Marian Pilgrimage Diary: Day 4

Day 4: Big Problems Are God’s Taps On The Shoulder

From Burgos to Loyola, Spain

This morning, we left Burgos and rode off to Loyola. Yes, the birthplace of St. Ignatius de Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. I felt right at home. Why? I studied in Ateneo—a school run by the Jesuits—so Ignatius is close to my heart.
In this exact place some 400 years ago, Ignatius was a soldier who lived a life of much wine and many women. He was far from God. But one day, he got gravely wounded in battle. Not knowing whether he would live or die, Ignatius had a deep spiritual conversion experience that would rock his world. He gave his life to God and called others to also do the same. Thus, he formed the Society of Jesus—which by the way, is the largest congregation of priests in the world today.
For some people, tragedy is God’s “tap on the shoulder”. (I’m not saying God caused it. Read this poetically, not literally.) A crisis in life wakes us up from a meaningless life to live a life of blessing, love, and great purpose.
For Ignatius, it was being severely wounded in battle.
What is your “tap on the shoulder”?
What crisis calls you back to God?
Of course, our big problem doesn’t feel like a “tap on the shoulder”. More often, it feels like a giant boulder crushing us!
Friends, I strongly recommend that you don’t wait for a crisis.
I suggest you give your life to God without His “tap”.


PS. I wish to thank all those who have written to me, thanking me for sending them each month the inspiring Kerygma magazine for FREE, plus my Life Dreams Success Journal. (The Life Dreams Success Journal is a small powerful tool I made that has already helped many people write their dreams, thus helping them fulfil their goals.) Yes, I give away a FREE all-year subscription of Kerygma magazine plus the Life Dreams Success Journal to all KerygmaFamily members who support the ministry through a regular monthly love offering of at least P100 or $20 only. If you’re not yet a KerygmaFamily member, log onto http://www.kerygmafamily.com/ now and receive Kerygma magazine each month plus the Life Dreams Success Journal for FREE.

PS2. I’m still receiving a lot of questions on why I homeschool my sons. If you’re interested in homeschooling your kids, you can email catholicfilipinoacademy@gmail.com and ask for an article I wrote about homeschooling, and we’ll email it to you.

PS3. Journey to Personal Growth Live-in Seminar

This live-in retreat invites you to take a deeper look into the dynamics of your personality, move beyond its confines, and discover your true nature or essence. It aims to help you increase your self-understanding, know the true motives of your behavior, understand your fears, desires, defenses, anxieties. As you grow in self-awareness, this will facilitate the process of self-transformation. To be conducted by the Light of Jesus Counseling Center.

Date: August 25-26, 2007
Schedule: Overnight Retreat starting 8 AM Saturday up to 4 PM on Sunday
Venue: To be announced
Seminar Fee: P1,800.00
For reservations please call Cathy Deyto at tel no (632).7260267

Marian Pilgrimage Diary: Day 3

 

