In these times of distress, trials, and tribulations; when everyone is afraid or anxious, there is no one to turn to except keeping our faith in a Supreme Being. During her lifetime St. Teresa of Avila wrote a beautiful prayer which we might all consider in our hour of need:
Let nothing disturb you,
let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.
We joined Fr. Jerry Orbos and five Society of the Divine Word priests for a dinner, drinks, and song last Wednesday. They were supposed to have a pilgrimage to the Holy Land but were prevented by the threat of the Covid-19.
Fr. Orbos also has a message: “The gifts of caring, attention, affection, and appreciation are the most precious gifts we can give. Let’s keep telling others how much they matter. It is not easy having a kind heart in a cruel world, and our greatest test is when we help someone else while undergoing our own storms. Let our goal in life be: To serve. To inspire. To share God’s love.” Lord, may legalism not quarantine us from truly loving You and Your people.
Today is historically referred to as the Ides of March – a day of fortune.
The ides of March marked the first full moon of a new year and ironically, during the Roman Republic, a new year’s festival was held in which people would gather a mile outside of Rome on the Via Flaminia by the banks of the Tiber River. Participants celebrated with food, wine and music and offered sacrifices to the Roman deity Anna Perenna for a happy and prosperous new year. The other side of the story says the ides of March is supposed to be bad luck because that was the day Julius Caesar was assassinated, thus the soothsayer’s warning to Julius Caesar to “Beware the ides of March.”
In these critical times, the Ides of March seems to come with bad luck as the Covid-19 is hovering around us. Filipinos though are known for their resilience and will turn this misery into fortune.
Amidst the chaos, an all important lady celebrates her birthday tomorrow the 16th. A meaningful birthday to Bernie with a prayerful wish for good health and a fruitful life to be able to continue enjoying the blessings rightfully earned and deserved…Sigh!
