Gospel of the Holy Family

 The gospel last night (Saint Matthew 2:13-15.19-23) was about the Feast of the Holy Family. And the priest asked "uso pa na sabay sabay nagsisimba ang buo pamilya? The he proceeded to preach that this traditional pinoy family practice influenced him to be a priest while his sister became a nun.

 I remember the story oftenly told by my father when he was alive, of how proud he was of us, his children. He often stressed that he had nothing to give to us but our future. We did not have money but we had the respect of people, especially the fact that two of his sons entered the priesthood, Fr. Philip and Fr. Stephen. I am still not used to calling them Father, i still prefer "Kuya Wel and Bengbeng.

In 1999 when i passed my bar exams, the same year . my elder  brother,   Kuya Welthy  or now Fr. Philip,  was ordained as priest.    Fr.Stephen  was ordained in 2008. At first Mama could not accept the fact that two sons chose to serve the lord but later realized, according to Papa, that they gave up two sons but regained the whole religious order as their new sons and daughters. Tuwang-tuwa sya pag tinatawag sila na Papa and Mama Gorecho.The story has it that if there is one priest in the family, the whole clan is blessed up to the third generation. In our case, we not only had one but two brothers into priesthood who belong to the same order, Oblates of Allaince of Twin Hearts (OATH). In some instances, they celebrate latin mass. Indeed, our faith and their vocation guided us.

FYI, i am now a benefactor of almost 40 seminarians. Every month i buy personal items for them 40 toothpaste, 40 soaps, 40 alcohols etc.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 2:13-15.19-23.

When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."

Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.

He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."

He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee.

He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean."

my birthday 2008 lunch with the seminarians