Thread--Holy Spirit

May His grace be with you!
This past weekend, I went on to “Choices of the Heart” Retreat at Seton Provincialate in Los Altos Hills. I hadn’t seen such a beautiful place in a long time. It reminded me of Serra Retreat House in Malibu but there were much more wild lives and flowers. I was blessed with new friends and old ones. The hospitality was an exceptional one and “The Thread” written by Denise Levertov reciting by Josephine Burns D.C. touched me during reflection time:

“Something is very gently, invisible, silently, pulling at me-

a thread or net of threads finer and cobweb and as elastic

I haven’t tired the strength of it.

No barbed hook pierced and tore me.

Was it not long ago this thread began to draw me? Or way back?

Was I born with its knot about my neck, a bridle?

Not fear but a stirring of wonder makes me catch my breath

when I feel the tug of it when I thought it had loosened itself and gone.”

Reflecting on my life’s events, I imaged God’s spirit is like an invisible, fine, and elastic thread. He is calling and calling and calling me into the deep. I don’t exactly remember when He first did but one day I realized it was there. I responded, I freely gave myself, and I was drowning in the ocean of human faults including mine. When I was near death, His hands reached out and saved me. I asked God not letting me be a victim again and God kindly smiled. I moved on in life. Since then, life has given me many possibilities to do well in the world. However, His spirit keeps dragging and dragging and dragging me. So, I keeps running and running and running away. It doesn’t matter how far I can run. I just can’t seem to hide from His spirit. No matter what I have done wrong or others have harmed me, nothing can stop the strength of it raising me up again. Because I’m wonderfully made in his image, His spirit is forever calling me to be the best for the world. If I forget, His spirit will stir up and I give the better good of myself for the world.
To certain people I’m just a problematic person and can’t be anything else. As St Paul said, “If the spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to you.” (Rm 8:11) So, I rest my case in the past and rejoice in what God has given me now.

Take care and until next time...

Pauline Year website

Yeah, an official "Pauline Year" website is now available in English. Check it out by clicking the title of this post!

Alberione's Pauline spirituality

May Jesus Master: Way, Truth, and Life be yours!

The Holy Father’s homily opening remark ‘Christ is the way that leads to the Father, the truth which gives meaning to human existence, and the source of that life which is eternal joy with all the saints in his heavenly Kingdom’ at the Yankee’s Stadium touched me in a very personal and familiar way. It reminds me of Blessed James Alberione’s Pauline spirituality which he left behind for his spiritual daughters and sons in the Pauline Family and those whose hearts are filled with the Pauline charism. I didn’t know him in person but I’ve known and have felt in love with Alberione’s Pauline spirituality which is not over-elaborated but very original one. It can be summed up in one little profound phrase--Jesus Master: Way, Truth, and Life.
In this fast moving society, the need to integrate all the aspects of my life is truly a must. I have experienced many times that my intellects can lead me in one direction, while my feelings pull me to another. By nature, I’m an extra heart person. I tend to act on feelings instead of letting my actions take into relation on both what I feel and what I think. By profession, I’m a healthcare giver. I’ve get to know people more on an individual basis. By community, I’m a proud volunteer of the American Red Cross and Emergency Responses. I’ve done outreach to community on disaster preparedness and health classes. Depending on where and with whom I find myself, I often don’t show my true feelings or don’t play my real self. I hide certain aspects of myself that I think to be embarrassed or ashamed. I image it’s like going to have meal at the cafeteria. I pick what’s please and leave what’s not. It’s broken pieces here and there but it’s my life. In the fragmentation of my life, Alberione’s Pauline spirituality invites me to the wholeness of self. The various aspects of me can be integrated in a holy balanced way through Jesus Master: Way, Truth, and Life. According to his intuition, Jesus Master makes our intellects (mind) holy by revealing the Truth about God and ourselves. He frees us from sin (will) by being the Way to happiness. He blesses our hearts (heart) by offering the eternal Life which we all yearn for. In Jesus Truth, I have learned that God loves me unconditionally and wants a personally relationship with me. This Truth is too radical to comprehend just by meditating on Word of God. I must experience like Jesus did in flesh and through the Paschal Mystery. In Jesus Way, I have learned that my call to imitate Jesus is not involved losing my individual. It’s to be true to myself, to respect the image of God in me and in others, to wisely use my freedom. Above all, I must always seek to have a deeper relationship with God in the Eucharist celebration and Eucharist adoration. In Jesus Life, I have learned to love others as Jesus did in selfless way. It often requires a painful purification of my heart so it can be more like his. I don’t know how it happens but by sharing his life I slowly am more aware of his invitation to become his hands, feet, voice, and love for everyone whom I meet on my journey of faith/life. Because of Alberione’s Pauline spirituality, I had come to realize that the fragments of my life are priceless if I put it in the hand of Jesus Master: Way, Truth, and Life. My life is a whole beautiful tapestry of life for others to give praise to God.
By grace I’ve inherited Bl. Alberione’s Pauline spirituality during the years of my Pauline formation. I’m grateful for the opportunity to live closely and practice among the members of his Pauline Family in those years. I don’t remember lots of stuff; so, if you’re expert on this, please pardon me. However, my hope for sharing these thoughts is to spread Alberione’s Pauline spirituality far and wide, especially in the coming Pauline Year. If you’re interested in Jesus Master: Way, Truth, and Life in Bl. Aberione’s footsteps, please check out Bl. Alberione’s link on the left side of this blog page.

