus and Jesus gave His blessing to him. He flew swiftly to wherever…

When God uprooted me from my community, the transition was hard. But He wanted me to get to know the Catholic Church, her teachings, Mama Mary. He called, I followed, to where, to what, I didn’t know. 

I was like that bird flying around as I learn about my faith and get personal with Mother Church. But it seemed that God is giving me His blessing to fly now. 

Our spiritual director suggested that I hasten my prayer for me to commit to a parish ministry where God is calling me. This will keep me rooted in the parish, so if later, He will lead me to other ministries outside it, I’m still connected to the Church and, that I should not refuse God…

Like the bird, he said, I should remain grounded in Jesus so I could fly straight to wherever He will lead me…

If it’s God’s time for you to fly, stretch your wings, let go, trust God, fly…Let the Holy Spirit carry you with the wind of God’s love to where God wants and needs you to be…

Have a Blossoming Life!

-luisadelacruz

WHAT I WANT IS YOUR CONSTANT LOVE....

JOHN 17:3 (New American Bible)
“Now this is eternal life, that they should know You, the only true God, and the One whom You sent, Jesus Christ.”

(Magandang Balita Biblia)
“Ito ang buhay na walang hanggan: ang kilalanin Ka nila, ang iisa at tunay na Diyos, at si Jesu-Cristo na Iyong sinugo.”

In Hosea 6:5-6 (Good News Translation), God says
“…What I want from you is plain and clear: I want your constant love, not your animal sacrifices. I would rather have my people know Me than burn offerings to Me.”

We breath,
we live,
we love,
we serve,
we attend Mass or gatherings…
we do many things for the Lord…
But above all these...

do we get to know God deeper and deeper, not for the pleasure of it but because this is what He wants?

If knowing God is eternal life, then knowing Him here on earth is a foretaste of eternal life…and when we come face to face with God in heaven where we can have full knowledge of Him, then shall we have eternal life in full union with Him…

Huwag tayo tumigil sa pagkilala sa Diyos.

Pleasures and joy in serving God are just means, getting to know Him lovingly in doing them is the end…   

Have a Moving Life! :-D

-luisadelacruz

YOUR BLOCKBUSTER LIFE

Lights! 

Camera! 

Action! 

Take one!...

In the movies and TV series, after everything had been prepared, there should be action, otherwise none would materialize. Those involved should give all they got, their very best, to have great results that people will like what they watch…

In real life, it’s the same thing, there should always be action. 

In the Luke 6:36-38, Jesus tells us: 

be merciful, 

don’t judge, 

don’t condemn, 

forgive,

give to others…

Whatever measure you use to others with these actions, God will use to you as well, so do your best that your life will be a blockbuster in God’s eyes…

Oh, by the way, in real life, you can not shoot the same scene twice, thrice or more…just once, so always give it you best performance.    

Have a Shimmering Soul!

- luisadelacruz

CLOTHES IN THE CLOSET

Last December, I surveyed my closet. I took out clothes that I hadn’t used for years. Some of them were small already. Some of them were given to me but I didn’t usually wear those kind. Some, I just didn’t like to wear anymore…

I folded them and gave away to calamity victims. They would be of more use to them than being in my closet. Clothes are meant to be worn not made to get old inside the closet, otherwise, they become useless…

When we hear God’s Word in homilies, seminars, retreats, gatherings, radio and TV programs, personal Scripture/prayer times, reading books and materials…we can’t just write and listen and listen and listen and listen…We have to put them into practice (James 1:22-25) otherwise they will be worthless, just like the unused clothes in the closet…

God’s Word are meant to be planted in our hearts, grow roots, and be practiced in our daily lives. 

As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” As we listen, let’s also put into practice what God teaches us through His Word…

Then one day, it shall be perfect in us and in our lives through God’s grace.            

Easy Living!

- luisadelacruz

THE FANS...

When we watch entertainment shows on TV or concerts of artists, we often see people so alive, shouting, raising banners of their idols, they cry and laugh with them. There are those who even buy memorabilia, follow their idol’s every concert, watch every movie. Wherever they may be, these people will be there.

They are the fans, the dictionary says they are the enthusiastic supporters…But there are some fans who will fight for their idols even hurting others, they are the fanatics…Why do fans persevere? 
Because they see something in their idols that they like and they look up to them. They feel good and happy seeing them…

In Mark 6:53-56, many people were fans of Jesus, they follow Him wherever He went. Why? Not to listen to God’s Word but to be freed from sickness, to get healed…

Jesus doesn’t want fans who only want entertainment, He wants followers who will seek God to be transformed, leaving their old ways and living His teachings...

At this moment, let’s pause and reflect on this: Am I just a fan or a passionate follower of Jesus?  

