Courage Is...

Last night we watched the movie Invictus.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

~William Ernest Henley

Courage is when we've fallen into the darkest moments of our lives but still have the guts to keep trying, running the race, and loving others...even if they've made our lives miserable.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."

~ Marianne Williamson

Shine!

I promised my younger siblings that I'd post this up. =)

"God shares in the suffering of life and brings redemption for everything that is broken. This revelation causes, no, demands, that those of us who have experienced and participate in this great rescue, display such a thing to those who live unaware of a balm, a fix, an answer to and for all that is bent."
~David Crowder

"Shine your light for all to see it..."

Our Bishop's Letter

Happy All Saints' Day, by the way! =)

A quick word/post about tomorrow's election day:

The following pulpit announcement was read at all Masses this past weekend:

"Dear Parishioners:
We Catholics have a mission: to proclaim the good news of Jesus, who came to announce the Kingdom of God. It is a kingdom where love reigns, even in difficult circumstances. Our faith embraces many values, including the sanctity of human life, the sacredness of God’s plan for marriage and family, economic justice for all, and freedom to practice our faith not just as a private matter but as a contribution to the welfare of the entire community. The leaders we elect are extremely important, so I urge every Catholic who is eligible to vote to do so in this week’s general election. Let this sacrifice of your time be a pleasing offering to God. Let us always pray for our community and our civic leaders."
+ Bishop Larry Silva

Since our family serves during Sunday Masses, I heard this letter being read three times. And our Bishop is right. As Christian Catholics, we are entrusted with the mission of proclaiming Christ in everything we do - including voting. Tomorrow when we who are eligible to vote step up to the polls, will we be able to say that we are truly acting as Christ's messengers; proclaiming Him King through our actions? Or are we going to proclaim ourselves in His place?
I pray that each and every one of you will make the right choice.

Did u know how u born?

God. Is. Awesome.

*small update*
Ack, I forgot to say:
Kudos and thank you to Sister CC for initially sharing this!

“So we do not lose heart.

Though our outer self is wasting away...

...our inner self is being renewed day by day.

For this light momentary affliction...

...is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison...

....as we look not to the things that are seen but to things that are unseen…”

~2 Corinthians 4:16-18

~*~*~*~*~

Dance for "A different kind of Love!"

Ok, time for some fun! ^^

"NY2LA" by Press Play:


...aaand, I can't help but add an awesome quote shared by my cousin:
"People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved, and people are being used."

A lot to swallow?

(A memorial for the unborn located at Star of the Sea parish)

Happy Respect Life month! =)
"Life is a gift." How many people say that? Now how many people actually stand up and say to the world that all life is a gift from God, much less write a song about it?
That's why BarlowGirl is one of my favorite bands. Not just because their music is great, but because they're willing to stand against the tide of what the world is trying to conform us to. One of their songs is called "Tears Fall", and is proudly pro-life. Alyssa from the band says:

"We’ve always felt very passionate about the sanctity of life. I come from a family with very strong beliefs. Our parents instilled in us from a very young age the importance of callings and destinies. We believe that as human beings created in God’s image, we all have a calling and a destiny. As we’ve opened our eyes to the horrors around us, we can see that one-third of our future population has been brutally killed through abortion. So one-third of our destinies have been killed off. What if an aborted child was going to cure cancer? Did we terminate the life of someone who had the cure for AIDS? Everyone is meant to further the world somehow. In our craving for comfort, Americans have decided it is their right to end someone’s destiny.
I heard a teaching about Genesis Chapter 4 regarding the story of Cain killing Abel led to God saying Abel’s destiny was crying out to him in the original text. I think everyone should have a chance to fulfill God’s plan for their lives. A lot of men and women have been deceived about abortion. We know this is a very sensitive subject for people. We know people who have been through an abortion need healing and we also know that God wants us to protect life."

Here's the whole story.

I once heard someone say that there's a war like never before being waged on humanity; that none of these problems and issues we face today had ever been so strongly imposed. And it's true. When in history have we ever been so unsure about our morals? Do we ever listen to our consciences now, or have we drowned them out? When did the line between right and wrong become so blurred that we're not ever sure how to define life? Or marriage? Or anything else??

This is the world I'm trying to grow up in...and it's a battlefield. The biggest challenge? It's the kind that can't be seen with physical eyes. I know this is probably the last thing you want to read. It's not something I want to acknowledge with either...I've got enough to deal with, being a young person and all! Let's face it, though, running away is one of the things that brought this upon us.

But I'm not giving up hope.

"Finally, my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having gird your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints..."
~Ephesians 6:10-18

I don't know how much good I'm going to do in this; goodness, besides at least two faithful readers, I don't even know who comes here! In the blogosphere, I'm not anybody, really. But I can't ignore everything that's happening around me. I'm probably in for a pounding, but: "There's still some good in this world...and that's worth fighting for."

So, friends. When you're called to fight, would you take a stand? In this battle that's raging over, in front, and in our heads, which side are you going to take?

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

The Unexpected

(Tsk, tsk. So messy. ^_^)


This Saturday, our parish Youth and Young Adult group is holding a movie event in time for the 1 year anniversary of Father Damien's canonization. So in preparation, we've had meetings these past two Fridays to get ready with some poster boards on Father Damien. Since everyone knew were were in the middle of our moving process, my siblings and I weren't placed in charge of anything. Whew! "Thank goodness for that," we thought. Unfortunately, our relief was too good to be true and very short lived. We skipped one meeting, but attended the recent one ('cause we're finally done moving ^_^), wondering what became of everyone during the first meeting. Sure enough, we found that only 2 out of 3 poster boards were actually being worked on (and not quite done at all), and my little sis and I were to roll up our sleeves to work on the last one. Ack. Yup, I could hear God laughing at me from that bare tri-fold cardboard. =P
In no way am I condemning the people who didn't show up to do their assignments. For all we know, they had a good reason not to be there. But it did remind me that we always have to be ready and willing. We might not be expecting God to hand a project to us immediately after we'd just finished the last one, but He often does just to keep us busy and on our toes. ;) Like in today's Gospel, the poor servant had just come from plowing the fields and keeping the sheep, when his master goes and tells him to "prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink". Well...after all, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty."
We must always be ready and willing to accept the unexpected happenings in our life, and perhaps one day we might hear: "Well done good and faithful servant...Come and share your master's happiness!"

Btw, you are all invited to this Saturday's movie event. XD If you haven't yet guessed, the movie will be a film on Father Damien. If you're on the island and can make it, join us at the Cathedral Kamiano Center at 7pm!

St. Therese

(A clay rose made by my little sis)(update 10/2....um, yeah, now there's a picture ^_^)

Happy feast of Saint Therese!

"You probably think that I do as I say. No, I am not always faithful, but I am never discouraged. I drop into the arms of Jesus...It is enough to bear one's faults meekly; that is true holiness... When we accept out disappointment at our failures, God immediately returns to us."

"I have no way of proving my love for you other than that of strewing of flowers, that is, not allowing one little sacrifice to escape, not one look, one word, profiting by all small things and doing them through love."

"Everything is a grace."

~Saint Therese