June 24, 2010 Solemnity of St. John the Baptist

Today is the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist, the Precursor of Jesus Christ who proclaimed His coming as the Lamb of God Who will take away the sins of the world. Jesus said of him, "John is more than a prophet. Among those who are born of woman, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist." (Luke 7:24-28)

Zechariah, his father serving as a priest in the temple, was told by an angel of a son to be born to him at his old age and that the " son shall be great before the Lord and shall drink no wine and shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb." Zechariah's wife, Elizabeth, was a cousin of Mary, our Blessed Virgin. Mary at the Annunciation was told of Elizabeth's condition so she "hastened" to visit her cousin in the hill country of Ein Karim several miles away from Nazareth.

I had to take a few rest stops in the climb up the summit of the hill to the house of Zechariah in Ein Karem the first time I visited in 1995. I imagined our Blessed Mother Mary catching her breath while in her rest stops, too, since she was at that time already with child. And in 1999 with my sister, Beth, I made many more rest stops while leaning against the rocky cliff which bordered the trail leading to a surprisingly well-constructed stone house. Well, Zechariah was among the affluent priests of the time! The large front yard now has a tall, long wall on which the Magnificat written in different languages is displayed.

The famous portico where Elizabeth welcomed Mary remains the focal point of interest in the house. Here was the setting for Mary's Magnificat, the song of praise and hope ever chanted by any man or woman:

" My soul doth magnify the Lord

And my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior

For He has regarded the humility of His handmaid for behold all generations shall call me blessed

For He that is mighty has done great things for me

and holy is His name

He has pulled down the mighty from their seat

and has exalted the humble

He has filled the hungry with good things

and the rich He has sent empty away

As He received Israel, His servant being mindful of His mercy

As He spoke to our Fathers, to Abraham, His seed forever.

The Bible records St. John, the Baptist, still in his mother's womb leaping up with joy at the "encounter" with Jesus also within the body of Mother Mary. This event relates to the Old Testament account of King David singing and dancing with joy as he meets the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. A significant parallel, too, is our Blessed Mother as an Ark of the Covenant having carried Baby Jesus in her womb and the Ark of the Covenant being the receptacle of the Ten Commandments of God along with Aaron's Staff and the "manna" which nourished the Israelites during the forty-year journey in the wilderness enroute to the Promised Land.

The Louvre, the magnificent museum in Paris has the original painting of the famous "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. Also within its confines is Da Vinci's painting of our Blessed Virgin with the "tiny tots" John, the Baptist by her left feet with his right index finger pointing to Jesus who is huddled by her right leg with outstreched right hand towards His cousin. I was mesmerized by the undefinable joy etched in their faces that only the genius of Leonardo da Vinci can portray. Oh, the "enigmatic" smile of Mona Lisa has made it an invaluable art treasure for centuries !

Zechariah had two houses - one on a hilltop where Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth and the Magnificat was proclaimed and the other one on the lowland which is now the site of the Church of St. John, the Baptist in Ein Karem. In this church is the room and the marked spot where the saint was born. It is on the left side as one faces the altar. In the rectory is a room which is a museum of things and artifacts related to St. John. What attracted me most is a painting of St. John as a child with an angelic face and curly hair. How distant is the image of John, the Preacher as described in the Bible, as he preached the call for "repentance."

The Gospels on the days nearing the birth of Jesus focus on St. John, the Baptist, the precursor of our Messiah !

June 23, 2010 The Remarkable St. Anthony

Rejoice! Rejoice! Today I rejoice because of one of my favorite saints, St. Anthony of Padua (as he is popularly known). Two "long" weeks of anxiety over the loss of a basic "ingredient" for traveling finally turned into joy and thanksgiving. Thank you, Lord! Thank you, St. Anthony!

As I have previously mentioned in one of my blogs, my grandsons, Michael and Christian and I, along with my son, Bobby and Carla are scheduled to go to Paris, Lourdes, Nevers or Lisiuex in France. Michael graduated from Grade VIII and so gets the trip as a graduation gift. Christian gets the reward for his outstanding achievement in piano. Similarly, Tiffany Anne, went with Joshua and Christina(graduates) last year because of her accomplishment in gymnastics.

