Beloved St. Anthony, conqueror of death, by God’s power you restored many to life. Please protect me, then, from a sudden and unprovided death, and save me from serious sin that I may abide always in God’s love, and ever remain in His holy grace. Amen.
Last Christmas, my 88-year old aunt, gave my kids some projects to do and enjoy. One of them was the Magic Tree, where you can grow your own tree — just from the items included in the kit: a cardboard tree and some special powder. My kids just added some water to the powder, put the cardboard tree on top of a saucer (which had the powder dissolved in water), and after a few hours, we had an artificial tree!
Yesterday, I received the following SMS message from a friend (I will write this in the long, regular form, with no usual short cuts for the words):
“400 years ago, the images of Nuestra Senora Buen Viaje (Antipolo) and Senor Padre Nazareno (Quiapo) landed in our country. Please say a few prayers for peace in our land, in honor of our Lord Jesus, with the intercessions of Mary, Our Mother, St. Joseph, St. John the Baptist (after whom the Quiapo basilica minor is named), and St. Josemaria Escriva who is celebrating his birthday today. God bless you always. Have a nice day!”
In the days leading to Christmas, I went to three wakes as three people passed away: a father of a former office mate; a very good family friend of my parents who had been sick for six years; and the wife of our family driver. The first two people were in their 80s while the wife of our driver was only 51.
We are often reminded that amidst all the glorious food, Christmas parties, and frantic shopping for presents and gifts, we must never lose sight of the reason for Christmas. Christmas is all about celebrating Christ’s birth and going through this life so that we may sooner, rather than later, be like Christ and that at the end of our earthly existence, be with Him forever.
A friend of ours gifted us with yummy apple pie this Christmas season. What goes best with apple pie? Vanilla ice cream, of course. I then told my 10-year old son that I would buy some vanilla ice cream at the supermarket today to go with the apple pie.
Tomorrow, December 16, marks the start of Simbang Gabi (which literally translates to “night mass,” although we often refer to the masses as dawn masses). It is also called Misa de Gallo which is Spanish for Rooster’s Mass.
In life, we spend most of our time waiting. Waiting for our kids to arrive from school. Waiting to find that perfect job or our perfect mate. Waiting to be healed from some sickness. Waiting at the doctor’s office! Waiting while stuck in traffic. Waiting for our turn at the bank. Life is a series of opportunities to wait and at times, we may get impatient.
This year, the Feast of Christ the King was celebrated on November 26, 2006. Every year, this feast falls on the last Sunday of the liturgical year of the Catholic Church, the Sunday before the First Sunday of Advent.
The Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, more well known as the Pink Sisters, together with the Eucharistic Advisers’ League, are holding the 19th Eucharistic Congress on December 2, 2006. This will be from 7am to 5pm at St. Joseph Convent located along M. Hemady St., New Manila, Quezon City, Philippines.