Last Wednesday, we went to Baclaran Church. This day is special to the church and to the devotees of Mother of Perpetual Help (Ina ng Laging Saklolo) as it was the first Wednesday of the month. Even more special, it was also the first Wednesday of the year 2023, so the volume of the crowd of churchgoers was expected to be beyond amazing.
My mother is one of the devotees of the patron of Mother of Perpetual Help. She always makes time to go to Baclaran Church every first Wednesday of the month because it is considered Baclaran day. So when I heard my mother was planning to attend a mass there, I saw this as an opportunity to go with her. I had a lot of 2022 experiences to be thankful for, and my conscience has been bothering me lately to at least say thanks to the Lord.
Around 4 am, we decided to prepare ourselves. I feel weird yet confused because despite waking up too early (around 12 am), I feel energetic and happy. I guess my brain and hormones are also confused, lol. We left our home at exactly 5 am, then rode a transport van to reach our destination. Fortunately, the majority of transport vehicles going to different major cities in Metro Manila also pass through our city, so getting a ride wasn't that hard.
We reached the church a bit late because the first mass was already ending. Luckily, there was still a second mass, so we just had to wait a few minutes. As expected, there was a huge crowd. Even though the church's seating capacity is large, some devotees still had to stand up because of a lack of seats. Good for us, as we found a good seat near the altar.
The mass started, and it revolved around the reading of the novena. Then it was followed by a letter reading submitted by one of the devotees of Mother of Perpetual Help. It was a wholesome letter expressing gratitude for the blessing she and her family received despite the uncertainty of the current situation; their documents were approved, and they can finally migrate to Canada. According to the sender, she was a devotee of Mother of Perpetual Help, and she's grateful for the blessing she received, and she prays for continuous guidance. The priest also had a homily that focused on the message of following Jesus' footsteps and coming to his Kingdom.
I apologize for not having an image to share. Its kind of embarassing and I found it disrespectful when I am using smartphone inside the church.
After the mass, we went to the candle station to light candles. I can't remember how many candles I took, but as each candle wick ignited with flame, I whispered my gratitude and prayed for my wishes and guidance.
I am thankful for the experiences, good and bad, I had over the past year. Without them, I would not be a better version of myself. I am also thankful for the blessings I have received because it feels like I don't deserve them, but I still got them. My wishes for this year are that the happiness and strength will never fade away, as these will be my fuel for the challenging journey of life. I asked for guidance for my plans and goals this year, may God help or guide me in the decisions I'll be making.
Speaking of plans and goals, here are some of them:
After that, my mother invited me for breakfast, which was perfect because my stomach was already growling, and it was kind of embarrassing because people praying near me might hear a monster having a tantrum. Luckily, there was a nearby McDonald's, so we went there. We ordered a breakfast meal. It was rice with a fish fillet and a sunny-side-up egg, and a cup of black coffee. It was a great breakfast because, aside from having a meal, I had a wholesome chikahan with my mother. She talked about random things, and I occasionally asked questions about it. After finishing our meal, we decided to leave the establishment and buy some stuff along the road. The products here are quite cheap compared to our place, maybe because they have direct access to suppliers. Then, around 10 am, we decided to go to the transport terminal and go home.
If you've made it here, thank you so much for reading. I always spend several hours just to complete a blog like this, which might seem like an exaggeration to others but trust me, it's not 😅. So, the thought of someone reading this already warms my heart (∩˃o˂∩)♡. Until the next blog, bye!
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