Today, November 30th is the 44th death anniversary of my mother - Carmen Miranda nee Calara. Yes, she signed her name that way! While remembering and praying for her on this special day, I rejoice knowing that she, in her glorified body, is enjoying the splendor of heaven. She had a tremendous influence on me that I can safely say that my mother "defined" me!
My mother remained true to her vocation of "motherhood" and pursued it in total righteousness with God. The Almighty was "numero uno" (number 1) in her life and was consistently manifested in her daily activities. She could be counted among the "blessed meek," not in the sense that she was incapable of adequately expressing herself nor as a sign of weakness but in her total trust and confidence in God. Being a widow with a soldier's wife monthly compensation, she managed to rear, clothe and educate eight off-springs. Numerous were her trials and challenges. Many were the times she chose "dying to self" so as to fulfill family obligations. Her total trust and confidence in God was worthy of emulation and somehow energized and inspired those close to her.
Very early in life, my mother instilled in us the development of a personal relationship with God through "prayer," I close my eyes now and my mind unravels the vivid picture of my mother encircled by her young children with her outstretched arms and upward gaze as she explained that prayer was and still is, the lifting up of our hearts and minds to God. Family observance of the Angelus and the Rosary were daily evening prayers as I grew up. How often did she remind us, in fact, from childhood through teen years and up to adulthood this, "Stay close to God and our Blessed Mother and your life will be properly directed." It was her "mantra."
Another one of her quotable quotes was, "Do what is good not because someone is looking but because you are a person of integrity." By that, she meant "granite-like integrity." She followed this with "Ang Diyos ay hindi natutulog." (God never sleeps). Still followed by an inspirational, "God rewards the good!"
The Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you" was something she demonstrated in life. She made sure that the message rang in our ears and ingrained indelibly in our brains."The frequency with which the Golden Rule is practiced at work and at play makes it a habit," she counseled.
On this day, I let my pen loose on 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 destinied to lead, to counsel from sinning
Definitely focused, sincere, 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, adapting to the demand.
"Generous" was her second name, friends
did tease
A "giving" person without question nor cease
Food and supplies meant for family 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 the
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.
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 sincerity.
I thank the Lord for bringing you to me
A gift from God, you'll always be
I am proud to be a wee bit like you
Just a semblance of your truest hue!
XXXXXX
The Bible has a section called, "The Book of Psalms." David, one of the most favored kings of the Israelites wrote many of the psalms which are actually prayers of thanksgiving, petition or lamentations as well as for protection and hope. Among the 150 psalms, my favorite is Psalm 91 entitled Protection and Promise:
Whoever goes to the Lord for safety
Whoever remains under the protection of the
Almighty
Can say to Him, " You are my God, in you I trust."
He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers
He will cover you with His wings
His faithfulness will protect and defend yo.
You need not be afraid of the dangers that
lurk in the dark
Or the evil that strike at daylight.
A thousand may encamp around you
Ten thousand all around you
The Bible is full of passages declaring God's promises such as, "His mercy endures forever; His love endures forever," or "Trust in me and in your distress, I will answer you." We also find the promise, "Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you," and the lines, "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is my refuge, of whom should I be afraid?" I often quote Isaiah 35:3-4 which says,"Strengthen the hands that are feeble. Make firm the knees that are weak. Say to those whose hearts are frightened, " Fear not, take courage. Here is your God! He comes with vindication and recompense. He comes to save you!"
One of the precious gifts of the elderly, like me, is the luxury of time. We have the time to spend according to our whims and caprices. We can wake up in the morning at the hour that pleases us or just spend the whole afternoon on our hobby, be it gardening, reading, listening to old-time favorites or enjoying the laughter of memories of yester-years as we thumb through our family photo albums. Like one who is aware of the constant need to know Jesus through His Word, I try to devote some time, often daily, to meditate on His teachings and His promises. And one that has become so deeply ingrained in my being is God's ever-loving presence which was dramatically highlighted in a happening that occurred last October 12th, the Feast of our Lady of the Pillar.