In all my trips abroad, I make it a point to exchange currency right here in the United States because of convenience. Oftentimes, the itinerary becomes so hectic, whether in a customized tour or on one's own, so that looking for a bank and making transactions consume time which otherwise could be put to better use. In addition, sometimes arrival day in a country can fall on a Sunday when all banks are closed. In fact, I had experienced a situation with a tour pilgrimage when we arrived on a Sunday in a country I have now forgotten. It happened that the next day was an official holiday and we were to go to a place 4 or so hours away. Many pilgrims got hungry and thirsty during our bus ride but could not use dollars in the villages we passed by. The natives would not accept the green bucks. It was a good thing that I had the currency available and as the Lord willed it, their needs were met. Days later, some people offered to pay me but I declined the offer because I was convinced that it was God's purpose for me to do just what I did. God's generosity to me since that little act of kindness has been many times over - a hundredfold!

Now, back to my rejoicing today. I managed to get Euros last month. I put them in an extra wallet which I usually take in my trips just so not all of my money are in one place. But I have been looking for it for more than two weeks! I have prayed long and hard! Somehow I felt St. Anthony was turning a deaf ear. I was beginning to have a panic attack because we are scheduled to leave for Paris in "three days." Then I found it! I rejoice!
St. Anthony did it again!

May I introduce St. Anthony to you?

St. Anthony was born as Fernando Martins de Bulhoes in Lisbon, Portugal on June 13, 1231 to a wealthy family. He was a brilliant student and studied the Scriptures and Latin classics. Against the wishes of his family, he entered the Augustinian Order. But his contact with five Franciscans who went to Morocco as missionaries and who later were murdered attracted him to the Franciscan community. He obtained leave from the Augustinians and went to Assisi. With some difficulty, he was admitted by the Franciscans and was assigned to the kitchen in a hospice in Forli,Italy.

One day, on the occasion of an ordination, there was a misunderstanding over who would preach. St. Anthony was unexpectedly called to fill the void. The entire theme and substance of his discourse and his moving eloquence created a deep impression. From then on, his skills were put to good use by the Church. It was as a preacher that St. Anthony revealed his supreme gift. He served as envoy from Pope Gregory IX. At papal court, his preaching was hailed as a "jewel case of the Bible."

St. Anthony died on June 13, 1231 in Padua, Italy at age 36. When he died, it is said that all bells of the churches in Italy rang of their own accord - rung by angels to honor the death of a saint. He is buried in Padua and his tongue is "incorrupt" and in a reliquary. The tongue "glistens" as if it is still alive and moist.

St. Anthony of Lisbon and Padua is known to have become the "quickest" saint to be canonized by Pope Gregory IX less than one (1) year after his death on May 30, 1232. He was proclaimed Doctor of the Church on January 16, 1946. He is often invoked for " lost " things by many devotees around the globe. But in Portugal and Brazil, legend has him also as one who " conciliated couples whose marriage were going to the rocks."

The St. Anthony Church in Lisbon stands over the house where our saint was born. We had to go down to the basement to see the small room where he first saw the light of day. As one enters the church, on the left wall is a huge painting of St. Anthony who natives claim is miraculous. So, I stayed for some time praying for his help to have miracles in my life and family. Through the years, he has proved to be one of my great intercessors. He has never failed me as in this particular day of my rejoicing!

June 22, 2010 St. Thomas Moore

Today is the feast day of St. Thomas Moore and John Fisher. St. Thomas Moore is the patron saint of statesmen and politicians. During his lifetime, he was recognized as a leading Renaissance humanist. He was a brilliant man, a doting father, an author, influential in English government, an important counselor to King Henry VIII and was elected Speaker of the House of Commons in England in 1523. He was a "knight" and during his later years, the Lord Chancellor of England. Above all these achievements, he was a Catholic through and through.

He coined the word, "Utopia," a name he gave to an ideal, imaginary island whose political system he described in his novel, " UTOPIA." It was in Latin and published in 1516. He also wrote " A Dialogue Concerning Heresies," (1528) in which he asserted that the Catholic Church was the true church whose authority has been established by Christ and the Apostles and that its traditions and practices were valid.

After refusing to acknowledge King Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church of England, he was arrested and imprisoned at the Tower of London. While in prison, he wrote a devotional, "Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation," along with others on the Passion of Christ.

