Maaann, I’ve been reluctant to blog because I know this is going to be a long one. haha I decided to just attempt. Here we go!
This Lent went by faaaast. And I must be honest with you, it was not my best Lent ever (last year was! =D) but this was the best Holy Week ev-er. Perhaps because I knew this Lent wasn’t as great as last years, I wanted to make the last week the best week of this year.
Holy Thursday:
This Holy Thursday service was quite unique, compared to those I have experienced in the past. Ok first, the homily. The homily was given by my favorite priest at the parish (who was just a visiting priest from NY ironically).
He started the homily by talking about orphaned lambs. Read more about it here. If you don’t want to read it, I’ll briefly explain. Many times during birth, ewes die because of complications, so what the farmers do, is give the lamb to another goat/sheep. (They make this other mother think she gave birth, ok just read the article haha). So the lamb is adopted right after birth. And he related this to us and Christ. How we are adopted by Christ. He’s not just stuck with us. But he CHOSE us! (Okay I read this again, and it definitely doesn’t sound as coherent as the priest’s homily, but I’m hoping you all get the connection ahaha) As we are being washed by the blood of the Paschal Lamb, it is not about being cleansed, but about adoption. I also loved this service because we were able to drink the blood of Christ! (it’s not USUAL here in Japan)
Good Friday:
I went to stations of the cross at 3pm. It was suuuperrr! Father wanted EVERYONE involved so there were a bunch of cards on the altar with different roles on them. For example, First station – 2nd reader, Fourth station – Mary. There were about 70 of us? And majority of us all had cards. Some had to carry the cross, were candle bearers, help carry the cross, etc. It was just captivating! haha What was cool too, was how there were so many of us from different places… Australia, America, Africa, Europe, etc. I experience the “international spirit” of my parish every week but it never ceases to amaze me. All from different corners of the world, but sharing Christ together. Sigh. haha OK! SO service started at 7pm. Once again, my favorite priest, gave the homily. He asked us to think of every stupid decision we’ve made, everything in our lives that have hurt us, etc. Then he told us that during the Veneration, we would all carry the cross and pass it to each other. As we pass and let go of the cross, we are laying EVERYTHING down on the Cross for Christ to take on.
It was really powerful! (Then the mass went on to celebrate the Eucharist which I, along with the sister I was with, thought was weird?!)
Easter Vigil:
I finished work at 6. And I debated whether or not to go to mass that night or the next day (I took off Easter Sunday). I just felt the urge to go. So I went! Mass started outside. After Father lit the fire, everyone started processing inside and then we all lit each other’s candles. Holy Moly. This service was about 3 hours. But it was TOTALLY worth it! I got to see 7 new brothers and sisters being welcomed into the family! SEVEN! I was really happy being able to witness their baptism, confirmation, communion. It was just so inspiring.
Easter Sunday:
I spent it with my dear brothers and sisters in SFC. Most of us don’t have family here so we spent it together! We had household and it was about simple joys in our lives. My simple joy was Mass haha, and being able to have a family with the community regardless of where I may be in the world.
Okay I have a lot more I want to share with you, but I’ll put that in another blog haha. =)
This song makes me kilig! I can’t wait for this moment! Okay, yes I can hehe. I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store for my friends, too… those who are preparing for the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony, those who are discerning for Holy Orders, and those who are discerning for another person!
I’m gonna tell you a story. A true story. It’s about a brother and a sister who found each other in SFC. Let’s call the brother Adam, and the sister Eve, for privacy purposes. So Adam decides he wants to propose. He goes to Eve’s house to ask for her hand in marriage.
Adam: Tito, I wanted to come and ask for Eve’s hand in marriage.
TIto: Why do you want to marry my daughter?
Adam: I love her. She’s… (and he goes on to talk about why he loves her)
Tito: Yes, okay. You know my daughter well and I can see you love her. But tell me, WHY do you want to marry her?
Adam: I love her, Tito. I want her to be my wife.
Tito: Okay, but WHY do you want to marry her?
Adam: Um.. I’m not sure what you want me to tell you, Tito.
Tito: Okay, I’m going to go the bathroom. Hopefully you have an answer when I come back.
So here, Adam is super freaking out on what to say. He’s praying to God for the right words because he literally has no clue what else to say. Tito comes back…
Tito: Okay. So why do you want to marry my daughter?
Adam: (praying praying praying) Because she’s my missing rib.
Tito: When I went to the bathroom, I was praying you’d say that. You have my blessing.