I woke up before 10 o'clock in the morning. I took my usual almost two glasses of water to drink and began my prayers at the start of the day. Water makes me feel satisfied such that sometimes my morning prayers go far beyond the usual 20 or 30 minutes. As I often did, I alternated kneeling and sitting down while bending low touching my toes at prayer.
I heard a great crushing sound. I assumed it was the neighbors' gardener who used to be so noisy with some tools, etc. in the outdoor shed which was near my window. I continued to pray. After a long while, as I started to stretch my arms up in prayer, I heard shouts of...Dong..Dong...Dong...right at the top of the staircase which was just across the "doorless bonus room" which I occupy. In some models of the same house, the bonus room was a complete apartment by itself. So, the bonus room I use is on the second floor with a wide opening directly leading to the staircase. Again, when I heard the shouts, I thought it was Brian, Cielo's husband, who sometimes works at night and is therefore home during the day. My mind did not question why he would be shouting at all! I continued to pray until almost noon when I took my cell phone and my medicine bottle and trekked down the stairs. I held on to the banisters and kept my eyes on my feet so that I failed to see the open entrance door. I went to the family room and opened the patio door. As I turned around, I saw the broken pieces of glass window and immediately called Brian since he works nearer home than Cielo. While doing so, I looked at the garage and the extra BMW car was still there and the computer in the computer room, too.
My heart was acclaiming thanksgiving and praise in unison to God Whose mighty Presence caused the thieves to leave in haste. I surmised that when they went into the master's bedroom, I was bent low in prayer. My prayer mat (yes, I have a lambskin area rug) was partially hidden from view by a sofa. I also guess, that one of them must have seen me slowly lift up my arms in prayer so that he shouted something like "Dong..Dong...Dong," a language I could not understand. My Lord must have "instilled" fear in the hearts of those men upon seeing my outstretched arms in prayer! God made His Presence felt!
Upon investigation, the master bedroom had been ransacked. The king-size mattress had been moved possibly in search for hidden money, a custom among Asians. The cabinet drawers were wide open and jewelry boxes missing. They had stayed for some time in the room and just close by, I was continually praying! I offered my litany of thanksgiving and praise to our Lord, our Blessed Mother and my heavenly friends- the saints, angels and archangels, I pondered over the whole scenario and remembered one of my favorite psalms, Psalm 91, " God will send His angels to hold you up lest you hurt your feet against the stone," and in another psalm, " The angels will encamp around you to protect you!"
This is my testimony of God's Presence in our lives! Among my daily Litany of Praise to God is "Jehovah Shanah- God is Ever Present. praise you, Jesus!"
What happened that night of October 12, 2012 was a fitting finale to an important episode in my life.
I attended the 9 PM Mass at the EWTN Catholic TV Channel. After dinner, I was before my laptop around 11 in the evening checking the emails and adding a few paragraphs to my autobiography. Suddenly, a coin dropped on the table near my right hand and started to spin round for a fraction of a minute. What was mind-boggling to me was the fact that the tingling sound of the coin as it dropped on the wooden table in the stillness of the night did not alarm me at all and that my eyes were glued to the coin as it was spinning for a considerable number of seconds. When it stopped, I looked at the golden coin, a little bit bigger than a quarter. It had an imprint of an Angel! I was happy! With the coin resting on my palm, I looked up and said, "Oh, my guardian angel, you helped me. You protected me. Thank you, thank you! You want me to know that you are always with me!"
My mother used to remind us, especially when we were children , to pray to our Guardian Angels. I have echoed this advise to my children and grandchildren time and time again. In fact, the Morning Prayers I printed for them when they were small included the Prayer to My Guardian Angel. Now, I constantly remind them of this prayer to be said often during the day and also at night.
There is a reason for it and I know why!
The much-publicized Family Celebration of EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) scheduled for September 8th and 9th in Phoenix, Arizona aroused my interest to attend. Since my sister, Beth and Lily, my "balae" (Noel's mother-in-law) have been loyal Catholic channel viewers, too, they gave positive answers to my invitation for the trip. Lily's daughter, Evelyn, joined us for support which came in various shades.