Day 3: Every Part Of Your Life Is An Art Piece For God

From Fatima, Portugal, to Burgos, Spain

Early morning, George and I squeezed in some video work for preacherinbluejeans.com. We rushed to the Fatima basilica and shot some scenes. I was with Bene and he kept on jumping and running around the place.
After our video work, Bene and I ran to the main church together. Believe me, if you’ve got kids in a pilgrimage, you don’t walk. You run, jump, and laugh going from place to place. You have to, or they’ll say the dreaded “B” word again. (“I’m bored”.)
We left Fatima at 9:00am by bus and travelled to Burgos, Spain. Do you know how far that was? 600+ kilometers!
That was 7 hours in the bus.
Again, we had 2 choices. Either grumble about it or enjoy it. We decided to enjoy it. We laughed, ate, sang, and prayed. The bus became a moving chapel, a comedy bar, and a picnic park all at the same time.
Along the way, we stopped for lunch. I was a good boy and ate green salad with drizzles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Totally light and healthy. To compensate for being too healthy, I ate 3 Swiss chocolate nuggets after that. Haha.
Finally arriving in Burgos, we visited its fabulous baroque cathedral. I tell you, the artists who built that thing were either (1) totally sick, obsessively-compulsive artists who didn’t do anything else except chisel and paint the whole day—or (2) they were simply passionate guys who wanted to create something beautiful for God.
Why do I say that? Because every single square inch of that massive cathedral—from floor to ceiling—was a meticulous art piece. For example, one altar alone (there were dozens of altars in that cathedral) had 116 angels. In one altar! It was mind-boggling.
This is what I believe. You and I are artists—and our life is the canvass. Our divine call is to paint something beautiful for God.
What is your paint brush? Your core gifts. Use them to express the beauty of heaven’s love.
For example, my gift is to write and preach.
What is your paint brush? Is it to sing? To cook? To do accounting? To build homes? To sell? To care for kids?
Today, I make a choice to paint something beautiful for God with fire in my belly. Every word. Every project. Every smile. Every thought. Every part of my life should be a beautiful art piece for God.
Friend, do you live with this passion?
Do you have fire in your belly?


PS. I wish to thank all those who have written to me, thanking me for sending them each month the inspiring Kerygma magazine for FREE, plus my Life Dreams Success Journal. (The Life Dreams Success Journal is a small powerful tool I made that has already helped many people write their dreams, thus helping them fulfil their goals.) Yes, I give away a FREE all-year subscription of Kerygma magazine plus the Life Dreams Success Journal to all KerygmaFamily members who support the ministry through a regular monthly love offering of at least P100 or $20 only. If you’re not yet a KerygmaFamily member, log onto http://www.kerygmafamily.com/ now and receive Kerygma magazine each month plus the Life Dreams Success Journal for FREE.

PS2. I’m still receiving a lot of questions on why I homeschool my sons. If you’re interested in homeschooling your kids, you can email catholicfilipinoacademy@gmail.com and ask for an article I wrote about homeschooling, and we’ll email it to you.

PS3. Attention Music Ministry Members. My friends and Kerygma Preachers Arun Gogna, Alvin Barcelona, and Rissa Singson will be giving a seminar entitled ALL I AM, Workshop for Music Ministers, on May 12, 2007, Saturday, 8am – 5pm. Designed for singers, dancers and band members, this course offers new perspective on how to animate and minister through music. A day of worship, renewed vision and empowerment, bring your team and be blessed! Venue: Lay Force, San Carlos Seminary, Guadalupe Makati. Call now for group discounts. Only limited slots available. For reservations and inquiries, contact Noel at (02) 8239546 or text 0915-4493600 .

PS4. Do you have broken, strained relationships? Want to restore this broken relationships into healthy positive ones? Do you want to learn how to handle your relationship conflicts? And learn techniques that will help you build healthy and harmonious relationships with others?
Join the “Relationships Seminar” of the Light of Jesus Counseling Center!
The seminar will help you examine your patterns of behavior that destroy relationships. Key principles that will guide you in relating with others will also be discussed in this seminar. For reservations and details, please contact Cathy at (632) 7260267 weekdays 10:00am to 6:00pm

Date: Every Tuesday from July 3 – Aug 7
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Venue: The Lighthouse, 60 Chicago St., Cubao
Seminar is FREE

