“NEVER LEAVE ME, OH LORD…”

There’s always sadness in being left alone. It is only when you lose yourself in the Lord that you’ll always be in company.

When everything is well and sufficient in your life, you enjoyed the abode to relax relying on your own strength unmindful even of your dependency with God. This pandemic has made you realize that you are vulnerable and not one of those you cherished was good enough to be your shield. You become fragile and insignificant because of your fears, where your money and power rendered futile. God has allowed this storm to come in letting you realize his presence during this toughest moment of your life. It affects you to be humble and become receptive to his protection as you are shaken awake of your own vulnerability. Your anxiety may escalate of having the thought that he has left you, but God never did and he never will. He is still with you even as, sometimes, you turned your back to him. All you need is just to turn around and once again feel his loving embrace.

God is not changing your situation, but he uses this situation to change you.

Archdiocesan Mission Assembly Day 1.

1st day of the Archdiocesan Mission Assembly.

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Different priests and lay leaders gather in their respective vicariates for a 2-day virtual and face-to-face discussion and sharing on the essence of mission in light of the celebration of the 500 Years of Christianity, Year of Missio Ad Gentes and Year of Saint Joseph. 

In today’s session, Most Rev. Midyphil Billones, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu, shared his reflections for the Year of the Mission; and Rev. Msgr. Jose Marie Delgado, PC, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Jaro, on the role of Saint Joseph in the missions. After the 2 talks, an open forum was facilitated, wherein His Grace, Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo, D.D., actively responded to some questions together with Msgr. Delgado.

 #500YOCJaro 

#GiftedToGive

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“Never lose hope…”

Be steadfast with your faith in God for no amount of suffering can ever weaken such firmness you uphold.

Life’s difficulties and challenges may sometimes incapacitate your desire to hold on in your perseverance to sustain. Failures may oftentimes deplete your stamina to remain strong in the midst of uncertainties. You lose vigor. You lose hope. You lose yourself. Believe in the gift of toughness God has given you. It is there. Discover it. You must not let the lack of success define your limits, for it is in weakness that you can value the need for strength that can only be acquired when you trust in his might. Don’t be intimidated by how others would besmirch your capacity to strive for fulfillment in your endeavors. Trust yourself more in what you can do than relying on what you can hear. You know yourself better than just the taunting chant of others. Never give up.

When somebody pulls you down, know that you’re on top of him.

“Lord, thank you for the friendship…”

When God calls you as his friend, a deeper meaning to such a relationship accompanies the invitation.

A true friend is someone who stands up for you when others would try to hurt you emotionally or physically. He will do everything for your safety no matter what consequence he would take as its toll. He, too, is not just someone who may adhere always to your likings. Convenient or not, he must be bold enough to let you be aware of your flaws that is detrimental to your growth even to the extent of losing the amity, otherwise, he becomes an accomplice to your downfall. In a like manner, God abhors your sinfulness to let you grow according to the best plan he has in stored for you. His love goes even farther beyond how you define faithfulness in your limited capacity by spreading his arms on the cross that you may live. He accepts you as you are and will always stand loyal by your side. No true friend can ever abandon friendship. God will never will.

God is your friend and will always be your friend, for that’s what friends are for.

“Peace be with you…”

Peace is not just defined as an absence of war but a serenity of goodwill that engulfs one’s life.

Be freed from the disturbance that brings about anxiety and fears, but rather be clothed with friendship and harmony devoid of conflicts and violence. Put on the softness of God’s heart in the fullness of your life so as to attain a stress-free calmness and a perfect harmony of how you relate with others. Release the bondage of anger that brought you rage; let go of that hatred that extinguished your desire to smile; bury the hatchet of jealousy that brought about infinite unreasonable quests to possess. Don’t create a war within yourself when there are opportunities to defeat these toxic antidotes for calmness to thrive. This is a gift of serenity sourced alone in God and only him who can give.

When you are at peace with yourself, no amount of fear will ever run you out of help.

“What more can I ask, oh Lord…”

To see is to believe. It’s not viable with God. Just believe first, and you will have a lot to see.

Not all that brings you satisfaction could be seen or touched. It’s always good to know that behind your senses there is something better in store for you. What is laid before your very eyes is just but a drop of the many blessings God has readied for you to receive. Your life is always an occasion to discover great things from God as you unfold yourself to become receptive of his plans and surprises for you. Never be in haste to force God to do something to fulfill your wants, but allow yourself, instead, to succumb to what he asks from you to fulfill his will. Unlock every closed doors of your whole being by freeing yourself from the bondage of your stress, frustration and despair. Allow God’s embrace melt your doubts and fears as you feel the warmness of his assurance that you will be alright in his loving care.

