1st Saturday of the Month

 Come Oh Holy Spirit, please fill the hearts of thy faithful, please enkindle in us the fire of Your Divine Love, send forth your Spirit Oh Lord, and it shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.

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This month marks the start of   me no longer receiving Kerygma Daily Bible Reflections through my email.

They have shifted to the mobile phone app version.

I feel so sad, because for more than 30 years I have been regularly receiving it in the comfort of my inbox.

The format is so beautiful!

It starts with a reflection from a layperson.

Then each reading for the day is preceded by a short introduction that lends a better context and understanding of the text.

Then it  is capped with the reflection by a priest.

Then of course, there are reflection questions in between and quotable quotes. So rich and so  complete

I am so sad that their app does not recognize north america mobile  numbers.

Oh how I wish something can still be done.

In the meantime, I got to try out other sources like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_JIZ5dZxeg&ab_channel=CatholicOnline

But, the last one does not give us the responsorial psalm, The following does...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHJKLILBImQ&ab_channel=WORDOFGOD

Perhaps, I will make my own reflection questions to ponder on.

Let me try:

The first reading is from the book of Leviticus. It  narrates about the Lord's precise timings for buying and selling after a jubilee year with instructions of how much to charge and buy a certain real estate property.

My question:   In my use of company hours, do I make myself most available for rendering of good use for the work or not?

In short, do I give my  best in the performance of my job while at work or not? Are there lulls beyond break time that gives me the chance to indulge in small talk or gossip?

The  responsorial psalm for today is: Psalm 67:3

Oh God, let all the nations praise You.

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Reflection question for the gospel reading for today: Do you think a martyr's death is what you are being called for? Why or why not?

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Why is it better to focus on the things we are grateful for rather than those that hurt  or pain us?

Attitude of gratitude over the victim mentality will help us heal faster and easier.

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Let me count the ways I am so grateful for:

1. Movie time with  Ruel and the girls last night. Mari was testing her newly replaced mini projector.

2. Small project accomplished despite fits and starts for an MFC Family Day invite.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xTH6yaHIKbc

3. The 5th online Retreat Meeting with MI Loreto for the Consoling the Heart of Jesus by M. Gaitley

4. Despite the super back ache, I praise and thank God for the grace of  doing my 2nd part time work from 9am to 12 noon yesterday and my 3rd part time work from 130pm to 6pm.

I can barely walk, sit and lie down comfortably. Thank You Lord for this just the same!

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End of the Month Musings

 Come Oh Holy Spirit, please fill the hearts of thy faithful, enkindle in us the fire of  Your Divine love. Send forth your Spirit Oh Lord, and it shall be created, and You Oh Lord, shall renew the face of the earth.

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Today's Kerygma Daily Bible Reflections questions are:

Do you only cherish happy and good experiences? Have you tried finding the hand of God in sad, difficult, and challenging situations?

What small good deed can you do today to make God’s presence felt in the lives of others?

https://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2025-07-31

Not to be a biscuit, but a tea bag instead.

Thank you Lord Jesus, for this grace.

Please, always make me feel your consoling presence in my life.

You are my good shepherd.

Please guide me with your staff.

Thank you for this month of July.

Thank you for the half of the year 2025.

Thank you for your Divine Favor and Provisions.

Lord, I entrust to you everything.

I surrender to you everything.

May my consecration to your most Sacred Heart, bring you consolation as well.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary be my help.

Sa Pula o sa Asul?

Do I choose RED OR BLUE?

No, it is not a choice between U.S. political parties.

For me, the choice of colors reflect what they symbolize for me...the sacred and most precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ...and the blue mantle of Our Lady, His most Blessed Mother, my Queen.

p.s. Ruel , the girls and I just came from the nearby park to record a video showing Filipino old games, one of which is the Tumbang Preso. Making use of an old rusty can and slippers.

July 28,2025 Prayer, Hope and Joy

 Come Oh Holy Spirit, please fill the hearts of thy faithful, enkindle in us the fire of your Divine Love, send forth your Spirit Lord, and it shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.

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Mayo woke me up a few minutes past 4am CT.

She needed to go out and do her toilet business.

The sun was almost rising.

So, I went about preparing Ruel's food for the day:

Fried Rice with Turmeric.

Beef Dumplings plus leftover fish sisig.

Chopsuey.

Nutella Sandwich.

I was so eager to be on time for my 8am online appointment.

Ruel was still giving me a lot of last minute instructions, while I shooed him away.

Our family group chat in fb showed us photos of the girls and their cousin Kat and their Tita Imee and Tito Boyet starting their early morning journey from St. Albert to Jasper, Alberta.

The scenes photographed along the way was breathtaking.

Anyway...

