Extraordinary Minister Of Christ

Hi! Tapos na ang summer. Pero may pahabol ako na isang magandang kwento ng ating columnist (THE JUDGE IS IN), na naging kabahagi na ng media apostolate for almost 30 years.

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“It is like the happenings in the Book of Ecclesiastes (time to cry, to laugh, etc.) I learned that this cycles of high and low happens to all every month. The times of my low cycles do not affect me badly now like before when I felt like resigning, going on leave. I made the terms maglahutay sa kahayag ug kangitngit, sa kalipay, sa kaguol, sa kahuyang, sa kabagskog ug pagpakaubos as part of my EMC life.” – Jesus Quitain

I became a San Pablo Parish EMC in 1992 when Fr. Jing Duhaylungsod was the kura paroko. This will be my 23rd year as EMC yet, I still find it fruitful and ever changing. There were times when I was lost as an EMC physically (just plain tired) and spiritually depressed. It was on my tenth year as EMC that I learned that all of us are subject to cyclical moods, there are weeks or days when we are low, listless, mentally, physically tired when times seems to go wrong (wife sick, brother dead, children quarrel, etc.) there are times we are high, the sun seems brighter, everything looks happy and going on your way, (children are honor graduates, doctor says you have no diabetes, kidney problems, prostate cancer, etc.) I learned that the world is full of yearly cycles: summer, drought, wet season, floods, school from June to March, Lent, Christmas, planting, harvesting.

There have been changes when I joined EMC in 1992.

1. The sending forth, formal introduction to the Parish used to be during Holy Thursday, now CORPUS CHRISTI.
2. There are more younger, abtik EMC’s.
3. More EMC’s give Holy Communion to the sick and old people
4. More EMC’s from the Districts and GKK’s
5. Some EMC’s do not endure during the lent by joining all the activities.
   1. Thursday, 4:00 pm washing of the feet
   2. 4:00 am 14- station procession
   3. 4:00 pm procession of the Santo Entierro
   4. Saturday 6:00 pm lighting of the fire
   5. Sunday 4:00 Sugat/Encuentro
6. Few EMC’s carried the Holy Cross from one station to another during the Biernes Santo 14-Station Procession
7. Some EMC do not actively participate by singing, reciting and responding during the mass
8. Some do not carry rosaries.
9. Some do not know how to pray the rosary.
10. Some do not do their group’s assignments on Sundays.

I have my faults and shortcomings but through it all, I thank the Lord for giving me good health to be able to do my apostolate. Daily rosaries on bended knees, daily masses and daily giving Holy Communion to the sick and the senior citizens plus the support of my wife, children and grandchildren made my EMC life truly worthwhile.

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Salamat Judge for a life filled with inspiration. Photo taken from the media apostolate team building last week. ‘Til next kwentuhan higala!