Happy September

Today September 5 is my son Emil's birthday. I offer a birthday mass intention for him at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral here in Cotabato City. Emil Gabriel Tan (his full name) used to be so naughty and happy-go-lucky, but I thank God because He gave this boy a guardian angel and also his name-sake the Archangel Gabriel to watch over him. Honestly, he grew up bearing the brunt of my disciplinary actions, my prayers and tears for him too. He left home for college at the age of 16. He attended school at Ateneo de Manila not without a lot of hardship. He mostly learned and survived from his mistakes and difficulties in life. After college, he worked in Cebu for 6 years. Then he left Cebu to take up post graduate study at Asia Institute of Management. I continued to follow him up and to pray for him at the Cathedral specially if I knew he was encountering some kind of a problem. Thank God for listening to my prayers. Today, Emil has become a more responsible young man. He now acts as a guardian brother to his younger sisters Martha and Marion. Sometimes I am dependent upon many of his concerns for us and heeding some of his good and wise advice too. Thank you Lord for giving me this child. Please continue to love and bless him abundantly.