Shining Heart for you!

- luisadelacruz

POPE JOHN PAUL II - The Holy Man of God

It seems just like yesterday when I watched him in his Papal visit in the Philippines in 1995. I was so awed by him that in a span of four days, I had composed a dozen of poems. I was so inspired by his presence, the way people cheered for him and love him, the overwhelming love and kindness manifested by him….Aaaahhhh, that was a very wonderful sight to see.

   

Now, I saw in the news that he will be beatified on May 1, 2011. Wow! I am not surprised. His kind deserves that. He is a holy man of God. I am happy, such a man lived in my life time.

Let me share with you some of my poems in 1995. This was how he moved me:

THE CHOSEN ONE

Amidst the crowd you speak

With warmth, love and smile on your eyes,

Radiating peace and serenity

Upon your shining face.

How my heart leaps with great joy

As I see you, as I hear you

Address us, the youth.

I hear, I feel your sincerity and

Your love for us.

I thank the Lord for giving us

Such a wonderful father here on earth.

Yes, I thank the Lord for making you

The successor of St. Peter.

Indeed, our Lord knows best.

Indeed He has chosen well.

luisadelacruz 011495

 

SO DEAR TO OUR HEARTS

Like a father you guide us

With abundant love and understanding,

A gentle touch, a cheerful smile,

A caring whisper, and affectionate words.

The sincerity in your eyes reveals

The genuine feeling you have for us.

Yes, your very being speaks the deep love

You are giving us.

That is why, our beloved Pope,

You are so very dear

To our hearts.

luisadelacruz 011595

 

THE CELEBRATED MOMENT

The crowd go wild as you appear

Before them…. cheering, shouting,

Waving, clasping,

A sign of overflowing joy

They feel deep within,

For in you they see the glory of the Lord….

His grace, His love, His peace, His joy.

Through you the Lord reaches out

To the people.

You are His instrument,

His most humble servant.

As the roaring moment

Ascends to the heavens,

The echo of the people’s love

To the Lord God is heard everywhere.

With one voice, they proclaim their faith

And their praises to the Most High….

The crowd go wild as you appear….

The strong link between humanity

And Jesus Christ.

We salute you, JP2!!!

luisadelacruz 011695

 

A PRAYER FOR JP2

Glory to You, oh Lord, the Most High.

Praise be with You always.

We, Your people, thank You with all our hearts

For entrusting us to a loving,

Humble servant of Yours.

Lord, please give him the strength he needs

So he can continue fulfilling

The duties and responsibilities

You laid upon his shoulders….

Guide him, oh Lord,

Continue to light his path,

To give him Your grace, your overflowing

Love and understanding;

To give him Your humor, humility, and peace.

Above all, Most gracious One,

Protect him from evil and let him know, oh God,

That we will always love him, your humble servant.

To You, our Beloved Creator,

We offer our deepest love and gratitude.

To You, oh Most Holy One,

We offer ourselves and your humble servant,

Pope John Paul II. Amen

luisadelacruz 011795

 PAPAL FEVER

Everyone is excited,

Waiting for his arrival.

All are anxious, eager to see him.

Alas! The long wait has come to an end.

Mixed emotions are felt by all.

There are tears, smiles, shouts,

Waves, enthusiasm, tremendous energy –

The warm and joyous welcome of the people.

All throughput his visit is seen.

Everywhere he goes, sea of humanity

You can see with overflowing

Love and affection in their eyes….

Millions of people are touched by

Mixed emotions just as they have

Seen him arrived and as they have seen him depart.

He truly has after effects….

On so many lives.

luisadelacruz 011795

USAPAN LANG NAMAN . . .

One day in Novemver 2005, my friend received a text message which I liked, so I copied it:

‘Who should be blamed when a leaf fell from a tree?
Is it the wind that blew it away?
Or the tree that let it go?
Or is it the leaf itself which never held tight?’

We reflected on it for a while . . . . maybe there’s no one to blame . . . . or it depends . . . . if the tree is the Lord, and the wind is the circumstances and situations happening around, and the leaf is the person, definitely the Lord can not be blamed, situations can not be either . . . .

Well, we just joked about it and left the message alone.

The next morning when I read in the Holy Bible the readings for the day, I was struck by a passage:

‘……Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.’ ISAIAH 64:6

The moment I read this, I remembered the text message yesterday. I was beginning to think there was a connection. What was it? Or is there any?

As I continued to read the other Scriptures, I mistook a Scripture to be one of the readings for that day . . . . is it a mistake . . . . or I was led to it. Guess what! :

‘When one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos” – aren’t you acting like worldly people? After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? We are simply God’s servants, by whom you were led to believe. Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave him to do. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow. The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because He makes the plant grow.

