Her Feast Day last February 11 brought back again happy memories of our visit to Our Lady of Lourdes which God gifted me for my birthday, decades back.
At the place where Mama Mary appeared to the child Bernadette, there, with our Lady of Lourdes, my heart found peace. There, I also experienced a taste of heaven- so much singing, so much prayer, so much love and worship for God and with everyone looking after each other.
Giving up a trip to Rome, I never regretted remaining in Lourdes where I celebrated my birthday, alone but not alone really as I experienced the loving embrace of Mama Mary and her gentle guidance leading me to find peace with God in the midst of much challenges and pain then.
From there and until now, Mama Mary and God’s guidance and peace continue to steer me to move forward in faith.
"Pray for sinners." "Penance! Penance! Penance!"
Best we remember these few words our Lady relayed to Bernadette which we still badly need for ourselves, our present world, for our country, for our planet, for all people.
Also, this time, shall we turn again to Mama Mary now that we are in the midst of so much challenges confronting us: the novel coronavirus, the political insecurity, continuing poverty, hunger, hatred, fake news, and more?
This time, in the midst of our climate emergency, shall we also lift to Mama Mary our prayers for her intercession for God to save us all and our world?
Specifically, shall we ask Mama Mary to enlighten the minds and hearts of politicians who favor spending funds and resources FOR BASURA rather than for people?
Millions of pesos have been and continue to be spent for collecting/disposing waste in landfills and through incineration.
Productive hectares of lands have become the luxurious home of basura. In the midst of so much landlessness, homelessness, and hunger among our people, officials continue to allot funds and precious resources like land for basura, not for their constituents. Why?
Mama Mary, please come and help our needy. Mama Mary, please come and ask God to lead officials to reflect on their action and decision which are pro-basura, anti-people and anti-His creations.
Despite hard data showing the uselessness of landfills, incinerators and WTE facilities to stem the continuing volume of waste, Mama Mary, please intercede for wisdom, God’s gift to Solomon, to enter the minds of officials, including those in Cebu.
Mama Mary, please ask God to enlighten officials to resort to alternative eco-friendly, resource-and-cost-saving, alternative waste management methods to manage basura so that the needed public funds will go instead to protect and sustain the environment and help the poor who need lands, homes, food, employment , health and welfare benefits!
Mama Mary, please help and join us lift the prayers of the petitioners who are protesting what they termed as “mega landfill” at “the beautiful lush mountain in Guindarohan, Minglanilla, Cebu.
According to their urgent FB message asking for everyone’s help, the megalandfill is being constructed “ on a watershed” and will affect “ 60 hectares of green trees.”
We pray that their protest letter containing the issues raised vs the proposed landfill will be appropriately and immediately responded to by the local government officials and the DENR-7. We also pray for due process to be followed for their protest and the proposed facility. We pray that the Minglanilla protesters will receive support and prayers as well from those you and your Son touch.
Our dear Mama Mary, please pray and intercede for us all together to be guided to solve basura without neglecting and harming your people and your creation.