Satisfaction is not all about acquiring what to have, but of being grateful of what you already have.

Janiuay Parish Choir shared their giftedness “Pagpa-ambit: Mobile Community Outreach Initiative” this morning.

Janiuay Parish Choir shared their giftedness to trisikad drivers, garbage collectors, market cleaners/sweepers, traffic aides,fire victims and side walk vendors as they roam around in their “Pagpa-ambit: Mobile Community Outreach Initiative” this morning.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

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Fr. Bong Villariza celebrating Mass at Maasin Falls in Brgy. Sagcup,Lambunao.

Fr. Bong Villariza celebrating Mass at Maasin Falls in Brgy. Sagcup,Lambunao.

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 The mass in the falls is a yearly celebration initiated by Fr Ramon Baron who was then parish priest of Badu,Calinog. Brgy. Sagcup which is now part of the Parish of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish in Caninguan,Lambunao was then part of Badu Parish. The elders said that due to series of death in the waterfalls, a mass was celebrated to offer prayers for souls and to seek protection for those who come thru the intercession of Nuestra Señora del Salvacion. Fr. Francis Nicolasora, who was then Parish Priest of Lambunao, enshrined an image of Our Lady of All Nations in 2002.

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GO TO JOSEPH

Though Joseph was living with God, it did not stop him to value the hardships of labor. He even taught God to work hard for it.

Learn to love your work. It is only in so doing that you’ll have a lot of energy to enjoy every minute of it. Oftentimes, most of your fatigue comes from exerting too much energy on a job contrary to your likes. It matters much when you are in loved with your work. Excellence can only happen when your mind is in accord with what your hands can accomplish. It generates gratefulness in retrospect to what your skills can do that can boast your esteem. God provides you with deserving talents to prove your worth according to the level of your capacity. He even let himself to grow and be moulded by a happy carpenter who loved his work and who later on came out as one of the famous persons in our history. Never under estimate yourself. God does not see your success but how you strive to be worthy of what he has given you to sustain your being. Offer your work to him as the greatest achievement of your life.

Whoever endures the pains of labor will always enjoy the fruits of his endeavours.

Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Miag-ao Parish welcomes the newly assigned and installed Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Raul Dayaday.

WELCOME, FR. DAYADAY!
Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Miag-ao Parish welcomes the newly assigned and installed Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Raul Dayaday. The Installation Rites and Eucharistic Celebration was presided by Most Rev. Jose Romeo O. Lazo, D.D., Archbishop of Jaro, on April 30, 2021 at 9:00AM. It was concelebrated by 11 priests, namely, Rev. Msgr. Claudio Sale, Rev. Msgr. Sergio Jamoyot, Rev. Fr. Bernabe Tutana, Rev. Fr. Roberto Palencia, Rev. Fr. Manuel Gonzales, Rev. Fr. Carlo Noquez, Rev. Fr. Ricardo Iniego, Rev. Fr. Jose Ma. Enrique Evidente, Rev. Fr. Gremar Lacson, Rev. Fr. Jose Mauricio Tacadao, Rev. Fr. Ildefonso Cachuela, and Rev. Fr. Joaper Geraneo.
The Parish Councils, different religious organizations, parishioners of Miagao, as well as, the guests from San Dionisio Parish joined this joyful celebration. The former parish priest of Miagao was the late + Rev. Fr. Winifredo Losaria. Fr. Dayaday was formerly assigned at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, San Dionisio, Iloilo. As the newly installed has sworn in his Oath: “I, REV. FR. RAUL DAYADAY, in assuming the office of Parish Priest, promise that in my words and in my actions I shall always preserve communion with the Catholic Church.
With great care and fidelity I shall carry out the duties incumbent on me toward the Church, both universal and particular, in which, according to the provisions of the law, I have been called to exercise my service.
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In fulfilling the charge entrusted to me in the name of the Church, I shall hold fast to the deposit of faith in its entirety; I shall faithfully hand it on and explain it, and I shall avoid any teachings contrary to it. I shall follow and foster the common discipline of the entire Church and I shall maintain the observance of all ecclesiastical laws, especially those contained in the Code of Canon Law. With Christian obedience I shall follow what the Bishops, as authentic doctors and teachers of the faith, declare, or what they, as those who govern the Church, establish. I shall also faithfully assist the diocesan Bishops, so that the apostolic activity, exercised in the name and by mandate of the Church, may be carried out in communion with the Church.” (Excerpts from his Profession of Faith and Oath)

Welcome to Miagao, Fr. Raul Dayaday! Congratulations and God bless.

by: Joshua Eugene Molanida
Photos: Mark John Salazar
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