There is no difference between the one who plants and the one who waters; God will reward each one according to the work each has done. For we are partners working together for God, and you are God’s field. You are also God’s building. Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build. For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid.’ 1 CORINTHIANS 3:4-11


Wow, now I believe in my heart that there is definitely a connection. So I asked, “What, Lord? What’s with the leaf and the plant? What is Your message? What do You want to tell me?” It was a puzzle for me . . . .

After I ate my breakfast, I thought of watching tv. It was a long time now since I did this. When I entered the community last year, I very seldom watched. Never got the time or I just want to sleep or read.

As I turned on the tv, there was this cartoon gundamforce. I love watching cartoons even when I was still a kid . . . . so I watched it. Well, hope you bear with me and read on.

There was this city where humans and robots (mobile citizens) who live together in harmony until the evil mobile citizens (MC) came and launch a brain control device that all the good MC became evil and the whole city was threatened. Gundamforce to the rescue! It was a team of robots, with a head robot called captain and together with them is a boy.

They zoomed in to the city, but the enemies tried to stop them at the gates. The other members of the team volunteered to sacrifice themselves to fight these enemies and told their captain to proceed with his mission. He has to reach a device called the captain system which can give Him more power to fight the evil scheme.

As the captain and the boy neared their destiny, two evil MCs came and tried to stop them. As the boy was in danger another member of the team came. He was hurt, but he still rescued the boy and told the captain to proceed and he fought the enemies. As the kid asked him if he can still go on, he said with full confidence, “I am part of the team and I will do all I can as long as I can.”

The captain reached the captain system and started to operate it but his energy is not enough. Then came the other members of the team and released all their energies without thinking of themselves. Not a single amount of energy was left in their system. The device powered up to its maximum and the captain had the access to the systems of all the robots in the city, knocked down the brain control device in each of them . . . . they won the battle. They brought back the good mobile citizens to being good again. THE END.

THE END. What’s with the story? Is there a connection in all these from the leaf to this. Weird . . . . I really found it weird. Robot cartoon was one of my favorites, but I never cried over them . . . . Weird because I found myself with 2 or 3 or 4 teardrops in my eyes. All I could ask God : “What have You done to me? Why am I crying over a seemingly senseless robot cartoon? I felt so weird? This change You made in my heart, sometimes I do not understand it. Why do I see differently at times even in such simple, uncomplicated things?”

You know what I saw as I watched this cartoon? I saw a TEAM of good creations . . . . robots and humans alike . . . . with differences from each other but possess one heart. They have the determination to fight evil no matter what. They have the hope, the zeal, the enthusiasm, the courage, the unity. They are willing to sacrifice everything, even if it hurts them, just to save the citizens and for their mission to succeed.

The weird thing for me here is I saw the community in place of the TEAM. Different people, with different points of view, different characters, different gifts and talents. I have seen dedicated people in this community just like the members of the gundamforce. Dedicated, committed people who are willing to sacrifice anything for the success of whatever tasks God had entrusted to them. There are different ministries, different areas of service, different members . . . . equipped, molded, empowered, gifted . . . . by the Holy Spirit. For what??? To be The LORD’S TEAM in this world . . . . to be His instruments to fight evil to save humanity . . . . the citizens. The Lord needs a TEAM whose members are full of hope . . . . so enthusiastic in doing their part . . . . so zealous in bringing Him to the hearts of His people . . . . willing to go out of their ways and sacrifice for each other and for God for the success of the mission . . . . willing to support and help each other with love in the hearts . . . . understanding the differences of each other . . . . using the gifts the Lord has given . . . . being a model of courage, obedience and humility to one another . . . . willing to do all they can do . . . . because they are part of the TEAM . . . . The LORD’S TEAM.

In the text message and Scripture passage, the tree is the Lord. He is the source of everything. He is the root that is deeply planted on the ground. He stands firm and can never be toppled down. He is our strength. He holds on to us. He will not let go. He will always be there for us to rely upon. He will always be our Source. The wind is our sins, our doubts, fears, temptations . . . . all that causes us to let go of the Lord. If we allow the wind to affect us, if we give in . . . . we will wither away and lose our grip on the branch.

In our service, we have to stay focused on the tree and not on the wind. The Lord is our Master. He alone is the One we serve. It matters not what others will say. It matters not how big or small or what kind of service we give . . . . what matters is we do our part and give it all we’ve got . . . . what matters is we serve with commitment and dedication as a TEAM, as different parts of the TEAM in one body . . . . but what matters most is God. Whatever success we achieve, it is not because of me, or you, or him, or her or anybody else . . . . It is because of God. We serve for the glory of the Kingdom of God. We serve for the salvation of our sisters and brothers. We serve for the victory of good against evil. We serve because we love God and we are willing to sacrifice, to get hurt, get tired, get out of our comfort zones for that. All for God. What matters is God . . . . But we have to serve as a TEAM with understanding, humility, love . . . . and willingness to support and serve each other.

