My Sister, Beth

                           
                        My  Sister, Beth

You are peaches and cream personified
Since childhood, a beauty, pleasing to the eye
In school programs, you were a dancer bona fide
The Fandango you gracefully twirled with a sigh.

Your singing voice is like a nightingale's
So sweet to hear, so moving and caressing
Often wondered how many you have bewitched
Through God's gift to you who is so deserving.

You are one who is always so kind and thoughtful
Someone so admirable to emulate and praise
No one's important event is left unmindful
A birthday or any of life's momentous days.

Someone said that of all the virtues there is one
So often neglected and put on the run
To many, gratitude has the shortest memory
But to you, Beth, it is top priority.

The appreciation of the good things in your life
Our Lord has bestowed on you is ever on your lips
In your daily prayer of thanks and delight
A grateful heart is your identity for keeps.

Like all mothers your children are a a source of pleasure
Made more deep by the grandchildren they give
Your concern for their welfare goes far beyond measure
Even through the independent life they now live.

I praise and thank God for giving you to me
A sister worthy of admiration and love
The treasure I have I embrace with care
Simply because for me you are always there.


                   XXXXXXX

My Sister, Ding

            
                My  Sister, Ding

Dearest Ding, this tribute is so long overdue
To one who was our mother-figure through and true
Someone from whom we sought guidance and help
Always willing to give time, treasure and self.

Totally committed, unselfish beyond words
Firm and constant as the umbilical cord
Seamless bond which ties siblings in the womb
To be loving, loyal to each one till the tomb.

So patient were you in helping us study
Develop good habits of work in life early
Your discipline for us was of a special tie
We knew what you meant by the look in your eye.

Some thought you so strict in training young minds
As a teacher in school and at home by design
Yet your heart was soft, tender to those who came
For help, service or monetary gain.

It was not your nature to turn a deaf ear
To a pleading voice you allay all fear
You often told us about God and His grace
We grew up seeing Him through your daily ways.

You stayed close to me at my darkest hour
When I came to America stripped of all power
The abiding gift of love, concern and provision
You poured lavishly on me and family with attention.

Time and time again you reminded us often
Be alone with the Lord each day as a token
To honor, adore Him with praise and thanksgiving
For His merciful love, protection and blessing.

You fulfilled your Big Sister role to the extreme
When you decided on your "stay single" scheme
To help our widowed mother send us all to school
And finish college, enjoy life to the full.

The sacrifice you rendered to us, your siblings
Was immeasurable, beyond words, so heart-rending
Like that of someone totally surrendering
His  penultimate love that equates "heavenly blessing."

Now you sing with the angelic choir in heaven
Enjoying your well-deserved blissful haven
Our thanks to you are in our supplication
That God's face shine on you in your heavenly mansion.


                      XXXXXXX

MAY 2nd IS SPECIAL

 MAY  2nd  Is  Special

May 2nd is special because it marks the day my husband, Rey, entered the pearly gates of heaven! Thoughts of more than four decades of marital union especially of the many happy times of our togetherness kept me from having my much-needed sleep. I decided to sit before my laptop and the result is the ff:

Dear Papa,

Today, May 2nd, my thoughts were centered on you since this is the 13th anniversary of your passing the threshold into God's warm embrace. While a part of me rejoiced over your well-deserved rest to enjoy the blessings of heaven, a greater portion of me languished over the grief and emptiness you left in my heart. The void has been irreplaceable and beyond cosmic repair through all these years! As a Christian, I have tried so many times to completely surrender to the will of God, in whatever comes my way. However, I have failed miserably, time after time, to do just that in regard to your passing - a loss which has been ingrained in my being. I must admit that for so long I have worn a mask of serene acceptance and total surrender before family, relatives and friends, alike. Only in times of my "alone-ness" have I shed off the mask of extreme grief and longing nestled in the bosom of my heart. After a while, moved by the futility of it all and the sin of not trusting in God, I would resolve to be a better Christian in this aspect of my life. Through the passing years, this interplay of conflicting emotions plagued me in almost sequential pattern. In every instance of its occurrence, I sought God's help only to be trapped within the tentacles of misery.

Then last Good Friday, in God's mysterious ways and in His own time, I felt the "peace beyond human understanding" envelop me as I let go of this dimension of my life - your passing away. I let go of the sadness that had lain moored in my heart for years. I was endowed with a wonderful feeling of peace that I believe could only come from the Holy Spirit! How true are the words of St. John Paul II when he said, "The Holy Spirit inspires, purifies and strengthens those noble longings by which we strive to make earthly life more human." 