He was sentenced to die on July 6, 1535. His last words on the scaffold were, "I die, the king's good servant but God's first." After being beheaded, his head was fixed on a pike over London Bridge for a month while his body was buried in the Tower of London in an unmarked grave.

London is a fascinating place to visit because of the historic places so well described in history books and the aura of sophistication of kings and queens, and royalty as a whole. I enjoyed watching the "Changing of Guard" right at the Buckingham Palace and even had a picture taken with one of the guards in full regalia. I did not expect him to smile because he was the sentry at the Palace outpost. Actually, he may not even have wanted to pose with me but the tourists who unceremoniously step
by his side for a photo were numerous. I found Windsor Castle elegant in its beauty and Hampton Court Palace so magnificently an experience of the splendor of the court. Its Great Hall is a feast for the eyes with the large and splendid tapestries, truly England's last and greatest medieval hall. The Parliament by the river Thames is something to behold with Big Ben towering behind.

The Tower of London is one of the world's major tourist attractions and a World Heritage Site. As early as 1590, the Tower of London allowed paying tourists to visit it. By 1901, the end of Queen Victoria, over 500,000 visitors came a year. Today, around two million people come yearly. It is located near the famous London Bridge. No, the bridge was not falling down as the kindergarten song says, when I saw it.

It is with William The Conqueror (1066-87) that the history of the tower begins. Its primary function was a fortress stronghold, a role that remained unchanged right up to the 19th Century. It earned a reputation as a place of torture and death. People including kings and nobility who were condemned to die were imprisoned in the tower and had the luxury (?) of the topmost room the night before execution. St. Thomas Moore used it, too. Being a formidable fortress, it later also became a place for important valuable and papers of the throne. In fact, the Crown Jewels, the various multi-filligreed, diamond encrusted crowns of all kings and queens England ever had are on display in a special area of the Tower. I looked at the dazzling crowns open-mouthed with wonder at the amazing incalculable wealth each had and the pressure of its weight on the monarch's head. How were they able to endure such "burden" during the coronation rites which, I imagined, must have taken, ceremoniously, a long time?

June 20, 2010 - " Who Do You Say That I Am? "

The Gospel setting for today must have been a pastoral one under the shade of a fig tree in the rolling Judean hills. Jesus was with His disciples praying. After a long silence, Jesus asks, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They said in reply, "John, the Baptist." Others said,"Elijah." Still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen? Then He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" The apostles must have looked at each other with knitted brows. Others must have straightened their backs, taking deep breaths as they rapidly breezed through their mental file searching for the answer - the right answer which will win the approval of the Master. The search proved futile. There was a lull. The air of expectancy filled the place. Then Peter proclaimed, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!" Then Jesus said, " My Father in heaven has revealed that to you." He told them not to tell this to anyone.

Let us imagine ourselves sitting comfortably around Jesus. He has just started the story of the camel and the master who was on a journey through the desert. The man had finished pitching the tent for the night and was ready to sleep when the camel asked whether he could put his head inside the tent. The master agreed. After a while the request to put in the camel's shoulders was accepted. A succession of requests to shelter different parts of the camel's body was graciously honored until the camel finally occupied the whole tent and the master left shivering in the cold. Can you see the twinkle in Jesus' eyes and hear the thrill of His laughter?

Then He looks at you directly in the eye and asks you specifically, "Who do you think that I am?"
You lower your gaze, start fidgeting with your hands and sketch a mental picture of Jesus according to the dictates of your heart. Yes, who is Jesus to you?

Do you see Him garbed in red and white with a long beard as Santa Claus? As Santa Claus, Jesus is the Giver- the one who satisfies your craving for material wealth, the huge house, car or adult toys to display and boast around. He is the ever-flowing well of goodies for instant gratification!
Does your prayer start with solicitation - a request for things to meet your needs first before adoration and praise and thanksgiving? It is good to remember Luke 4:4 Jesus said, "It is written: Not by bread alone shall man live but by every Word of God."

Do you see Jesus in a neatly pressed outfit as a Teacher with a pair of black-rimmed glasses holding a ruler standing by a desk? He is the teacher of all teachers since His lessons are the ones that make up how life is to be lived in this chaotic, temptation-filled world. He teaches the Truth that will make you free - truth without compromises. He teaches you to be a firm and persevering follower of his teachings in spite of the prevalent attitude of convenience and compromise to get by and go ahead among your peers for easy living. Do you hear him say, "Abide in me and I will abide in you." How about in Deuteronomy 28:1, 8, "If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord, being watchful to do all His commandments; your God will set you high above the nations. The Lord shall command the blessings upon you in your storehouse and in all that you undertake."

