All For Mother Mary

Somebody else could hear?

2006-06-26T03:41:00.000-07:00

I recall a friend of mine once said that she doesn't like to pray the rosary because one is never sure who gets to hear the prayer.

"Malay mo kung sino ang nakikinig sa dasal mo, mahirap na!" She smirked, winked, and left. ("It's difficult, who knows who might be listening to your prayer!")

I felt that she was insinuating that prayers said through the rosary were being heard by unholy beings. Oh well, she was an atheist at that time. She didn't believe in God, what more in the Blessed Virgin, right! It's probably why that's how "low" she regards the rosary.

Now that she's a "born again" Christian, she believes in God but--well, still not in the Blessed Virgin. Well, she's improving! That's good. Maybe sometime in the future, she'll return to the religion she was born in. By God's will, she will--eventually.

I guess most Catholics just grew up with the knowledge that they have to pray the rosary just because it's a way to pray, to ask for favors, or simply because the Church "instituted" it as a means to commemorate the life of Christ and Mary and the history of our salvation.

What the Catholic Church failed to do was to brief the laity of the rosary's history. Honestly, I myself didn't know that the Blessed Virgin herself gave it to St. Dominic had I not researched online about it. And I've been praying the rosary for more than a decade already.

The good thing is, I can say that, truly, the Blessed Virgin herself hears our prayers since she gave it for us to pray!

Oh well, I guess people just doesn't like history since it's often regarded as boring--prompting the Catholic Church to use a teaching method people prefer: one that focuses more on benefits.

Speaking of benefits, the Blessed Virgin promised more than the fulfillment of favors (as long as it is according to God's will) by praying the rosary. She actually has fifteen--take note!--fifteen promises to those who ardently and devotedly pray the rosary everyday.

Here they are:

To all those who shall recite my Rosary devoutly, I promise my special protection and very great graces.

Those who shall persevere in the recitation of my Rosary will receive some signal grace.

The Rosary will be a very powerful armor against hell; it will destroy vice, deliver from sin and dispel heresy.

The rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for souls the most abundant divine mercies; it will substitute in hears love of God for love of the world, and elevate them to desire heavenly and eternal good. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

Those who trust themselves to me through the Rosary will not perish.

Those who shall recite my Rosary piously, considering its mysteries, will not be overwhelmed by misfortune, not die a bad death. The sinner will be converted; the just will grow in grace and become worthy of eternal life.

Those truly devoted to my Rosary will not die without the consolations of the Church, or without grace.

Those who shall recite my Rosary will find during their life and at their death the light of God, the fullness of His grace, and will share in the merits of the blessed.

I will deliver very promptly from purgatory the souls devoted to my Rosary.

The true children of my Rosary will enjoy great glory in heaven.

What you shall ask through my Rosary you shall obtain.

Those who propagate my Rosary will obtain through me, aid in all their necessities.

I have obtained from my Son that all the confreres of the Rosary shall have for their brethren in life and death the saints of heaven.

Those who recite my Rosary faithfully are all my beloved children, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.

Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

Marian Devotions

2006-06-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

Filipinos are full of Marian Devotees--though it's hard to say what percentile of them are really, whole-heartedly full pledged followers of Mary.

Fiestas and churches are named in her honor. Block rosaries are celebrated everyday in different homes across the archipelago.

Honestly, I'm not one anymore.

I fail to pray the rosary everyday.
I fail to give her reverence every 1:00 p.m.
I don't attend feasts in her honor.
I don't regularly hear mass anymore.

I used to do all these before. I don't know what happened to me. Eversince I had a boyfriend, these virtues started fading one by one.

I missed joining the La Naval processions. I missed going to Antipolo every May 1. I missed chatting with her. I missed my old self.

I don't want to imply that my boyfriend-now-a-long-time-beloved-hubby is a bad influence and the reason for all these.

The truth is. I'm worst at time management. I don't get to have time for the things I want and love to do because I'm too swamped with work, the business, and the stress that comes with it.

However, I will keep on trying. Until then, I wish you pray for me.

(By the way, a husband of a friend's of ours is currently in the ICU of the Heart Center of the Philippines. I implore you to pray for his speedy recovery and for our friends spiritual strength.)

Why Do They Remove Mary?

2006-06-02T05:15:00.000-07:00

It has become common for me to meet non-Catholic Christians over the past 3 years. Just like any other Filipino, non-Catholic Christians are AOK.

The one thing I could not understand, though, with non-Catholic Christians is their practice of removing the Blessed Virgin Mary from God's plan of salvation, simply by removing her from their Bible.

It's pretty weird not to recognize Mary and the great role She played in our salvation. Just think about it...

At fourteen, a stranger suddenly appears in your room one day and says, "Hi! You'll bear the Son of God, bring Him up according to your tradition and practices, and sacrifice Him one day to save mankind." (When I was fourteen, I was in first year high school--so being pregnant was definitely not in my mind, what more on doing something far greater than myself!)

