O Sweet Christ on Earth

"How do you know if you are called? 
That is for you to know. You need to have an open heart to be able to hear God calling you."

The above are not accurate transcriptions (and translation) of memorable lines that struck me while watching the movie Papa Francisco, The Pope Francis Story earlier. (Originally entitled Francisco: El Padre Jorge.) A colleague gave me his premiere night movie ticket for the film about Pope Francis, brought to the Philippines by Pioneer Films, in partnership with  Veritas and SM Cinema, and which will be officially shown in movie theaters on September 30, 2015. 

While paying close attention to the big screen, and making sure I was able to read the English subtitles, I was also having flashbacks of the wonderful experience of seeing the Holy Father so close during his apostolic visit to our country last January. It is amazing how I have been given the once-in-a-lifetime honor to serve the Vicar of Christ.

Sweet Christ on Earth

Be God's Lady

Today marks the end of the Flores de Mayo, the May festivities dedicated to the Queen of Heaven and Earth, the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

Last night our parish had its Santacruzan, a procession that depicts the finding of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem by Queen Helena of Constantinople (Reyna Elena) and Constantine the Great. I looked out for favorite "participants of the Sagala, like the Reyna del Cielo (Queen of Heaven), or Rosa Mistica (Mystical Rose), but did not find them. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it, especially watching the little girls dressed as angels holding the letters of the angelic salutation, AVE MARIA! I have to admit, though, that I miss the more traditional ones that I used to watch at my parents' small provincial town in Quezon. There seems to be too much pageantry going on now, and less of the religio-historical aspect that I grew to love. But I won't write about that here.

Before Mass earlier, I found myself looking at a stained-glass window of the Annunciation. For an instant, I felt like being brought back to that moment when our Sweetest Lady said her Fiat to Archangel Gabriel. As I stared in awe, almost seeing the delicate incomparable beauty of our Lady in the flesh, I could only utter a silent prayer for the grace to also grow in the virtues that Mother Mary has attained so perfectly!