Mama Mary

One of the amazing things I have experienced having friends is being welcomed into their families as though I was one of them, and vice versa.  And being Filipinos, the terms of endearment we use at home applies elsewhere. Thus, we call our friends’ older siblings as Manong and Manang, or Kuya and Ate. As for their parents it’s Tito and Tita or sometimes, Daddy and Mommy, Papa and Mama, or Tatay and Nanay.

I don’t know about you, but it felt good to have that rapport (up to a certain degree) with friend’s families. I remember two friends, Art and Vlad Reyes (They’re not related!), whose moms we address as Nanay Espie and Nanay Remy respectively. Both have been warm and welcoming to me and other friends. I must say that I wouldn’t have known and understood more my friends had it not for their mothers.  

I have another friend whose mother loved her son through and through. A mom who helps me to know and understand more her son. A mom who provides that strong link between my friend and I. A mom who continues to accept, admonish, and love me in spite of the many times I have hurt my friend. This friend of mine is not just any ordinary friend. He is a friend, Teacher, Healer, Savior, Lord, and God rolled into one. He is Jesus. And His Mother is Mama Mary, "the kindest and most loving of all mothers". 

I often wonder how (and when) we Pinoy Catholics learned to address the Blessed Virgin as Mama Mary. While the English would address her as Our Lady and the Italians as Madonna, we have called her in an informal yet intimate way. We have called her as though she was family.

A few weeks ago, I had an interesting conversation with an expatriate. She and her family are active in their parish so I thought of inviting them to come along to our group's Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in our parish. She politely declined and explained to me that she and her husband are on a spiritual journey. She admitted that she used to have a deeper relationship with Mary (deeper than her relationship with Jesus in the past) and used to pray the Rosary, but learned that she could directly pray to God and would like to focus on building a relationship with Jesus. She hopes that in God's time she will be enlightened. 

I felt sad when she told me her experience. What caused her to abandon her long-held Marian devotion? Did she feel that her deeper relationship with Mary hinders having a sound relationship with Jesus? I explained to her though that our group's focus is also on Jesus and that Mary, being His Mother, serves only as a way to Him, a companion in our spiritual journey and deeper relationship with the Lord. I closed our conversation by assuring her of my prayers.

Perhaps some of us may have had a similar experience. Regardless, I would like to offer three quotes for us to ponder: 

“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.” (St Maximilian Kolbe)

“Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son. There can be no doubt that whatever we say in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son.” (St Bernard of Clairvaux)

"A Christian without Our Lady is an orphan." (Pope Francis)

As we celebrate Mama Mary's birthday on September 8, let us ask for the grace to have a deeper relationship with her, our spiritual mother. Let us also ask for the grace to appreciate that we are part of a family - God's People, the Church - and actively contribute to its growth. With the many tribulations the Church, our country, the world have to face, we need her more than ever. Through Mama Mary, we will be able to reach "the goal we seek - Jesus, her Son” (St Louis Marie de Montfort).

Happy birthday, Mama Mary! Thank you for your love and guidance. Help us to always listen to Your Son and to love one another as He has commanded us. Continue to lead us to Him. We love you!

Vlad

Mike Flores, Richard Leyson, and I formed a triumvirate in the Lectors/Commentators Group in Gagalangin ages ago.  In one of our gatherings (or drinking sprees?), Pareng Richard would often mention Vladimir, his high school classmate and friend.  Mike and I would keep on asking him about this guy.  (Don't know why. Perhaps because of his uncommon name!) One day in early 1993, he brought us to Vlad's place along Juan Luna Street, a few houses away from the church.  On seeing me, he told me how often I would walk past their house. Indeed, I wouldn't miss his place as I have friends and acquaintances who live nearby.  

Summertime of the same year, Tanghalang Anluwage (TA) went for an outing in Batangas courtesy of our friend Fr Romy Antimano who was then a guest priest in the parish. The outing seemed oversubscribed that a few of us were unable to ride on the hired jeepney. Vlad and I and (I think) two more members have to commute. No idea where we're heading, but we carried on. Luckily, we made it!

When I assumed the Editorship of Ang Pahayagang Anluwage, there was a need for someone to look after the newsletter's funds.  I tapped Vlad who willingly accepted the role. It was a blessing that Vlad was appointed because as we were getting ready for our December issue, we received more advertisement sponsors than expected.

