Jude x Camillus

Yesterday, I went to Mendiola after working at The Study Workspace.  

St. Camillus’ heart relic was at St. Jude for one day only. I took advantage of this chance to venerate the relic and pray for St. Camillus’ intercession. I had my terminally-ill father in mind, my best friend Luti (whose rheumatoid arthritis is in remission), my friend who is graduating this June, my family, and of course, myself, as I endure the challenges of jobhunting and freelance work. 

Then, I proceeded to the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat to continue praying. 

The abbey is one of my go-to places for silence and reflection.  

Faith for me is an unceasing journey. I am amazed with how it is still strong amidst all the rejections and negativity. Prayer helps in reinforcing my faith, and it keeps me going. I am optimistic that I can be strong enough to carry on with each new day. 

Powered Up

I had my car battery replaced yesterday. It gave me peace of mind to know that my car won’t break down anytime soon. I am still grateful to be able to drive home last Saturday. Now that my car has a fresh battery, my faith in God has been reinforced because I was able to reach my residence despite having a dead battery. 

To celebrate, I had merienda at Embrace Cafe, which is near my house. I walked to the cafe for some good vibes. 

I was not disappointed! I got myself a yummy cup of chilled taho.  

And I grabbed their coffee jelly to-go. It was delicious and great value for money.  

The finest restorations of faith don’t have to be entirely grand. It could be a drive back home, or a cold cup of coffee jelly. To still be able to thrive without work and with limited resources is a miracle in itself. With a stable job soon, I know that life can just keep getting better. 

Hope and Hunger

Okay, I’m serving you some real talk today. I had difficulty starting my car right before my GK Enchanted Farm tour last Saturday. I was left my car at a safe parking spot and joined my friends at the van we rented. I was able to drive to dinner at Breakfast Bin, and back home afterwards. Starting the car was a struggle, but I made it home. 

Fast forward to yesterday morning, and I couldn’t start my car at home. My battery is dead.  

I realized that how fortunate was that I was able to go home and not have car problems on the road- or in the middle of Maginhawa Street, post-dinner. God still looks after me after all.  

After hearing mass with my family yesterday, I ate this glorious chicken ala Kiev from Conti’s. Then, I proceeded to my derma appointment. I took Grab coming home. 

I wore my new handmade earrings from GK Enchanted Farm social enterprise Hiblahi. As always, this is not a sponsored post. I simply like supporting social enterprises and wearing local pieces with pride. 

I am lucky that I was able to go home safely. Here’s to a restored faith that enables me to hope for better things and a hunger for opportunities! 

Faith and Healing

Yesterda, I had the remarkable opportunity to be in the presence of Healing Priest, Fr. Fernando Suarez. It was a privilege to meet him. I asked him to pray for me and my dad.  

I had some religious articles blessed by the esteemed priest. These were my pasalubong for my family.  

The mass left me in tears. Just like when I was in the presence of Pope Benedict the XVI, I felt the holy power of this priest. I was moved to tears as I prayed for my intentions.  

After the mass, I went for a blind massage.  

And before going home, I had an Assam milk tea with pearls and pudding. 

I believe that miracles are possible in my life, and in my family. I keep on praying for healing for my dad, a good job for me by March, and strength for my mom. I am also praying for the recovery of my best friend, Luti.  

May God bless us all! 

Lourdes at SG

I survived the MRT here at SG! I just visited the beautiful Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Bugis. Mama Mary has granted me many miracles, and I am praying for more. I have faith that her intercession will always be my most effective secret.  

Happy Birthday Mama Mary!

Today is Mama Mary's birthday. I think attending the book launch of a Marian anthology is a fitting tribute to one of my favorite intercessors. I was invited by my boyfriend A to this event. He was a Reuter Baby and he badly wanted to be in this book launch, but he has work. So I gladly took the invite and represented him in this esteemed event. I purchased a couple of copies for us both. They were signed by the authors, who were also Reuter Babies like him. There was a snack buffet and awesome coffee from Commune, which is one of my favorite third wave cafes. The launch renewed my faith in God and in Mama Mary's intercession. The book features testimonies from the faithful, and they were done with Fr. Reuter in mind. It is truly amazing how the late Fr. Reuter can still inspire his followers even beyond his death. It is also noteworthy to add that this is already the fifth book in his collection. It is also a meaningful way to promote Marian devotion especially to those who were not able to meet Fr. Reuter when he was still alive. 

I feel fortunate to have attended this event and it has indeed reinforced my faith which was recently challenged by factors beyond my control. I look forward to reading this book and to even submit my testimony to the authors someday! 

Offering

I often visit the St. Clare Monastery because I like the ritual of offering a tangible gift to an intercessor. The monastery is located at Katipunan, making it easily accessible whether I am driving or commuting. Prayer is an important part of my fitness journey because I envision my health goals in front of an altar. I also pray for my special intentions, such as landing a good job soon and for blessings for me and A. I like how it is integrated in my schedule, because I consider prayer to be a lifestyle rather than a chore. It is essential to include it in my plans if I want my intentions to be granted or given special consideration. Whenever I am at St. Clare, I map out my vision, my goals, and how I plan to realize them. For my relationship with A, I think of stability and his success in his career. For my health, I see myself without suffering and still in good shape. It is design thinking in process, and the only difference is the ritual of doing so in front of an altar. By offering myself, I give a part of my being to further my intentions. By living a life of prayer, I am renewing my faith. And when I lift up everything to God, I find myself trusting in Him wholeheartedly.