Last School of Leaders at St. Joseph in Pinole, Sister Merla asked us of what we felt during the welcome night in our 3-day weekend. Most of the answers were "it's an overwhelming experience, hearing the songs, feeling that you're loved and seeing the beautiful smiles from our brothers and sisters is really astounding. But one of the sister's answer was, she was just there sitting and out of curiosity just wondering around and waiting for what is going to happen next. Then I said to myself I was like that too when I entered the Cursillo. As you all know Sis. Luz joined the movement first and then Sis. Erlinda. Then the two of them courted me to join also. They told me the weekend would be a good thing, but like most of us, I did not have a clear understanding of what it was all about. So out of curiosity, on the second year of courtship, I answered yes to them. But after my 3-day weekend I confessed to God and asked for forgiveness for what my notion was before joining the cursillo.  After my 3-day week-end I felt I am a renewed Catholic Christian, rejuvenated and I compared myself to a rose bud that's ready to bloom and ready to spread the Good News of the Lord, but of course with the help of the Holy Spirit. I know that I still need to read and learn more about the teaching of God and that's an on-going process for me.  I'm reading some catholic inspired books including the books that Deacon Ben told us to read, the Saint Joseph's Edition of the New Testament, and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. I always get the church bulletin after the Sunday mass so I will know what the scheduled church activities are for the week and the whole week scripture readings.

Now I am already committed to live a personal relationship with Christ's Spirit, allotting time for prayer. In the morning while getting up from bed, I'm already doing the sign of the cross and uttering the word of thanks for another good night of sleep. I never, never missed my morning prayer, my mid day prayer and my night prayer. Here's how I pray my holy rosary daily. I bought the "Pray the Rosary with the Daughters of St. Paul" CD and I asked my daughter to download it to my zune and it's with me everyday. I listen and pray the holy rosary with the Daughters of St. Paul while I'm in the carpool going to work and going back home and sometimes when I'm taking a walk during my lunch hour. Before retiring at night even though I'm really, really tired from a whole day of work, I never, never missed thanking God for all the blessings that I have had during the day and even for the failures that I have done. I know that failures are challenges in our lives in which we can see the mercy of God. And it's in our failures and challenges that we can show how faithful we are to our Lord Jesus Christ. Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight".

My 3-day weekend gave me the enthusiasm to join the Eucharistic Ministry at St. Joseph and later became one of the Lectors too. Being a lector, I can share a verse or verses from the bible to the church community. In our parish it is mandatory to meet one week prior to our actual assignment to share our thoughts about the reading so we can proclaim it properly and coming from our heart. Everytime that I'm assigned to proclaim the word of God I'm always putting in my mind what Ephesians 6:19-20 - "Pray for me, so that when I speak, I may be given words to proclaim bravely the mystery of the Gospel. Even when in chains, I am an ambassador of God; may he give me the strength to speak, as I should".  Doing such job give me a sense of being involve in the religious community in our parish environment.

Now let me share something that had happened to me that I considered as a miracle from God.

I already shared this to some of our sisters but I think I have to share this to all of you. As what I have said I'm considering this as a miracle from God. This is regarding my youngest daughter who used to work in San Leandro. Her company merged with another company whose mother company was based in South Carolina (SC). Her boss sent her to SC to attend a training/seminar and after that she had this feeling that sooner or later her company will be moved to SC so she decided to look for another job. She went to an accounting temp agency and she was interviewed and was offered a new job in San Francisco. Being a concerned mom I went and looked at the place and I was not happy of what I saw. There were lots of young men wearing just sandos or undershirts, smoking and full of tattoos all over their arms. I said to myself O my God, it's not safe for my daughter to work in this kind of environment. I did not attempt to go inside the building, I know that will not allow me to go inside for I don't have any transactions with them. I thought it is a good company also but for me the environment is really not safe for my daughter most especially when she needs to work overtime. So what I did, before going back to work I went to St. Patrick's church and asked for God's help. I walked on my knees from the door to the altar and begged and challenged God not to let my daughter work there. For me it was already impossible because my daughter already signed the contract that she was going to start by Monday, but still I challenged God for this. I prayed that something would come up better than this offer. Guess what brothers and sisters when I went back to my office as soon as I sat down the phone rang and it was my daughter telling me that there was another offer and she will no longer work on the place that I just saw. For me that was a miracle from God. God was so quick in answering my prayers. From then on I never, never missed a day in a week to walk on my knees in St. Patrick's church not to ask for help but to thank God for the miracle that HE gave me, for all the blessings and answered prayers. I'm doing this for almost one and a half years now and even if it's already that long, the miracle is always fresh in my mind. I know that He is always there with me and I know that He will never, never forsake me. John 15:7 - "If you remain in me and my words in you, you may ask whatever you want and it will be given to you".