Pampered

The story is told about a father who boasted that on his 65th birthday he was “pampered” by his children with a trip to America on business class, plus a fat allowance, and hand-carried luggage filled with adult diapers on the side!

Today is Corpus Christi Sunday, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. In today’s Gospel, we learn how Jesus pampers us by giving us His own body and blood. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” Not only that, He also says that whoever eats His body and drinks His blood will live forever.

We are pampered by the Lord in the Eucharist! Not only does He give us His body and blood to give us strength and sustenance as we journey on, but He also remains united with us with His true and real presence. The message of the Eucharist is that God loves us very much! More than we know or realize. Yes, we are loved. Do we also love God? Are we doing our part?

Happy Father’s Day! We congratulate all fathers today, and pray for them in their big responsibility not only to provide but to be the pillar and inspiration of their children as well.

Someone once said that the best gift fathers can give their children is loving their mother. Let us pray for unity in our homes and wholeness in our relationships. May our homes be like the Eucharist where there is unity, peace and love. Is our country near to being like that?

In my recent trip to Toronto, Canada, I was so edified to meet my cousins Michelle, Cecille, Suzanne and Lisa. They have grown up to be God-fearing, humble, joyful, simple and prayerful—something which they, in turn, have passed on to their children. They have imbibed the spirituality of their parents, our Tio Ben and Tia Betty. Indeed, children live what they learn.

Tio Ben lived up to 100 years, and he was a very happy person till the end. When asked what his secret was, his simple response was: “I love God!” He became blind during the last years of his life, but he was always smiling, and his children often saw him praying. He enjoyed the presence of God. Whenever he can, he joyfully shared God’s word with other people. So that’s the secret: Love God and His people, and you’ll be happy. Love yourself and you’ll be miserable.

A long-haul airplane ride can be very tiresome, boring, and lonely, so there are gadgets, movies, music and food on board for you to while the time away with. But I also found out that it is the best time to pray, especially when everyone is asleep, and there’s a beautiful moon outside the window. Cruising at 35,000 feet up in the sky, one feels so close to heaven, literally.

Think about this: “Those who walk with the Lord will always reach their destination; those who dream with the Lord will always achieve their vision; those who stand for the Lord will win the battle; those who serve the Lord will always receive their reward.”

Whenever you hear Mass, please remember to pray, too, for the priest celebrating the Mass. Thank you!

On June 23 we will mark the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Let us neither belittle the heart nor take it for granted. Matters of the heart still do matter in a world that insists on operating more from the head, or from the pocket, than from the heart. To paraphrase the line of a song: What our country, what the world, needs now, more than ever, is the heart.

St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Juban, Sorsogon, will celebrate its 200th anniversary on June 20. The holy relic of St. Anthony de Padua from Italy may be viewed at the church until June 22.

Bantay Matanda invites you to a lay forum on “Depression in the Elderly” at Tuklong ni San Jose, Christ the King Seminary, E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon City, on June 24 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. For inquiries, please call 3732262, 9982548, or 09174167849.

A moment with the Lord:

Lord, You pamper us with so much love. Please help us to do our part somehow. Amen.