Fantastic Sunday, First Time at Duka Bay Resort as a Family

MARCH 26, 2017

Photo Credit: Yan Orit

Prior to this day in a prayer meeting, we call it "The Feast", a dear sister invited me together with my family, my wife and our kids to a birthday celebration that will be today. To be held at "Duka Bay Resort", a two-hour travel from Cagayan de Oro City. And so, I said in reply to discuss this to my wife and true enough, we decided to go and said yes to her invitation.

We woke early in the morning, packed up things and sip a cup of hot "Milo" and "Energen" before leaving the house. We went to our meeting place, the house of the birthday celebrant's family.

As we arrived at the meeting place, we were welcomed by the celebrant himself. Wow! He guided us inside their home, stayed on the second floor, where we found their beautiful veranda. It's so spacious and comfortable. And most of all, it's so nice to experience the love of the generous family who invited us to celebrate with them.

Going to Duka Bay Resort, we together with the Light of Jesus Family  rode their Coaster.

Arrived at the beautiful place of Duka Bay, I was in awe with nature. Appreciated much the beauty of the resort. They had preserved it and had improved much. It was not my first time here, but it was our first time together with my wife and kids. It was awesome!

We had fun! Played frisbee with friends, with my wife and my kids also. Volleyball. Swimming. Dancing. Singing. Laughter. And of course with sumptuous food.

Had a fantastic experience also riding Duka Bay's glass boat with my family and friends of the community. Saw the amazing coral reefs, different kinds of fish and some deep, dark blue sea. We saw clown fish, the well known "Nemo". Some blue colored fish and many more. It was awesome to see the beauty of God's creation. Fantastic!

We were there for 7 hours full of fun.

Before leaving the place we took some pictures.

Photo Credit: Ev Cadelina

Photo Credit: Suz Khu

Arrived at our home safely around 8:30PM.

Thank you Lord Jesus, for the gift of fun. The gift of generous people around us. The gift of a beautiful Sunday. The gift of family. The gift of the Light of Jesus Family, our spiritual family. Thank you for the gift of a free, safe, and fun ride with our full of energy, dynamics friends, the youth of the Light of Jesus Family. You are our Awesome God!

Family and the Eucharist_XU Triduum Retreat 2011

I am so grateful I attended the Holy Week Triduum Retreat at Xavier University also known as sacred days at Xavier.  One of the many points that impacted me during those days of reflection is the one that I will share to you about Family and the Eucharist.

Monks have secrets worth knowing.  One of these is that a community sustains itself not primarily through novelty, titillation, and high emotion but through rhythm and routine, namely, through simple, predictable, ritual processes.  For example, a wise family will say to itself:  "We will all be home at regular times, we will eat together twice a day, and we will be together in the living room at least once a day even if it isn't exciting, even if real feelings aren't shared, even if some are bored, and even if some are protesting that this isn't worthwhile.  We will do this because, if we don't, we will soon fall apart as a family.  To stay together we need regular, straight-forward, predictable, daily rituals.  We need the manna of daily presence to each other.  Otherwise we'll die."

In the Eucharist, God sustains us in just this way.

-Fr. Ron Rolheiser

This reminds me of being together regularly with my family.  Giving time to them, spending moments to last a lifetime.  I need to do this to grow and to leave memories to my children.

This leaves me a question, "How am I going to be remembered by my children?"