Matthew 22: 34-40. it was as if god took my words to His own to convey it to others, forreal no joke. praise Him. from accompanying this brother to cls and hearing about loving thy neighbor and feeling called to share/talk about love in the brotherhood workshop for south cluster leader's training and hearing it again at mass after the workshop, DANG my jaw dropped. throughout the "busy" week i had staying late at school working on the project and helping out with wanna canta singing competition, it was as if god revealed his presence in all aspects. even in the moment when all the singing contestants prayed before going downstairs and got their gameface on, just hearing those words of praying before they start from another person(s) that isn't/aren't in the community goes to show how you can find the lord in many places. especially hearing this sister asking for mother mary's intercession and certain saint, wow praise God. love is so complex in its simplicity and let us focus on the simplicity. the more we do, the more we see how god is present in a mighty yet understandable way.

"love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you." "to love and to be loved is the greatest existence of happiness." "you cannot love god without loving others and yourself" - trinitarian love.

Acts 2:1-4

can i say how good it feels to dwell within the spirit. especially giving that session in camp training and then the flow of words that were used that came from the lord. from that moment leading to worship - wow, praise god. but the one thing that i come to notice is that it is hard to maintain that relationship and there maybe hinderances that allow you to obtain that spiritual level - hehehe i found that a little cliche but its all good. the one thing that christ reminded me was that following Him has no boundaries and His infinite love. that it is through His presence and belief, He promises us to send down the Holy Spirit. and i definitely believe it - all the more to make the Lord's presence known. its crazy how it make sense yet it the trinity has its own complexity. i also believe how the holy spirit lies within us, in our temple - the more you strive for holiness, purity and in faith, the more god uses you as an instrument for Him and for the spirit to remain (verse/quote about not living in the flesh but in the spirit). i think that recieving and developing the spirit is a bigger part and reason to worship god and live for god. it is something for us Christians that needs to be used and developed more, especially being in the community and praying in tongues as a way to glorify and praise God. it is through God's spirit that personalizes our connection with Him and changes our relationship through understanding, but brings everyone together by being united in believing His word.

yes i know summer's over but a few things happened before the first day of september officially arrived. but things that happened after my last blog: movie night at chrisabelle's house - kyle giving me a huge hug since he's here in nj, they bought stuff to cook like pasta and chicken nuggets, me making panettini that tito manny gave me (which i havent seen tito in a long time), good dinner, watching 27 dresses (cool movie) and tuck everlasting, throwing candy bars at kyle HAHA seriously ahhemm, me and roxy listening to everyone's convo. then next day was north cluster picnic - wasn't thinking about going but really glad i did, help the kids winning the game against the parents, playing volleyball the whole time (me & myla are such beasts), eating, played volleyball with parents which was pretty interesting. then after was debating to still go to the villapaz house for the end of the year / olympic party but kim texted me about lloyd's birthday party and i was pondering for a minutes, but to save gas and time went where its closer. ken went with me after being in the city and picking up and it was around 10 - saw carlo flippin burgers which i miss, watching the tennis game, arguing with andrew to see who was to blame for not calling each other to hang and yeah mostly it saw people i havent seen in a while. ok so this going to september but hung out with vanessa to adore christ and ate at cheeseburger in paradise @ wayne - smelled fruity in that place, good quesadillas (coming back there again), then went to gsp to windowshop. then last last minute went to a sister named catherine for her sweet sixteen - picked up myla, feeling a 15 minute awakwardness for not having a chair, saw bj richielle and curt, curt getting buckwild in the dancefloor, me drinking 4 glasses of sherry temple, everyone glaring at me thinking im drinking illegal fluids when im taking advantage that its free, crazy crazy dj, crazy candy theme and deco, main course was really good (used alot of lemon with the chicken, veggies and mashed potatoes), bangin` dessert of crepes, ice cream and such.

i think that each year gets better as we grow annually with wisdom and learning to appreciate life and enjoying it. yeah i talked to a few people about this of how most of the time i was at home sitting in the computer, watching tv and being a lazy bum, but it was good because i saved a lot of money by not going out and had time for myself. but most of all, i am utterly blessed to spend time with christ this summer even though it wasnt consistent, but at least it was far more than last year. recently one night when i was sleeping, i reached a point in my mind of the desperation and love christ and our lord even more. it was the type of feeling where as if i have a pure conversation between me and my god. it was just an awesome feeling to know and have that. and recently i found one of the daily scriptures from utmost to be the most profounding ever - through the verse of 1 Peter 1:16 - its very true how we need that right posture of our relationship with God and His plan is to be with Him because "He came to save us because He created us to be holy." wow, the lord speaks forreal.

