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Keeping Love in Lent… Even When It Is Difficult

February 20, 2013 by Tina

Keep_Love_in_Lent_2 (1) “I’m co-hosting the Keeping LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013, with Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints and Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families. We’ll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices, prayer and good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of link-up entries.”

It’s only been one week since Lent started, and already I feel like such a “failure” in keeping my Lenten resolutions and sticking to our plans. I’ve actually been extra cranky in my opinion, and more of a nag, instead of being the opposite, which I had resolved to be before Ash Wednesday.

Still, I know that God forgives me, and I know He will “raise me up on eagle’s wings” and help me through this challenging period I’m going through right now — particularly the “juggling” I’m trying to do (tasks for my regular job, additional writing projects, homeschooling, etc.) I know, too, that I’m not alone in this — there are so many other people, especially moms, that are doing the same thing as I am — “managing.” 😉

And so, for my Keeping Love in Lent post, I want to focus on encouraging you, in the hopes of encouraging myself as well… 🙂

Fix our eyes on Jesus

During my younger days in youth ministry (aaages ago… at least that’s how I feel!), we used to sing a song titled, “Fix My Eyes on Jesus Christ.” Here are a few lines:

The amazing Lord of all, the one and true Divine

Who came and died for me so I can be set free

Like the birds in the sky… ready to spread my wings

Never will I forget… To fix my eyes on Jesus

If we fix our eyes on Jesus, we can never go wrong. (Note to self: Remember this, especially during difficult days!)

This Lent, let’s keep our eyes, hearts and minds focused on the passion of Christ, His great love for us and His glorious resurrection.

Our family has been observing certain Lenten traditions since about two years ago, and they are helping us to fix our eyes on Jesus. You may click here and here to see what we’ve planned for this year. 🙂

stationsofthecross

This year, we’ll be praying the New Way of the Cross every Friday (sadly, we weren’t able to do this much in previous years). I got these beautiful mini-posters from St. Paul’s, a local bookstore. 🙂

Be united with others

It may be difficult to journey the seemingly long road to Easter but when we realize that we’re not alone — that there are millions, even billions — of other people walking the same path with us, it may make our load lighter.

This Lent, our family has incorporated Catholic Inspired‘s Lenten prayer chain into our Lenten traditions, and it has been an inspiring and heartwarming experience for me so far. We include the special prayer intention for that particular day in our nightly family prayers, which include praying one decade of the Rosary and our Jesus tree devotion.

I encourage you to do the same, even if we’re already one week into Lent. Praying for other people outside your family, even just general intentions, will help us grow in love for God and for others.

Humble yourself and ask for help

Lately, I’ve realized more and more the beauty of being part of one family in Christ, i.e. the Church. Through social media, I’ve been able to connect more with Catholics from all over the world, especially Catholic bloggers. It has been a huge blessing to know that I have brothers and sisters who have never met me nor my family, yet still lift me/us up in their prayers when I ask for help.

This Lent, and even beyond, when we feel too burdened by life’s little and big trials and challenges, let’s humble ourselves and seek the help of those around us. Asking for prayers and getting help in terms of the tasks we need to do will certainly push us to continue with our Lenten journey.

If you’re a Catholic blogger, you may want to join the Catholic Bloggers Network. It’s an awesome way to connect with like-minded people. 🙂

There are so many other things we can do to keep love in Lent. 🙂 I wrote a post on Philstar.com about how to have a joyful, meaningful Lent which I hope you’ll find useful, too. Also, there’s a list of links to wonderful blog posts below that may be of help to you. 🙂

Let’s continue to keep love in Lent, even when it’s difficult. 🙂 Pray for me, please, as I pray for you! 🙂 If you have any specific prayer concerns, please feel free to leave a comment. Here’s to a blessed Lent for us all!

Check out the other bloggers participating in the Keep LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013! We’ll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices, prayer and good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE.

Discover new Catholic Blogs to follow!