Papa, you have been a loving and sincere husband, a solicitous father and grandfather, a responsible provider, a singer entertainer, a man with a green thumb, a jack-of-all-trades and most of all, a family chef, all rolled into one! What remarkable qualities few men can equal! In fact, the comments of relatives and friends who have witnessed your versatility attest to their admiration which sometimes had a tinge of envy. I know that I had many times expressed my appreciation and thanks to you but I feel that I have not adequately said nor done enough to drive home this fact more deeply. Therefore, here and now, I say, "Thank you so much for being the husband you had been to me and please forgive me for being less of the wife you would have wanted me to be."


 I dedicate these lines to you:

  To  My  Husband - REY

I celebrated the Liturgy of the Eucharist today
In your honor to Almighty God I prayed
"Thank you, Lord, for the life you have given me
Largely due to my husband you have sent from Thee."

To me, you personified the "man of all seasons" 
Truly because of a multitude of reasons
First and foremost was your love so sincere and true
Was untarnished in the years we've been through.

Like an invincible steel tower you stood upright
Against the wind of temptation, wayward sights
Empowered with a Faith which you had held strong
Since your childhood as an orphan struggling along.

"Common traits and interests are good," said a sage,
"to achieve maximum compatibility in marriage."
But God's sense of humor undefined such notion
He gave me a man of few words but one of action.

In your obscure, quiet and inimitable way
You put to naught and defiantly held at bay
Popular belief that a man with interest in many trades
Could not be a "master" of any chosen shade.

But you proved to all beyond a shadow of doubt
You excelled in carpentry, gardening, electric route
Car repair, in fact, a handyman through and through
And above all these, an excellent cook, too!

A "Thank you, Lord," will always be on my lips,
"For my husband, one of your magnanimous gifts."
 Our one-of-a-kind marriage lasted forty-seven years
All in all, gold-encrusted, despite occasional tears.

I know that now in your eternal home in heaven
You regale God with your songs sometimes shaken
With a plea that He guide and lead each one of us
To you, when "The End" comes to our earthly task.


I   LOVE   YOU,

Darling    ( to you )

March 13, 2016 Birthday Anniversary Reflections

                               Birthday  Anniversary  Reflections


                    Birthday anniversaries are opportune times to reflect on one's life - what has been and possibly, envisioning what is yet to come. Some people say it is not good to indulge in the past. "Forget
the past," they admonish. But I feel that it is an important phase in one's life to consider if one is to channel energies toward a better, happier and hopefully, a brighter future. While birthday anniversary reflections are especially necessary for the young who are endowed with greater stamina, wider field of action and the universally-accepted norm of much more time at their disposal to achieve goals, I still hold the idea that even those in their "twilight years" benefit from such deliberations once a birthday page is torn off the calendar.

          On the eve of my 85th birthday anniversary, I have done some of my own reflections. The series of flashbacks of my life from as far back as I can remember brought moments of joy and triumph intermingled with times of disappointment, helplessness and sorrow. But isn't that the tapestry of everyone's life?

          My introspection revealed two valuable insights:

          Firstly, that God gives His love and care to everyone, but especially to those who seek Him, stays close to Him, trusts and depends on Him and also "cooperates" with Him every time He opens doors of opportunity and growth. This aspect of cooperating with God is, perhaps, least understood by people who misconstrue
the Bible passage which says that God is our "Jehovah Jireh," our Provider. While our Lord provides for our needs - both basic for existence and also for pleasure and achievement, in His own time, it is imperative for us to accept and respond with dedication and effort. In all honesty, I can say that I exerted my level best every time an opportunity or challenge presented itself. In so doing, I believed that I have achieved the pinnacle of success I was capable of in my whole life - both in my family and in my career I had never dreamed of or dared to fantasize! 

          Secondly, that if I were to live my life all over again, I would not aspire to change anything. After all, I have been the recipient of  so much blessings from our Lord so that I can say with utmost conviction, " It has been a good life!  Thanks be to God! "


                           IN  RETROSPECT

A journey starts with the first step, so they say
Beneath those words lie an unmistakable tone
That the initial step is the hardest one to take
It takes "courage" to leave the comfort zone.

On the eve of my 85th anniversary year of birth
My thoughts flashed back to my San Francisco hearth
When on the seventh month, 22nd day in 1979
I came to settle in my second homeland berth.

Full of excitement and high hopes for a future bright
The tomorrow would bring to my children's sight
True, I hurdled heartaches which caused so much pain
Yet bubbled with glee at the thousand joys gained.

The years have taught me precious lessons to impart
To my children and my children's children all smart
First and foremost is to stay close to Jesus and Mary
To keep your Faith vibrant, persevering and holy.

 Know Jesus so as to keep your Faith strong
His Word you should read, meditate on and believe
Then being a Christian unfolds in the way you live
That every aspect of life, the Bible guides all along.

Another precious gem I learned from an ancient mind
Is that the secret of the universe is within you
Because what you give away comes back in kind
Seek love, give love and you will reap affection, too.

