Pilgrim's Pit Stop: Living in the Now

Of the many things I learned in my years of being active in Magis Deo, it is the acknowledgement that God is present in my life. Thanks to the teachings during Community Celebrations and the offerings of recollections and Ignatian Retreats by Magis Deo, what seemed to be an abstract and surreal is made real by praying the Examen every day, journaling, reflection and attendance to prayer workshops. These formation activities deepened my relationship with God. What gives me comfort and grace in prayer is always the discovery of living in the now with God beside me.

This recognition of God as my constant companion, caring and forgiving, humorous and kind eases my worries. I worried a lot back in the day. But with this newfound image and relationship with Him, I learned to worry less. I learned to pray on my worries.

And amazingly, God replies in more ways than one. A call or private message (PM) from dear friends who read one of my cryptic social media post. A good news from the eldest who lives away in college. The sun shining in the morning after days of heavy rain. The tree frog that rests languidly on a branch of our avocado tree. The butterflies that circle the white flowers growing in our front yard. Even the sun setting and spraying the sky colors of pink and indigo is God's way of saying, rest now Zarah, for tomorrow, we battle on together.

Once, my boss had the kindness and humility to make me an espresso during "hell" week in school. She knows coffee would calm me down. God was there at that moment when she handed me the cup of hot espresso. It was God telling me to chill and that the line dividing supervisor and subordinate is a man-made law. In the end of all the deadlines and deliverables, we are all hard working people who need a break. I see God in my daughter who takes candid pictures of me when I am in a pensive mood. I am assured. There is someone who will constantly keep an eye out for me. When BCGG prayer companions patiently listen to my reflections and recurring struggles, God is there listening too. Even in the spats and quarrels I have with my husband, petty or serious it may be, God is there shaking, disturbing and awakening us.

At times when I feel He is far away, too distant to be reached and felt, or missing in the little and simple events of daily life, I go back to this memory I have of God as a warm energy embracing me. This happened in a silent retreat I had with the help of a lay formator from the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at San Jose Seminary. That was a powerful experience!

This was five years ago and the feeling remains clear in my mind. This I know. God is here. God is in the now.

12 Days of Christmas Movie Review: It's A Wonderful Life

60th Anniversary version available in Amazon

It's A Wonderful Life
Director: Frank Capra
1946

James Stewart is George Bailey, a businessman of Bedford Falls, who lends money to the middle working class of the community. When his Uncle Billy lost a hefty amount to keep the business going, George fell into despair and contemplated on committing suicide. Through his guardian angel, Clarence, George realized that suicide is not a solution to his problem. His is a wonderful life, indeed!

What worked

I love James Stewart. He is perfect for this role as he represents the working class of his time and age. While this kind of character has dated the film, James Stewart's acting and his rendition of the role do not. Every man is given a moment: a fall from grace; hitting rock bottom; committing an epic failure in life. Stewart's George Bailey is dignified, a man of integrity who draws respect from his peers and members of the community. When he met a dead end on his business, Stewart's George Bailey transformed into someone else. Where is the man who needs to be brave? I wanted to yank him away from the ledge in the bridge when he was thinking of ending his life.

Enter George's guardian angel, Clarence, who at the start of the movie was called on by God to intervene. I also liked this part because I do believe in angels. God's love is indeed eternal.

Clarence showed George past events of his life: how he has helped many people build lives through his buisness; what brought his hearing impairment that disqualified him from fighting in the war; and how much he is loved by his wife and children. One's course of action do affect and effect the lives of many.

I first saw this movie when I was in my tweens and I have felt good inside after seeing it. Through the years, I would watch the movie with friends and family and I would get the same feel good effect. These year, at Christmas time, watching it again affirms the magnificence and magnanimity of God's love for us. Like George Bailey, we are given the freedom to make a choice: to do good or bad; to be brave or to be a coward; to fight for our values or to run away from them. Like George Bailey, we are constantly guided by our angels. God does not control our every actions, but He is ever present in our lives.

This Christmas, I recommend this movie to be seen at home with family and friends. The world is so much in need of hope. I think we all need to be reminded how, in these dark and difficult times, God is with us. Sometimes we know and feel how he works in our lives and sometimes, we do not feel Him at all. But He sends angels, in one form or another, so that we realize that life is wonderful indeed!

Rating: 5

Source of image: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/518356GQPGL.jpg

Online Resources for Holy Week & for Ordinary Weeks

It's Palm Sunday today. For Catholics, this ushers in the Holy Week meant for reflection, silence and reconnection with God and one's self. Though Lent began last February 24 on Ash Wednesday, this coming week is its zenith as Catholics and Christians world wide move on to prayer.

As long as one finds a quiet place, one can find God in prayer and reflection. And He is online too.

The Philippine Jesuits has a running Online Retreat. Dubbed as The Silences of Lent, one can attend the retreat via the Internet. It has a priming activity to prepare retreatants to the Tridium of this coming week. It is on it's second year and the first one was quite successful with so many retreatants posting their prayers and reflections in the forum. I was one of them. I even wrote about it in my personal blog last year. I'm not telling you to take my word for it, but it worked for me so I will do the same this year inspite of the annual Holy Week recollection that my husband and I will attend on April 9.

I'm not expecting to grow a pair of wings nor expect a halo on my head to appear. I've too many sins. Attending several recollections and retreats is merely not enough to absolve a sinner like myself. Besides, conversion is a long process. God works in wondrous ways and He has been patient with me. So who knows, I might receive a grace that I do not pray for.

I also look forward to the Online Visitia Iglesia. I hope the Jesuits do another round again because, if not this Holy Week, the churches are very good spots for the pilgrims to visit in the future.

Apart from these links for this Holy Week, Sacred Space offers online prayer guides and reflections even on ordinary days and weeks. Didache is also a good source for daily prayer. Bo Sanchez, lay preacher and inspirational speaker who is almost always in blue jeans, has a blog where his writings based on the scriptures are found.

There really is no escaping God's love and presence. His invitation is open and free for all. It is only a matter of choice to take and receive it. Have a restful Holy Week -- this means, no blogging from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. At least, for me.