To my pleasant surprise, Lily's nephew, Gilbert with his wife, Jovita and son, Andrew, have been residing in Phoenix for some years. They showered us with the proverbial Filipino hospitality which included a visit to Sedona some two hours away. I am most grateful to them for giving me a chance to see one of the mighty works of God! Seeing the pristine beauty of Mother Nature in this "Red Rock Country," as it is also called, made me understand why it is visited by around three million tourists annually.
Information from the Sedona Chamber of Commerce states that Sedona lies at the mouth of beautiful Oak Creek Canyon, a breathtaking chasm. Rising high above the canyon is the Mongollon Rim, a 2,000 ft encampment formed from ancient deposits of limestone, mud- stone and sandstone millions of years ago. Fanciful red rock monoliths which rise to thousand feet high because of their shapes have names such as Cathedral Rock, The Lovers, Devil's Bridge, Courthouse Butte, The Nuns or Grand Piano. Looking at the gorgeous scenery, I felt, Nature was at her best! The bizarre pinnacles and crested buttes as well as deep small canyons of clear red rocks dazzled my eyes and besieged my mind with wonder and awe. Like the psalmist, my heart cried out, "How magnificent are your works, Oh Lord. All creation bless you!" I learned that the tumbling waters of Oak Creek provide the moisture with green plants here and there and during spring and summer a carpet of flowers abound with a riot of colors. Naturally, Sedona is a favorite place of artists and nature lovers and more recently, by New Age advocates.
The Sedona Metaphysical Association is a resource for the spiritual and metaphysical side of Sedona. The area was inhabited by Indians many centuries ago and their affinity to Mother Nature was distinctly inherent in their religious rites. To this day, Sedona has earned world acclaim as a spiritual mecca because of the presence of power spots called "vortex."
Pete Sanders, Jr. a scientist, in his book,"Scientific Vortex Information," wrote, "A vortex is a site wherein the energy of its surroundings is concentrated. A person in this vortex site will have the inner ability to find, feel, measure and tap that energy." Because Sedona as a whole is regarded as a spiritual power spot, what is happening in a vortex is an energy flow of deeper dimensions. Each person may experience a vortex differently. Possibilities include new insights, intense feelings of joy, heightened spiritual awareness, problem- solving or healing of past memories. Overall, a person experiences "well-being and transforming soul nourishment" in a vortex.
To complete the Sedona visit, Gil took us to the Chapel of the Holy Cross on a much higher elevation with a vantage view of the whole area. Looking up to the chapel, one's gaze is held captive by its most prominent feature - a giant cross that seems to support the structure which jutted between two huge red boulders. To me, it seemed that Divine Hands split open the fiery monolith to make room for a sanctuary for those who are heavily laden and from whence He gives rest. True, it offers the necessary respite to anyone who ventures the long, winding climb up the mountain. We were fortunate to have used a courtesy vehicle which brought us near the chapel entrance. More than being a palliative for aching knees and feet, the elegantly simple chapel envelopes one with a certain kind of peace almost within the context of the Biblical passage, " peace beyond human understanding." To some extent, it must be the kind of feeling one experiences while being in a so-called "vortex." It is said that the Chapel of the Holy Cross is located in a vortex!
The Chapel of the Holy Cross was envisioned by Marguerite Brunswig Staude, a religious painter and sculptor, in 1932 but it was only in 1956 when she was able to build it. The American Institute of Architects gave it an Award of Honor in 1957, stating, " Though Catholic in faith, as a work of art, the chapel has a universal appeal. Its doors will ever be open to one and all, regardless of creed, that God may come to life in the souls of all men and be a living reality."
By the way, inside the chapel is a pedestal with the sculpted Head of Christ. The inscription said that it came from the Chartres Cathedral in France. I was moved by it! I felt some affinity to it not only because of its fine delicate lines and expressive countenance but due to the special privilege of having visited its source. The Chartres Cathedral is known all over the world for its majestic stained-glass windows but more importantly for having in a big side altar, on display, the slightly grayish - blue " Mantle of our Blessed Mother."
Family is an all-inclusive term that binds siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins of varying degrees into one consanqiuneous or "blood" relationship..
