To care or not to care , the choice is really up to us.

Are you easily moved to tears?

When was the last time you cried? I usually cry when I am exasperated. With the flow of cleansing tears, my pent-up anger dissipates. I also cry when I am sad. As the tears fall, the heaviness inside me eases.

Too much laughter also make my eyes water, but let me tell you this ----tears I cried during the healing rally of Father Robert DeGrandis, S.S.J. (way back in July 27,1990) was the most meaningful of all. Tears shed that evening was the doorway God has chosen to gently nudge me closer to His direction. It started (as a friend puts it) the "heathen's travel" toward the road of enlightenment.

After all these years, the arduous journey is far from over. The struggle to become what God wanted us to be continues. When it is time for us to see God face to face in heaven, wouldn't it be an honor to be told that (like St. Paul in 2 Timothy 7) we have fought the good fight , we have finished the race, we have kept the faith?

Based on my encounters, we are indeed in constant warfare against forces that seek to separate us from our Loving Father God. This is the reason why He gave us His only Son Jesus, the Messiah, the Risen Christ (hence the celebration of Christmas) ----so that we can be fortified to fight the good fight to the finish .The goal is of course to be with Him someday in Paradise!

As Jesus was given to us as Saviour, Brother, Healer, Confidant----we are also enjoined by God to be there for each other in fighting the good fight to the end.

The logic is simple:
God loves us ,
He gave us his Son as role model,
He sent the Holy Spirit to be our Counselor,
He wanted us to look after each other's welfare ,so that all of us can be united with Him in all eternity.

What complicates the issue is our tendency to focus only on ourselves.

At this point, the question "Am I my brother's keeper?" comes to mind. Recall that in Genesis 4: Cain murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy because God rejected his offering, then when asked by God where his brother Abel is, he retorted with this apathetic "Am I my brother's keeper?" question.

In contrast, look at the logo of Boy's Town depicting a young boy being carried on his back by a slightly older boy, with these words inscribed: "He ain't heavy, he's my brother."

Two haunting proclamations...
Two opposing mindsets...

As for you, what is your stand?
What is your response?

I can only speak for myself and this is what I have to say: I am very much engrossed in my own little "world" until the encounter of Mother Mary‘s gentle touch and God's loving presence that overwhelmed me during the July 1990 healing rally of Father De Grandis.

I am a very private person therefore cautious as well. I guess that is why God started with what I really needed most---A loving Mother's caress.

I have lost my mother seventeen days before I turned into a 12 year old. I was going to be 32 years old when I felt Mother Mary's unmistakable tender caress , gently stroking my hair . That was the time Father De Grandis was proclaiming the word of knowledge that Mother Mary loves her children and she is manifesting her love for them.

To make the story short, I felt I was loved, I felt God's presence. I read all of Father DeGrandis books to understand more about the Holy Spirit.

After basking and growing in The Lord's unconditional love, I say Yes! I am my brother's keeper and yes! he is not heavy ,he is my brother.