One's "word of honor" is always to be treasured
Which makes up your identity as "the" person
Be careful what you promise to do or not to measure
Your "word," a covenant to honor with pleasure.

My mother personified love and generosity
It was her second name friends teased incessantly
I learned wisdom from the example she wrought
Than from the lessons her lovely lips taught.

Our nightly devotion to the Family Rosary
Was as constant as the Angelus prayer key
"Padre Nuestro" and "Dios te Salve" I learned first
Before Our Father and Hail Mary in English verse.

My mother reminded us all since we were small
To practice the Golden Rule with every living soul
And live a life of "granite-like integrity."
So as to look at anyone in the eye with sincerity.

Her advice about marriage, you should all know
The fifty-fifty proposition is much too low
Marital bliss requires you give 70 percent no less
To enjoy happy, golden years of togetherness.

So I have tried to follow my mother's steps firm
To be a pulsating example of what I preach
I hope that by this time my loved ones affirm
The values I hold sacred to learn and to teach.

I have no regrets for all with God's grace I've done
Have accomplished much more than I have planned
My good Lord has decreed that I relish the thought
What I have achieved are what I have really sought.

Now on bended knees I reverently pray,
"Thank you, Lord, for your guidance along the way
Thank you for being in control of my life
Which has helped me through all the strife."

As I stand on the stage of my life this day
With open arms and wild enthusiasm I face
The future, new beginnings, even painful thorns
With God, I will conquer all till I greet my New Morn!










             


         

March 12, 2016 MEMORIES

                                       
                                       MEMORIES

Silently, I sat by my bedroom window
As I watched the beautiful sunset unfold
Its blend of orange, white and yellowish glow
Scattered streaks of color on clouds that rolled
Only Divine Hands can really paint
Such artistry unequalled by any saint.

My heart swelled with joy and thanksgiving
For the wonders God in abundance has given me
The breath of life and awareness of receiving
His manifold blessings in Mother Nature's sea.

Deep in my heart I have known, Oh, fully well
That I have enjoyed through all these wondrous years
The lion's share of God's mercy won't fit in a shell
Too many to mention - much more than my peers.

Born to a family closely knit with love
Woven by a mother's devotion sky-high
Accepted and cared for by siblings who rubbed
The ambition to achieve not just to get by.

I can still hear my mother's sweet advice
"Stay close to our Lord and our Blessed Mother
You will be properly directed by Christ
Focus on education and no other."

Thus stirred by a passion to explore the unknown
Went to night school though seven months on the way
Through higher education, I soared to the dome
Achieved a career money couldn't buy not even today.

My parents' burning desire for us not to falter
To have a college education for us all
A brood of eight to feed, to clothe and to shelter
Through times of deprivation, they still stood tall.

With grateful hearts, I know we kids remember
The enormous sacrifice our parents did
And now with God's help we affirm to render
The same hard work and lasting love to our seed.

"In sickness and in health till death do us part"
Papa and I proclaimed our matrimonial vows
Day before Christmas 1955 clearly marked
Our voyage began, a family to start.

A husband who pampered me in so many ways
I found myself undeserving of such praise
Though at times his concern put me in a maze
My mind could not fathom nor unravel his pace.

But through the four decades of marital tales
The "ups" far outweighed the heartaches that came
We continued our course promised not to fail
The test of time, bond of love, we vowed to tame.

Dewdrops from heaven blossomed in our midst
Bobby, Marissa, Noel and Cielo galore
They all tightened the knot, helped deepen the love
Made family life merrier, secure ever more.

Each one is a shining jewel in the family
Always a cause for joy and pride I can share
With friends and relations, to all, so easily
Strength of character and faith few can compare.

So it isn't surprising for you to know
Our Lord gave each a loving, kind, sincere mate,
Carla, Barney, Valerie and Brian saw
A partner complements life at any rate.

Seven tiny feathers from the wings of love
Dropped on the welcoming lap of parenthood
Like royalty each child came as a white dove
Fragile in form but strong to always be good.

Diana, Joshua, Christina, Michael, too
Christian, Tiffany Anne and Melanie, too
Loud "ohs" greeted them when they came
To the excitement about them, they still coo!

I used to tease our friends and relations
Papa and I were of an "endangered" kind
For in this tech age such is a flitting notion
Nowadays, to part ways, many won't even mind.

March 10, 2016 GALILEE

                               
                                            GALILEE


The Gospel today recounts the appearance of Jesus after His resurrection to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee. The all-night fishing adventure of Peter and his friends was not rewarded by a single catch. But when Jesus told them to lower their net on the right side of the boat, they caught 153 fish. Some theologians claim that the number of the fish was significant since there are 153 species of fish in the world. Hence, since Jesus said that they are to be "fishers" of men, then their catch should be universal encompassing the world.

