Jesus, the Black Nazarene Ministry (Formerly Black Nazarene Prayer Group of Houston): March 2009

1st Friday Devotion Novena

to the Black Nazarene

Acevedo Residence
Lake Olympia, Missouri City

(Beginning of Lent)

" Man over-board! Man over-board!" Announcement coming from the paging system of the cruise ship along the Gulf of Mexico. 3-5 minutes passed and everyone seemed to be in such a frantic panic that a man suddenly dive to save that little girl who fell from the ship. An arousing applause was given and the crew was able to get both back to the ship.

During the reception and acknowledment of the incident the Captain called the man finally to say something of the bravery he did. And the man said, "Sino ba ang walang hiyang nagtulak sa akin sa tubig! Mabuti na lang at marunong akong lumangoy!".

This was the homily of our Guest celebrant, Fr. Teresito Pacqueo, of last night mass after our Novena. His message seems really funny but the truth is "Are we ready to do what the man did inorder to save others? Or are we ready to face our Creator anytime He wishes for us to face Him?".

His message is clear that this "Season of Lent" is the right time to reconcile ourselves with Him and repent whatever wrongdoings we did that made Him suffer on that Cross.

A parallel message for us all, why does it need for an incident to happen like in his Homily? It only remind us sometimes that it needs someone to PUSH us inorder for us to fulfill that needed catalyst to perform better on our duties and respnsibilities to God, community and family! Sometimes we take all these things for granted and only then in the end that we realize the value of that opportunity God has given us is such enormous and lost. We fail to take that chance! Is it because we were blinded by the material things and wealth in this world? Do we need to loose things inorder to value them? Why not vice-versa?

So this Lenten Season, again we are given the chance to talk and reconcile ourselves with our Creator! Let us take that opportunity and dive to that water in order to save others and ourselves! Let us simply start in our home - our children!

The Novena