Vlad also had the skills in electronics and have often been in-charge of the lights and sounds aspect of any TA or parish sanctioned event such as the Easter Vigil Mass, the various awards ceremonies, etc.

But I think Vlad got a break when his artistic side came about.  The first breaks came about when he composed some songs for the "Pitong Hapis, Pitong Tuwa (Ang Dula ng Buhay ni San Jose)" in 1997 and 1998 and when he became Director of "Kasalan sa Likod ng Simbahan" (a play written by Bienvenido Noriega) in December 1997.  These were followed by other directing and acting roles in TA. I enjoyed working with him in most of these 'breaks', particularly when I wrote the script for Pitong Hapis and performed as Mang Ponso in Kasalan.

I vividly remember those times when he remarked how 'talkative' was St Joseph in Pitong Hapis when the he didn't utter a single word in the Bible.  (When I performed as St Joseph in the Maytinis celebration in the States, I also had a similar observation - St Joseph had more to sing in the script than the Virgin Mary!).  Looking back, those works of art deliberately embellished St Joseph's character to make up for the scarcity in Sacred Scriptures.

I could also recall how we have to rehearse the script in one corner of the Rotonda or internalize how it is to be an old man carrying his beloved (an old woman) as they went up the stage.

As director, and later as President of the group, Vlad treated us as adults. His common expression was "Matatanda na kayo, hindi na ninyo kailangang turuan" (or words to that effect). Although there is that degree of trust that he gave us, he didn't spare us some tongue-lashing when we made one stinking performance in Kasalan. 

Vlad later branched out of Gagalangin by serving as a lector/commentator at the Manila Cathedral since 2002.  He would later become elected as coordinator for the group. I feel proud that he has remained in the ministry in my beloved church in spite us  - Richard, Art Reyes, Al Reyes, and I - going abroad after serving there.

Above all the titles, positions, and responsibilities he held, Vlad is my friend. Through the years we have been in Anluwage, that friendship developed. We shared some similarities such as being both Taurus and avid listeners of classical music. We were also both devotees of Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval de Manila. I am thankful that he keeps me updated with videos and photos taken during the annual fiesta on the second of October. I feel as though I was in Santo Domingo Church all along!

As a friend, Vlad  is someone I could open up to; someone who would offer me a bike ride when I got stuck somewhere in the metropolis; someone I could barge into even in the dead of the night; someone who would tell me if I am right, wrong, or stupid without any qualms. 

Vlad, I am blessed to have you as my friend. I wish you all the best as you turn 40. It's not that scary, believe me! You just have to look after yourself: choose to be happy, pray more, expect less, be grateful, enjoy life!  Keep up the good work! God bless you!

A Decade of Sharing the Good News

Happy New Year! I hope you and your loved ones had a great celebration of the Lord's Birth and welcoming 2015.

2015 is a special year for all of us in anluwage.com for it marks our 10th anniversary. It seems it was just yesterday when Art Reyes and Mike Flores created the web as an online ministry of Tanghalang Anluwage, Inc. Among its first items were "Before Sundays", the forerunner of what is now "God-speak", a regular feature of the web containing  reflections on the Sunday Mass readings are shared. 

There were also "The Nine Gifts" and "The Seven Last Words" special online devotions for Advent and Holy Week respectively. There were also columns such "Bits and Bobs" and "Tanggero".

Since then, more people and more items were added into the web. The vision and mission statements were drawn up. An editorial board was organized.  We also created a group page in Facebook to reach out for more people.

It is through your generous support that we have achieved such blessings. I could not thank you enough for all the help that you have given the web. 

Our 10th anniversary coincides with 2 important events: the Year of Consecrated Life in the Universal and the Year of the Poor in the Philippine Church. I hope our web would be able to contribute in promoting and supporting religious life and also in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to the poor.  Sharing in Facebook of articles featured in the web would be a simple way of proclaiming that Good News to others. Another suggestion is to get to know more about our very own Fr. Shay Cullen who apart from being a religious, is also involved in reaching out to the poor via the PREDA Foundation. Finally, we would welcome more writers and other supporters to help us keep the fire of the Spirit burning.  

May Jesus, the Word-made-Flesh, continue to be THE source of inspiration in our ministry. May the Virgin Mary, Mother of God and ours, and St. Joseph, our patron, intercede for us for a fruitful 2015.

God bless us all! God bless anluwage.com!