Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.(John 14:6)
Birthdays have always been a special celebration to most people especially in the Filipino culture. It is the time where an individual rejoices for another new year of existence, to learn and discover more in life. There are actually various distinct ways people celebrate their special day, some prepares a feast for their family, travel to some places, singing their lungs out with their rented videoke and many other more. But the question is when have you ever attended a Eucharistic mass during your birthday to thank God for all the blessings you received?
I remember back then during the eve of my 13th birthday, my parents would tell me that we cant afford to prepare a little feast for my coming birthday. It did actually disappoint me for I waited for this special day but I wouldnt have anything for my special day. Id be embarrassed to tell my friends that I couldnt invite and treat them so I was quiet and not myself as my birthday approaches. I and my cousin have the same birthdays so when she celebrated hers, she invited me so we could both celebrate our day and I was kind of the saling ketket of the party. But it still didnt change my disappointment for not being able to celebrate my birthday on my own. I remember frowning throughout the party and making obvious fake smiles it was as if everything annoyed me.
After the party, my aunt who was a nun called my mother and probably knew that I didnt have anything for my birthday. The things that she said from the phone did capture my soul and made me realize a couple of things. She just asked if I have already attended the mass which I guiltily said no and that I should be thankful that I had another year because not everyone is given the chance to live another.
It made me realize that the essence of celebrating birthdays have been focused to more materialistic pleasures and not to the new chance of living another year. It wasnt actually about the food, the visitors or the gifts; it is actually intended to be about yourself that you survived another year filled with blessings and difficulties in which you still look forward for another new set of journey. We have been so focused about our pleasures that we already forget the true meaning of celebrating the day of our birth and that is to thank God for giving as another chance and missions to fulfill.
Reflection: Time is gold; treasure it while you still have it. We shouldnt we drawn to materialistic pleasures because this blinds us to the more beautiful things life has to offer. We should live our life to the fullest of good deeds not with selfish greed.
As we celebrate our Mother Marys birthday today let us learn to appreciate our life more with observance to the value of simplicity that she greatly endowed. May we always be guided through her intercession that we wouldnt be misled by the pleasures that may serve as a barrier for us to realize and appreciate the opportunities that life is giving us and that eternal happiness is only achieved with the eternal Father. Hail Mary for you are full of grace!(Mariele Aquino)
Mariele Aquino
Junior Writer, Website Team, Media Ministry
Mariele R. Aquino is a member and website writer of the NSDA’s Media and Public Information Ministry, an aspiring future medical specialist and currently a STEM senior high school student in the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas. Her principle in life is that genuine success is something achieved through a path and battlefield of dodging a thousand bullets without the course of self-centered desires and conducts for temporary existential accomplishment. As a form of simple youthful religious fervor, Mariele used her skills, talent and dedication in writing to serve her Lord but also to grow not only intellectually but more on spiritually.
