Andie's birthday retreat

MANILA, Philippines - Last month I asked my dear friend Andie Recto Montenegro, our compassionate and dynamic Assumption High School Batch ‘79 president, how she wanted to celebrate her upcoming birthday. In a heartbeat she replied, “I would love to have a retreat on my birthday, together with our batchmates, given by Teacher Cory Villafania.” Such a precious idea! I told her I would be delighted to organize one.

Thus began a series of so-called coincidences that I believe were truly God’s plans. On Aug. 15, the feast day of the Assumption, my youngest sister Yvonne and her best friend Toots Magsino accompanied me to my daily radiation treatment at Makati Med. Being loyal Assumption girls, we went up to the hospital’s chapel to hear Mass. Afterwards, coming down to the second floor, we bumped into Teacher Cory, our former high school teacher and spiritual mentor. She was exactly the retreat master Andie hoped for.

It was such a treat to see this busy-as-a-bee Religion teacher because her calendar is filled to the brim. I boldly grabbed the opportunity! “Teacher Cory, please, Andie wants a retreat for her birthday.” She just asked for the date and said: “Done!” Just like that! I was so floored and excited knowing how difficult it was to catch her. I called Andie to relay the good news just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Alleluia moment, Andie got her birthday wish and we would get to share the blessings along with her.

The planning stage was a little tricky as I was still under treatment. But God provided angels in assistance. Badette Nana, my sister in the lay community of the Assumption or CLAY, was so willing to help out with all the arrangements for the venue. Teacher Cory suggested we hold it in our alma mater in Assumption San Lorenzo. Badette reserved function rooms with audio equipment and a technician to assist. She got Sister Edith’s permission to do adoration in the nuns’ chapel with simultaneous confession by Father Gerard Deveza. She coordinated with Assumption caterer Urban Feast who came up with a reasonably priced menu and such a delicious spread. Chary Ozaeta, our former batch president, patiently e-mailed our batchmates. This resulted in a great attendance, which included Gigi Gotuaco Tse from Hong Kong and Tina Cruz Mateo from Cebu. Coincidence? God fixed their schedules and brought them to the retreat.

On that lovely Saturday morning of Sept. 22, three days before Andie’s birthday, my prayer partner and classmate Cynthia Gonzalez picked me up to go to Assumption. The venue was filled with our smiling batchmates. I felt like I had walked into a hall of angels. Andie was beaming with radiance while Teacher Cory and her retreat partner Teacher Marilen Liwag-Reambillo were just so filled with the spirit that a divine energy enveloped the place.

Teacher Cory had asked us prior to the retreat day about our theme. Cecilia Suarez wisely suggested “perseverance in our faith and prayer life.” It was just the most relevant to us in this stage of our lives.

She began by teaching our group a way to pray using God’s word called Lectio Divina. This is a method of prayer that requires you to read the daily Gospel. One reading a day. There are four steps in this method. First is Lectio, where you read the passage in its context. Second is Meditatio, which talks about the word, phrase or line that strikes you. Third is Oratio where you ask: “Lord, what are you telling me?” Fourth is Contemplatio or resting in God’s presence and just allowing Him to love you.

Another Godly coincidence unfolded as we opened up the Gospel for that day. It was Luke 8:15, which spoke about perseverance in the word of God.

The line that struck our hearts was “those that embrace the word with a generous and good heart will bear fruit through perseverance.” The message was loud and clear.  

After a brief break it was Teacher Marilen’s turn.

She shared with us one of her favorite stories, the story of Bartimaeus, a blind man begging by the roadside who persisted in calling out to Jesus. Many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more. Jesus called him and asked: “What can I do for you?” Bartimaeus said: “Master I want to see.” “Go your way,” Jesus said. “Your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Him on the way. Because of Bartimaeus’ perseverance in faith, he was healed.

Teacher Len said, “As the life blood of any relationship is communication, we communicate to God through prayer. Prayer is standing before God with your own minds and hearts completely attuned to Him. Prayer brings us to a constant awareness of God.”

How do you know your prayer life is growing? “You will be known by the fruits of your spirit,” she said. “You will become kinder, gentler, calmer, more loving, happier. You become a better person when you constantly pray.”

Teacher Cory, who hears Mass daily, shared the tremendous, unbelievable gift and power that she received from her devotion to the Holy Eucharist. “When my 26-year-old son NJ died in June last year, I wouldn’t have been able to accept his death if I did not know the Eucharist the way I do. Believing that God our Father let go of his one and only son, I was able to accept giving up my son to God,” she shared.

She recounted the story of the jeepney driver who, while texting away, ran over her son. The painful part was he was not even aware of what happened so he continued to drive and text not knowing that NJ was trapped and dragged under the jeep for almost a kilometer. In an emotional encounter, Teacher Cory bravely met him face to face in court. She asked him one question. “Why didn’t you say sorry?” And he said he wanted to but didn’t know how. “Why don’t you try now,” she told the driver while reaching out her hand to him. He took it somberly, saying sorry and somewhere in that big heart of hers Teacher Cory managed to say, “I forgive you.” 

In the afternoon we had adoration and Father Gerard Deveza heard all our confessions. Then he settled us down in the adoration chapel and told us this story.

“An old lady met a priest and told him that she always talks to God the Father. Ignoring her, the priest continued what he was doing. Again the old lady told him: “Father, I really talked to God the Father. The third time again, she told the priest the same thing. The irritated priest replied, the next time you talk to Him, ask Him what my sins are.” The old lady assured him, “Yes, I will ask God the Father what your sins are.” Months passed before the priest saw the old lady again. He approached her, “Do you still talk to God the Father?” The lady said yes. “So what happened when you asked Him about my sins. What did He tell you?” The old lady said, “I did ask God the Father about you and His answer was, ‘I forgot his sins’.”

 The lesson here is when we confess, God forgives us and he forgets our sins. If we forgive and not forget, that’s not real forgiveness.

Father Gerard then absolved us for all our sins and said, “You are all pure. Go in peace to love and serve the lord.” We beamed at Fr. Gerard with grateful hearts.

Andie then thanked everyone for celebrating her birthday in such a beautiful way. God was our special guest in this party. We scheduled our next prayer meeting as she volunteered to give us a teaching on how to pray using the Pslams. “It’s so soothing,” she said.

Happy birthday, dear Andie!

(Would love to hear from you at miladayjewels@yahoo.com.)