Sunday, March 12, 2006

Mother took about 30 mins. waking me up before I finally get up. Although I didn't sleep enough, I had deep and wonderful sleep because my children are all staying with me again. As we hurriedly went downstairs to a nearby chapel, I was surprised the place was a bit crowded this morning and some people occupied already the fourth row of seat where we used to take our seat for the past couple of weeks now. I lighted three candles and whispered some prayers...

Today is the 2nd Sunday of Lent. FR. Rocco Viviano, an Italian Xaverian priest, who seemed to be our regular priest for the past three weeks. He said the mass again in Tagalog using Sambuhay's missalette: Ito ang Minamahal Kong Anak. Fr. Viviano mentioned about transfiguration, the purpose of our journey in this world, and the importance of the Lenten season in our Christian lives.

Speaking of Sambuhay missalette, I was upset that St. Pauls website (Philippine-Macau Province) with a heading description of "Our Commitment is Integral Evangelization" restricted Sambuhay's English and Tagalog versions with login name and passwords before anyone can access their online Sambuhay missalette guide. Is the life really hard these days that we have to pay to access the words of God? In that case, why put commitment in integral evangelization on their front page if only those who can pay can access the missalette?

While Randy provided me some links to support the reference links of the Liturgy of the Word last Sunday, I still believe that I should use the Sambuhay's missalette guide links since those were the ones being used by our local churches here. Even if I will subscribe to their yearly subscriptions, the regular readers of my blog won't be able to open the links either... The one I have is in Tagalog.

Today's LITURGY OF THE WORD:

• First Reading [Genesis (22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18)] (Sit): Sinusubukan ng Diyos si Abraham nang hilingin niyang ialay ang nag-iisang anak nito. Biniyayaan ng Diyos ang pagtalima ni Abraham sa pamamagitan ng pagliligtas sa buhay ni Isaac at ng pagbibigay sa kanya ng marangyan buhay.
• Second Reading (Rom 8:31b-34): Iniligtas ng Diyos ang buhay ni Isaac nguni't hindi ang buhay ng sarili niyang Anak na si Jesus na siyang nagbuwis ng buhay upang ihango tayo mula sa kasalanan. Ang pagpapakasakit ni Jesus ay tanda ng dakilang pag-ibig sa atin ng Diyos.