The Pentecost is the 50th day after Christ’s resurrection giving us the Holy Spirit to sanctify and accompany His church. The Pentecost is the beautiful story where Jesus fulfilled His promise. The event affirmed that when we are one with God, diversity and differences are overcome by the Holy Spirit.
This is the story of two couples who celebrated their 50th as Christian couples.
Natividad and Alberto Pat-og and Agnes and Basilio Owatan presented themselves on June 8 at St. Joseph to give thanks for the loving faithfulness of God to them as a couple and as a family.
The Pat-og couple hails from Kilong, Sagada, Mountain Province are gifted with 10 children. Alberto was once the Mission Pastoral Council (MPC) of Sagada Catholic Mission.
The Owatan couple hails from Tetep-an, Sagada. They are active members of the Christian community where uncle Basilio was once an MPC president.
Natividad and Agnes are currently among the most active members of the MPC. Aside from the barangay and family responsibilities, they still find time to serve in the church.
Basilio shared that in their 50 years as a couple, he never hit his wife despite their misunderstandings.
Their decision to celebrate the Pentecost of their married life through a mass was full of meaning. They prayed as a couple to thank God and to ask for more blessings especially that of loving faithfulness. The congregation prayed for them too and joined them in their joy in the simple supper that they prepared.
For Alberto, he said that in their 50 years together, 45 years were years of joy and five years were years of tears.
“There is no perfect marriage. An hour of misunderstanding if not settled feels like five years of suffering. Hence, every misunderstanding and conflict in the relationship must be settled before it will complicate and cause more troubles,” he shared.
His wife, Natividad, added, “It is patience and kindness that kept us together as husband and wife.”
A week before the celebration, Natividad and Agnes frequented the rectory and mentioned their desire to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a mass and a supper after the mass. They volunteered to clean the church for their celebration. “We want to surprise our husband and we want them to feel the joy of love established by God. It is important to get married in the sacrament.”
It indeed makes a big difference when God is involved in the family and in a marital relationship. Faithfulness is the key for a lasting relationship and it’s the same element to look forward to another 50 years.
The city council of Malaybalay, Bukidnon approved an ordinance granting P50,000 to married couples who have been together for 50 years. I strongly support this innovation.
It is a good innovation to motivate couples.
The Sagada Catholic Mission is adapting this but instead of money, we will give certificates and tokens as appreciation for couples who remain steadfast in their married life.
Reach me at [email protected].
April 19, 2024