Do you see Jesus as a man in an immaculate white gown with a stethoscope around his neck- the Doctor - the Healer? Do you seek Him because He can heal the aches and pains in your body that has kept you from enjoying life as you want it to be? Yes, His Omnipotence and Mercy to a suffering humanity brings forth healing in both body and spirit. But it requires faith. Do you have that faith that can withstand the forces of evil and doubt in this skeptical world? The Bible relates the episode of the woman who suffered years of hemorrhage and Jesus said,"Your faith has healed you." We claim His promises in Jeremiah 30:17, "For I will restore you to health; of your wounds, I will heal you." and in Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait on the Lord, shall find their strength renewed. They shall mount on wings as eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Do you see Jesus in a rustic brown pair of loose pants holding a crescent- hooked wooden staff leading a flock of sheep across the meadow? Do you see Him as the Good Shepherd? True to His word, "I am the Good Shepherd. I tend my flock. My sheep know Me and I know them." Yes, a true shepherd calls his flock by name and that every sheep responds to his name. It is true that even to the present time, when it rains, the shepherds and their respective flock of sheep seek shelter together inside a mountain opening or cave. The sheep intermingle with each other. But when the rain stops, the shepherd stands by the opening and calls his sheep by name. He will surely have his own flock of sheep. No sheep will find himself stranded in another flock. How wonderful it is that Jesus, our Good Shepherd knows us by name. He cares for each and everyone of us. In fact, He says, "Even your hair is numbered!" That is how much he loves us! Isn't that truly remarkable?

Do you see Jesus with a fireman's hat and boots holding a huge hose by a water tank? Yes, He is our Protector - our Shield. As Protector, Jesus helps against the "dangers that lurk in the dark and the evils that strike during the day" as Psalm 91 so vividly puts it. He guards us from physical harm as well as the misleading conjectures and propaganda that most smooth-tongued, evil-minded persons show on TV, books or other forms of media. He gives us the strength to carry on and live a Christian life in spite of the arrows of deceit hurled against us in this chaotic world. We pray as in Psalm 18, "I love you, Oh, Lord, my rock of refuge, my fortress, my deliverer, my shield, my stronghold!"

Do you see Jesus elegantly robed in a black gown before the court of humanity as a Judge - a Merciful Judge? As Judge, He holds before us our individual book of Life upon which He bases His judgment. How have we made use of the free will that He has given us? Have our decision-making process been done in consonance with the Commandments He has given us? Somehow we are relieved to know that his judgment is tempered with mercy if we become the repentant sinners that we ought to be. Jesus now leans forward and asks, "Do you remember my words in John 15:12, "This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you." Before executing judgment, He quotes Mark 4:24, "With what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you."

Now, what is your answer to His question, " Who do you say that I am? "

My answer is , " All of the above! "

A N D M U C H M O R E !!!

June 6, 2010 FEAST OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

The Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ is celebrated in the liturgical calendar as the Feast of Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi became a mandatory feast in the Roman Catholic church in 1312. This day celebrates the gift of what is called, "The Sacrament of the Eucharist." Eucharist, means, first of all, " thanksgiving. " It is a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God for all His benefits - for all that He has accomplished through creation, redemption and sanctification. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Eucharist is the "source and summit of the Christian life - the sum and summary of our faith." The richness of this sacrament is expressed in the different names we give it:

1. Eucharist - because it is an action of thanksgiving to God. It is the culmination both of God's action sanctifying the world in Christ and the worship men offer to Christ and through Him to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist and the Eucharist, in turn, confirms our way of thinking.

In John 6:48-59 Jesus said, " I am the Bread of life...and the bread that I will give you is my flesh...Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you..For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed."

In Mark 14:22-24 And while they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessing it, He broke and gave it to them, and said, "This is my Body."
And taking a cup and giving thanks, He gave it to them and they all drank of it. And He said to them, "This is my blood of the new covenant which is being shed for many."

