A Blessed Sunday

Yesterday, September 21, 2014 was a Sunday. It was the adoptive birth date of my father Francisco Ledesma. Adoptive, because he did not exactly know his natal day and hadn't celebrated birthday in his life time. The date was only used for legal purposes. In 1991 though, we the children made plans to surprise him with a birthday celebration. Sadly it didn't materialize because before his birthday came, my father Francisco suddenly passed away on June 5, 1991 of cardiac arrest. The children laid him to rest in Manila Memorial Park.

In a different situation, place and time, my mother Mary died on January 28, 1971. Her body was buried in Cotabato City. But on September 21of 1991, we transferred her remains from Cotabato to Manila to lay my parents together side by side. This was in fulfillment of my father's wish to be with her and coinciding this event too on his adoptive birthday instead of the planned celebration. These days, some of my siblings commemorate September 21 in memory of them.

Yesterday, September 21, 2014 was also the death anniversary of my father-in-law Mr. Tan Kian Lee. He actually died on October 16, 1971. But since my late mother-in-law had been commemorating the anniversary following the lunar's calendar and the Chinese tradition, so the family does it so until now. This year my father-in-law's lunar calendar death anniversary falls on September 21.

Yesterday, Sunday morning, I was assigned to be the commentator for the second mass. I offered the holy mass for the souls of my parents and my parents-in-law in remembrance of the coinciding double occasions. During the mass, I coordinated well with the  priest, the readers, the pianist and the parishioners. I was proud I did a good job. I did pray to the Holy Spirit to guide me.

Yesterday also, was an important church event because it was the feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia. After the mass, I had a meeting with the Catholic youths. I gave a short talk about English Communication. The children were attentive, they laughed at my jokes, stirred when I posed them a challenge. Near the end of my talk, I was pleased to see that some of them were quickly copying items written on the blackboard. All in all, I think I did well. I was pretty sure they learned something from the short talk yesterday.

Thank you God for your peaceful and blessed Sunday.