On Yesterday's Visit to C-ville, Today's Mass and Lunch, and Private (Catholic) Education

Hello there, everyone! A spectacular Sunday to you all! Today is the 4th Sunday of Easter, as far as the Catholic Church is concerned. Hope and pray you have participated in today's church service/s. And that you have had the opportunity to reflect on the Word of God today and do good deeds for others. Thanks be to God our Almighty Father. Thank you, Jesus, for your resurrection.

Yesterday afternoon, my wife and I traveled to C-ville to a) visit our daughter in her college dorm, b) pick up important papers (from First Team car dealership) that requires her signature, and c) show her new 2012 car, which we just purchased last week, as our graduation gift for her  (same thing we did for her brother when he graduated college two years ago this May from the same University she's attending now). As usual, for long distance trip, my wife did the driving. Yes, she drove, with gusto, our daughter's new car.

Arriving at C-ville, after two and a half hours on the road, we were delighted to see our daughter again and then proudly showed her new car, a four-door mid-size sedan. No doubt, she likes it. And the color, too. My wife took a couple of pictures of our daughter posing before her car. Imagine just like someone who just won or was awarded a prized car. No, we didn't spend the night over there in C-ville because we don't want to interfere with our daughter's studies, especially nowadays that she's getting ready for her Finals next week. It's good that we're able to do a little grocery shopping for her which she appreciated it, prior to going back home to Hampton Roads.

Today, my sis-in-law, my wife and I participated in the second Mass at St. Paul's. Like last Sunday, a U.S. Navy chaplain (retired), Monsignor Fred, officiated the Mass. The first reading is from the Acts (4:8-12) of the Apostles. In summary, it tells about Peter explaining the cure of the cripple. It was a miracle performed in the name of Jesus, whom the people had rejected and crucified. there is no salvation except in Jesus. The second reading is from the First letter of Saint John (3:1-2). In summary, it speaks about the Father showing his love for human beings by calling them his children. The world does not recognize the followers of Christ because it did not recognize Christ himself. On the other hand, today's Gospel is from St. John (10:11-18). It tells about Jesus comparing himself to the "Good Shepherd." A shepherd cares for his sheep, lives and dies fro them if necessary. There is to be one flock and one shepherd. (Note: Below is a video from YouTube that I just found today while looking for a video about Sunday Mass. Surprisingly, the Mass video is just taken today, April 29, and the venue of the Mass is in Davao City, Philippines. There's slight difference or modifications of the Mass in this video, i.e., the singing, and especially the response of the parishioners when the priest says "The Lord be with you". They still use the "And also with you" response. In the Revised Roman Missal, the response that we've been using in the United Sates for months now is "And with your spirit". Anyway, thanks to the uploader of this video. No copyright infringement intended. )

Now back to our parish at St. Paul's. In his homily, Msgr. Fred spoke about the different vocations we're all called by God, despite the many voices and distractions we have in life. He mentions about Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and we are his flock. He expressed his thanks to the congregation for celebrating the Mass with him and reminded us to discern on what God wants us to be, our callings, varied though they may be---to serve Him and be religious, i.e. priests, nuns; to be good fathers and mothers, etc. He also talked about how he became a priest after serving in the U.S. Marines.

 After the Sunday Mass, my sister-in-law, my wife and I ate lunch at an American Buffet Restaurant in a neighboring city of Chesapeake. You see, folks, we reside in the northern city of Suffolk. We go to our parish Catholic church in one of the clustered parishes in Portsmouth. We shop, eat or dine out in another city. How strange is that, you wonder huh? That's what we mean by having freedom; we have the choice to go anywhere we want. Thank you, God, for this gift of freedom that we cherish and enjoy in a country such as America. I hope and pray that you're enjoying the freedom to live in a free society such as ours.

Well, speaking of choice, I just came across an article shared by one of our Facebook friends today. Private School Education: Worth the Cost?  That's the topic of the said article. I read the informative article and didn't hesitate to "Like" it and share it to Facebook, too. Now, what can I say about it? My take or comment is this: It's a matter of choice for us parents, especially, to send our children to private school. Talking through experience, private school education is worth it. From it, we learn something that strengthen our Christian and family values. I know, it's a financial sacrifice for us but we did it for our two children. It's just a matter of budgeting and sacrifice. It's also a matter of where lies our priorities for our children: the best education that we can possibly afford, material things that can easily wear out or be stolen? What is our main priority for our children? Of course, the basic necessities they need: food, clothing, shelter. Other than that, what's the next important thing that matters for them/us? Isn't it a good, or the best, education that will help them through in life?

As I've said, my wife and I know how important good education is for our children. That's why we did try our best to send them to private schools. Since my wife and I were both products of private Catholic education, we want them to experience what we have had. And, again, it was our choice to give them what we think/believe is best for our two children. After all, good/excellent education is the best inheritance we could give them. No one can take it away from them, wherever they may go. Material things and possessions are stolen or can be taken away, but not their education. They will always use it (good /excellent education) wherever they go. Any regrets for sending them to private schools, elementary and secondary? Not at all! It's worth our money. And they, our children, deserve the best education they can possibly have. personally, my wish for them is that they be productive, useful, helpful members of society and that they help in nation-building. I believe, our young adult son has been doing that since he graduated college two years ago. Being employed with the AmeriCorp, he's doing his best to teach, educate and reach out the underprivileged or underserved in our midst, in that portion or part of The Capital. Hope and pray for his safety and good health always.

As always, thanks YouTube and to the uploaders of the videos I embedded with this blog post. No, I don't own the videos. No copyright infringement intended. Thank you Google, Blogger, and Facebook, and to all of you people of goodwill.

Well, this is all for now, folks. Until next time around. Take care and have a nice day, everyone!-chris a. quilpa, 29April2012