So Blessed To Be With Them

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.  I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing.  I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” 

John 15: 13-15

One month has passed since the recent celebration of the World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, where I experienced so many great things from the Lord that have changed my being.  I had an interaction with the generous and loving people of Sierra de Fuentes in the Diocese of Caceres.  I met our Dear Lady of Fatima at her shrine in Portugal.  I saw in person the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, twice at Puerta de Alcala and Cuatro Vientos.  I saw the beauty of God’s creation in the dioceses of Caceres and Madrid.  I tasted authentic food of Spain – Bocadillos, Paella, Jamon, Chorizo and Gazpacho.

And another thing that I was blessed with, more than being able to reach the continent of Europe, was the chance I had to meet new friends and to be re-united with my old friends from Europe and Philippines.  This alone is in fact has inspired me so much.

My birthday last August 9, my Days in the Diocese, my visit to Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal and my World Youth Day all turned into something more special and memorable.  It was because I celebrated them with my good friends.

I thank God for I have met new friends from inside and outside our delegation of CFCFFL.    I was able to meet new friends from Sierra de Fuentes, ECY Philippines, CFC YFL Europe and Canada and from other organizations and other countries.  It is really great how the Lord broadens my circle of friends.  Despite the differences in culture and language with some of them, I generally had wonderful times with all of them.

During my World Youth Day preparation, another thing that I was also praying for was to be with my friends again.  I was really excited back then to see them again from Philippines and Europe.  And the Lord has blessed me so much to be with them; to catch up with one another’s status in life, and to rekindle and strengthen friendships.

Whether during our long and tiring walks under the scorching heat of the sun, eating Bocadillos and drinking cold Gazpacho, praying, free style rapping, sharing jokes and laughter, swimming, shopping for souvenirs, taking photos, getting stranded in the middle of Madrid, eating chinese food, enjoying paella and cold Starbucks coffee (you know who you are), singing and dancing together, sleeping inside the bus, exchanging stuffs with other pilgrims, watching football games, learning the Catholic faith, worshiping the Lord, or even when I got lost in the airport (thank you for those who were with me that time) or when I got separated twice from the group (haha), simply being with them was such a great blessing.

I am so blessed to have great companions who point me towards Christ.  They are part of my family who are always there to guide and help me in times of trouble, to laugh with me in times of my happiness, and who desire only good things for me.  Thank you Lord for giving me wonderful friends and my prayers are for them.

I was blessed to be a pilgrim of WYD.  Moreover, I was more blessed to be a pilgrim of WYD together with my friends.  And most importantly, I was in Madrid together with my best friend – our Lord Jesus Christ.