I was able to listen to the Singing of  the Liturgy of the  Hours  by Paul Rose on loop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmqibfD8CaE&ab_channel=SingtheHours

There are more updates from the just recently concluded MFC Youth  Congress in Edmonton.

Again, the photos and videos make my heart so full of JOY and HOPE.

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My 8 A.M. appointment ended at 10.

Soaking in prayer and deliverance at the start and end.

Thank you Lord Jesus thank you.

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My calendar for this week is super full.

I pray for the grace of  energy,wisdom and resilience to be able to do what needs to be done with a positive attitude and mindset.

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https://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2025-07-28

Answers on Kerygma Bible Reflection questions for today:

What teaching about God’s Kingdom do you find difficult to understand? How are Jesus’ parables helpful to you?

Have you experienced the reign of God? If you did, how did it affect your life? If not, how are you finding it? 

Difficult teaching: leaving the 99 for the one lost sheep.

Parables are helpful to give us a picture as an aid to better understading like a mustard seed faith that can move mountains.

From a very small grain, to something great.

If I submit to God's authority and wisdom, and be in a state of  grace, cleansed from all sins, habitually, everything falls into it's rightful place.

God's hand is more visible and His will is easily manifested and followed.

God's reign is heaven on earth.

The opposite of  which is hell.

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Spare us Oh Lord Jesus Christ by your most precious blood.

Mama Mary, please pray for us.

St. Joseph, help us.

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Photos from  Boyet/Imee Espinoza-Soriano.

With much gratitude...

WRCC MORE PHOTOS (July 18-20,2025)

 

MFC Western Region Couple's Congress July 19-20,2025

 Come Oh Holy Spirit, please fill the hearts of your faithful, enkindle in us the fire of your Divine love, send forth your Spirit Lord, and it shall be created, and it shall renew the face of the earth.

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The event finally had come!

Despite the challenges and obstacles, we were able to participate as one family. 

The messages of Hope  presented  was most meaningful and grace filled.

It was also an opportunity to reconnect with members who we met back in Doha, Qatar. Also, chance to meet online friends and new acquaintances.

Sharers and speakers were most inspiring.

First talk was given by our beloved Father Gerry Sembrano.

He was our Parish priest in St. Emile for 3 years.

My first chance encounter with him was in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, face to face in 2021,

Most unforgettable, because that signaled the beginning of the wiping off the cobwebs and darkness in my soul those most challenging days for me.

Romans 12;12  is God's message for me, for us especially when  we look back at how far we have come, and the journey s ahead.

Here are pictures of the pre/post and event:

July 4,2025

 Today is American Independence Day!

The Philippines once  upon a time commemorated this day as Phil-Am friendship day.

A few days ago, we observed Canada Day by eagerly awaiting  the fireworks at Assiniboine Downs.

But, nature almost stole the show.

It rained and there were a lot of thunder claps and lightning.

Awesome display of God's magnificent power writing the sky with amazing zig zag and snaking patterns of electric bolts.

Beautiful patterns of electricity and light.

Horse race was cancelled since they were all spooked.

But, youngest child was still satisfied seeing the wonderful horses of various breeds and colors.

We had the same visitor for the whole day BBQ as last year.

Getting to be a tradition now.

Praise God for this wonderful grace and gift.

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Today's Kerygma Daily Bible Reflection has the following questions for me to reflect on:

You can be a saint, whatever your past or current circumstances may be. Do you embrace the call?

Are you single, married, or religious? Think of the many blessings God has given you in your life. Thank God because, surely, it will take you forever to count them all.

https://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2025-07-04

Prophet or Wolf

 

Am I a good person?

Am I kind?

Am I loving?

We all are in our own battles. At times, we make wrong choices in those we wage and pursue.

We lick the wounds of defeat and temporarily get fleeting comfort in hard fought small victories.

Over all, our characters are tested, shaped and broken over and over again.

We pick up the pieces and count the costs and check for the fruits that come out of it.

Some bitter and some sweet.

Just the other Friday night, in a badminton place, got in a conversation with our host and one of his friends about evangelistic communities in our midst.

Francis, the friend, claims that he does not like to join a particular organization because of too much politics among members. He asserts further that he can go about doing God’s will quietly in the background and beyond certain communities where the fruits are not visible among its leader’s lives.

I was dumbfounded and did not know how to react.

I just said, we all are imperfect individuals working with other imperfect personalities, trying to spread the gospel of Christ to an imperfect world. I even cited my two daughters who were beside me saying,  they are witness to my own hypocrisy many times…but still we are called to be in community because  as we  persevere, that is where we grow, hopefully into holiness and maturity.

With grit and resilience, let us continue striving to bear the right fruits in God’s perfect timing so we can encourage more people into repentance and faith with us.