Coming home means spending sometime with my church here in my hometown. We celebrated the feast day of our patron saint today (Monday) which was a celebration of novena prayers highlighted by the coming of the bishop to celebrate the feast day and do the confirmation for the townspeople. It was my first mass where the three of us, all ordained priest from this one the town, were together during the mass. The last priest ordained came to me and asked when I was ordained. I responded 1983, he smiled and said to me, Fr. Aloy I was third grade then. It feels different to have us together for the very first time. After the mass, as you probably see us Filipinos, we greet our priest by kissing the hand for a blessing. This happened after the celebration and I got stocked behind the bishop for some of my dad's students of long ago came telling me that they were specially moved hearing my name mentioned during the thanksgiving given by the president of the pastoral council.

I came home tired, but feeling that today something special happened in my life and that there was a good reason to come home. My priesthood was not only limited to those places where I serve but still linked to where my faith grew as a small boy and how many people have inspired me to follow my vocation. My priesthood is a calling, of God's people, that unites people of different cultures and places. It breaks all known boundaries to man and the only thing that matters is God's calling.

Today my niece was also confirmed, and I was chosen as a sponsor. I was happy to be selected as a guide for my niece in her life of faith. So the celebration in the church was also brought home because of this celebration.

Yes, it is our parish's 101st year celebration of it's existence. As I was trying to get my rest I was wondering how St. Anastasia will celebrate this great event of it's history. What I just wished as I was praying was that, the celebration came as a celebration of the people. Not just for one day but the celebration was alive in them.

Here, people came to town to host the novena masses. They brought with them their lectors, servers, ushers, Eucharistic ministers and choirs. Others came with gifts, part of their harvest or representative of their livelihood to offer to God on this special celebration. Kids, sang and danced during the mass. Old people clapped as they saw their kids celebrate with joy. It was a celebration of life.

God leads us to celebrate. But in the end we see the change of how it is God that has made the difference. People here aare still poor and have a great many problems. But they know that their God dances with them in their lives of faith.

See you soon.

Fr. Aloy