Oh me!

My holidays are coming to a close. This Saturday I will be back in the Missionaries of God’s Love Formation House! This year will be my novitiate year. I yearn to discover more and more God’s will for me and I pray that He may give me the strength and the courage to face anything that might come on my way to initial vows.

This Christmas (and post-Christmas) Holidays has been very wonderful for me. Not only because of the things I did with my family or the places we went to, but also because of one realization: I can’t live away from the MGL brotherhood! It is now a very big part of me. Without it, I am not me.

Long live my brothers! Long Live the MGLs! Long Live Jesus (well of course!)!!!!!

Introducing Azarias

Azarias [a-za-ra-yas] is my newest creation. (Up there on the menu tab-Azarias)

It is the story of a boy’s journey with his father towards the ultimate fulfilment of life.

Follow his life story by visiting this blog for updates. Yay!

-Adam

Song Composition

I don’t know how I do it. But I will tell you the pieces I could put together.

The very first song I composed was entitled “I am Your Servant”. I could still remember vividly that Sunday morning I woke up in the MGL Mission House in Manila, said my usual morning hello to the Lord and picked up the guitar. Yes, that’s right. I haven’t even removed the morning glories in my eyes yet and I picked up the guitar in the room.

I played D-A-Bm-G-Em-Asus-A while singing whatever words came to mind.
“Lord I am Your Servant, living for you alone…”

After that line, my eyes grew wide (not wide enough, I had to get rid of the morning glories first). I asked myself, “Did I just do that?” And before I knew it, the whole song was finished.

The first person I showed the song to was Kuya Mark, but he was too busy to comment. The next one was Hyvy. She was behind her St Ben’s office desk that moment I sang to her the very first song I composed. I found myself like a kid, happy to show his friends his paper full of ugly scribbled colors–and proud of it!

Yeah, my first songs were made this way, words came and the chord progression came. I don’t know how exactly so don’t ask me. Then the flavors for the song (styles, repeats, etc) I added according to what I noticed in the usual songs the choir I am part of sings (BNP Choir) and all the songs in the world that I am interested in (Gospel, Worship).

It has only been lately that the songs I compose became based entirely on a particular Scripture text or texts I have been reflecting upon combined with a particular theme or message I want to express (e.g.: O Kabataan, Ang Buhay Ko, Awit Ko Kay Kristo, Will A Mother Forget?). The melodies for this song I have to work out either with a guitar or with my pillow (during those times I couldn’t sleep because I am itching to create a melody). Sometimes the melody comes in first before the words, but most of the time, the words come first before the melody.

Nevertheless, whatever way I compose songs (mind you, it is still mysterious, in a way, for me), I know that it is not I who do them but Christ who lives in me. I don’t even know where I get the voice to sing and record them! One of my closest friends asked me, “Where did you get that voice? It is so different from your talking voice, or even when you sing casually.” I could clearly see the potential exaggeration in that comment but I just want to use that as a stepping stone to say that God is behind all of this. If He wills to give voice to the mute to proclaim His love to others, then it just happens!

Maybe I will never know how I do this song composition thingy, because it is not I who am doing it.

God exists, you know, and He surely knows how to sing and write songs. *Wink*

All songs mentioned are to be found in the “Songs” tab of this blog.

Promise

My silver cross, pinned unto my BNP Choir T-Shirt, an ever reminder of the Love of God through the MGLs and the BNP

The mass started with the song “Here I am Lord.” That was the first time I sang that song with much conviction. I had an overwhelming feeling within my chest when we reached the words “Whom shall I send?” of the first verse.

I fought hard not to shed tears of joy!

The ceremony went on smoothly. Seven of us took our promises: Terfa, Greg, Paul, Leo, Von, Moses and I. Our beloved (ex-) novices took their initial vows as well: John, Mark, Anis, Anil and Luke. I am continually asking for God’s grace to be able to live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. The silver cross pinned on my shirt now is a constant reminder of the humility and self-sacrificial love of Jesus.

My Jesus, You are my All!

From left: Terfa, Leo, Paul, Greg, Moses, Adam, Von

From left: Mark, John, Luke, Anil, Anis

Jesus Healed Me!

I woke up today suffering from a stomach ulcer attack. It was so severe that I couldn’t stand up straight. Still, I got up to attend our 6:30 am mass. The first person I saw in the chapel was Fr. Don. I approached him and told him the situation.

I was crouched throughout the whole mass, as this lessened the stomach pain.
And…I was the assigned lector. I did my best not to show any sign of pain as I read. I also had no choice but to play the music for the mass after reading because all the other musicians were away in a Youth Camp. That was very difficult for me.

But just before communion, I had this prompting not to drink the wine because it might trigger more pain. I decided, "Of course I will drink the wine, for it is the Lord’s blood. The Lord can heal me. Nothing is impossible to Him!" I spoke to Jesus, telling Him that I believe in His healing power. "I believe Lord".

I didn’t feel any effect immediately.

After the mass and the hour of adoration after that, I left the chapel perfectly fine as if the pains I had earlier were just part of a crazy dream.

Jesus heals in the Eucharist. We just have to believe it, and claim it. Thank You Jesus!