Nancy Catan

My memories of Easter Sundays are many. In the states as I was growing up, we attended the special Easter church service with all of us children receiving a small pot of spring flowers signifying new life, that we were to nourish and grow into fully blooming bushes.

We observe Palm Sunday, the final Sunday of Lent, today. Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphant arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9), when palm branches were placed in his path, before his arrest on Holy Thursday and his crucifixion on Good Friday. It thus marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent.

March is a month wherein we celebrate womanhood. As women, especially Christian women, we are given a unique ministry, the ministry of being a woman, a woman after God’s own heart. What does this mean?

“Worry is a future-tense emotion.” “Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s TROUBLES; it takes away today’s PEACE.” While reading over some of my myriad notes, I came across these intriguingly profound statements. Who said them? I don’t remember.

Many people understand the Lenten period, also called the desert experience, as one of sacrifices, difficulties, and ceremonies. But it is much more than that. Saint John Paul II in one of his writings lists seven ways we should view the Lenten experience.

The New Year brings us many gifts. But to fully enjoy these God-given gifts, Nancy Catan believes we need to clean up the clutter.

The hinges of the door of our hearts need to be oiled and protected from the rust of dryness, of self-pity, of negative emotions, and of stressful living.

Reading the newspapers during my morning breakfast often sets my soul on edge. Lately in the news we have been bombarded with blow-by-blow accounts of battles fought in Mindanao, uprisings in the Middle East, and rebellious mobs surfacing in other parts of the world. Even the weather is experiencing disastrous changes!

This is the season when we are always looking for the “right” gifts – gifts that are stamped with our heartprints, for our children, grandchildren, apo sa tuhod, nieces and nephews plus dozens of cousins, the staff at the office, friends and more friends.

I am glad that there is a Father’s Day in the month of June. Way back when there was only a Mother’s Day in May, I always wondered what happened to the “fathers”? After all, we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for our fathers!