How crazyyy is that!! Adam said that the words just came out of his mouth. He had no idea where they came from… and obviously, they were from the Looord!
That will always be one of the best answered prayer stories I’ll never forget. Our God is so great! That’s how perfect God’s design is for our lives. We just have to do our part and wait and pray for His plan.
With that, every sister needs to know their worth and she needs to know they are worth fighting for. Me included. =)
Thank you for the constant affirmation, guys. hehe
p.s. I’m like loving Bethany Dillon right now, apparently haha
p.p.s. I can’t stop watching this, too. Goodness, I love her.
Today was the CFC Leaders’ Gathering for Japan. I was in charge of the Kids! (surprise, surprise right? haha) Anyway, I was super excited (and so were CFC, SFC, etc) because it was like the first KFC activity to have for all of Japan. So I got these talks from Manila, had a whole program script and I even bought prizes! We start trying to teach a song to the kids (Superhero)… and oh man, from the beginning, it was difficult because 1) HUGE age gap.. I mean there were 2 year olds to 14 year olds, 2) Japanese kids’ personalities (I’d elaborate, but my brain isn’t functioning as well as I’d like it to right now), and 3) I don’t speak Japanese.
Praise the Lord for the team though! SFC and YFC! (who are bi-lingual! and good at English haha) They reeeeally held it down. The YFC took the older ones and did separate activities. They were the ones who took initiative. (I really miss working with the youth, btw). I was intending to do 2 activities, but I only ended up teaching 2 songs. It was sooo tiring. Seriously. They had to perform these 2 songs after Communion during the Mass. I was the only person who knew the actions and the songs so I used the mp3’s to teach them. However, during their presentation, the computer wasn’t playing the songs! Soooo I had to play the songs on the guitar in front of everyone. I just walked over to the Music Ministry, “Can I use the guitar?” OH MAN. I WAS FREAKING NERVOUS. Why?! Well, I was the only one singing! And I was playing the guitar at the same time! In front of people! Like 200 people! :O I kept messing up ahhaha but I also told everyone “I think I’m the only one who knows the lyrics so bare with me. Please clap along! Ok here we go” We did Superhero then Every Move I Make. The kids were great! There were a few who particularly enjoyed it (see pictures below). SFC was great because they stood in front of the kids to show them the actions (from what they remembered haha). And as I started playing the songs, the Music Ministry started playing with me! WOOHOO! It ended up going well. (except for the fact that they really only played games and did whatever they wanted except for when we taught those 2 songs haha sigh)
After… I went back to the Kids’ Room because some kids went there during the praisefest. We played on Photobooth and they asked me to play the guitar again. (In Japanese haha I had one of the YFC’s translate for me) Seeing those 2 kids enjoy the songs and become my friend made the day ALL worthwhile. It wasn’t the greatest first step for KFC here in Japan, but it was a step. And that’s what matters.
Some people came up to me and told me I’m good at the guitar. (Technically, “galing mo sa guitar!”) Seriously… I don’t think so. Maybe they think “good at the guitar.. for a girl” but then just don’t say the girl part? haha Then a Tita said “Lisa! I didn’t know you were so talented!” Ehhhhhhhh… they should meet my friends! Because they are MUCH more talented than I am! (Props to my blog roll! haha)
I was able to talk to a youth from another part of Japan and he was quite open with me, for some odd reason. He shared about his frustrations in life (not necessarily in detail, but just being Japanese/Filipino/a Catholic/a YFC). I can see his passion is there for service, but I can also see he REALLY needs someone to pastor to him so he doesn’t get burnt out or discouraged. I hope I can help him! I could feel his desire to make YFC grow. I told him I wanted to have a youth camp. We are going to try and have one for the different areas in Japan! (I really hope this can push through before the summer.. and fyi, there really isn’t YFC here in Japan).
Makoto! I had to say his name a million times to get him to stop being malicut. He was so fun. He kept talking to me in Japanese though haha. I kept saying “Nihongo wakarimasen!” which is, “I don’t understand Japanese.”
Yurika! She speaks Japanese and Tagalog. She kept trying to talk to me in both. Naturally, I didn’t understand her MOST of the time. haha But she was really sweet and cute. She wanted to eat dinner with me and she kept singing “Every Move I Make” to me while doing the actions. (Ok maybe it was only the NANANANA part but still! haha)
Makoto has like NO teeth on top haha. You can’t see it in this picture, but you can see it in the one above. I think that made him cuter.
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