When I was still in grade five our adviser asked the class to write a word that will be the sweetest sound that a mother could ever hear from her child. Some of us wrote ‘I love you’, some ‘thank you’. I still could remember that it took me half of the period to reflect on what to write. Unexpectedly, a woman together with her child passed by our classroom; she could have been there to pay for the tuition fee of one of the students. Our classroom was near the cashier and the conversation of the woman and the child was very audible. The child called her “IMA” and the woman gave attention to her child. I thought for a moment and, then, realized that the sweetest word that a mother could from her child is “Nanay”, “Inang”, “Mom”, “Ima”.
Whenever I call my mom or ask from her help, she voluntarily stops her work and gives me a hand. Whenever I need something or whenever I am sick or in distress, she is there ready to help me. I miss a lot the days when I was still with my family.
When I entered the seminary, my vocation promoter told me that the Blessed Mother is willing to be my IMA and that is one of the strongest reasons why I still am standing here in front of you sharing these marvelous things to you. Like my mother, our Blessed Mother never fails to help me in many things. I remember the occasion when I was sick and remained upstairs (one of the rooms in the third floor of the seminary) for two weeks. There were moments then when I wanted to go home because of the pain and suffering that I was experiencing. I wanted my mom to take care of me. I kept on nagging Fr. Roel (our catechist then) about my plan of going home, but he forbade me to go. After some few days of staying there, a letter from one of the sems arrived stating: “Mama Mary is always with you…taking care of you”. I noticed that in one of the walls of the room, there was a picture of IMA hanging. Each time I looked at the picture, I felt at ease and comforted.
When we have problems, let us call her name. She will be there ready to help and to offer her time, devotion, and life to us. Just like our mothers, the Blessed Mother will not resist the pleading of her children. The most vulnerable part of a mother is her heart. A mother is so compassionate; she hears every single sob of ours. Our cry will surely touch her. The Blessed Mother took the courage to stand on the foot of the cross showing her support to her beloved Son, even if this inflicted her sorrow and grief. Like our Blessed Mother, our own mothers stand too beside us to show their support; they are there standing strong and firm. With this testimony, I assure you that IMA is always with us.
This was our very first outing in Moalboal, Cebu during our novitiate year. Luckily from the four of us two will profess this coming May 6, 2008. Migs and I went out of the novitiate house more than a month ago. Up to now my novitiate experience is still fresh and sometimes I still follow the schedule even though I'm not any more there.