Marian Pilgrimage Diary: Day 2

Day 2: God Sees You No Matter How Small You Are

From Guangzhou, China, to Frankfurt, Germany, to Fatima, Portugal

We finally took off from Guangzhou.  After a 12-hour flight, we set foot on European soil, landing in Frankfurt, Germany. 
       The travel agent said we had 2 options. 
       One was to wait in the airport for our next flight to Portugal.  The other was to go around the city for even a couple of hours. 
        Naturally, the pilgrims chose the second option.  We rushed out of the airport, had a lovely Mass at the oldest Church in the city, grabbed a quick lunch, and raced back to the airport.  It was like my pilgrims (oldest one being age 81) had rollerblades in their feet. In Tagalog, may nunal sa paa.
        For lunch, almost everyone ate all kinds of German franks, wieners, and hotdogs—eating them around a lovely fountain under the gorgeous German blue sky.  Of course, being semi-vegetarian, I ate very delicious German fish whose name I failed to ask before I munched him.
        After landing in Lisbon, we took a two-hour bus ride to beautiful Fatima.  This was where our pilgrimage “officially” began.
        Why Fatima? 
        In 1913, three poor children saw Mary in this exact place—a small town that was barely in the map of Portugal.  (Today of course, there’s a massive church and sprawling grounds all over it, visited by millions.  But before the apparition, it was a dot no one cared about.)
        Don’t you see? 
        This is what I call a God-principle.
        God chose a 14-year old Mary, a stuttering Moses, a scrawny shepherd boy named David, a juvenile Jeremiah, and illiterate fishermen as Apostles.  God insists on choosing the most unimportant people to do His work.  Why?
        To tell us that no one is insignificant in His eyes.
        No one is unimportant in His heart.
God sees you no matter how small you are.
        Friends, this is the greatest thief that is stealing your success: You don’t believe you’re big enough.   

        
PS. People have been writing me, asking where I preach regularly.  If you live in Metro Manila or its suburbs, don’t miss the FEAST—a powerful weekly gathering designed to bless your life.  With inspiring preaching, lively worship, and Sunday Mass.  See you every Sunday, 9am-12noon, at The Arena, Pinaglabanan, San Juan.  For more information, call Tel. No. (632) 725-9999  or email us at support@kerygmafamily.com.
 PS2. I wish to thank all those who have written to me, thanking me for sending them each month the inspiring Kerygma magazine for FREE, plus my Life Dreams Success Journal.  (The Life Dreams Success Journal is a small powerful tool I made that has already helped many people write their dreams, thus helping them fulfil their goals.)  Yes, I give away a FREE all-year subscription of Kerygma magazine plus the Life Dreams Success Journal to all KerygmaFamily members who support the ministry through a regular monthly love offering of at least P100 only or $20.  If you’re not yet a KerygmaFamily member, log onto http://www.kerygmafamily.com/ now and receive Kerygma magazine each month plus the Life Dreams Success Journal for FREE.


PS3. Do you feel like you are at  the crossroads of your life? Are you asking yourself the questions “Is this all there is to life?” “What am I working so hard for?”  “Where have my dreams gone?” Are you in the midst of a midlife crisis – unseeing what lies ahead and not knowing where to land?
Join this 2 day week-end Journey!  Journey to Midlife Retreat  on June 23-24, 2007 At Sacro Costato,  13 Sct Magbanua, Quezon City.  Retreat fee: P1,800. For reservation and details, please contact Cathy at (632)7260267 weekdays 10:00am to 6:00pm.
       

We’re All Pilgrims

We’re All Pilgrims

Marian Pilgrimage Diary

            This is my 15-day Marian Pilgrimage Diary.
            That way, you eavesdrop on my thoughts.
            Through this diary, I’ll take you with me as we zoom all over the planet—visiting China, Germany, Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy.
            This trip is a special for me.  First, because I’m bringing my 2 sons.  Second, because I’m bringing a lovely personal masseuse.  (Oh, she happens to be my wife too.)     This means I will have to squeeze writing diary entries in between carrying my kids and a truckload of luggage.
             When I was single, I used to travel with a tiny hand-carry bag and nothing else.  But in this trip, I drag behind me 4 massive suitcases, a backpack filled with pampers, 1 roller bag filled with toys, 1 duffel bag filled with milk bottles, and 1 computer bag.  Oh, and 2 strollers too. Many times, I feel like I was a walking Christmas tree.
             Yes, marriage is a burden in a literal sense of the word.  But a beautiful burden I would never dream of exchanging for anything else!
In this trip, I also have the great privilege of bringing with me 70 wonderful pilgrims.  We also have a fantastic team to lead this group: Fr. Joseph Skelton as our chaplain, Kerygma Preacher Adrian Panganiban as tour organizer, and Fish editor George Gabriel as our videographer for preacherinbluejeans.com  (Yes, log on there and it might be playing there now!)  My Beaconlight team, Beckie Sanchez and Vita Monforte assists Adrian, so everything is organized well.
            Okay friends, here’s my first entry.  Buckle your seatbelts, enjoy the ride, and be very blessed…
 

