Blessed

Every time I attend The Feast, I get blessed in ways I cannot imagine. Today was another one of those days. Even if Bo Sanchez was not there (he has a series of talk in US for the next two weeks), it didn't matter as I felt more blessed than ever. The reasons are below.

78. Pentecost Day

Sure it is Mother's Day and the organizers of The Feast did not forget that but another important event coincides with the day of a very special person that is closest to the heart of most of us. Which is the birthday of the Church.

A lot of people would mistook me as a Born-Again Christian. Well, I attended one Born-Again Christian sect a few years ago and this is where I first found God. I had a fall-out after that and had difficulty going back to the Lord because I also had difficulty trying to figure out which church I would go. It took me a lot of years to have the kind of relationship that I wanted and needed from the Lord back.

Now, it seems that I found the right church and community.

I don't know if Born-Again Christians also have a Pentecost Day but what I know is we all have one God and we will praise and worship Him in our own churches and communities or wherever we are. Whatever religion we are in, we are all children of God. I would, however, like to pay tribute and say thanks to my Born-Again Christian friends for showing me the way to the Lord.

Right now, I am just happy that I found Him again and this time, I would never let Him go.

79. Fr. Jerry Orbos

I first heard Fr. Orbos officiate Mass in SM City North EDSA and I was amazed with his simple yet practical tips in life for Christians in his homilies. He also has his share of very simple jokes but no matter how simple it is, it would never fail to tickle your funny bones. I always read his column in Philippine Daily Inquirer every Sunday. I also bought a couple of his books and enjoyed reading it. After a long while, I was able to hear him officiate a Mass again and this time it's at The Feast.

I don't know if it's because it is Mother's day or because it is Pentecost Day but the day felt very special. It's because of another person, a child actually, by the name of...

80. Fatima Soriano

I always hear her sing in TV every Sunday morning every time I get ready for Sunday Mass in SM. Our TV would be either on Channel 2 or 9 watching the Sunday TV Mass and my father would always talk about Fatima. My father was a fan because Fatima was such a good singer even though she is blind. I wanted to hear her sing live. I even planned to watch her farewell concert a few weeks ago but I had no budget.

Guess what, Fatima Soriano came to The Feast! Fr. Jerry Orbos brought her and she sang a couple of her songs for the people in The Feast as a farewell gift since she was migrating to U.S. with her family this coming Wednesday.

She talked first and, like what preacher Bro. Arun Gogna, she spoke with wisdom well ahead of her years speaking about mothers, Mama Mary and God. You wouldn't really know that a 14-year-old girl was speaking and a blind girl at that. But when Fr. Orbos cracks a joke, she would laugh with a giggle like a child oblivious to the many people around her.

She sang a couple of her songs from her CD and it was like a farewell concert of hers. I was able to hear her sing live, finally.

Like most adults, I lost that childlike wonder, simplicity, and trust that I had when I was a young boy. The ability to see things the way they are with no complexity. The dream to live a simple life. The trust that no matter what happens, God will always be with me.

After attending The Feast today, I had it back and after all these years, I realized that it is just really what I wanted and needed.

Thanks to Father Jerry Orbos and Fatima Soriano. They have no direct personal connection to me but they touched my life and my heart in ways I could never have imagined.