First, Sour Notes… Then Sweet Music

LOVE IS what makes the world go round. True.

But for me, at times, what makes the world go round is music—from its melody, to its high and low notes, especially in its harmony.

 I distinctly remember the talk series: 3Ts (Time, Treasure and Talent) which, in a gist, advised that we serve God, using our time, treasure, and talent. I’ve been blessed with a good voice. Since I was 8 years old, I’d been a Glee club member in my elementary school, a choir member in highschool, a band singer and member of the Music Ministry of the Youth for Christ in Adamson University. I’ve been invited to be a wedding or birthday singer. Plus I had joined various singing contests. attempted to write songs, too.

So following the 3T teaching, I auditioned to be a member of the Feast PICC Choir in 2010. Simon Santos, the chorus pianist, told me to go to 8^th Note studios on Quezon Avenue in Quezon City for the audition. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go because I had work on the day of the audtion. 

A few months after, I heard the Media Ministry was calling for volunteers.  I love to write, so I joined the Ministry.

I love my co-servants who have become my extended family and true friends. I enjoyed my Media work—covering Feast events and writing stories for The Feast bulletin. Yet deep inside me, I still yearned to join the Feast Choir. One time, in one of its Lobby gimmicks, the Creative and Events Group set up a big Wish Ko Lord board and invited Feast attendees to draw a specific dream on the board. I drew my dream of singing for the Lord.

Three years after, Bro. Pong Jimenez, The Feast Choir master, asked me several times to join the Choir. But I told him I already had some obligations in the Media Ministry.

Then, last February, the Music Ministry opened an audition again for singers and instrumentalists. All the music genres played both in my head and my heart as I wondered whether to take another chance to join the Choir. 

The only thing that urged me to go was one word: Believe! I took a leap of faith and auditioned.

But I encountered series of obstacles, like sour notes playing, starting on the day before the audition day. There was blackout in our place, so I spent a sleepless night. The following day, because I didn’t have enough sleep, I felt my voice cracking. I was like, “Oh, God, not this day!”

Still I proceeded to the 8^th Note studios on Panay Avenue, Quezon City, for the audition which was scheduled at 7:30 p.m. On the way, I encountered more troubles.  There was a heavy traffic so I decided to take the MRT. But alas, the MRT was not issuing tickets because the trains were delayed.

 I decided to take a bus. But when the time came for me to pay my fare, I realized my coin ourse was missing. It was snatched from my bag! My heart thumped as I told the conductor I was robbed.

I was supposed to meet up with my friend, Candice on Quezon Avenue. She would accompany me to the audition.  So I attempted to call her to let her know my predicament. But whoa, I ran out of load. Good thing my mobile phone had this amenity where you could communicate with someone via your Facebook account—even if you didn’t have enough load. So I was able to get in touch with Candice. She told me to pray ask Mother Mary to intercede for me.  I did. And would you believe, right after I said my Hail Mary, my phone rang. Another friend, Apple, who knew I was going for the audition, was calling me just to say “Goodluck.”

I told her I was running out of load. And Apple, bless her, went to 7-11 store and sent me a P100 worth of load. 

Then when I was about to get off the bus, the conductor did not demand for my fare. He gave me P20 instead. A young woman who heard that I’d been robbed handed me a crisp P50-bill! 

It was already 8p.m when I finally met up with Candice.  I was already 30 minutes late for the audition. Hurriedly we took a tricycle to 8^th Note Studios. As I entered the room, I saw the Choir members were there already. And the moment they saw me, they applauded. I never felt so welcomed, so loved! I then auditioned and by God’s grace, I was taken in. Suddenly the sour notes were gone, as sweet music played around me.

It was a rhythm divine as my dreams started to align with my time, my work schedule and my family and friend’s support. I praise the Lord because I’m able to sing for Him at the Feast every Sunday. And the moment I sing with the Choir, I feel the angels above are singing with us—all for God’s glory.

Big chorus team praising our Big God

--30--

Round 1: Focus on the Good

How to win over temptation and be Victorious by Bro. Bo Sanchez

Round 1: Focus on the Good 

Today's Feast is empowering especially when Bro. Bo Sanchez declared: God sees you as beautiful, beloved and blessed. God said, that's my boy/girl/kid! He is delighted and proud to see us being and doing good, thus the love that He shows heal us and we'll stop the self-rejection. How lovely, How Great His love is! :)

Every one has a Trojan horse inside us. There’s something in us that open us the gates of temptation. Once we fail into our sin, we tend to hate ourselves more. Behind every sin we commit is a cry for love.