During their breakfast, Jesus asked Peter, "Simon, do you love me?" three times. Note that Jesus used Peter's old name which represented "weakness." Because Peter's denial of Jesus - his declaration that he did not know Jesus was a manifestation of his weakness. Peter's proof of his "agape" love for Jesus restored him to his position among the disciples and more importantly, the trust and love they had for each other.

In my visits to the Holy Land, the Sea of Galilee (actually a lake) had an special appeal, an undefined hold on me. The gentle ripples of turquoise water shimmering under the noonday sun against the greenery of the Golan Heights present a picture- perfect setting! A boat-ride in a replica of the ones that ply between its shores during the first century makes the Galilee experience all the more unforgettable. And a fitting climax is the sumptuous lunch in the shoreline restaurant of its best cuisine - St. Peter's fish - the "tilapia."

Inspired by the surroundings of Galilee, I attempted to write these lines :

How beautiful you are, Oh, Galilee
The serene waters that abound in Thee
St. Peter's fish swim with their young in tow
Amidst the swaying plants so green below.

How I love to be in charming Galilee
In the place where our Lord Jesus walked with glee
Teaching His apostles, Peter, James and John
To love everyone with the love He has sown.

The trees and boulders that line your rugged shores
Heard the tales Jesus told with such awesome force
That He would lay down His life to save the world
From sins of the flesh, corruption and the sword.

That to know Him means to study His Word
Reflect on Jesus' parables we won't get bored
Instill in our minds and hearts the way of life
Willing to serve others always without strife.

Eager to help those who knock at our door
For food, for shelter, for counsel and much more
We can never fathom the power of prayer
Each time we seek God for someone else's welfare.

Oh, Galilee, how you marvelously display
Mother Nature in kaleidoscopic display
The changing colors as the seasons roll by
Complement the fragrance of the breeze coming nigh

A chosen place you are, Oh, Galilee
From time immemorial to eternity
Oh, Lord, in your mercy and love let me be
In the bosom of your heart, your own Galilee!

.

October 13th - Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

Fatima, Portugal, like Lourdes, France is among the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world. As you all very well know, the prominence it enjoys is due to the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin to three children, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta in 1917 at the Cova di Ira, Fatima, Portugal.

Despite the few times of our Lady's apparitions, October 13th is the designated feast of our Lady of Fatima because it was on this date that the Miracle of the Sun happened. You will recall that it was raining hard in Fatima when our Lady appeared and the miracle happened. This deepened the faith of believers and inflamed the hearts of the lukewarm as well as dried the soaking wet clothes and three-inch mud in the area. Tradition has it that since then, it always rained in Fatima on October 13th.

I had the privilege of visiting Fatima in October 1988,1992 and in 1994. During those times, the weather was always warm and sunny. But storeowners and people at the hotel concierge commented that on the 13th of October there will always be rain. I thought that if what they say is true, then tradition claim would be right. But how was I to know since I was never there on the specified date?

Then it happened. I joined a 1995 pilgrimage which included a stay in Fatima from October 12th to the 14th. I was excited over my participation in the exact feast of our Lady which I never experienced in my previous visits. But I was more thrilled with the thought of finally witnessing the authenticity of tradition which claims that rain will fall on the 13th of October. Just to compare notes, I asked several people what the weather has been in the past weeks. The solid answer from all was the sun's shining all the preceding weeks. What amused me was the added note that it would rain on the morrow - the 13th.

The thought of the possibility of rain in an atmosphere that created beads of perspiration intrigued me. I looked at the sky with nary a sign of cumulus clouds or at least a tint of darkness. I was puzzled and beset with nervous anticipation and expectation what tomorrow would bring. Before going to bed that night, I looked out of the window trying to find a trace of the awaited rain. The sky was a canopy of stars!

R..A..I..N  pounding at the window panes woke me up the next morning. I lay mesmerized, immobile for a long time while my eyes devoured the furious raindrops and my heart marched to the rhythm of martial music. When the realization of the truth of tradition sank into my psyche and my whole being, I uttered, "My God, it is true! Thank you, Lord, for bringing me here."

We had to buy plastic raincoats from our Hotel Cinquentenario to go to the basilica grounds for the feast-day Mass. I noted the fact that the hotels were ready  with the raincoats for the expected rain on October 13th. The rain was still strong as we made our way and positioned ourselves amidst the thousands of devotees of our Lady. Multicolored raincoats and umbrellas were the fashion call of the day. Then just a few minutes before the 9 o'clock morning Mass when the image of Our Lady of Fatima would make the procession from the Chapel of Apparitions, several hundred yards away from the improvised altar in front of the Basilica, the rain started to slow down. It was a fast slowing down until the raindrops completely stopped as the image emerged from the sanctuary.The Liturgy of the Eucharist was concelebrated with the full glory of the sun in the heavens!

It was a most wonderful experience I will forever remember!