Donut Birthday & Morning Mass

Reposted from Sunday, October 19th, 2008

I was walking to Mass last Wednesday morning in the dim morning light. Rosary nearly through, the clock exactly at 7 AM. I rounded the corner at the local donut shop and saw a sight I don’t normally see that early in the day. A group of people were gathered around a table, patrons and donut shop crew alike, singing "Happy Birthday" to someone. A birthday party at 7 AM in the morning! As the birthday song died down, someone — probably the celebrant — brought out a harmonica and started blowing a tune I did not recognize.

I was out of earshot a few seconds later, smiling from ear to ear. I was heading towards my own morning party, my own daily celebration of life and love and sacrifice. I was heading towards the 7 AM Mass which had started already, and which would commemorate Christ’s death and suffering, but even more, would bring Christ present to us physically, in the form of the Blessed Eucharist.

“Dark Church.” Photo by Wiros on Flickr.

Upon arriving, I switched on the electronic keyboard in the daily chapel ready to sing my own version of a celebratory song — the Alleluia before the Gospel.

Praise God for every daily blessing. Praise God for morning parties and for the overflowing blessings — all of which are reasons to celebrate joyfully, with praise and thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:4 reminds us: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

St.Therese Couderc's song of surrender: From Marikina to Milpitas

Reposted from Friday, November 9th, 2007

Exactly a year ago (give or take a few days), a woman named Heidi from the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Milpitas, CA contacted me to ask if they could use a song I composed for a fundraising CD they were planning to release in their parish.

The song they wanted to use was “Pag-Aalay ng Sarili” which I made the music for, using Coring Dolor’s Filipino translation of St.Therese Couderc’s Act of Oblation. I wrote the music back in September 23, 1991 for the Cenacle Sisters in the Philippines, and they ended up using it for their vows ceremonies, where sisters take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The song was originally recorded by Sr.Bubbles Bandojo, RC and Sr.Susay Valdez, RC both friends of mine, in the album Prayers From The Upper Room.

I gave my consent to the recording via email, asking only that Heidi contribute a part of the CD sales to the Cenacle Sisters in the U.S., or mention their contact info in the liner notes for possible vocations. And then I completely forgot about it, as I am wont to do.

Lo and behold, I got an email today with an attached MP3 and got shivers up my spine listening to it. Heidi sings both parts of the song, accompanied by Nathaniel Camillo (I assume from the MP3’s embedded info), and the simplicity and honesty of it touched my heart. Partly because I haven’t heard it in such a long time, partly because it’s sung with such earnestness, and it sounds great despite being a first pass (sometimes first passes are the BEST), and partly because I NEEDED to hear the song today, and God brought her email and her MP3 to me in order to remind me about some things.

The song will be part of a CD which will be released on December 9, 2007 by the Social Justice Ministry of St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Milpitas, CA. They might hand out the CD as a token of appreciation instead of selling it, for their Refugee Sunday event on that day. The event is aimed at reaching out and speaking with refugees in their area, who at this time are mostly from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Pass by if you’re in the area!

LINK to music sheet of the song (PDF download).

Related Post:
St. Couderc’s Surrender