In Matthew 26:26-28 And while they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave it to His disciples, and said, "Take and eat: this is my body." and taking a cup, He gave thanks and gave it to them, "All of you, drink of this: for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sin."

St. Justin Martyr in 155 A.D. explained the Eucharist to the pagan Roman Emperor, Antoninus Pius by saying, "We do not receive these things as common bread and common drink but as Jesus Christ, our Savior being Incarnate in God's Word took flesh and blood for our salvation. Our faith teaches us that the food consecrated by the word of prayer which comes from him is the Flesh and Blood of our Incarnate Jesus."

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, "In all change we normally observe, appearances change but deep down, the essence of the thing stays the same." For example, I can dye my gray hair black, have laser treatment for my skin, undergo plastic cosmetic surgery on my wrinkled face and after all is done, still remain the 79-yr old woman that I really am. St. Thomas adds, "On the other hand, the Eucharist is the one change whereby the outside appearance of bread and wine still remain the same but the very essence of the realities which is beyond the capacity of the microscope to distinguish, is totally transformed. That in this sacrament are the true Body of Christ and the true Blood is something that cannot be apprehended by the senses, but only by faith which relies on divine authority."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem in a commentary on Luke 22:19 (This is my Body which is given for you) says, "Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Savior in faith, for since He is the truth, He cannot lie."

Around the year A.D. 390, St. Cyril of Jerusalem indicated that the Early Church practiced communion in the hand, when he instructed his audience: "Approaching, therefore, come not with thy wrists extended or thy fingers open but make thy left hand as if a throne for thy right which is to receive the King. And having hallowed thy palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying, after It, Amen. Then after thou hast with carefulness hallowed thine eyes by the touch of the holy Body; partake thereof; giving heed lest thou lose any of It; for what thou loses is a loss to thee as if it were from one of thine own members (self)." The Church mandates that the faithful make a proper thanksgiving after Communion.

Catholic Doctrine describes the unique, divine-power change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ as"Transubstantiation."
The Catholic church considers the doctrine of transubstantiation to be concerned with what is changed and not how the change occurs. It teaches that Jesus Christ is truly and substantially present in the bread and wine and that the transformation remains as long as the appearances remain. For this reason, the consecrated elements are preserved, generally in a church tabernacle for giving holy communion to the sick and the dying and also for the purpose of " adoring Christ present in the Eucharist."

The earliest known use of the term, Transubstantiation, to describe the change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ was by
Hildebert de Lavardin, Archbishop of Tours (France) in 1079.

In 1215, the 4th Lateran Council used the term, Transubstantiation, in the Profession of Faith when speaking of the change that takes place in the Eucharist.

The Council of Trent in 1215 declared, " In the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is contained truly, really and substantially, the Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and consequently, the whole Christ which the Catholic church most aptly call Transubstantiation. "

Martin Luther, in his book," On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church," held that Jesus Christ is really present in the Eucharist. He upheld his belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and in his 1523 treatise, " The Adoration of the Sacrament " defended adoration of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. Later, he abandoned the term, Transubstantiation, which he called "monstrous" to " Sacramental Union" stating that the bread and wine remained fully bread and wine while being fully the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

In October,1529, an assembly of Geneva and Swiss theologians met in Marburg Colloquy to establish doctrinal unity among the emerging Protestant States. Luther insisted on the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the consecrated bread and wine. His opponents Zwingli, Melonchthon, Bucer and Oecolampadius believed God to be symbolically present. Martin Luther defended his firm stand on the Real Presence of Christ in the consecrated bread and wine. He did not sign the agreement.

Joseph Prince, a renowned Christian preacher today believes that the bread is changed to the Body of Jesus and the wine is changed to the Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion exactly as the Catholics do. He stresses the fact that it is not a symbol as some preachers of his denomination claim because the Bible states what Jesus actually said, " This is my Body...This is my Blood." To say that Jesus was speaking, metaphorically, is a fallacy, a tragic error!

It requires faith to understand the Eucharist... just as we will never fully comprehend the Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit nor the two natures of Jesus - human and divine. It is a mystery which like love our finite minds will never fully understand.
What more personal relationship is there than to be nourished by the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion? Lives of saints reveal that some of those chosen ones like St. Catherine of Siena, St. Jean Vianney, St. Claire of Assisi and St. Rita of Cascia lived for months only on the Eucharist!

