Dec 9: God In Our Midst

Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for me

It was time to go home. Did I accomplish what I wanted? Yes. I attended my nephew's wedding. I visited my mom and saw she is happy where she is and I had time to pray and discern the Lord's face.

Dec 8: Immaculate Conception

I am the Immaclate Conception

This was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We remember how God saved the Blessed Mother from original sin when she was conceived. The Church was full.

Dec 7: Quiet Sunday

Lopez Building

Went to mass in the morning and the place we sat was not so great because I could barely hear the sound. I think we choose a dead spot. The homily was also interesting because the priest presented a touching video about a son who left home because he had a quarrel with his dad. As he lived his own life, he had an accident. The son gave up on recuperating until his father came and literally carried him on his back to help him walk.

Dec 6: Four Sacraments in a Day

Dawn from the building

A super typhoon is headed to the country. It looked like a big one. Prayers were said again and it looks like the Lord heard. Thankfully, it was downgraded to just a typhoon. The picture shows the dawn shot from where I am staying.

Dec 5: One Thing Jesus Cannot Do

Our Lady of Lourdes

The usual routine in the morning, mass at the National Shrine of our Lady of Lourdes. This time, my mom came with me. It is a short 1 block walk so she was able to manage. I also noticed that this time, the statue of our Lady was also at the top of altar. With a super typhoon on its way, there was a prayer after mass asking the Lord's intervention. One of the best trait of the Filipino is his faith in God. He knows who can save him.

After the mass, there was a novena to the Sacred Heart being a first Friday.

Dec 4: Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes

Altar of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes

I landed in Manila Dec 4 at 4:05 am. It was half an hour ahead of time. Let's keep it up PAL. The flight was very difficult. I find it hard to sleep on the plane. Sitting at the window was not a good decision because it was evening all through the flight. All you see outside the window is just blackness. The moon was beautiful though - it was orangy and turned quite red. God's wonder in nature. The heavens indeed declare the glory of our God.

Dec 2: Flight to Manila

Victoria International Airport Boarding Area

I am going back to Manila this December for the wedding of my nephew. The interesting thing about him is he is the first born who is a son, of a first born who is a son (my brother) of a first born who is a son (my father), of a first born who is a son (grandfather). There has to be something significant about that.

May 27: Flight to Victoria

Congee with Raw Egg

I had breakfast with my brother and his two sons. We went to Causeway, a Chinese restaurant. I had congee, the traditional Chinese breakfast. After that, I stayed with my mother for about an hour before I headed back to pack and wind things up. Things had gone on well.

I think I had been able to wrap my head around what I had come here. I had heard the voice of God in the midst of all the events.

May 26-27: Preparation for Flight Home

We went to the mall yesterday. I just realized that in my trip, this is the only time I had gone out with my wife. We went to eat at a Chinese restaurant where they hand-pull the noodles. A friend told me that one of his friends boasted to his uncle from China that he would take his uncle to a fancy restaurant. When he brought the uncle to the restaurant, the uncle asked what was so fancy about the restaurant. The guy said, they hand pull the noodles.

To this, the uncle laughed and said, in China, hand pulled noodles is common to sidewalk food stalls because the owners could not afford to buy noodle making machines. So what is common in China and called a "poor man's food" is a luxury food in the Philippines.

May 24-25: Wedding and Sunday

May 24 was the wedding of my wife's nephew. It was at Our Lady of Mt Carmel. Whenever I attend a wedding, I remember God's faithfulness to his people. God often refers to his relationship to them as a marriage.

I also remember Jesus Christ the Bridegroom and his Bride - the Church. Christ died for his Church to make her pure and unblemished. This is also a call to me as a husband to help lead my wife to holiness. The more I live a married life, the more I am convinced that God joined a man and a woman together so that they can lead each other to holiness. I pray for all married couples that they may continue to help each other grow in holiness.

May 23-24 The Doctor and the Wedding

May 23rd, I went to confession and the priest gave me very wise advice. I hope and pray I will be able to follow through with his advice.