Equipping CatholicFamilies: Keep LOVE in LENT

Call Her Happy:40 Simple Lenten Activities for Kids

Lenten Love: Little Acts of Love

Building Rocks

Grow the Roses: Keep Love in Lent

Family At The Foot Of The Cross: Loving Service

Catholic Homeschooling Joy: A Lenten Activity

JOY:Keep the Love in Lent

Twenty Tuesday Afternoons: Tuesday # 11: Pancake Tuesday / Keeping Love in Lent

Campfires and Cleats: Why a Failing Lent Really Isn’t

Harrington Harmonies: Make a Lenten Holy Hour

A Mommy of Three:Good Deeds for Lent

Loving the Semi Country Life: Lent:special time to reflect and keep the love in lent

Written By the Finger of God: A 7 Step Lenten Plan

Mommy Bares All: Giving Up and Making Space for Love this Lent

The Irish Lassie Shop: Seek God Everywhere

Hand-Maid with Love: Living Lent, Loving Lent

Words On Heaven: IN THE DESERT FOR 40 DAYS

On The Way Home: Keeping LOVE in Lent

Homeschooling with Joy: Keep Love in Lent

Mountain Grace: Keep Love in Lent

Eyes On Heaven: I am Choosing to Live

Joy Alive in Our Hearts:”God’s Love at Work”

Life of Fortunate Chances: Love is Fun: Keeping Love in Lent

Fifth of Five: Keep the LOVE in Lent

I Blog Jesus: for Praying our Loud!

Overflow: Loving Lent with Little Ones

This Cross I Embrace: Keep LOVE In Lent

Sole Searching Mamma: 15 Ways to Experience a More Meaningful Lent

Catholic All Year: My Biggest Lent Fails and How I Learned Mortification…

Four Little Ones: Keeping Love in Lent

Gaels Crafty Treasures Keeping Love in Lent

Bear Wrongs Patiently: Lent for the Scrupulous

Rosary Mom: Keeping Love in Lent

LoveLetters 7.10: Teacups {Keeping the Love in Lent}

Little Saints in the Making: Keep Love in Lent

Blessed with Full Hands: Keeping love in Lent- Praise Him

Normal Chaos: Our Own Personalized Lenten Journey

These Little Blessings: Gifting Love this Lent

The Cajun Catholic: The our Father; a lenten reflection

Truly Rich Mom: Keeping Love in Lent… Even When It Is Difficult

GATHERING GRACES:Keeping LOVE in LENT

SaIsa Pang Sulyap – Fullness Of His Love

LiturgicalTime: Keeping Love in Lent – Finding Balance

Grace Loves Iggy: love in lent

Sacred Oysters: Empty (Keeping LOVE in LENT)

Tercets:Make Heart Rosary Decades to Pray for Others

The Diary of a Sower: Our Lenten Prayer Tree

A Living Garden — Giving for Others with Love: Keeping LOVE in LENT

Homegrown Catholics: Motivated by my childrens’ activities {Lent}

MyBroken Fiat: Keeping Love in Lent… Barely

Journey to Wisdom: Keeping Love in Lent: Bands of Love

Softening My Heart: An Anniversary Lesson during Lent

Coffee Moments With Sam: Alot about Love…

Filed Under: Blog Carnival, Blog Link-Up, Catholic, Catholic Bloggers Network, Catholic Church, Catholic Link-ups, Keeping Love in Lent, LENT, Lenten Traditions

Pope Benedict XVI’s Resignation: A Time to Proclaim Our Faith

February 11, 2013 by Tina

I’m sure you’ve all heard by now that Pope Benedict XVI, the beloved shepherd of the Catholic Church, has officially announced his resignation. My husband and I were having dinner when we heard the news on TV. (It was on in the background; we were at the dining table. Where were our kids, you may ask? They’re at my parents’ place right now, spending quality time together with their Lolo and Lola before they leave for a mission trip to India.)

I logged on to Facebook and Twitter and the reaction of netizens are pretty much the same: shock, surprise, sadness, mixed emotions, etc. I found the official text of the Pope’s resignation on the Vatican Radio website, and am sharing it with you here (in case you haven’t read it):

pope-benedict-xvi-photo_422_29053

Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation at end of month


Pope Benedict XVI on Monday said he plans on resigning the papal office on February 28th. Below please find his announcement.

Full text of Pope’s declaration

Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.

However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.

For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.


Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer. 


From the Vatican, 10 February 2013

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

Here in this video from Rome Reports, the Pope calmly announces in Latin his resignation:

If you’ve noticed, there’s no hint of panic, no hint of uncertainty in Pope Benedict’s voice and posture. There is actually a sort of peaceful demeanor about him.

So why then, should we — who are his “sheep” — panic, or be uncertain? Why should we not be at peace?

I’m sure the Holy Spirit led Pope Benedict to make his decision. I believe it. (Even if, like you, I am still a bit shocked by his announcement.)

I also believe it is no coincidence that the Church had previously declared this year as the Year of Faith, a year to strengthen our faith, to reflect more deeply on what we believe, to discover in a greater way the riches of our faith, and to actively be part of the New Evangelization.

