to be a good child of Mary - miraculous medal investiture 2014

When I was in my elementary years I was actively involved in the Flores de Mayo in our Barangay, in the barangay sang Birhen with the estandarte or banner transferred every evening from one house to the other after praying the rosary, and also in the urna of the miraculous medal which came to our house once a month.  There was also that yearly rosary rally which I remember also attending – one in San Agustin for which Fr. Peyton himself came, the priest who coined the family that prays together stays together.  And the other rosary rally was in the Sports Complex which was attended I remember by the Archbishop – it was Archbishop Casas.  I can still picture out the car coming to the stadium – it was an impala with green curtains at the back. I can still picture that out because I could see it clearly from where I was standing in the bleachers.   I also remember walking from Oton to the San Agustin and we were led by our parish priest Msgr. Calvo who was the same parish priest who facilitated my entrance in the seminary in High School.  I never complained that my feet were sore for walking.  I love what I was doing and I did it on my own.  The Virgin Mary was a towering figure for me.  Even as kids we never called her Mama Mary.  Even now I find it too familiar to be courteous.  She was always ang Mahal nga Birhen. In our home rosary was a must every evening even while I was growing up in the city in our house between what is now Unitop.  Unitop then was still Golden and Cinema Theaters.  Our house was between these.  Even in the city it was rosary at six.

Many times while we were still seminarians priests would often tell us that there is a connection between devotion to Mary and a vocation to the priesthood.  They would tell us that a vocation usually grows when the family has strong devotions to Mary.  Probably that is true.  We never missed the rosary in our formation even when we are alone, walking, doing nothing we were encouraged to pray the rosary.  The mother of God is a powerful protector and intercessor.

I read the letters that you sent to our Blessed Mother, letters which you wrote and placed at the base of her image.  I admire you for your spontaneity to her expressing your fears of failing in your academics or your hopes for your parents.  She always listens to prayers.  As for me, whenever I have problems and difficulties I would go to the Candelaria, buy a perdon and light it after I pray to her image in that balcony.

My point is, have a devotion to the blessed mother.  Pray the rosary always, pray three hail mary’s before you sleep in honor of the miraculous medal, wear the medal on Saturdays and on her feast days.  It is a sign that you are a child of Mary.  When we were seminarians at every end of the retreat of recollection we would sing after the mass the song Lo Prometi soy hijo de Maria, hermano soy del mismo Salvador may you too promise to be a good son of mary, a brother to the Savior himself.