The Mystery of the Visitation

The closing of the Marian month of May is highlighted by today’s Feast of the Visitation of our Lady to her cousin Elizabeth. I made my contemplation of this mystery today quite real by literally visiting some of my sisters whom I have not seen for some time. Our “exchange of joy” has really energized me.
Another aspect of today’s feast which kept “re-playing” in my heart is a particular prayer for expectant mothers, remembering the protagonists in today’s Gospel, Mary and Elizabeth, and their respective sons, of course.
And as I was rushing home this afternoon, I was graced with a live-scene of two women by the roadside. Both of them wore lovely smiles, as one showed her full belly to the other, who in turn, touched it lovingly. How beautiful and how rare indeed, especially in this country! Here, by the way, is a website that has taken the inspiration from the Visitation Mystery and adapted it to our modern world.
To close my prayer today, I tried to look for two things from the internet: an inspiring painting on the Visitation and I found this very interesting modern painting with its creative interpretation.
The second thing I looked for was a poem on the Visitation and I was gifted with this Russian Orthodox prayer, an excerpt from the Akathistos.
Having received God into Her womb, the Virgin hastened to Elizabeth whose unborn babe at once recognized Her embrace, rejoiced, and with leaps of joy as songs, cried to the Theotokos:
Rejoice, branch of an Unfading Sprout:
Rejoice, acquisition of Immortal Fruit!
Rejoice, laborer that laborest for the Lover of mankind:
Rejoice, Thou Who givest birth to the Planter of our life!
Rejoice, cornland yielding a rich crop of mercies:
Rejoice, table bearing a wealth of forgiveness!
Rejoice, Thou Who makest to bloom the garden of delight:
Rejoice, Thou Who preparest a haven for souls!
Rejoice, acceptable incense of intercession:
Rejoice, propitiation of all the world!
Rejoice, good will of God to mortals:
Rejoice, boldness of mortals before God!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!
If you want to see the full version of Akathistos, you can click here.

Grappling with God

As I read this article today on “grappling with God” I remembered my experience of protesting against God and refusing to pray with my community. The only problem was as I protested and recited my litany of God’s seeming unfairness in regard to my people, I realized that I was already talking to him (her) and that there was really no way I could escape from his (her) grasp.
A hug or a stranglehold – such indeed is prayer and often if not always, the only response is “sweet (at times bittersweet) surrender!”

Pinoy (Pinay) wit

Hello everyone! I just got back from a busy 2-week international meeting. Here's an article about Filipino wit and humor which you might enjoy!

FILIPINO SIGNS OF WIT by Nury Vittachi - THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW
This week, we shall take a "reading tour" of one of the most spirited communities in Asia . The Philippines is full of word play. The local accent among many Filipinos, in which English words with "F" are spelled and pronounced with the sound of "P" and V is pronounced as "B" (because the Philippine alphabet has no letters F or V), is often used very cleverly, such as, the sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.
Much of the word play in the Philippines is deliberate with retailers and various businesses favouring a play on names of Western establishments and celebrities (Americans, in particular--movie stars and entertainment personalities, especially). For example, there is a 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day and Night, a garment shop called Elizabeth Tailoring, and a barber shop called Felix The Cut. Reader Robert Harland also spotted a bakery named Bread Pitt, and a Makati fast-food place selling "maruya" (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey. Then, there are Christopher Plumbing, and a boutique called The Way We Wear ; a video rental shop called Leon King Video Rental; a restaurant in the Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken, a local burger restaurant called Mang Donald's, a doughnut shop called MacDonuts, a shop selling "lumpia" (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll, and two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis.
Smart travellers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the "Taglish" (the Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy Filipino accent), such as, at a restaurant menu in Cebu : "We hab sopdrink in can an in batol" [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle]. Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called Bids And Pises [translation: Beads and Pieces --or-- Bits and Pieces].
There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words, but they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to "correct" them. A reader named Antonio "Tonyboy" Ramon T. Ongsiako, (now there's a truly Filipino name), contributed the following interesting Philippine signs and advertisements:
In a restaurant in Baguio City (the "summer capital" of the Philippines): "Wanted: Boy Waitress";
on a highway in Pampanga: "We Make Modern Antique Furniture;"
on the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan : "We Shoot You While You Wait;"
and on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila : "Wanted: Waiter, Cashier, Washier."
Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression, such as, a shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: "We Sell Imported Robber Shoes" (these could be the "sneakiest" sneakers);
and a rental property sign in Jaro, Iloilo reads: "House For Rent, Fully Furnaced" (it must really be hot inside)!
Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique--if not altogether odd. Reader Gunilla Edlund submitted a sign that she saw at the ticket booth in the ferry pier in Davao City in southern Philippines, which said: Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50 centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation.
European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia, which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr. Ho and Mr. Po respectively- -(believe it or not)!

According to Manila businessman, Tonyboy Ongsiako, there is so much wit in the Philippines because ". . .we are a country where a good sense of humour is needed to survive. We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and retiring actors."

Mary's month

Hello everyone! I'll be "out of circulation" till the end of the month.
Here's a substitute site which you could visit for inspiration!
Happy continuation of the month of Mary!
With her, we wait and pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit.