When my daughter is hurt or scared, the first word she says is “Mama!” I guess it is instinctive for us to cry out our mother’s name when in distress or pain. Having emerged from her womb, we all have a special connection to our mother. She is our source of comfort, grace, help and inspiration.
Such also should be our relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Philippines, Jojo and I never failed to attend Wednesday novena at our parish church (which incidentally is named Our Lady of Grace). We credit our answered prayers to God’s mercy and Mama Mary’s powerful intercession.
We have not been able to continue the novena here in Canada due to our work schedules. Although there is a 12:00 noon novena at the church near our office, I am not always able to attend. But there are days when I feel a stirring within me, days when I need a mother’s embrace, and I make an effort to go to the novena. There, in front of the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I cry out to Mama Mary for comfort and help. When I leave the church, there is always peace in my heart which is hard to explain.
Even if my earthly mother is no longer here, I know that I have a Heavenly mother who will always be there for me. Ave Maria!
And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48)
September 30, 2009
September 22, 2009
Fear of the Unknown
Lately, I have been bothered by thoughts of changes in the community, unplanned expenses, pending bill payments, problems with relationships, worries about my children. This is my greatest fear – the fear of the unknown – not knowing what the future holds and not having control over a situation. It makes me sick to the stomach.
This happens all the time. Just when I think that everything is going fine, that my plans are happening according to schedule, that I can enjoy some peace – something shakes up my quiet little world. Anxiety is my weakest point. But the Lord knows that where I am weakest, there He is strongest. When I’m smug and comfortable, I don’t need to rely on Him. I’m okay with my life. But when I’m anxious and afraid, that’s when I cling to Him for strength.
Fear is all in my mind – I waste so much time worrying about things that have yet to happen. The Lord needs to constantly remind me that He is in control. His love is greater than all my fears.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)
This happens all the time. Just when I think that everything is going fine, that my plans are happening according to schedule, that I can enjoy some peace – something shakes up my quiet little world. Anxiety is my weakest point. But the Lord knows that where I am weakest, there He is strongest. When I’m smug and comfortable, I don’t need to rely on Him. I’m okay with my life. But when I’m anxious and afraid, that’s when I cling to Him for strength.
Fear is all in my mind – I waste so much time worrying about things that have yet to happen. The Lord needs to constantly remind me that He is in control. His love is greater than all my fears.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)
September 16, 2009
Nurturing our Marriage
Six years ago, I bought a plant. I placed it inside the house and took care of it. I watered it regularly, removed the dead leaves, trimmed the branches and fed it fertilizer. The plant grew and it was beautiful to look at.
Last year, we moved the plant to our new house. In a few weeks, its leaves started falling off one by one. Then, the branches began to dry. I thought perhaps that it was adjusting to the new house temperature. But it showed no signs of recovery. This summer, Jojo pruned it and moved it to a new pot.
The plant is now dead. I wonder how a plant that has grown strong roots and flourished for five years can still die just because of a change in environment.
Last weekend, Jojo and I attended a marriage retreat (part 2 of the one we attended in April). The talks made me realize that no matter how long you’ve been married, you need to keep working on your relationship. Life here in Canada presents new challenges which can break even the strongest marriage. Pressures of adjusting to a new culture, finding a job, taking care of the family, doing house chores, coping with homesickness, can create a lot of friction. Even a difference in work schedules can make a couple feel emotionally separated. (This is a common scenario – wife works days, husband works nights or vice versa.)
Just as a plant needs regular care, a marriage needs constant nurturing in order to survive. Though I can no longer save my plant, I can do my part to keep our marriage alive and well. I pray that I will be a better wife than gardener.
Happy the husband of a good wife, twice-lengthened are his days; A worthy wife brings joy to her husband, peaceful and full is his life. A good wife is a generous gift bestowed upon him who fears the LORD; Be he rich or poor, his heart is content, and a smile is ever on his face. (Sirach 26:1-4)
Last year, we moved the plant to our new house. In a few weeks, its leaves started falling off one by one. Then, the branches began to dry. I thought perhaps that it was adjusting to the new house temperature. But it showed no signs of recovery. This summer, Jojo pruned it and moved it to a new pot.
The plant is now dead. I wonder how a plant that has grown strong roots and flourished for five years can still die just because of a change in environment.
Last weekend, Jojo and I attended a marriage retreat (part 2 of the one we attended in April). The talks made me realize that no matter how long you’ve been married, you need to keep working on your relationship. Life here in Canada presents new challenges which can break even the strongest marriage. Pressures of adjusting to a new culture, finding a job, taking care of the family, doing house chores, coping with homesickness, can create a lot of friction. Even a difference in work schedules can make a couple feel emotionally separated. (This is a common scenario – wife works days, husband works nights or vice versa.)
Just as a plant needs regular care, a marriage needs constant nurturing in order to survive. Though I can no longer save my plant, I can do my part to keep our marriage alive and well. I pray that I will be a better wife than gardener.
Happy the husband of a good wife, twice-lengthened are his days; A worthy wife brings joy to her husband, peaceful and full is his life. A good wife is a generous gift bestowed upon him who fears the LORD; Be he rich or poor, his heart is content, and a smile is ever on his face. (Sirach 26:1-4)
September 8, 2009
A Culture of Convenience
I never cooked laing before I came to Canada, even though it’s one of our family specialties. (My parents are both Bicolanos.) That’s because cooking it the traditional way can be so laborious. First, the fresh gabi leaves and stalks have to be dried in the sun for a few days, and cut into small pieces. Then, you need to grate the coconut (using the old fashioned grater where you have to sit on a wooden contraption) and squeeze the grated coconut by hand. Then, you can start cooking the gabi in the coconut milk.
Here in Canada, you can buy dried, cut gabi leaves and frozen or canned coconut milk, and all you have to do is put together the ingredients. So laing has become really easy to cook.
I can now understand where my old folks learned the value of hard work. They needed to exert effort to come up with something good. And it was well worth it. Nothing beats the taste of laing cooked the old-fashioned way.
Today, we are so used to a comfortable life that we like to take shortcuts or the least painful route. We prefer convenience over hard work. Look at how it has affected the way we view situations. If something doesn’t work, we throw it rather than fix it because fixing requires more time and effort. (And this applies as well to relationships.) If a task requires some sacrifice from us, we hesitate and make up an excuse not to do it.
Sadly, in a culture where personal comfort takes precedence, the important values of hard work, sacrifice and commitment get lost along the way.
Anything you can turn your hand to, do with what power you have; for there will be no work, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the nether world where you are going.... (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Here in Canada, you can buy dried, cut gabi leaves and frozen or canned coconut milk, and all you have to do is put together the ingredients. So laing has become really easy to cook.
I can now understand where my old folks learned the value of hard work. They needed to exert effort to come up with something good. And it was well worth it. Nothing beats the taste of laing cooked the old-fashioned way.
Today, we are so used to a comfortable life that we like to take shortcuts or the least painful route. We prefer convenience over hard work. Look at how it has affected the way we view situations. If something doesn’t work, we throw it rather than fix it because fixing requires more time and effort. (And this applies as well to relationships.) If a task requires some sacrifice from us, we hesitate and make up an excuse not to do it.
Sadly, in a culture where personal comfort takes precedence, the important values of hard work, sacrifice and commitment get lost along the way.
Anything you can turn your hand to, do with what power you have; for there will be no work, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the nether world where you are going.... (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
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