A maya bird falls almost dead - but flies again later!

A maya bird from the Philippines

One late afternoon, while waiting for the Holy Mass to begin, I noticed two maya birds chasing each other in the air inside the church.

One fell on the floor.

It was a very bad fall; I thought it was already dead.

But several pews from where I was sitting, I could see it was writhing in pain and dizzy and trying to stand on its feet.

I went to get the bird from the floor and put it somewhere outside to avoid being trudged on by church-goers.

The wall fan, maybe, was the culprit because I saw the two passing by the fan before that one bird fell.

Whatever the cause, but it was really hurting.

I picked it up, went outside and prayed.

"All Heaven, this bird needs graces: let it recover and fly again - for me, amen."

As I prayed, its claws were holding on tight to my finger.

I was a bit alarmed because the Mass would start in a minute.

I took its claws from holding on to me - and went back to my seat.

I let it on my palm while caressing its head with my finger.

I put it on the floor where it was safe - and the Mass began.

A little later, it flew away suddenly - with swiftness, power and strength - to my amazement!

I dream: I receive Communion on the tongue from the Blessed Virgin

Behold, I have another dream: I dream of I who took Holy Communion from the Blessed Virgin.

And, lo, all the vision was in white and green.

In the middle of a forest, the Blessed Mother and I were standing;  it was a forest in the neck of a great mountain in the place where I was born. She was young and slim; and Her Face was white and serene. Her veil and clothes were of ashen-green; and it looked to me as worn by a nun in hiding. 

Behind Her was an old tree whose trunk and branches were covered with moss.  So, too, the ascending ground where She and I were stepping on.  And the leaves of the tree were dripping with rain. A step higher than me, the Blessed Mary stood facing downhill; I stood facing uphill. 

And, lo, She was holding a White Host above a chalice to Her Breast -- in front of me.  She  was tight-lipped -- but placed the Host on my tongue. And I woke up.

Behold, that day was the day of eight of the ninth month -- Her birthday.

The seawall divers

It is a raging sea.

There is excitement inside of me.

I can see the same excitement in every young boy plunging from the seawall to the waves.

And I see that these young divers like to be watched as they do their thing because they are smiling at me.

I was grinning to show my appreciation.

Diving at such a time was dangerous, though, because the sea was not yet that very high.

Yet, they managed to come out unhurt.

A squeaking bird

There is that squeaking voice of a bird again!

It is coming from next to my room, a vacant lot that seems to be a little "jungle."

Intermittently, it would shrill like shouting for help.

Maybe, it is crippled and asking for food.

I don't know, but I already prayed.

A chinky-eyed kid

I am here at the seawall, having my snack. A boy is asking for some; I never give, I can't because he has lots of companions -- all kids, too.
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But where is that kid now? That round-faced and chinky-eyed kid? I left a portion for him, and he is nowhere in sight.

Thanks, God! I found him. I gave it. I am relieved.

I am going now to the chapel.

    

The Spider-Man

The other night, the spider spat and spun a web to make a home. The next morning, man destroyed it to sweep clean his dwelling.

Last night, the spider spurted and knitted a web to build a home. This morning, man ravaged it again to sweep clean his dwelling.

Tonight, the same spider has spewed and coiled a web to remake and rebuild a home. Tomorrow morning, will man shatter it again to sweep clean his dwelling?

And the spider, will it redo its thing if thrice its home is ruined? 

Whose faith will survive? "The one that never gives up." 

The spider knows the truth. So does man.

                   

The rosary of wood

 

In the silence of the night,

a Woman appeared.

Through a pore on the roof,

She entered.

As if being beamed out from above.

Without the brightness of Her glory,

She came simply.

Almost the whiteness of Her garment,

Her deep blue cloak hid.

Never She spoke, but a message She had.

Never Her face was lit that I saw,
but on the things Her hands were holding I was all eyes - rosaries of two!

On her right palm was laid a rosary of wood: on the other, a rosary of gold.

In a manner so gently, with hands open, She presented both to me;
and, slowly, put forward Her right hand
with the wooden rosary.

Then, through which She came in,
She left.

Of the two,
She was "saying" to choose the rosary of wood.

Of simplicity in life despite Wealth.

Of obscurity despite Fame.

For not for our own whim but for His Own Will
that wealth and fame

be spent.

                             

The leaf

A soft, delicate and pale-green bud pops up from a bough and grows into a thick, wide and darkened leaf.

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Its tender stalk makes a sturdy branch in age. And from there sprouts seven other outgrowths - one after the other.
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The leaf outlives storms and droughts, but not its hues. It turns yellow, gold and orange. Its grip fails; it falls to the ground. The sun smiles at it. The moist is lost; its weight, light. It browns and it burns.
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The white smoke rises and kisses the leaves still green and clinging. It goes up to the blue and turns into a cloud. It rains down drizzles; the leaves wash off dust from its faces. Drops drip; roots sip all.
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It roams in the veins of the trunk and branches; and it exits through the pores of the foliage as pure air.
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It ascends the heavens; and the Big Nose finally breathes it in.

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A bird, a boy, a swan lady, and a skillful skater!

In my prayer walks this morning, I was amused by the behavior of a bird walking on the street wire.

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It was four or five times bigger than a finch; it flew from the ground and rested on the street wire above me.

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It walked sideways to get near to its companion bird, balancing itself so carefully, lest it falls!

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As if it never knew how to fly!
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*******

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I am amused by a young boy who passed by me, walking by the edge of the seawall as I have been standing close to the edge.

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I greeted him and followed him with my eyes as he was walking away from me.
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After each few steps, the boy would look back and smile to see me still looking and smiling at him until he was far away.

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*******

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A young woman sat on the seawall's edge so poised and dignified as a swan that when a big splash of the waves caught her back and her white, soft pajama, I laughed!
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I laughed more when she turned to leave.
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Her lower back black undergarment was seen through!
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God, forgive me.
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*******

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I am now here at the wharf sitting under the imperfect full moon and almost surrounded by a moving, moon-lit sea.
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It tickled me to see a rollerskating young man displaying his skills here.
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First, forward; second, backward; third, falling flat!
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