This is it: The pleasure of sin is the pirated version of the pleasure of being loved.

The greatest weapon of devil against God’s people is Self-rejection. If somebody doesn’t like, appreciate or forgive him/herself that’ll open to many temptations.

It is hard work to love, forgive and appreciate yourself.

3 Symptoms of our Trojan horse

1.        1.  We don’t love ourselves.

2.      2. Our relationships are dysfunctional.

3.      3. We worship a rejecting God.

We must believe that we are totally, completely and perfectly loved by our Daddy God.

Healing Break Feast

Mass:

Yesterday, Fr. Nelson Osorio (OSJ, Oblates of St. Joseph) held a healing mass at the Feast PICC from 1^st to 3^rd session. According to him, he received the gift of healing during attending an LSS on the year 1992. He’s now giving mass in San Jose Batangas.

On the first part of the homily, he taught us 3 different claps (pizza bun, buko juice and Ang galling-galing ni Lord) for us to remain awake. He shared that it’s his first time in the PICC and he always said that God loves us. He speaks poetically or it’s it’s because of his native language accent (Batangueno). He always brings with him the small replica of St. Joseph and Fr. Osorio told us that St. Joseph’s name was said 14 times in the Bible. He even promotes him; eventhough people would forget his name, but not St. Joseph’s.

He shared us one of his healing mass’ story. On February 15, 2009, He went to Camiguin Island. He didn’t have enough sleep and he only ate 2 pandesals (bread) before initiating the mass. He was hungry and one time he was talking to a man and told him that he’s already hungry, then the woman in front of them blurted out that they prepared some native chicken and then invited to eat with them. His prayer was granted then joined the woman in eating his favorite food. Afterwards, the woman asked him to pray over her neighbor, who’s just few meters away from their house. Fr. Osorio responded, “Ok.” Since his healing mass would start at 3pm and it’s only 1pm. When, he finally landed on the unbeknownst woman named Myrna Suazo, He noticed that her house looks like a slam house and she’s been bed ridden and had a brain tumor for 2 years already. Her husband and children left her with such horrible condition and the reason why she’s alive was because of her prayers to her altar with Mama Mary and Sto. Nino and also her neighbor’s concern.

Fr. Osorio intensely prayed over her, and then he saw how her face turned light. After 2 years of battling from her sickness this woman passed away and her presence marked Fr. Osorio’s heart and soul, and it didn’t stop him to travel all over the Philippines to pray over those who are seriously sick people.

 Fr.Nelson Osorio holding his St. Joseph's small replica

 Upon praying over a boy

Upon praying over a shaking man
 Photos by: Wendell Rupert Alinea

Bro. Bo’s Talk:

He had a short message for each of us before prompting to the Healing session. He asked us this question: Are you ready for a Touch of God? Of course, everyone answered yes. He added that that God is like a mother who readies the food on the table for her children. Our God is perfect father wherein every blessing, miracles and healing that we need are set on the table. He asked us, Why do we need a Healing session right now? It’s not to convince God to heal me, but it’s to convince me to receive His healing. God’s healing is like a rain pouring down. It’ll strengthen us to be faithful, trustful, becomes more open, so that we can be ready for more miracles, blessings and healings.

Afterwards, Fr. Nelson started to annoint our Healing ministry. It’s time for God’s movement and power.

Personal note: Yesterday, the Holy Spirit worked tremendously at PICC. When Father Osorio started to do tongues of Holy Spirit- speaking different languages, singing hymns to the Father, asking the Holy Spirit to fall down and overcome us- the Music ministry continuously sang the worship songs. The congregation started to fall in line. Then Fr. Osorio, the Healing ministry includes, Caring group head, Ministry heads) and the catchers started to pray over those who were in line. It was such a glorious time to see that most people were slain or touched by the Holy Spirit. I observed Fr. Osorio’s action, it was truly miraculous and powerful, his touch, his hymns, his blow. He always said that he was just a mere instrument of God in healing the sick. It’s our faith that heals us. Such a humble servant of the Lord and a special gift from above.

Many were healed and cleansed including me. Praised the Lord!