Blessed Alberione, pray for me, your hidden spiritual daughter, and all Pauline spirits around the world!
Take care and until next time...

One Month Anniversary of Death

How time flies. It seems like yesterday when you were teaching me how to say the Angelus Prayer. I am not a writer or a native born so words are hard to find. I’m still in hope it was not you. However, at the same time no matter how sorrows I have felt the past month, it always comes back to smiles. Knowing you for the time I had I cannot help but smile whenever I thought of you. I smile and then laugh remembering your funny joke of the day. I have to admit now that I did not get it most of the time but seeing you enthusiasm and other sisters enjoyment it was enough for me to make believe. Being around you always meant that I would be in that state and nothing but smiles would follow and peace would come upon me. You were a great friend, an amazing sister, and an awesome human being. I am just so grateful that I was able to be part of your life. I have written a tribute to you hoping to share with others my treasure of knowing you but I couldn't finish in time. Perhaps, this would be a good start and I’ll try to finish it later. I promise. I’ll miss you always, but your energy and life is so strong that you are not but a smile away. Love you a lot.

Sr. Mary Caroline, pray for my vocation and intentions please!

It's Papa's birthday!

Happy 81th Birthday to you, Holy Father!

May the Holy Spirit always be with you.

Pope's arrival

Yeah, our Pope is here!

Pope's message...

Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Visit to America

April 15 to April 20, 2008

Rooted in the Church

May our Risen Lord's grace be with you!

It has been one of my mother’s rules that we’ve dinner together three times a week since we all became adults. Dining together is time to enjoy my mother’s cuisines, to share our hardships or joys, to play our games, and to be together as a family. No one can miss it unless it’s a real good excuse. As my youngest sister was walking out the door, my mother said to her, “It doesn’t matter how you get home after the game as long as you’ll be home on time for dinner.” Because I was on a spiritual reflective mood, I took her words and began…
Based on my mother’s words, my youngest sister could take any form of transportation to get home. Whatever she chose, she just had to make sure that she would be on time for dinner to make my mother happy and us too. That was the end of the story. As I was reflecting on my vocation in the Church in view of the Pauline spirituality for the last couple years, I didn’t see any other form of transportation to take me home except through Jesus Christ. I couldn’t go home if I am not living in the Church and in union with Christ in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul and his teachings. Embedding himself with the original Jesus, he is a great ‘model’ for me to follow. Influenced by my big ego, it had been a challenge for me to replicate the whole Christ in me. I had been torn between good and bad. I probably didn’t take enough time to sit or to wait for the Holy Spirit to act. I quickly reacted on everything and anything when it damaged my big ego. I believe I was insecure; therefore, I wanted to control of my own life. As a result, I let God’s precious gift, my vocation, pass by me. In God's mercy, he didn’t give up on me. He gives His Word to believe in, His examples to follow, and His life to live. Christ is the Way to go home. It’s the only and unique Way. Belonging to the Church is also where I let myself be guided because the Church communicates Jesus’ Truth to me. In the Church I’m living Jesus’ Life and allowing 'Christ lives in me'.
As the Apostle said to the Ephesian community (1:7-10), "In him we have redemption...in all wisdom...to sum up all things in Christ,” I’m called to simply live Jesus, to graft onto Jesus like St Paul did, and to give Jesus to the world. So, Jesus: Way, Truth, and Life may be made known to many more people; it’s the core of my calling as someone who desires to possess more of the Pauline spirit. As a Pauline in spirit I don't know where to learn the truth and to be guided by the truth rather than in St Paul's teachings and in the Church. I've come to understand that only in the Church can I receive all the means of sanctification. Yes, I'm confident to say that the Pauline spirit is rooted in the mystery of the Church and no where else. Don't you agree?
Take care and until next time…

It's your birthday!

"Let us make of ourselves the pen and tongue of God,

through Jesus Christ, our Master."

Happy birthday to you, Blessed James Alberione!

Bestow on me your blessings; keep all who visit this blog

under your fatherly care.