Weird????? I don’t know . . . . The next cartoon I watched after gundamforce doesn’t have an impression on me. I watched it just like the others way back before. But hey……I am not promoting this cartoon . . . . its not really good especially for kids because of the fightings.

Well . . . . usapan lang naman . . . . I just shared a weird, kiddie, mind twisting, serious, mababaw experience of mine on a Sunday morning . . . . It doesn’t happen every Sunday you know.

-luisadelacruz

WALA LANG . . . .

There was a time in 2005, it had been very tiring, mind draining weeks for me. My mind was so preoccupied by the singles medical mission. I had been constantly praying for guidance on the steps that should be taken for it. Honestly speaking, I had never attended one in my entire life. One of my best friends had been inviting me to join before but I was always too busy with my work, so I ended up just donating.

Months after joining the community, I joined the service team because the Lord wanted me to. I never really liked the idea because I know it will make me give up my comfort zone, but obeying, serving and loving the Lord are the desires of my heart. I don't want to offend Him. I don't want to hurt Him. I have to trust Him on this. He has a purpose in everything He asked of me.

Along the way, I was right, I had to give up things I want to do for me to follow His will. At first my resistance was there, but later I began to cheerfully do my tasks. Although it was tiring, God made me see something. Before, I get so tired with my work, with my career. My body and brain yearn for rest most of the time. Now I feel the same tiredness but there is more fulfillment and satisfaction and there is joy in my heart because what I do is for the Lord. And He never fails to give me rest, assurances, joy, gratitude, and blessings even if He doesn't have to because He had already given so much. For me, it's about time that I should be the one giving Him.

Anyway, now I ended up one of the point persons of the medical mission. Irony isn't it? Well not really. For in here, the works of the hands of our Dear Lord will be seen. I am inexperienced and not equipped for this task. In everything I do I ask Him and He teaches me. He equips me. Anything that comes out as a result of my efforts to help the others in this mission is because of the Lord. I depend on Him. The week before that, I was having apprehensions and fear in my heart, but He assured me through many ways. The one that hit me most was the homily of the priest saturday night. The Gospel was MATTHEW 11:25-30. It was about having rest in the Lord and His yoke that He will give is easy. The priest said that in Jesus time a yoke is put on two cows to plow the field. They are yokemates. He further said that today in our present lives, whatever Jesus asks us to do, it is His yoke and He is just inviting us to be His yokemate. He puts the heavy burden upon His shoulders and we are just there to help Him. He extends His hand toward us as an invitation it is up to us to take that hand and help Him or turn our back away.

It is a privilege to serve the Lord . . . . to be chosen by Him to do a certain task, whether big or small, whether as part of a team or as an individual. Before we were born, the Lord has set the purpose of our existence in His Master Plan, but the decision still lies upon us if we will do our part or not.

More than five times, I heard people say to me in different occasions to slow down a bit. I might get burned out, and like other people, have a backslide. Every time this happens, I look deep in my heart to check myself for I dont want this to happen to me . . . . I also venture into the thought that it might be the Lord is telling me to slow down. But every time, what I found there is love for the Lord. I have to give what I can for the Lord each day. If I slow down, if I tell myself I can do this or that for Him the next day and yet I still have the capacity to do it, there will be regret in me if the next day He holds my hand and bring me to the Father to live in His home eternally. I could have done something more that I can for Him and His people, I could have obeyed Him at that moment, if I chose to, before I leave this world.

Spiritual dryness or burning out can happen to anyone. It can be seen as a bad sign, but it can also be seen as a good sign. I prefer to see it as the latter. It is a sign, that one is giving his best for whatever he is working on, and if it is for the Lord it is definitely worth it. But the question here is what do we do about it if we experience it. Will we allow it to throw away the special relationship we have with the Lord? Or will we focus on the Lord and deepen more our relationship with Him and come out a victor over it? We can always have a break. We can always have a rest. We can have a vacation, spend time with the family, friends, a retreat . . . . do something different, go out of town, read a book, have a silent and restful moment with the Lord . . . . whichever way that fits us that will renew our burning desire in our heart.