Day 1: Interruptions As God’s Special Gift

 Flying From Manila to Guangzhou, China

                  I’ve learned to smile and trust when things don’t go my way.
                  After taking off from Manila, our plane was supposed to pick up passengers in Guangzhou, China.  We were not even supposed to deplanebut just wait for an hour—and off we go to Europe.  But surprise, surprise! We couldn’t land.  The plane circled above the Guangzhou airport for 4 hours!  Many of us were imagining the worst scenarios.  Were we being hijacked?  Was there a bomb on the plane that the airport wasn’t accepting us?
                   Finally, after 4 hours of getting dizzy, the pilot announced that there was so much fog, he couldn’t land.  So we diverted to Hongkong to refuel. After two hours, we were on our way back to Guangzhou again.
                   This time, we landed safely.  We thought it would be a quick landing, some chitchat with the crew, and off we fly again.
No.  Instead, we were asked to step down the plane.
                   When we did, they announced that we were going to stay in China for 12 hours!  Reason: Because the flight crew had maxed out their allowable hours to fly, they now had to rest.
                   It was a huge interruption none of us could afford.
                   You know what?  I thank God I was travelling with 70 pilgrims, not 70 tourists.  If they were 70 tourists, I would have heard 70 grumblers grumbling great grumbles. 
                    But gosh, I didn’t even hear one complaint.
                    Instead, I saw each of them choosing to see the delay as God’s invitation for them to rest, to enjoy, to listen, to pray, to sleep…  We enjoyed the hotel they gave us.        We ate our free buffets.  We gathered to pray and sing together.
                     Friends, all of us experience interruptions in our lives. 
                     And when interruptions come, we have two choices: We can either complain at this terrible intrusion to our schedule or we can see them as a precious gift from God—a surprise so special, it will bless us in a way we can’t understand.
                      When a delay comes into your life, always ask yourself: How can I be blessed by this interruption?
                      Life is too short to complain.
           
PS. I wish to thank all those who have written to me, thanking me for sending them each month the inspiring Kerygma magazine for FREE, plus my Life Dreams Success Journal.  (The Life Dreams Success Journal is a small powerful tool I made that has already helped many people write their dreams, thus helping them fulfil their goals.)  Yes, I give away a FREE all-year subscription of Kerygma magazine plus the Life Dreams Success Journal to all KerygmaFamily members who support the ministry through a regular monthly love offering of at least P100 or $20 only.  If you’re not yet a KerygmaFamily member, log onto http://www.kerygmafamily.com/ now and receive Kerygma magazine each month plus the Life Dreams Success Journal for FREE.
 
PS2. Attention Music Ministry Members.  My friends and Kerygma Preachers Arun Gogna, Alvin Barcelona, and Rissa Singson will be giving a seminar entitled ALL I AM, Workshop for Music Ministers, on May 12, 2007, Saturday, 8am – 5pm.  Designed for singers, dancers and band members, this course offers new perspective on how to animate and minister through music. A day of worship, renewed vision and empowerment, bring your team and be blessed!  Venue: Lay Force, San Carlos Seminary, Guadalupe Makati.  Call now for group discounts.  Only limited slots available.  For reservations and inquiries, contact Noel at (02) 8239546 or text 0915-4493600.
 
PS3: Cancer Survivors Support Group: A support group incorporating psycho-emotional, spiritual approach as well as health and education  to help cancer survivors and their caregivers/ families to cope with the illness. Each session will comprise varied activities from discussions on healthy ilving, group sharing, including guest speakers from the medical profession, and of course prayer.
 
