Manny and I went to the center early. We were there around 5:05 PM for the 5:30 PM mass to give us time to pray to her. She was raised above a table covered with white linen with bouquets of beautiful white and pink flowers. I didn't bring my camera or my cell phone so I couldn't take a picture. But here's her picture from the penafrancia.net website.
Throughout the mass, I was coughing and it was all I could do to keep from sitting down when it was time to stand up. Anyway, before the priest's final blessing, we had the farewell rites for Ina. Mila Arnaldo, our worship committee chair and well-loved village administrator gave a short message and admitted that she didn't know much about Ina. But she had her own personal experience with her. On a recent emergency trip to Baguio when it was typhoon signal number 1 in Northern Luzon, she prayed to her to keep them safe. Every time she prayed, the rains subsided. And when they reached Baguio, the fog was so thick that visibility was reduced to about a foot. Whenever that happened, she prayed to Ina and the fog lifted. After her talk we sang the Hail Mary, and then it was time for Ina to leave.
The male marshals came to take her from the table and bring her out for the recessional. First two men tried to lift her, but they couldn't. I jokingly told my neighbor, Sofie, that she didn't want to leave us. But was thinking what is this statue made of because it couldn't be so heavy since it was probably just two feet high. Then four men tried to lift her, and still they couldn't. And then the statue seemed to take on a life of its own. It sharply tilted to the right and to the left and this went on for several seconds. Mila then announced that this sometimes happened when Ina didn't want to leave a place and so she led the congregation in praying the Hail Mary and the Memorare. I felt goose pimples come over me and knew that Ina was really with us. I fell on my knees in prayer. Suddenly, the statue was still, and finally one marshal lifted her, turned around, knelt in front of the cross for Ina to say goodbye to her Son, and then brought her out. We took turns touching and kissing her.
Later, Manny and I discussed what we saw. I asked if it was possible for the marshals to have faked it. But the movements were so abrupt, so jerky. It really looked like she was trying to wriggle out of their clutches. And Manny said that he even saw the table shaking. So we both agreed that she was really there with us. I had never seen anything like it. I had felt her presence once before in 2000 in Lourdes. Back then, there was no physical manifestation but the feeling was so overwhelming that if a lame person suddenly shot out of his wheelchair or a blind girl suddenly cried out that she could see, I wouldn't have been surprised at all.
Our Lady of Penafrancia, pray for us.
1 comment:
Ina has done numerous miracles it cannot be contained in this short comment of mine if i write it all down. On Saturday September 19, is the fiesta of Our Lady of Penafrancia. If you feel strongly about her, she is calling you for reasons she only knows. One day visit her in the Basilica in Naga, but of course i suggest you attend the fiesta and honor her by joining the procession. There is no other like the fiesta of Our Lady of Penafrancia.It is a great sacrifice and a humbling experience to join the procession. It is no ordinary procession as it takes a lot of pure faith to be able to join the mass of people walking on foot. One day, i will share with you personally my experiences with INA. Cory Quirino hopefully features again INA in her program, but i am certain that it will be in the news. Watch out for it on Sept 19 and 20, then know if INA has a message for you. You will know, i assure you.
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