PRAYER FOR WORLD PEACE OF BEATO POPE JOHN PAUL II

Great and Merciful God, Lord of peace and of life,
Your designs are for peace, not affliction.
You sent Your Son Jesus to proclaim peace to those near and afar
and to reunite people of all races and descent in a single family.

Hear the unanimous cry of Your children the sorrowful plea of all humanity for peace.
Speak to the hearts of those in charge of the destiny of others.

Stop the desire for retaliation and revenge;
suggest with Your Spirit new solutions, generous and honorable gestures,
time for patient waiting.

Grant to our times--days of peace. Amen

Prayer by Pope John Paul II

MAY 1, 2011

This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.

We happily celebrate the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, the feast of the Divine Mercy of God, and the beatification of Pope John Paul II.

Godbless and peace.

EASTER CHEERS & BLESSINGS

Easter 2011

Our Savior, Who was crucified for our redemption due to our sins on Good Friday, has triumphantly risen, Alleluia.

Easter and Passsover blessings & cheers to all

MAUNDY THURSDAY REFLECTIONS

MAUNDY THURSDAY, April 21, 2011

Took some time out to read all the gospel accounts on the Last Supper. John's was the most detailed, including all the lessons Christ left with his Apostles. My greatest sense of the Last Supper is the model of Christ as the humble Servant Leader Who remained caring for His followers and their well-being, even as He approached death. He instituted the Sacraments of Holy Orders and the Holy Eucharist to let the Faith live and thrive and liberate succeeding believers. Thank God for the beautiful event of the Last Supper. Would have wanted to be a witness.

Peace
Gabby

Remembering My Compadre, Ging Luna

Palm Sunday

My friend Ging Luna died last April 14. He was 63 y.o. His wife, Benji, who predeceased him in 1997, was my favorite college student at Ateneo de Davao in 1973. I am the godfather of their only daughter Aina, who got married in January 2010. Aina and Ging were estranged in 2002 and I was fortunate to have gotten them together in Nov. 2010 at home for lunch. Present in the lunch was the late Sister Letty Allado RSG, Ging's cousin who helped work out a reconciliation. My sincere condolences to Aina and my fervent prayers for Ging's happy repose and reunification with Benji and Sister Letty in Paradise. Norman was also a dear friend of the 3 departed ones so they may be having a ball up there.

BOOK ON PEACE CORPS' 50 YEARS IN THE PHILIPPINES

The book organized by Dr. Hans Groot, and in which I contirbuted an article, is now available in bookstores.

http://www.blurb.com/books/2086215

Cheers and blessings.

UPDATES AFTER SOME TIME

April 16, 2011

It is Palm Sunday tomorrow and start of Holy Week. Time for reflections and more prayers.

Last Thursday, April 14, my compadre Ging Luna in Davao City. died leaving my god daughter Aina an orphan. I am happy that I served as bridge to their reconciliation in Nov. 2009, after their estrangement for about 9 years.

From March 24 to April 4, Ray & Marcia Bramble visited us. It was strange for them to visit w/o Norman around. It was a time for them to visit Norm's niche and put closure to their grief since Norm's sudden departure on Aug.27, 2007. I took time out to join them to Bohol Island and Cebu Island.

In Bohol, we met my friends Cooper Resabal and Gardy Labad, both very active in the local tourism development programs. We flew there. We visited the Chocolate Hills, the old Baclayon Church, the butterfly farm and the old home of a local Senator. We also had lunch on a boat as we cruised the Loboc River in the rains. We saw tarsiers in Loboc.

From Bohol we took a 2 hour fastcraft to Cebu City on Cebu Island. There, we visited the famous and popular Basilica of the Infant Jesus (Sto. Nino), the cross of Magellan, Cebu City Hall (where my grandpa's - Alfredo Jacinto Sr.- portrait as first city mayor was displayed), the old San Pedro Fort, the Taoist temple in Beverly Hills and Ayala Mall,where we had lunch w/my Cebu-based cousin, Norrie Jacinto. We also visited the 2nd LDS Temple in the Philippines, the Cebu Mormon Temple. On the way to the airport to fly back to Manila, we passed by the Lapulapu Monument, where Magellan was killed in the battle of Mactan.