My brother, sister and I went to visit my mother's doctor. She looked at my mother and checked her up. Physically, my mother is healthy, but her mind is slowly giving. She is in the early stages of Alzheimers'. Please pray for her.

May 21: Lunch with a Friend

I had lunch with my high school classmate. He has been my best friend since high school and our friendship has continued since then.

It is a blessing to see him because every time we meet, I get encouraged by his life. He continues to live in the Lord and his testimony of what the Lord continues to do in his life encourages me. Although he is an evangelical, our difference in our faith is not a hindrance for us to talk about what God has done for us.

May 20: Early Morning Prayer and Rest

Chapel of the Monastery of Our Lady of Montserrat

My brother and I went early to catch the early morning prayer at the Benedictine Monastery. We arrived before 6 am and the chapel was already open. We went in and you get a sense of peace. The place was still dark except for the lights on the statues.

May 19: The Heat and Chinatown

Avocado Ice Cream

My wife and I went out early to buy groceries. Since it was hot, we bought ice-cream, Arce ice cream of course, Avocado flavor. One of the things I have observed in Philippine fruits is that they are sweet. There are several mango varieties available in Canada but none of them can beat the sweetness of Philippine mango, not even the Ataulfo mangoes which looks just like it.

May 18: The Two Trees and The Simple Llife

The day began early again. We went to mass at 6 am and went to my in-laws' farm. We visited their grave and went to their farm nearby. It is 5 hectares I think with mango trees and a lot of other fruit trees.

Panoramic view of the farm

One of the two mango trees felled by Haiyan

May 16-17: Power Outage and the Call to Holiness

I went to visit my sister who had her grandson over. My mother was later brought to the house. I spent some time with them. It was a good time to catch up with my mother. She's slowly showing signs of Alzheimer's. But it was still good to have time with her.

May 15: St. isidore and Trinoma Mall

I went to mass yesterday and it was the feast day of St. Isidore the Farmer. The priest spoke of how Isidore was able to attend mass every day despite the fact that he was working also. The priest also thought it was very strange that people could not spend even an hour a week to give to the Lord.

This is sad but true. I think there is a need to allocate not only 1 hour a week but some time every day to pray. Holiness is an everyday decision. We make that decision every waking moment of our lives. We may fail and we will fail. But the important thing is we know that God is there to pick us up.

May 14: Touchdown Manila

Traffic as seen from inside the car

Boarding time was right on the dot. Because I brought a cane, I was given priority boarding. The hitch was that the take off was delayed for about an hour. However, despite the delay we arrived on time (4:35am).

The NAIA 2 terminal was VERY HOT! And the baggage claim area was hot and very crowded. I find it very disappointing and embarrassed that a foreigner's first impression of the country would be a very inefficient airport. Shame on whoever the manager is.

Victoria to Vancouver: Waiting for the Flight

Victoria International Airport Boarding Area

Today is Monday after a very hectic weekend at work. But thankfully, things have settled down. I left work at 3 pm today and we left Victoria before 8 pm. At the Victoria Airport, I was given priority boarding because of my cane.

The flight to Vancouver was quick. The plane barely lifted off and the flight attendant announced that we were landing.

Prologue

At Victoria International Airport

This is a strange trip. We had planned to take this trip last year. But the strange thing is that it just felt right. The previous trips were rewards to our children finishing high school. This trip is different because my wife and I are making this trip. The children are in Victoria.

What is also interesting is this is my first trip while working as an employee. The previous trips were made when I was consulting. I had to limit my days based on the vacations I am given. I am also making this trip while still recuperating from that knee surgery I had in December. I will be able to move but limited. I just hope this will  not spoil my ability to eat.

Another thing is there are things I need to discern. I believe this trip will allow me to step back and listen to God's voice for me at this stage of my life. May I have the courage to seek his will and may I have the courage to respond to his will.

So this will probably be similar to my previous blogs. Lots of local insights, probably some political commentaries, a lot of food commentaries, but hopefully, all these will work together to help me discern the will of the Lord.