These Little Wonders

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13 If I were to summarize my February, it would really be just about those three words: faith , hope , and love .  FAITH. With everything that I've gone through this month in terms of health, finances, family, career, service, I would really say that it was just my faith and God's faithfulness that kept me afloat. I'm not a perfect Christian. I'm still striving to maintain a deep connection with the Lord. But with His grace, I am able to hold on to my faith especially when the going gets really tough. Amidst the medical results, the meager resources, the uncertainties, the fears, I managed to remain calm and sane. I broke down a few times before God and before the people I trust the most, pero gaya nga ng sabi sa isang text message na natanggap ko, kung may pinagdadaanan ka, dumaan ka lang, huwag kang tumambay . I cry desperately before the Lord, I que...

Though I was (and still am) not feeling well, I thank God for the gift of today. It has been a great day filled with love, grace, and inspiration. ♥ The first thing I did when I arrived at the GMC was to line up for confession. And it was indeed a beautiful moment with my God and with my dear Fr. Benedict who did not just patiently listen to what I had to say, but lovingly reminded me of the truths I might have missed along the rough roads of life. Just like Paolo, he really knows the right words to say and when to say them. I feel loved and understood and cared for every time I talk to people like them. ♥ And of course, there's the beautiful homily of Fr. Benedict during the noon mass. Muntik na naman akong maiyak . Ask. Seek. Knock. :)  Then I had one of the best lunches ever. I left the canteen not just with a full tummy but a full heart as well. I shared the same table with some of the most inspiring men in CFC: Tito Eric Ylagan, Tito Louie Maglaya and Fr. Ben...

Since Thursday last week, Fr. Benedict has been reminding us of the importance of the season of Lent. During his homily, he urged us once again not to let this season pass without doing anything to make it as meaningful as possible.  We hear it every year: lent is a time for prayer, fasting and abstinence, and almsgiving . But what have we done about it?  It's easy to be tempted to treat these 40 days are just "ordinary" because we encounter them year after year. But Lent is not just a Catholic tradition. It is an opportunity to grow in holiness, be a better person, and grow closer to God.  Fr. Benedict suggested the following to make this Lent truly a season of love:  1. Pray more. Set an alarm for your quality time with the Lord. And commit to really spend that time with Him. If you already have a disciplined prayer time, then pray longer. Spend more time with the One who truly loves you, and who loves you more than any other person can ever love ...

God is God. And because He knows everything, He communicates with us in the most appropriate way at the most appropriate time.  Today, He spoke through Fr. Dexter Carr. During his homily he mentioned two important things that I need to be reminded of.  1. God deserves our best, and when we give our best to God there is always a sense of sacrifice.  It is not just giving for the sake of giving. It is giving until it hurts. And sure it will hurt, because you're giving something important in your life, you're giving your all.  2. Christ is our light and hope, therefore, we do not give up.  Ang taong may Diyos, kahit na anong mabigat na pagsubok, mapagtatagumpayan. We hold on to the letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews (Second Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18). Because Jesus Himself was tested through what He suffered, He is able to help those who are being tested. Kapit lang. Hindi ka nag-iisa! (note to self) We celebrate today the Feast of the Prese...