i love the last paragraph - "Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind— placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself. Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life." i want to become a part of this revolution to holiness - to be set apart. let us truly walk to discipleship with the lord and be messengers of peace, love and joy. AMEN!

so i lost track of where i left off as summer took off and now its dwindling down to less than 2 weeks before school starts for me. i already stated on my seattle journey which was awesome! i think throughout the weeks after that event ive been slowly helping tash with her 18th birthday celebration party but it wasn't concrete until 2 weeks or even a week til her party. but in between and im bad with chronological order with events since i dont keep up but there were hangouts and whatnot: we were planning to have a core meeting but it got postponed - however, that friday chrisabelle didnt get the notice so she came to my house with tash's cookie cake and i wasnt even home i think i was in the portrait studio for my grad pics. anyways meet up with her at the aclans house since i told her to go there since she's up in our area - watched ABDC and ate such amazing amazing stake tito danny made - so freakin` good. saw wendell in tv - showing off the joyride shirt. then felt bad for the cake so i personally delivered it to tash and then she felt bad that chrisabelle came up here. all good. the "north cluster pool party" @ roxy's house. kinda scared going there since i didnt know which part of clifton she lived in but i took my gps with me and it wasnt that bad - realizing that she lives near clifton commons. yummy burgers from tito and playing rock band for the first time! awesome. me steph and roxy went to get ice cream cake since we wanted some - fun times going to stop and shop and i guess going back to her house. two words: near accident - i was about to make a right from the traffic light and i got distracted by them and a car come by and luckily i looked both ways twice. ohh man! intense game of catch phrases since richelle brought it - got loud that we needed to go before roxy's parents got mad. then that sunday was a family assembly @ rodimer center. so awesome that the youth was doing opening worship - great job BJ. after that went to east and took the north kids - HAHA kidding. me ken jon were such pigs. oh yeah a texas bro names justin visited that day so he went with us. after some sushi we werent satisfied so we went to dairy queen. i think it was the second to last or last week of july where i straightup hung out with people - crazy. that day where i was accompanying ken to buy a new phone @ radio shack where ray works in bayonne and end up minigolfing with a bunch of people cuz a sister from texas (alex) was visiting. saw hill and justine there - then ate at applebees and then felt bad for ray cuz some sisters messed around with his car by painting the windows. another day by going down south by myself to play bowling cuz cali bro (james) was visiting. got lost around that area where the bowling place was since i didnt know how to get in - goodness. it was me jon mikko and james. other people started to show up but late - felt bad so we let them take turns with us. iggie wearing flip flops and bowling - sheesh. after that was greasetrucks, AHH it was a long time since ive had some. another day where i went with my parents to adoration where we stopped by this thai restaurant near the church - interesting and good thing we didnt spend a lot. dim sum was good. after that asked them to drop me of at tcby to meet up with high school friends. so good seeing lauren (my awesome jewish buddy) in town after being in israel for like the 3 months. so awesome sharing with our faith and what she did - besides the differences it was great talking to someone about our relationship with god. the ways how she expresses modesty. after those moments, there was vanessa's sweet 16 party. before that was cfc north assembly which they encouraged youth but last minute saying not necessary. felt bad cuz the lipata brothers were there but then left. it was pretty interesting - tito boyet's talk on family especially mentioning about the youth. after maureen and monique came with me and stopped by my house so i could change - tried matching with them but not really. bought balloons from party city - tried to ask help from michelle and she "ignored" (in actuality she was focused on her customers) and helped us. bought 5 balloons - one of them was a special one where we put letters on it. but its funny when we get out - that special balloon flew away. so madd but whatever. so awesome seeing both youths there i must say it was awkward at first but it turned out well. saw the patron's - they`re awesome. worship was interesting since richelle played guitar and towards the end it was only me singing the time has come. good having one on one with vanessa about sharing our experiences from conference. next event was the beach hangout @ point pleasant - met up at the aclans house, michelle illegally driving, picked up polo where his house is near the rest stop which was cool, camera got wet and got furious, getting worried that michelle's parents were coming to our side of the beach since we found out that they were in the area, trying to get rid of my farmers tan which wasnt so bad, went to sonic - yummy!, bought sushi, packaged chicken and cookies that you had to put in the oven, from shop rite and me cooking the chicken (HAHA michelle), watched august rush which was intense since we were into the movie.

