It was my day-off yesterday (March 8). I woke up quite early – it seems that my biological clock has been urging me to get up or spring is at hand (Yes!), I don’t know. Later that day I found myself in church attending Mass. Weekday Masses in the parish is attended by a handful of churchgoers (including the Poor Clare nuns whose convent is attached to the church). As I look at my fellow worshippers I noticed that I was the youngest.
I cannot fail to become nostalgic. The scene brought me back to our old house in Cavite Street. At about 5 o’clock in the morning, a voice from the intercom is heard, “Pietro, gising na. Magsisimba tayo.” It was Lolo Paul. Day in and day out he would always wake me up to join him and Lola Piling for the daily Mass at the chapel of St Rita Hospital.
My grandparents have inculcated in my then young mind the value of the Mass and devotion to the saints. My devotion to St Joseph was actually inspired by my grandmother who was a devotee herself. She gave me a stampita with an image of St Joseph busy in his workshop and was being assisted by Our Lord. I was then 5/6 years old. I couldn’t remember what happened to that stampita. One time I mentioned it to her. She replied, in a complaining way, something like “Winawala mo naman eh...” Still she gave me another one, this time it was taken from the image of St Joseph in Gagalangin church. I kept it and when I was sick, I held that stampita and prayed, “Mahal na Poong San Jose, sana gumaling na ako.” Although I cannot say that I got well right there and then, I eventually recovered. I didn’t forget St Joseph since then.
I offered that Mass to thank God for them, especially for Lola Piling whose birthday was remembered that day. She would have been 91 years old if she were alive. Like St Joseph of old, she supported me and my siblings through thick and thin. Now it’s my turn to do the same to others.
***
You might have some stories to tell about your personal experience with St Joseph. Please feel free to send them to us. It would be an appropriate way of thanking him on his solemnity come March 20.
I cannot fail to become nostalgic. The scene brought me back to our old house in Cavite Street. At about 5 o’clock in the morning, a voice from the intercom is heard, “Pietro, gising na. Magsisimba tayo.” It was Lolo Paul. Day in and day out he would always wake me up to join him and Lola Piling for the daily Mass at the chapel of St Rita Hospital.
My grandparents have inculcated in my then young mind the value of the Mass and devotion to the saints. My devotion to St Joseph was actually inspired by my grandmother who was a devotee herself. She gave me a stampita with an image of St Joseph busy in his workshop and was being assisted by Our Lord. I was then 5/6 years old. I couldn’t remember what happened to that stampita. One time I mentioned it to her. She replied, in a complaining way, something like “Winawala mo naman eh...” Still she gave me another one, this time it was taken from the image of St Joseph in Gagalangin church. I kept it and when I was sick, I held that stampita and prayed, “Mahal na Poong San Jose, sana gumaling na ako.” Although I cannot say that I got well right there and then, I eventually recovered. I didn’t forget St Joseph since then.
I offered that Mass to thank God for them, especially for Lola Piling whose birthday was remembered that day. She would have been 91 years old if she were alive. Like St Joseph of old, she supported me and my siblings through thick and thin. Now it’s my turn to do the same to others.
You might have some stories to tell about your personal experience with St Joseph. Please feel free to send them to us. It would be an appropriate way of thanking him on his solemnity come March 20.
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