But there is one thing that will stand out on this. How deep is our relationship with the Lord? The deeper we become in love with the Lord the more we will hold on to Him. Irregardless of whatever difficulties we experience, irregardless of how many burn outs we encounter, we will continue to serve Him because we are anchored on Him. If we deeply love the Lord, if we know Him in a personal way, if we look at the Father as our real Dear FATHER who cherishes us and treasures us, who longs for our embraces and enjoys loving us so much, if we look at Jesus as our real Dear Brother, who gave up His life for us, who offers His love and friendship to us, if we see our Dear Holy Spirit as our Counselor, One who makes us recognize who the Lord really is . . . . if we open up ourselves to all these, and experience them, and believe in them . . . . we will never abandon the Lord no matter what. If our Dear Lord is the center of our life, we will never turn our back from Him because our world will crumble. Our life will have no direction. We will have nowhere to go . . . . because God is our everything. If we have deep love for Him in our hearts, it is better to die than take away God from us.

WHHEEWW! That turned out to be too serious. WALA LANG (just nothing). I just had this urge in me to write this . . . . WALA LANG . . .

-luisadelacruz

UNSELFISH PRINCESS

A while ago, I stumbled on a cartoon about a king who had 6 princes and a princess. He remarried when the queen died. The new mom was a witch and she was so cruel to her stepsons and stepdaughter that she turned all the 6 the princes into wild geese. The princess learned about this. Her brothers told her that the only antidote for the spell was: she couldn’t smile, nor speak, nor laugh within 6 years and she had to make a cloak for each of them made from a certain wild flower.

The princess promised to her dear brothers that she would do this for them no matter what. Wow! What a loving and courageous little princess! Her brothers were losing hope, but she didn’t give up!

Her brothers flew with the other wild geese of the forest. The princess? She lived in the forest and never spoke a word nor smiled nor laughed. She knitted each cloak with her own hands, until she grew so beautiful.

One day, a prince passed by the forest and fell in love with her. He married her, but at times he requested the princess to talk to him. With tears in her eyes, the princess would just shake her head. What a faithful sister!

A son was born to them and they had a feast. Many were invited. Alas! The cruel queen came and cornered her. She told the princess that their father died of loneliness and she, the witch, was the ruler in their land.

She forced the princess to speak, but to no avail. She kidnapped their baby and told everybody that the princess was a witch and ate her own son. The prince pleaded for her to speak out, but she didn’t. The people tied her in a pole. Put the 6 cloaks she wove on top of the logs on her feet and started a fire to burn her.

She kept silent and cried. She remained loyal to her promise even at the verge of death.

Swoosh! Came her geese brothers, flying towards the cloaks and they turned into human. One of the carrying the baby as they rescued him in the forest. 6 years had passed and the antidote was completed. The queen’s cruelty was exposed and she used her power against them, but the fire was blown to her and she was burned to death.

The brothers went back to their palace to lead their people and princess, now smiled and laughed and spoke again.

I was struck by the character of the princess. Like her, sometimes we have to sacrifice our own desires, our own happiness and dreams for the sake of other people.

At times we have to give up our comfort zones. We experience pain. We make hard decisions. At times we have to endure sacrificial love for blessings to be received by others.

In the end, the bewitched hearts of many will be freed because of how we allowed God to use our sacrificial love to make them free.

Abundant future is ahead of all of us . . . . Let’s be like the unselfish princess!

-luisadelacruz

WHEN ANGELS CAME DOWN!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009, I was told that those who will be manning the table on Sunday Feast, May 17, in Valle Verde would be wearing a costume of angels. Whaaaaat!?! I was shocked. I was told to read my email, the request was there.

When I got home, I immediately read that email. Voila! It was there. Oh no, I honestly didn’t like that. Wearing costumes, never in my life had I done that. But I couldn’t back out my name or find somebody to replace me just because of this reason. Well, I am the head of our ministry, if this was my only reason not to serve, I had to do it.

The next day, I had to think of how to encourage my three other sisters in the ministry, Nell, Erlie, and Joy, who will also man the table. So, I text them to wear all white and for once in our lives we would be angels here in this world, even for just now as we wear angel costumes. They liked the idea, they said that they had never did that but it was an exciting thought. There, problem solved . . . ummm but you know what? With our text exchanges, I was also encouraged myself and if we were going to do it, why not with the best we could . . . ;-D

Friday night . . . ahhh, we were so sleepy and tired already. It was around 10:00 p.m. Nell, spent the night in our house. We were making angel halos and wings. We started since 6:00 p.m.

We had used a thick wire for the outside skeleton and a very thin one for the support inside the wings. I shaped 2 sets of wings, Nell wrapped them with white cartolinas, then pasted cut out white crepe paper for feather effect.