It is also no coincidence that the Holy Father announced his resignation just before the beginning of Lent, a time when we are called to deepen our prayer life, to repent of our sins, to fast and make sacrifices, and do more good.

There may be days of uncertainty to come, but we must believe and trust in the greater good — God’s greater good — for all these.

We must follow the example of Pope Benedict, who, in all humility, is able to admit that he is just human and has his limitations, and he can only do so much. (Something many leaders, including here in the Philippines, are too proud to admit.)

So then, my dear friends, I encourage you: Do not be afraid.  Let us proclaim our faith, more loudly, more distinctly, more lovingly, now more than ever. It is an exciting time for us all, and for our beloved Mother Church. As the Gospel last Sunday reminds us, “Duc in altum!” Go out into the deep! Let us go forth, in courage, knowing that Jesus is with us, and our Church, and its leaders, every step of the way. Also, let us pray, pray, pray. Pray and act. Pray for our Church, pray for our leaders, pray for our people. 🙂

And, yes, let us take courage in the words of Pope Benedict XVI himself:

“To have Christian hope means to know about evil and yet to go to meet the future with confidence. The core of faith rests upon accepting being loved by God, and therefore to believe is to say Yes, not only to him, but to creation, to creatures, above all, to men, to try to see the image of God in each person and thereby to become a lover. That’s not easy, but the basic Yes, the conviction that God has created men, that he stands behind them, that they aren’t simply negative, gives love a reference point that enables it to ground hope on the basis of faith.” 

Note: Photo source of Pope Benedict can be found here.

Filed Under: Catholic, Catholic Church, faith Tagged With: Catholic, Church, faith, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Benedict XVI resigns, Year of Faith

Viva San Pedro Calungsod! :) And All Our Other New Saints! :)

October 21, 2012 by Tina

Today is a great day of rejoicing for Catholics all over the world! 🙂 We welcome seven new saints to intercede for us in heaven, including our very own San Pedro Calungsod, our second Filipino saint! 🙂

Photo from

Here’s a short video clip about the canonization today via Rome Reports:

A friend of mine and fellow Catholic lay missionary wrote a post about the seven new saints here if you want to read it. 🙂

Oh, and we were so blessed to be able to watch “Teen Saint Pedro, the Musicale,” earlier this week! 🙂 Here’s a clip from the musical (just found it on YouTube). Forgot to bring our camera! Haha!

Those who missed the musical can still catch it in Cebu, and they are also planning a school tour. 🙂 I’m so proud that a lot of the cast members are from Couples for Christ and our Family Ministries, including our very own 29 A.D. Musicionaries! 🙂

Oh, and the canonization can be watched LIVE via GMA News right now AND on this link here.

Saint Pedro Calungsod and all the saints in heaven, pray for us! 🙂

Filed Under: 7 New Catholic Saints, Canonization, Catholic Church, Catholic Events, Catholic Saints, Current Events, Saint Pedro Calungsod, San Pedro Calungsod

Truly Rich Reflections: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." (World Mission Sunday 2011)

October 22, 2011 by Tina

Today is World Mission Sunday. In the Holy Father’s message early this year, he explained beautifully the theme “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” from John 20: 21. Here are some wonderful pointers from his message:


1. “The universal mission involves all, everything and always. The Gospel is not an exclusive good of the one who has received it, but is a gift to be shared, good news to communicate. And this gift-commitment is entrusted not only to a few, but to all the baptized, who are “a chosen race … a holy nation, God’s own people” (1 Peter 2:9), to proclaim his wonderful works.”



Since coming home from our 5-year mission in Timor Leste, I have come to realize all the more how every baptized Catholic is called to mission. Contrary to what many people think, you don’t need to be sent to another country to do mission. You can share the gift of the Gospel right where you are – in your own home, community, workplace, etc. As Blessed Mother Teresa said: “Love begins at home and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put into that action.”

We will forever treasure our family mission in Timor Leste –
we learned SO MUCH from the beautiful people of Timor!

2. “…the missionary dimension of the Church is essential and, therefore, must always be kept present. Hence it is important that every baptized person as well as the ecclesial communities be interested not only in a sporadic and irregular way in the mission, but in a constant way, as the way of Christian life.”


Being a missionary is part of the Christian way of life. Even if we no longer carry the “official” titles of “fulltime missionaries” in our community, we still consider ourselves as missionaries. In fact, ever since we were blessed and privileged to share about the missions at the , we have been encouraging people to be “everyday missionaries.” It is a great challenge to do this in a broken, bitter world where God is usually the least priority, but we are called, and we believe that God equips those He calls!