then the two most recent things that happened were natasha's 18th birthday celebration and helping out with sfc-ffl conference @ st. john's university. kinda scared to go alone in a train but all good, since i had to be there before 6pm but im glad ate sheri offered me a ride. anyways i leave radburn station at around 12:50 and it was weird cuz before boarding the train i saw eva and namu from high school - havent seen them in a long time. kinda awkward since i was asking them a few questions and sat behind them, but i appreciated the help. thank you lord. so i arrive at the city at around 2 i think. trying to get in touch with marigold the whole time i was riding hehe. but before that its funny how i was about to ride the path train and was unsure which one was train that goes to 33rd st so i hop on one of the trains and i found out that it was going to wtc so i hop on the other train before it leaves and im glad that lady told me. seriously i would be riding the wrong path train. anyways called mg where she was and told me to meet her in 5th street and 42nd. i think it took me like an hour or maybe less than to meet up with her since i ended up going in the opposite direction when going into 7th street and 8th street. but yeah found the group in bryant park - really nice place. the sfc were doing an adventure (scavenger hunt) type thing around manhattan where they are given clues to find the famous site/attraction with the help of the bible and in between they have to do small activities - an example was one group had to do a task where they had to take a pic with random strangers in front of time square. it was cool - last place we met up was rockefeller center. then me and the youth went to take the subway to queens to get on drea's car. it was funny when i opened my umbrella i was less than a foot away from her car. ohh goodness. dropped us off - stayed in the theater whole time and then mass begun. ill make it short to speed this weblog process - did the spotlight for the 2 days which was awesome, bought tshirts, had procession of mother mary into the chapel and adoration, michael gets a free drink from the vending machine by sticking his hand in that hole and me and karyl were his witnesses, storm hall and free food for volunteers, slept at kuya paul's house in babylon (nice place i must say), morning mass and the homily was off the hook by father joseph, cool walkie talkies, went to theology of body workshop with some youth - kinda hard paying attention but took good notes, hung out with ny youth, went to adoration behind the stage, michael showing john jay and dana mae his new found skill in the vending machine, abundant filipino food in storm hall, awesome talks and videos - especially the sister was from sfc that became a nun. i was wiped out that night - luckily my parents and the pormentos came and took me home. next day was prepping for natasha's party - getting balloons, last minute touches with poster, setting up in the place - good job team, ateh sandy picking me up and sitting with me - so awesome seeing her again, starting a lil late which ends up everything being pushed back, gary being himself as a rose, good good food and saying goodbye to danielle.

so, i go to USCCB.org to find my regular readings and gospel from today's Mass (Monday) and i scrolled down to the news about the world youth day in syndey. one of the quotes from pope benedict struck me as they announce next year's wyd in madrid: "Do not be afraid to say 'yes' to Jesus, to find your joy in doing His will, giving yourself completely to the pursuit of holiness" isn`t that so comforting? MAY GOD BE PRAISED! for me, it gives me such hope and an uplifting comfort to know that everyone, specifically the youth should be directed and drawn more towards the Catholic Church. anyways, im glad i made the time today to go to the 12 oclock mass in OLMC to hear god's word. first reading was kinda funny at first when the priest talked about it in his homily. he was saying how alot of us and him of course have a hard time deciphering the meaning of the parables and certain verses, especially referencing to the first reading. he was like "basically, what it means is, that god is as close to you as your underwear." it was a little funny at first but he made an emphasis of how bad things happen when we go away with our covenant - just as the same message from father tibay when celebrating mass at the family assembly and the whole continuation about the parables of comparing the kingdom of god. it was also emphasized in the responsorial psalm today which was very different and a little eerie - "you have forgotten God who gave you birth." i feel that jesus was telling me that during my time with him during adoration before going to mass - He is the only one that reveals the truth and the one that reveals that hidden "darkness" of the world, no one else. we must never forget where we have come from, who we used to be, what we used to do and how Christ transformed us from that specific moment He was present.