7.04.2012

Happy Feast day Isabel!

Feastdays are big in the Catholic community. In the Philippines, since towns are usually named after saints, there are parties all over town celebrating the saint's feastday. There will be dancing, singing, fair, carnival rides and TONS of food! Friends and family from other towns come and celebrate with the host town.
Recently, we celebrated St. John the Baptist' feastday (June 24). Besides the food and dancing, there's also the tradition of spraying, sprinkling, showering everyone who passes by San Juan (town) with water, following the lead of our Lord's cousin with baptizing with water! When I was in the Philippines, cars and jeepneys avoid passing by San Juan on my way to school. We did not want to be drenched in water!

Our family took the tradition of celebrating our saint's name feastday. Today is a special day for my 7-month old. July 4th is the feastday of St. Isabel of Portugal -- the saint my little girl is named after!
I am thankful it's my day off. We have a relaxing day planned! Hanging out at home, spending time with the family, trip to get some cupcakes (one reason to splurge and eat the gourmet cupcakes sold near our house), watch fireworks display downtown since it's also Independence Day. Most of all, Derrick and I take this opportunity to teach our little ones (better start early even when they are young) to teach them about the rich Catholic culture and tradition. Saints are our friends, our brothers and sisters who have gone before us who lived as witnesses of Christ's love for the world. We can ask for our patron saints intercession. (I have my testimonial of prayer answered with a saint's intercession --- a future post!)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 RSV

Apostles creed:
...I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
 
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church footnotes added
956 The intercession of the saints. "Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness.... They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus.... So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."493 (Pope Paul VI, Lumen Gentium 49, 1964)

Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life.494 (St. Dominic, dying, to his brothers)
I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth. 495 (St. Therese of Lisieux)

957 Communion with the saints. "It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself"496 (Pope Paul VI, Lumen Gentium 50, 1964)

We worship Christ as God's Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord's disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples!497 Martyrium Polycarpi, 17: Apostolic Fathers II/3, 396)



Delima family feastdays:
Daniel - December 17 (prophet Daniel)
Derrick -December 29 (King David, his confirmation saint name)
Isis - August 11 (St. Clare, my patron saint), August 28 (St. Gianna Beretta Molla -- my patron saint I became a wife, mother and doctor)



And now the obligatory baby Isabel pictures of cuteness!



St. Isabel of Portugal, pray for us!

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