Every 2^nd Saturday, 2-5pm.
Conducted by Light of Jesus Counseling Center.
Venue: The Lighthouse, 60 Chicago St., Cubao
Fee: FREE                  

          

          

          

Fasting Journal: Day 6

Fasting Journal: Day 6: Thank You For Joining My Crazy Adventures!
Note: This Is My Last Message To You From My Fasting Journal

After 6 days of juice fasting, I feel so healthy, clean, and at peace.

Physically, I’m detoxified.

Mentally, I’m relaxed and attuned.

Spiritually, I’m whole and connected.

Today, I joined the Good Friday service in my parish.

After which, instead of joining the procession, I decided to just take a quiet walk around our neighborhood. It was so beautiful. I felt so at peace. I can’t imagine how something so simple can be so refreshing. Walking is free, with no fancy equipment needed. As I walked, I reflected on God’s love—so how couldn’t I be refreshed?

Fasting Journal: Day 5

Fasting Journal: Day 5: At Home, Happy and Handsome

I went home today.

And I feel tired, happy, and handsome. (That’s spoken in expectant faith.)

I always have this happy exhaustion after giving a non-stop string of talks.

In the past 6 days, I gave a total of 14 talks. And my body is saying, “Okay Bo, turn-off your boosters. Shut-off adrenalin valves. It’s time to relax…”

Fasting Journal: Day 4

Fasting Journal: Day 4: Getting Stronger By The Day

My 4th day of fasting was fantastic.

I felt stronger than ever. I gave 4 talks today in the retreat—and I just love my audience. In between talks, with Edwin Marcelo holding the camera, I did a few scenes for our daily internet TV show, Preacher In Blue Jeans. (If you haven’t watched that yet, go to http://www.preacherinbluejeans.com/ and be inspired.)

And in between my 4 talks, I didn’t take my siesta. That’s how strong I felt.

Fasting Journal: Day 3

Fasting Journal: 3rd Day With Chowking (!) & Quiet Walks With God

While I fast, I’m giving a retreat to almost 300 people in Tagaytay (divided into 3 batches). Preaching and blessing these beautiful people here is my great joy. Sometimes, I want to pinch myself. Is this really my life? My job is the best in the world.

It’s the third day of my juice fast. When I’m not with the retreatants, I’m in my room studying, still preparing for my FEAST talk on Easter Sunday. (If you live in Metro Manila, don’t miss it! Click here for venue.) And if I’m not doing that, I’m taking quiet walks under the blue sky with God beside me.

Let me share with you my guiding principle for prayer: I do what works.

Fasting Journal: Day 2

Fasting Journal: It’s Only My Second Day And I Feel Good Already!

I’m writing my fasting journal to you, to encourage you in your own prayer & fasting this Holy Week. This is my second day of 7 days of prayer & fasting.

This year, I’m taking a lighter—but healthier—type of fast: The Juice fast. (I did a “water only” fast years ago and I loved it, but I think it was too harsh for the body. In a “water only” fast, toxins are released too quickly and it shocks the system. In a juice fast, the toxins bind themselves with the juices and they get gently flushed out of the body.)

This year, I was a good boy and prepared for my fast well. About 3 days before my fast, I began eating smaller meals and avoided refined sugar—ice cream, pastries, etc.—to avoid withdrawal symptoms—which causes headaches, etc.More...

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This Holy Week!

One day, a man lost his wife from a lingering disease.

Totally depressed and unwilling to live without his wife by his side, the widower decides to end it all. One morning, he left a suicide note, and went up the mountains. His plan was to starve to death. He would only allow himself to drink from the mountain streams, nothing else.More...

After a couple of weeks, the man noticed something. Though he had lost weight, he was not dying. On the contrary, he never felt healthier and stronger. Many ailments he suffered for years simply disappeared.

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