A Blessed Birthday Indeed

          Last Monday, the 9th of December, I was able to celebrate my birthday simply. We went to SM Marilao and ate at David's Tea House. We were able to hear mass that evening but we were late because of the traffic. I am very happy because our Blessed Mother's feast day was moved on the day of my birthday! Before I wished that my birthday is on the 8th of December! The celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception was moved to December 9, because the Feast coincided with the Sunday mass and we are in the Season of Advent. Our parish priest said that the Advent more important compared to the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

After the mass we were serenaded by the seminarians from Immaculate Conception Major Seminary in Guiguinto, Bulacan. They sang a beautiful rendition of "Aba Ginoong Maria." They were the ones who produced the melody. This day was really a blessing! I thank our Almighty Father for everything and for letting me feel how to be truly a spiritual daughter of our Blessed Mother Mary! Like the motto of saint Pope John Paul II, I am totally yours, our Blessed Mother Mary!

Our Lady of Guadulupe (Patroness of Life)

           As I am writing this blog, I am watching Fr. Chris Alar's, talk on YouTube about Our Lady of Guadalupe. My birth month is December, and this month is really special for me because I am a devotee of Our Blessed Virgin Mary. When I was a little girl, I asked her to be me my mother, and I to be her adoptive daughter. Because I see her as the role model of mothers, and I long for a perfect mother. I really learned a lot about Our Lady of Guadalupe. I watched a video about the story of Juan Diego, whose feast falls on the 9th of December. 

I had a book before about the eight great apparitions of our Blessed Mother, the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe was included there. My mom gave me a rosary bracelet before with the image of Our Lady of the Rosary, but I disposed it and almost all my Catholic books when I joined a Protestant church. I am remorseful, and I regret my actions, and for setting-aside, not giving the due honor and respect to the mother of our Lord Jesus. When I was stricken with dengue, a decade ago, praying the rosary and using the bracelet rosary with the Guadalupe image, was a part of my healing journey.

To those of you who has not heard of the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Here is the story below by Raul Reyes from NBC news. 

According to lore, it was a winter’s day in 1531 when the Virgin Mary first appeared to Juan Diego, a peasant, as he was crossing a hillside near present-day Mexico City. She appeared as a dark-skinned woman who spoke Nahuatl, Juan Diego’s native language. This woman asked Juan Diego to build her a little house, a casita, on the hill. Twice Juan Diego reported this to his local bishop, who didn’t believe him. The second time, the bishop asked for proof of the apparitions.

Early on the morning of December 12th, the lady appeared again to Juan Diego and told him to gather some flowers at the top of the hill – a strange request because flowers were not in season in December. Juan Diego did as he was instructed, and found an array of Castilian roses. The lady helped him arrange them in his tilma (cloak), and he returned to the bishop with them as evidence. As Juan Diego presented the tilma to the bishop, the flowers tumbled out and the two men discovered a life-size image of the Virgin Mary on the inside of the cloak. This image is known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, has united us. Not only the whole population of the Americas, namely the Indians, the American Indians, and the Mexicans. She who chose Juan Diego, and all the visionaries to whom she appeared. She is the mother of the humble and poor. She is truly a loving mother to all of us. I am home now to our church, and being close again to our Blessed Mother, and of course to our Lord Jesus. Like a priest said, Mama Mary lead us to Jesus. To Jesus, through Mary. Our Lady of Guadalupe is called the patroness of life, her image shows she is pregnant, and remember how she healed the uncle of Juan Diego, she really values life... human life, so I believe that was the reason she was given that title. If you want to know more about Our Lady of Guadalupe, please do watch the talk of Fr. Chris Alar, MIC on YouTube.