Since the Sacrament of the Eucharist takes place in the context of a community meal, believers are also united with our brothers and sisters of the faith. To make the presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine only a " symbolic " one is to strip the Eucharistic celebration of its true meaning!

2. The Lord's Supper - because of its connection with the supper Jesus took on the eve of His Passion when He took bread and wine and gave to His disciples as His Body and Blood.

The Upper Room or Cenacle where Jesus had the Last Supper is part of a building with several rooms/extensions known in the First Century as the Church of the Apostles. It was originally a mosque and was later acquired by Christian Jews. It is the place where the apostles and believers often met for prayer and "breaking of bread"; the setting for Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon them and the Blessed Mother; the gathering place of the apostles after the Ascension; the site where St. Mathias was chosen to replace the lost Judas and the place where Jesus appeared to them, several times, after His Resurrection.

The building is on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem near the Dormition Abbey where our Blessed Mother died (an eternal sleep) and was lifted up to heaven, Body and Soul, as contained in the Dogma of Her Assumption. On the lower level of the building is a cenotaph said by 12th Century Crusaders to be the tomb of King David. Before pilgrims can go up the Upper Room, they have to pass through the long narrow room of the tomb of King David. Before entering the room, they are required to use a "kippah" the little Jewish cap from attendants who are stationed at the door and inevitably, have to "donate" for the use of the cap.

Through a flight of stairs, pilgrims enter the Upper Room with a distinguishing six rib-vaulted ceiling. The large room is almost divided in the center by three free-standing columns which support the vaulted ceiling. Each of the capitals of the columns differ from one another. I tried to approximate the width of the middle column by wrapping my arms around it. My fingers did not touch. A friend had to "supply" one of her arms to complete the radius. The column was large for indoor use!

Talking about columns made me think of the ancient Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens. Three of us tourists had to open our arms to embrace one column. It was huge! And to think that the whole building is adorned with rows of columns in each side!

What is the reason for the institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist?

"Jesus, our Savior, when about to depart out of this world, instituted this sacrament, in which He poured forth the riches of His Divine Love, towards men. He said, "Do this in remembrance of me." He commanded us to venerate His memory and to show forth His death until He comes to judge the world. He would, also, that this sacrament would be received as the spiritual food for souls, and whereby, may be fed and strengthened those who live with His life. "He that eateth Me, the same also shall live by Me." He would, furthermore, have it be a pledge of our glory and everlasting happiness to come." (Chapter II, Council of Trrent)

A TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER

A tribute to my mother is most essential
For me to do because it was Providential
That I be counted among her children she loved
God's greatest gift to me, my mother, gentle as a dove.

She was a person from humble beginnings
Yet was destined to lead, to counsel from sinning
Definitely focused, sincere and sweet in her ways
So positive in outlook, an inspiration to trace.

My mother's love was attuned to God's pure one
To family, relations and friends save none
Even to those who "bite" her open hand
Always forgiving what despair sometimes demand.

Generous was her second name, her friends did tease
A "giving" person without question nor cease
Food or supplies meant for her family's reserve
She shared willingly without bursting a nerve.

A devout Catholic from cradle to grave
She taught her children to be truly saved
More by example than by Bible stories' delight
Her faith shone bright at life's turmoils, dark nights.

Our family prayed together Mary's rosary
A nightly devotion we chorused in Spanish free
"Padre Nuestro" and "Dios te Salve" I learned first
Long before I mumbled prayers in English verse.

Education was to her one of life's stars
Her children to succeed was her goal, not a farce
So the care of a piggery she bore patiently
To help finance our education indefinitely.

The Golden Rule, its essence we were taught to practice
A constant reminder, a "mantra" through all the years
Mother was vigilant that we care without malice
For the "other" show concern not only to peers.

There was also Mom's refrain to this day I hold sacred
While associating with people from life's tapestry
Respect for person no matter the path he treads
To "shortchange" no one like the "have-nots" in society.

Mother taught us to develop and nurture high
The most precious granite-like integrity
So as to look at anyone straight in the eye
At all times and in all places with pure sincerity.

I thank the Lord for bringing you to me
A gift from God, you will always be
I am proud to be a wee bit like you
Just a semblance of your truest hue!


(Written in memory of my mother, Carmen Miranda Calara, on Mother's Day, May 9, 2010)