My fingers were aching and my arms were tired because of the pressure I had to use in bending the thick wire. Its ends sometimes even pinched my fingers. After the skeleton, I made the halos with the wire then wrapped them with white ribbons. Wow! They looked so nice. Nell and I smiled. When she finished one wing, and one side of the other three wings, we were so happy and excited. ;-D

But we didn’t finish them that night. As I took a glimpse on Nell, she looked so tired and sleepy. I was feeling the same and the next day we had to wake up early.

Come Saturday, from a seminar in Makati, we went to our CG meeting in Meralco Ave. When we arrived home between 10:00 – 10:30 p.m. we rested awhile, then started doing again our angel wings.

We finish by 1:00 a.m., We were plastered, but excited. On Sunday, when we met Erlie and Joy, we put on them the wings and the halos. Wooooow! They looked beautiful. Picture! Picture! . . . souvenir . . . ;-D

Of course, during our turn, our pictures were also taken. It was an enjoyable day of service. For once in our lives, we became angels on earth . . . hahahaha! Wearing those costumes was not bad after all.

You know what? Friday night, when we were so tired and my fingers were hurting because of the thick wire, a wonderful thought came in my mind. That very moment, I questioned myself, “Why are we doing this? We were told that it was okay even if we did just the halos.”

But then again, since we knew how to make wings and halos, and we could make time to do them why not. In our little way, this was the help we could contribute in the ambience we were creating in the Feast.

Then I told Nell, “Making this wings and halos are not easy. It’s really hard to be an angel. It’s hard to be holy in real life. As we live our life, we get hurt. We encounter problems, difficult people and situations. There are times we want to give up or ask ourselves, why we are doing this or that. Why do we give more when this amount is just enough?

When God asks us to do something, at times we don’t want to do them. We have to sacrifice something. There are times, we get really tired and want to give up. When temptations come, whew, some are really irresistable. Haaaay! It’s real hard to stay holy . . . but it’s worth it. Heaven is worth it. Being with God in eternity is worth it. Loving God is worth it.”

Yes, at the end of everything there is joy and peace in the heart. Knowing that you’ve done something in the works for God, in all humility and obedience, even in just the simplest way, all your efforts are worth it . . .

What keep us going? . . . Love . . . It is also what can keep us holy no matter what . . . It can make our life enjoyable in spite of challenges with angel smiles . . . ;-D


COLLOSSIANS 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people . . . For Christ is the real Master you serve.

PSALMS 112:1 Praise the Lord! Happy is the person who honors the Lord, who takes pleasure in obeying His commands.

-luisadelacruz

. . . AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH . . .

It is written:

Many people were shocked when they saw HIM; HE WAS DISFIGURED THAT HE HARDLY LOOKED HUMAN. ISAIAH 52:14

We despised HIM and rejected HIM; HE ENDURED SUFFERING AND PAIN. Noone would even look at HIM - WE IGNORED HIM AS IF HE WERE NOTHING. ISAIAH 53:3

BUT HE ENDURED THE SUFFERING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OURS, THE PAIN THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BORNE..... ISAIAH 53:4

BUT BECAUSE OF OUR SINS HE WAS WOUNDED, BEATEN BECAUSE OF THE EVIL WE DID. WE ARE HEALED BY THE PUNISHMENT HE SUFFERED, MADE WHOLE BY THE BLOWS HE RECEIVED. ISAIAH 53:5

.....But the LORD made the punishment fall on HIM, THE PUNISHMENT ALL OF US DESERVED. ISAIAH 53:6

HE WAS TREATED HARSHLY, BUT ENDURED IT HUMBLY; HE NEVER SAID A WORD..... ISAIAH 53:7

.....HE WAS PUT TO DEATH FOR THE SINS OF OUR PEOPLE. ISAIAH 53:8

THE LORD SAYS, "IT WAS MY WILL THAT HE SHOULD SUFFER; HIS DEATH WAS A SACRIFICE TO BRING FORGIVENESS....." ISAIAH 53:10

.....MY DEVOTED SERVANT, WITH WHOM I AM PLEASED, WILL BEAR THE PUNISHMENT OF MANY AND FOR HIS SAKE I WILL FORGIVE THEM. ISAIAH 53:11

.....HE WILLINGLY GAVE HIS LIFE AND SHARED THE FATE OF EVIL MEN. HE TOOK THE PLACE OF MANY SINNERS AND PRAYED THAT THEY MIGHT BE FORGIVEN. ISAIAH 53:12

Hear Me! Save Me now! Be my refuge to protect Me; My defense to save Me. PSALM 31:2

EVERYONE HAS FORGOTTEN ME, AS THOUGH I WERE DEAD; I AM LIKE SOMETHING THROWN AWAY. PSALM 3:12

IN HIS LIFE ON EARTH JESUS MADE HIS PRAYERS AND REQUESTS WITH LOUD CRIES AND TEARS TO GOD, WHO COULD SAVE HIM FROM DEATH. BECAUSE HE WAS HUMBLE AND DEVOTED, GOD HEARD HIM. BUT EVEN THOUGH HE WAS GOD'S SON, HE LEARNED THROUGH HIS SUFFERINGS TO BE OBEDIENT. HEBREWS 5:7-8

Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back in its place! DO YOU THINK THAT I WILL NOT DRINK THE CUP OF SUFFERING WHICH MY FATHER HAS GIVEN ME?" JOHN 18:11

.....ONE OF THE GUARDS THERE SLAPPED HIM..... JOHN18:22

....."Aren't you also one of the disciples of that Man?" BUT PETER DENIED IT. "NO, I AM NOT," he said. JOHN 18:25

Then Pilate took Jesus and HAD HIM WHIPPED. THE SOLDIERS MADE A CROWN OUT OF THORNY BRANCHES AND PUT IT ON HIS HEAD; then they put a purple robe on Him and came to Him and said, "Long live the King of the Jews!" AND THEY WENT UP AND SLAPPED HIM! JOHN 19:1-3

.....they shouted, "CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!" JOHN 19:6

They shouted back, "KILL HIM! KILL HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!"..... JOHN 19:15

He went out, CARRYING HIS CROSS, and came to "The Place of the Skull," as it is called (In Hebrew it is called "Golgotha") tHERE THEY CRUCIFIED HIM..... JOHN 19:17-18

.....THEY DIVIDED MY CLOTHES AMONG THEMSELVES AND GAMBLED FOR MY ROBE..... JOHN 19:24

.....He said to His mother, "He is your son." Then He said to His disciple, "She is your mother"..... JOHN 19:26-27

JESUS SAID, "FORGIVE THEM, FATHER! THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING"..... LUKE 23:34

THE SOLDIERS MADE FUN OF HIM: THEY CAME UP TO HIM AND OFFERED HIM CHEAP WINE AND SAID, "SAVE YOURSELF IF YOU ARE THE KING OF THE JEWS." LUKE 23:36-37

AT THREE O'CLOCK JESUS CRIED OUT WITH A LOUD SHOUT, "ELOI, ELOI, LEMA SABACHTHANI?" WHICH MEANS, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME?" MARK 15:34

JESUS CRIED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE, "FATHER! IN YOUR HANDS I PLACE MY SPIRIT!" HE SAID THIS AND DIED. LUKE 23:46

"IT IS FINISHED!" THEN HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT. JOHN 19:30

WITH A LOUD CRY JESUS DIED. MARK 15:37

JESUS AGAIN GAVE A LOUD CRY AND BREATHED HIS LAST. MATTHEW 27:50


My God, my Lord, because of my sins You suffered. YOU TOOK THE PUNISHMENT THAT IS MEANT FOR ME. YOU DO NOT DESRVE IT. It is I who should have been there. It is I who should have been mocked, crowned with thorns, whipped. It is I who should have carried the Cross. It is I who should have been crucified.

I have rejected You. YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE FOR ME. YOU SUFFERED FOR MY SAKE.....FOR MY FORGIVENESS.....FOR MY SALVATION. You have been so unselfish, my Lord. You felt fear. You felt turning back for You knew what would happen to You. You felt abandoned.....and yet.....YOU ENDURED THEM ALL and obeyed the Father's will to the finish. YOU TRUSTED HIM STILL.

You, my innocent Lord, my God, my Master.....took my place, Your creation, Your servant.....the sinner. Nothing can surpass what you did for me. Nothing can surpass your greatness. THANK YOU, MY DEAR JESUS with all my mind, all my soul, and most especially with all my heart. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU. I AM SO MUCH INDEBTED TO YOU.

My life is not enough to repay what you have done for me. Nothing I can offer can give back what you gave me.....what you did for me. My Lord, let me die with You in that Cross. Let me share the burden that should have been mine. And as I die with You, my dear Lord, renew my spirit to be worthy of what You have gone through. Make me, my Lord, like You, who learned through Your sufferings to be obedient to our Dear Father in all humility.

Dear Jesus, let Your Spirit live in me so I can endure all the trials and sufferings I have to face for the glory of Your Kingdom. Make my heart..... always..... have the desire to serve and to love.

Let that desire keep burning in my heart so that Your sacrifice will not be in vain with me. As You offered Your precious life for me, let me offer my humble life to You. AS YOU DIE ON THAT CROSS TO FULFILL YOUR PURPOSE.....LET ME DIE WITH YOU TO FULFILL MINE. AMEN.

-luisadelacruz

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

I heard Someone knocking (knock, knock, knock) just faint ones. I ignored it. Several times I heard them from time to time, but I chose to ignore them. Until one day I peeped just to know who was this so persistent Being knocking so tirelessly.

