“God, Help me.”
I am nobody inside the house of our Lord. I felt transparent in soul, body and thought in HIS home. Monday to Saturday dear wife Rose and me seldom absent ourselves coming to HIS House to sing and pray for forgiveness. Monday, October 23 ,2021, there were ten parishioners excluding our regular choir guitarist Prima Velarde and our dedicated, Parish priest Fr. Joey Tendenilla.
To come as an unseen observer like an Angel inside our church, the Saint Anthony de Padua Parish Church of Buyo, Virac, Catanduanes, you will notice the following:
- Our intermediary to God, Fr. Joey Tendenilla at the beginning of Holy Mass will read notes from envelope expressing thanks and mercy to our God for someone reaching another milestone in life, someone who crossed the bar, parents grateful for child’s accomplishment, request for return to the pink of health and other to stand in good stead. Some of us our intention, request and prayer for forgiveness are directly elevated mentally to God in silence with little movement of our lips. You will see Armando the most senior among parishioners and you second quess I bring many intentions and requests than all the rest combined. Like someone requesting help in seeking for bright future, friends in search for life’s meaning, and for my personal benefits, gifts of a healthy long life and many grandchildren which until now I don’t have.
- Fr Joey celebrates Holy Mass the way it should be done, not affected by number of attendees inside the church, for he believes his celebration of Holy Mass is address to Jesus Christ our Lord for making our district 5 religious and free from pandemic. We know that when he offers peace its for all of us and the whole world. Again our attendees whether four only like last October 11, today ten or 15 on another day, does not affect Fr. Joey for I concluded he includes the people outside the church in our Holy Mass, population of the entire district 5 and when his prayer coalesce with that of other priests of Catanduanes its to end Covid-19 and other variants.
- Our unseen observer, the Angel may perceived immediate extrinsic changes of demeanor of churchgoers at the start of the Holy Mass, our manner become formal, mere smile for greetings, faces showing peace, joy and contentment thinking of Christ Jesus our Lord. We felt the solemnity and the presence of One true God, we believed from birth with all mind and heart, the Creator of everything, our Savior.
- We sing abiding the beat with the guitarist Prima, conformity to the tunes but we also follow our emotion to express our love to HIM.
- I should have omitted number 5 for its a personal feel-good of what I guess the result of our prayers: I observed progress in Buyo, the good behavior of children towards education, involvement of the youth to Buyo Parish Music Ministry thru the teaching and guidance of Sir Dave Templonuevo and peace in every home in Buyo. In our personal prayer we entreat God to bless and guide the Buyoans to be industrious, save part of their weekly earning for education of children and practice personal discipline.
‘If all will write and tell it too, and not be afraid to put in words our thoughts, beliefs and dependent to God against these unseen Covid-19 and variants, instilling fears and uncertainties to our existence, more will come to Church for mercy and deliverance thru bended knees will pray and sing alleluyah/alleluia.’
Do we become religious when our life is in peril but feeling secured take God for granted and come to Him when we have time? We, Catandunganons are known in the entire bicol to be the most religious and have the most clergies and Bishops in our region 5. Let us put our complete trust and adoration to Lord Jesus Christ, binding and sincere to convince HIM, as our last recourse/hope for survival from Covid-19 and other variants.
Three days ago our close friend asked ,” If God is all-loving and all forgiving, does our God answer our prayers even if it cannot reach/open HIS heart to give compassion and mercy?, nor forgive us if our prayers and our past deeds do not warrant?.
“God help me to do good, I am Nobody”.