Celebrate Life!

September 2. I celebrate life in a special way today every year. A few years back, God sent his emergency response team of guardian angels to save our life from a “near miss”. That incident led me to rethink about how I have been living my life and go on an exciting adventure with God. It also helped me to celebrate my birth month in a more special way of thanksgiving to the Lord. One of the many blessings I’m very grateful for are the witnesses of His love. Here’s a shout out for them!

I thank God for the gift of my mother. My siblings and I had a scare more than a month ago, when our mom was rushed to the hospital. The diagnosis: pneumonia, low sodium, and heart attack. My mom is a very strong woman and it was very difficult to see her fight for her life and to navigate through an emergency during a pandemic, living so far away from her. But thanks to God, everything fell into place. And people’s empathy and kindness became the crutches on which we stood. While we are not privileged to enjoy material wealth, we are blessed to have friends and family, from all parts of the globe, who – despite the difficulties of this pandemic – went out of their way to help in whatever way they can.

I also thank God for my Pure Heart family, for being a big instrument of God to let me have a personal encounter with Him. It was amazing to cap off August celebrating Corazon Puro’s 12th anniversary on a national holiday! It was great time to give thanks for the family, mission and supporters God has given us. Pure Heart has greatly helped me to rediscover my identity and be a gift to others. This year, even though it was a bit sad that we had to say goodbye to our foreign missionaries, I am very blessed to also welcome three new full-time Filipino missionaries. God always provides!

What great gifts from God! August always felt like a cap-off thanksgiving celebration for all the graces God has given me. I am one spoiled birthday celebrant. As St. John Paul II said, “Remember the past with gratitude. Live the present with enthusiasm. Look forward to the future with confidence.” Life is challenging and love is demanding. But I now recall my past with gratitude for everything God allowed me to experience so that I could know myself better and be closer to Him. I also embrace the present moment with enthusiasm, out of gratitude and hope for what is yet to come – all in a spirit of thanksgiving. How do you celebrate life?