I peeped by the window of my heart, and I saw Jesus standing just outside its door, knocking so patiently. So I decided to open the door slightly. That was last July 2004. Since that day, He never stopped knocking, louder and louder each time (knock, Knock, KNock, KNOck, KNOCk, KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!) up to the point I had opened the door wide and let Him in.

First, He sent the Holy Spirit to put a desire in my heart to commit to Him . . . I did, half-heartedly. I laid low in my career, I even thought of stopping for a while because this was my biggest hindrance in committing to Him. He made me listen to Don Moen’s songs almost everyday and a refrain from one of the songs kept echoing in my mind (. . . be it unto me according to Your Word, according to Your promises I can stand secure. Carved upon my heart, the truth that sets me free, according to Your Word O Lord, be it unto me . . .).

He sent the Holy Spirit to make me write my stories and reflections and gave copies to people and through them I received confirmations that He was touching the readers’ hearts. He made me buy a book, The Purpose Driven Life. I burrowed my sister’s copy, but when I started reading it, I stopped and bought my own copy, then read it daily and even encoded my reflections after reading each chapter. This book, explained to me so many things. It answered my questions, confirmed to me the things that were starting to happen to me. As I finished it, I realized that the topics of the last chapters, I had already been doing, some I had already planned to do. All these, helped me commit to Him more and more and more.

Second, September 2004, during the anniversary celebration of the Light Of Jesus (LOJ), a transparochial Catholic community, Jesus showed me that it was the family of God where I belong. He touched my heart there and even sent a message through the Gospel of the Holy Mass. Actually, I was guilty of not listening to the first part of it because I was thinking of the worship before the Mass. Then my sister gave me a jolt and told me that the Gospel may be meant for me. When I focused my attention to it, the part the priest was saying was about one had to choose between two master’s because you could not serve both at the same time, and his homily sure talked to me.

Now I thought I had given Jesus my full commitment, until He sent me a text message which had a great impact on me that I cried so much and renewed my commitment with Him, but this time deeper. Even if He will ask me not to have my own family and even if He will ask me not to go back to my career I will obey. It is up to Him. I gave Him my word. Whatever He wants me to do, I will do for Him. This was the fourth knock, and it was a very loud knock.

I thought it was the last. The fifth was on my birthday. I attended an early morning Mass. The Gospel, again talked to me, it was about when Jesus sent the seventy two disciples to be His messengers. And there was another thing, a very important thing, He revealed to me that day that I had to have a willing heart in order for me to serve Him effectively. I must obey Him willingly so He could fulfill His promise to me, that in every unselfish thing that I would do for Him, He would be giving me overflowing joy.

The sixth (well . . . He saved the loudest knock in the last, yes, this was the last), it was The Feast, a Sunday celebration of LOJ. It was still in AFP Camp Aguinaldo. I attended the first session with my eldest sister, her husband, and their daughter. We were a bit late so when we arrived, one third of the first song had been sang. The moment I stood in front of my sit and focused on the song, wow, I was in tears. It didn’t stop there, the following two songs made me cry even more. I was not familiar with the two of them but one was I Offer My Life by Don Moen. Boy, I was a bit ashamed because everybody around me was singing and rejoicing and smiling while I was in tears with my shoulders slightly jolting up and down from time to time as I try to minimize my cry (it was a good thing we were on the side and it was a bit dark there).

When Bo Sanhez, the leader of the community, had his talk, I was calm and I had stopped crying. But, my, the whole message, it was all that Jesus wanted to tell me, it was about Jesus getting into Peter’s boat and telling him to cast out his net to catch fishes and with total obedience Peter did as he was told and the net caught so many fishes that their nets were tearing (Luke 5:3-7). Discipleship, total obedience and trusting Jesus, fishing for people for the glory of the Lord in the vast sea of life, these hit me with a big bang. When Bro. Bo asked all of us to raise our hands and ask God for a blessing that we wanted to have, all I could ask was the courage to trust in Jesus . . . that was all I could ask. That moment all I wanted was for me to trust Him, nothing else . . . and it was granted . . . my prayer was granted. That was such a blessed day for me!

That was the end of the knockings in the door of my heart as God was calling me to commit. After that, Jesus entered my heart as I allowed Him to come in. He dwells in it. I am at peace and I am filled with so much overflowing joy. He tells me what to do, and I obey. He lets the Holy Spirit fill me and transform me. My courage to trust Him gets rattled at times, but immediately I ask for His help to steady it and He never fails me. A friend sent me a classic prayer, which I pray : “Dear Lord, Your will Be Done, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. AMEN.”

-luisadelacruz