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

SHHUSHH!!! THE WINDING ROAD...

Inspiration:       Matthew 6:7-15

Winding roads, like those in Baguio, Quezon and Bicol, they make me dizzy and vomit when descending them. Haaay, it’s always an ordeal for me….after the fun of vacation is the tense moment of travel home for me…But hey, that’s part of it for me. I just adjust. I drink bonamine and eat less before travel, also, I pray much…

The last time I came across a winding road, I was tense even before riding the bus. But I needed to faced this ordeal again so I could get home. 

While travelling, I closed my eyes, meditated, repeatedly and wholeheartedly prayed a five word prayer to keep my focus: “My Father, I adore you…” Voila! I didn’t get dizzy nor vomit. I got through! Yeheeeey!...

When we pray, we don’t need a lot of meaningless words…

We need our heart upon every word to give meaning to it. God surely answers a sincere prayer that doesn’t go against His will.             

Have a Cool Heart!

- luisadelacruz

ONE UNEXPECTED MORNING!

            Late last night, I had a heart to heart talk with God. I poured out what’s inside me and asked for His help. I asked for His healing, His forgiveness, His guidance. I lifted up to Him the people and ministries I treasure. I entrusted to Him my future. And I said to Him, “All I want, Father is to love You each day.” Oh, yes I cried to Him and He embraced me with silence and comforting peace. Then I went to sleep.

            Today, was just like my ordinary days. I woke up before 4:00 a.m….prayed the rosary….after praying I went back to sleep….then I woke up around 5:15 a.m. As I got up, I noticed something different. There was a striking yellowish light outside that I saw from my window. As I looked closer, Wow! I was astonished at the picturesque view of the sky. It was so blue, white clouds with grayish parts were there. The sun’s so bright rays penetrated them which made them more beautiful.

            I immediately went outside to shot some pictures. I couldn’t be satisfied just standing on the ground, so I slowly climbed the ladder towards the roof over my room. My handicap didn’t prevent me. I really want to capture this beauty before it was gone. I sat on the roof. Wow! I took more pictures. I tried not to get the dark silhouette of the structures but its contrast to the sky added beauty to the scene.

             I sat still for a moment and looked around. I noticed the big tree on the other street. Oh, that was why every morning there were birds chirping and flying. They gave delight in my mornings. I also felt the cool air embrace me. I was just so happy and awed by everything. I was so grateful to God.

            Then all of a sudden, He made me remember something. I stared at the so beautiful scene before me. The blue sky, the white clouds, the gray shades, the silhouettes of the structures, they all contribute to the beauty of the scenery. Yes, even the grays and dark shades. The striking, penetrating, brilliant ray of the sun turned it into an awesome picturesque view here in this busy city of ours. They are all necessary to contribute to the whole beauty that beheld my eyes.

             God made me remember through this, that me and my life have light and dark side…. good and bad experiences…. strengths and weaknesses. Even if I try to ignore or remove the dark side, the bad ones, my weaknesses, the fact remains, they add beauty to me and my life. The striking rays of the sun is like the striking warmth and unconditional love of God for me. His love penetrating in my heart and my life makes them more beautiful than I can ever imagine. Each component is necessary and contributes to my whole beauty and to the whole beauty of my life.

Sometimes, I just have to climb to the roof of my life, give an extra effort for me to see things in a different perspective.

            As I reflected on today’s Gospel when I went down from the roof, my heart was further embraced by God. John 16:23-27 says:

When that day comes, you will not ask Me for anything. I Am telling you the truth: the Father will give you whatever you ask of Him in My name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your happiness may be complete.

“I have used figures of speech to tell you these things. But the time will come when I will not use figures of speech, but will speak to you plainly about the Father. When that day comes, you will ask Him in My name; and I do not say that I will ask Him on your behalf, for the Father Himself loves you. He loves you because you love Me and have believed that I came from God.

 This was God’s confirmation to me that indeed He heard my prayer before I slept. He answered me through that picturesque view that astounded me when I woke up. I just so love God. He is truly such a wonderful Father….

TRAAAFIIICCC!!!

It’s already dark, around 7:45 p.m. I am getting impatient and worried. Why? I am caught in the middle of the traffic, bumper to bumper, as in. Haaay, I have a meeting 6:30 p.m. in SM Megamall. Yeap! I am already late, more than an hour, in fact.

This was my situation the night of June 3, 2009. I came from my Ate Lulu’s residence in Meralco Ave., fifteen minutes or less away from Megamall. We had a simple surprise for our eldest sister, Ate Conie, and her husband, Kuya Joseph, for their anniversary the day before. Their family spent three days in Bohol and they would be coming straight to Ate Lulu’s house.

We were supposed to meet at 4:00 p.m., but their flight was delayed due to rain. Tik! Tak! Tik! Tak! It was getting late and I have a dinner meeting with a couple who would be our new pastoral head and a sister in the community. Around 6:00 p.m. I was about to text Ate Lulu that I would be leaving, when I saw her arrive.