As such, many individuals become a coherent whole under the banner of "family." It is no wonder, therefore, that many people put a hefty premium on their family bestowing on it a certain sense of "sacredness" reserved only to the sublime.
Through the encouragement of Cielo who first thought of the idea, I started the wheels rolling on a Family Reunion of the Pablo Calara - Carmen Miranda Clan to be held on September 1, 2012.at the De Souza Hall of the Holy Spirit Church in Fremont, California.
The celebration started with a Mass, actually a Healing Mass, which happened to be regularly scheduled at that sanctuary.The grace of the Anointing of the Sick was bestowed on us and many of our relatives that day. It marked an auspicious opening - rite for a day filled with fun, music, food and laughter. The hall was a beehive of pleasant chatter of folks not having seen each other for long periods of time.Everywhere I looked, I saw faces beaming with delight and unquestionable happiness, an inner joy of meeting relatives after a long absence.
Today, August 26, 2012, is the Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa or Queen of Poland as She is called since centuries ago. Today, She is known to be one of the two "Miraculous Black Madonna" in the world. Our Lady of Montserrat of Spain is the other one.
My journey to Eastern Europe in the year 2000 covered visits to Czechoslovakia, Poland, Austria and Hungary. The total ambiance of these places had a discriminating allure so intricately difficult to explain, yet, so soothing to unravel within the senses of my being. Every place had a charm all its own - a hold on me quite removed from the plush and grandeur of Paris, London or Spain. Why? I searched for answers rather exhaustively and pinpointed three plausible reasons: my long-time devotion to the Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague, my inherent love for music which Vienna represents and the mind-boggling World War II atrocities committed in these places especially in Auschwitz.
"Jasna Gora" or "Bright Mountain" is referred to as the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland.
Tomorrow, August 10, 2012, I will be on a Paris sojourn with my daughters Marissa and Cielo and my niece, Ritz, daughter of my sister, Glory. The sights and sounds of the City of Light has enraptured me in its web of Renaissance architecture and contemporary edifices, fascinating melting-pot of art, culture, fashion and culinary excellence. It is a cosmopolitan city of many wonderful things for the eyes to see, the ears to hear and magnificent array of time-honored crafts hands have created and a surplus of nuances for emotions to surge and hearts to embrace. The very ambiance of the place where people of diverse origins, color, creed or attire meet and inter-act in a manner amicably with respect and understanding, consideration and assistance overwhelms me! Yet, Paris also is the capital of France where social reforms have ignited revolutions of such magnitude to effect political and social living.
What keeps me breathless with wonder and amazement is the old-world charm of the Renaissance structures of cathedrals and buildings coupled with the sweeping elegance of bold Modern Art. However, to me, the medieval masterpieces in painting and other art forms outshine the contemporary look although a certain harmony pervades in their contrasting features. With more than 2,000 monuments, breath-taking sanctuaries for worship and prayer which are masterpieces in themselves, I, nay, anyone can be easily carried to Cloud 9.
Most important of all, my visit to Paris always includes a pilgrimage to 140 Rue de Bac where our Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in the chapel of the Convent of the Sisters of Charity on July 18, 1830, the first of several encounters. She leaned her hands on our Lady's lap as she was told of the great suffering that would come to the Church. In addition, she was told of a mission she was to undertake.
On November 27, 1830, our Blessed Mother appeared to her in an oval frame standing on a globe wearing many rings of different colors which shone rays of light. Around the margin of the oval were the words, "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee." A large letter, M, was encircled with 12 stars and a stylized Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. Our Lady said, " All who wear this medal will receive many graces." The medal which was struck upon instructions received by St. Catherine Laboure became known as "The Miraculous Medal" because of the reported cures and healing which number by the millions.
St. Catherine Laboure died at age 70 on December 31, 1876. Her body was exhumed after 57 and was found unravaged by natural law of death with her blue eyes open. I first saw her in 1975 and through the 18 times I have so far visited her, St. Catherine's body is still incorrupt and her eyes still blue.
Another pilgrimage site in Paris is St. Vincent de Paul. But his story deserves a blog all its own.... for next time.