During the first of a series of “despedidas” (farewell parties) for us in Timor Leste –
I cried buckets and buckets of tears then! I still shed a tear or two now whenever I think of Timor,
and my heart occasionally aches to be back there, with our family in Couples for Christ Timor Leste.
O Timor ami hadomi o! (O Timor we love you!)




3. “…through co-responsible participation in the mission of the Church, the Christian becomes a builder of communion, of peace, of the solidarity that Christ has given us, and collaborates in the realization of the salvific plan of God for the whole of humanity. The challenges that it meets, calls Christians to walk together with others, and the mission is an integral part of this path with all.” 


To be a Christian does not mean being passive or just praying and keeping silent on world issues. Instead, we must pray AND act. However, prayer and action have no meaning if they are not done with love. In the words of Blessed John Paul II (whose inspired hundreds of people, including us):



Today, on World Mission Sunday, let us reflect on God’s call to proclaim His goodness – in whatever way we can! Let’s also say a special prayer and celebrate the Holy Eucharist with special intentions for missionaries everywhere! 😉 

Filed Under: Advocacies, calling, Catholic Church, God, Our Catholic Faith, Pro-God, Truly Rich Reflections, Vocation, World Mission Sunday 2011

Mass at the Mall: Gateway Mall at the Araneta Center Cubao

July 24, 2011 by Tina

We visited my in-laws’ yesterday and ended up going to mass at Gateway Mall after I saw a sign announcing the mass schedules when Tim and I went to get his books, given by a kind, generous fellow homeschool mom based in the US.

During the mass, which was held at the Gateway Suites Topaz Ballroom (formerly the Mandarin Oriental), I was inspired to try to come up with a compilation of posts about Sunday Mass in malls (or other places outside the traditional church buildings). What do you guys think about that? (Feel free to comment below).
Anyway, apparently, Sunday Mass is celebrated at Gateway Mall at 11am at Cinema 4, and 5pm and 6.30pm at Gateway Suites, which is located on the same floor as the cinemas.
The entrance to Gateway Suites
They used up all 4 rooms/divisions of the Topaz Ballroom for the Mass
The inside of the Topaz Ballroom, right after Mass
It was pretty cool to attend mass in a ballroom. 🙂 But as usual, I was a little bit irked by those mass-goers who came in shorts and attire deemed “improper” for mass. Of course, there may have been lots of people who chose to attend mass at the mall, at the “spur of the moment,” so whatever they wore for cruising at the mall ended up being their mass attire as well.
Still, it would be really nice if people dressed respectfully when attending Holy Mass. They don’t call it “holy” for nothing right? 😉
Times like these, I miss Timor, where even the poorest of people get that going to Church means looking one’s best and preparing properly to receive Jesus’ body in the form of the Holy Eucharist. Even if people have to walk along dusty roads for 30 minutes or more to get to the nearest church, they would still do so even if they were dressed in dresses or blouses and skirts (for the ladies), and long-sleeved or polo shirts (for the men).
See the couple in the middle? They are Timorese, and what they are wearing, minus the coat and tie for the man, are typical Mass attire for the Timorese. Cool huh?
Anyway, if ever you’re planning to be at the Araneta Center on a Sunday and want to go to mass there, here are the mass schedules, taken from Gateway Mall’s events page:

Sunday MassSunday Mass

Araneta Coliseum 11AM
Gateway Mall 11AM*, 5PM & 6:30PM  *(I added the 11AM schedule)
Farmers Plaza 5:30PM
Ali Mall 6PM 

If you are planning to go to mass while you’re out window shopping or “mall-ing” with your family, please do try to dress up enough to make Jesus feel as if He’s really important to you. *winks* After all, you wouldn’t go for an audience with England’s Prince William and his wife dressed up in a short skirt with plunging necklines right? 
Don’t get me wrong though! I may sound prudish or conservative.. but I am just telling things from my point of view. Because most of the time, our outer appearance reflects how we truly feel deep inside. Right?
– From a fellow struggling, sinful Catholic mom

Filed Under: Catholic, Catholic Church, Our Catholic Faith, Sunday Mass at Philippine Malls, Truly Rich Reflections

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Hi! I'm Tina Santiago Rodriguez, a Catholic wife, homeschool mom, and self-professed "media missionary." Welcome to Truly Rich and Blessed, a unique lifestyle blog about appreciating the "riches" that we have — our faith, self, relationships, resources, discoveries and experiences. I hope you'll enjoy your time here, and come away encouraged and inspired somehow!

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