With the ample time that I have with them, I listened to Ate Conie’s joyous stories of their experience as my niece took pictures here and there. God is so good!

By 6:30 p.m., I said my goodbye and Ate Lulu asked their driver to bring me to SM. There . . . was where my ordeal in the traffic in J. Vargas St. happened.

Could you believe it! We were moving just like a space one tricycle could occupy every after 20 minutes of not moving. Our side of the street was filled with vehicles, even motorcycles and bicycles were having hard time passing through. They were stuck, too. Yeap! That was how it was.

I tried to relax myself. I couldn’t do anything about this situation. I tried to pray for others, but I couldn’t focus. Tik! Tak! Tik! Tak!

I was real worried, never in my life had I been this late in a meeting, considering that it was my first meeting with them, I didn’t know them yet. I felt I had no face to show in that meeting, haaaay. By 7:45 p.m. I said to God, “Dear God, this is the time only You can make a miracle happen. I entrust this situation with You. Pleeeeaaaassseee, make this traffic be gone.”

Wow! Nothing happened. I assessed myself. I saw my heart being impatient. I knew I need help in prayer. That was the time I text my intercessor friends. I told them my situation and asked for their prayers.

Voila! The miracle happened. Right after I text, after a minute or two, we moved about three cars away from where we were. My hope was increased. In a very short while, we moved several cars away from our spot before. Still after a very short while . . . zoom! No vehicles in front of us. I was in front the mid-entrance and getting out of our vehicle.

From the spot where I asked for prayers, it took us less than 10 minutes when awhile ago, with the very heavy traffic, I was thinking I wouldn’t even make it to the meeting.

Talk about the power of prayer and God’s grace.

PSALM 34:17 When His people pray for help, He listens and rescues them from their troubles.

Time in time again, God never failed to amaze me even in simple ways. He never failed to make me feel His fatherly love for me. I was real grateful to God and my prayer warrior friends. Thank God for His gift of prayer and friends. Thank God for His wonderful grace.

The dinner meeting? Oh, it went very well. I was forgiven, too. They were very nice people. Well that’s another story to tell. ;-D Happy Prayerful Day Everyone!

-luisadelaruz

THE POWER OF PRAYER

It was 1995, my heart was beating fast (THUG! THUG! THUG!). It was deafening! It was the day I defended my thesis. There were three jurors who bombarded me with questions like a machine gun being fired (RATATATATATAT!). Ooooh, I had to keep my heart from jumping out of my mouth, and my mind from getting insane so I could backfire with my answers. Then, the moment of cease-fire came. Now, it was the silence that was deafening. The verdict . . . . I passed (Whew!).

In 1998, boy! I woke up early that day. (Ohurmm!) I was still sleepy. I didn't sleep well the night before and I had to get up early the next day. I couldn’t get late. It was the first day of my three-day board exam (here came the jitters again…..the same as my thesis day). After the first exam, my energy was drained. For the next two days, this was my situation. The third day was the worst. I had to summon all my strength, all the knowledge stored in my mind, and all the skills I had in my body (Oh, come to me all of you, ohmmm, and assist me in my exam today, ohmmm). I didn’t know how I got home that day. For a month I had to wait for the result in the newspapers. (Tik, tak, tik, tak) The torturing hours and days and weeks of waiting seemed to be endless. Then, came the result . . . . out of the 1,250 board examinees only 466 passed, and my name was on the list (HOORRAAYY! YIPEE! YAHOO!). I really made my family proud!

These were just two of the most memorable parts of my life. I couldn’t have made it without Divine assistance. Yes, I had put extra efforts for months before those days. I had long days of sleepless nights. I had to prepare and study and really concentrate. I had to give more than a hundred percent in order to say I tried my very best. But during those moments, many had been praying for me. These included my family, my relatives, my neighbors, my friends, the souls, the saints, Mama Mary (hmmm, did I forget to mention anybody), oh yes, and all the angels. Me, I also prayed novenas in Binondo church. Wow! Our prayers really worked!

Don’t get me wrong. When we pray, it doesn’t mean that all of it will be granted. The Lord has a way of knowing what is good and what is bad for each of us (His hands must be full). Often times we pray for things that we want to happen in our lives or things that we want to have and enjoy without thinking of what effect it may have on us or with the people around us. Sometimes, we get impatient. We demand what we ask for (gimme, gimme, gimme) and give the Lord an ultimatum (give me……...or else………). We are fortunate enough our Lord is very understanding.

Well, prayer works mysteriously. The Lord may say ‘Yes, it is okay. Your wish is granted’. He may say “Wait a while, it is not yet time, you’re not ready yet, but it will be granted”. He may also say ‘No, it is not okay. I will give you something much better than what you are praying for’. But no matter how Jesus answers our prayer, we can not question THE POWER OF PRAYER.

-luisadelacruz