Not a pretty easy thing to do, right!

But Mary's role didn't end there. She was the guiding light that nurtured Jesus to become what He was and bear the cross He had to die on, for all of us! Even thru the road to Calvary, She was there to give him strength to go on.

Can you just imagine the pain she bore during those moments? Had she not have been Blessed by God, I'd believe that she would not have the strength to contain the anger from the violence Her Son met. (I mean, let's get real! Isn't it so easy to flare up against your maid the moment you see your son having mosquito bites! What more could you have done if your son was spatted at, thrown stones at, crowned with thorns with, tied to a cross, made a total fool of, made to walk the town almost naked, kicked, whipped with spikes--I hope you get the picture by now!)

The part that's really weakening is in knowing that you can't interfere nor stop all this violence against your Son because you know it is His purpose for being!

Unimaginable.

Don't you agree it's unfair to not ackowledge Her for her greatness, too!

First Timer

2005-07-13T02:51:00.000-07:00

The very first time I could recall ever holding onto my rosary so dearly was in February 1986. I was only ten years old then. My mother was a month on her way to labor and was very anxious at the moment.

My other two siblings were too young to realize what was going on then, and my mom had to portray an image of strength.

I recall kneeling in front of the altar and saying every prayer for every bead on the rosary as one would in a time of dire need. Overhead, I could hear helicopters swooshing by as status of rallyists at EDSA were reported over the loud-playing radio of our neighbor.

I got a glimse of what was happening in our immediate vicinity from the window some distance where I knelt. People were anxious, too. Every so often, they'd go out of their homes, look at the heavens, and talk to each other.

The prayer I held so dear in my young heart then was simple, "Mama Mary, protect my father. Sana po walang masaktan. (I wish that no one will be hurt.)"

It was February 25, 1986. EDSA revolution was at its ripest and my father was out there, somewhere along EDSA along with his friends fighting for our freedom--like the thousands of Filipinos who flocked, prayed, and begged for the military to hold down their guards and join the fight against Marcos' regime.

Moments later, I was done praying. Moments after that, people were shouting. Rejoicing! Marcos has fled! The Philippines was free from the cruel arms of the dictator!

Moments later, our car parked out front. My dad rushed to us, arms open. He picked up each one of us and almost tossed us in the air in happiness, chanting, "Tapos na! Tapos na! (It is finished! It is finished!)"

I shall never forget that day. A day when God, through Mary, made his presence felt all over the Philippines. Hail Mary, Queen of Peace!

Against Myself

2005-06-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

There it was, as it has been for the past 3 weeks. The statue of Our Lady Of Fatima stood in the dark above our shoe rack turned display and magazine counter in our living room. It should have moved to another home 2 weeks ago but never did.

This is the first time the Block Rosary image haulted in our home. It's my fault really. I didn't make the time to pray in the mornings as I should have done so. I was almost done with the Novena, really. Actually, I was onto the sixth day when I stopped praying the rosary altogether. I didn't know what got into me. I just had one excuse conquer me over the other. I just didn't felt like praying. Shame on me.

I kept on saying and planning that I'll pray tomorrow so I can start with the Novena again. I never got through the thinking process, though. I know I NEED to pray but just didn't.

I needed to pray for a host of things. To thank God for all the so many blessings I get each day. Then, there are the problems I have to ask his assistance for to get through from and find resolution for.

I am not normally like this. I don't like what I'm doing. But I guess, I just have to give myself the break I deserve and be real about it.

Now, three weeks later, I finally had the chance to pray again yesterday. Today, though I can not start the Novena all over again, I hope to finally pass on the image and what I've learned during its stay as well.

God ceases to love us eventhough we have mood swings and are insensitive most of the time.
I am as weak as any mortal being and am prone to inconsistencies.
Everything takes time.
An act done wholeheartedly is better than one done out of necessity.

Cast your stones now. I am ready.

All For Mother Mary

2005-05-05T20:07:00.000-07:00

I have not yet seen a blog dedicated to Mary. Mary? Yes, Mother Mary, Virgin of Virgins, Mother of God, Mother of Christ!

I finally pictured what life was during Her time and could not help feel embarrassed for thinking that my life as a woman (of today) is so indescribably hard.

To think, women then held no rights and resolved into silence for anything and were forced to conform into doing their duties. What women are experiencing now are miniscule compared to women of Her time and incomparable to what She underwent!

With that know-how, I thought why not create a blog for Mary as a way to share the graces and wisdom I have received from the Holy Trinity through Her intercession. A blog that will serve as an inspiration for women (for me, should I forget in the future) and for men, too, when they need it most. A reference people, who are less-religious-but-really-spiritual as I am, can look forward to, to learn more about Mary, Her life, and why She is given such veneration by the Catholic Church.

May we all find Christ through Her! Hail, Mary!