July 10, 2014
Dear Jesus:
This week I attended the "Resurrection Mass" for Leonor "Mamama" Brown de Garcia-Tuñon. It was a beautiful mass, crowned by Father Willie's homily for his grandmother. I never had the privilege to meet Mrs. Leonor, but based on Father Willie's homily, she tried to be the best person that she could be as a wife and as a mother. I have been inspired by the story of a woman that I never met to be a better wife and mother. Father Willie mentioned three points that he considered were key in his grandparents' successful marriage of 67 years: sacrifice, compromise and loyalty.
His mamama, as all the grandchildren called her, sacrificed everything for her husband. Father Willie placed a lot of emphasis on the "de" in her name. She belonged to her husband, one hundred percent. It didn't matter that she had nine children that required her time and attention. Her husband always came first. And yet, her children never felt that she didn't love them. She always made time for each of her children without neglecting her husband. A son and a daughter spoke at the end of the mass. Each child felt like he or she was her favorite. Amazing. What a woman.
Mamama knew that her husband liked golf and technology. So she compromised. On Saturdays, he could go play golf and buy a gadget. In return, he loved her unconditionally. Once when she was hospitalized, her husband told one of his grandsons, "I hope that one day you feel the pain that I'm feeling right now." His grandson, confused, asked him: "What do you mean, grandpa?" "What I mean is that if you ever get to feel this pain, you will have found the woman of your life and you will love her with your whole entire being, more than you love anyone or anything else," he answered. Wow. What a beautiful love story.
They were loyal to each other for 67 years. They went from Cuba to Spain with seven children in tow. In Spain, they had two more. Then they moved to the United States. And all the while, they were loyal til her last second here on earth.
I hope I can be half the wife this lady was. I felt like an ant when I heard Father Willie talk about her with such pride. I complain to Rafael about such insignificant things. I need to engrave in my heart the words: sacrifice, compromise and loyalty. Then, I can hope to aspire, that one day in the future, when I leave this earth and meet You in heaven, my children and grandchildren will talk about me the way that Father Willie and his aunt and uncle spoke about their mamama.
I am so happy that I attended her "Resurrection Mass." Mamama, I never met you here on earth, but from heaven you are teaching women like me how to be better wives. May you enjoy the kingdom of heaven and may you be reunited with your husband one day in heaven.
I love You, Jesus!!! I hope You are enjoying spending time with this amazing lady.
July 19, 2017
Dear Jesus:
Last month, I attended the 60th Anniversary Mass for Jesus and Estrellita Trujillo. As you well know, they were a very important part of my spiritual formation. I spent my teenage years attending a youth group, "Teen Action," at St. Dominic Catholic Church. Mr. Trujillo was the leader of this youth group. He was such an inspiration to me. I learned so much from him, and also from Estrellita, who with her quiet ways and sweet smile, taught me how to be a good wife. Chiqui, a "Teen Action" member who shared a testimony said it best. He said that Jesus and Estrellita reminded him of You and Mama Mary. While You were at the forefront preaching and guiding your apostles, Mama Mary stayed home praying. Jesus was the one that met with us every Monday night at St. Dominic, while Estrellita stayed home praying for him and for all of us.
Aside from meeting with us at the church, and taking us to many activities and trips, the doors of their home were always open to that entire gang of teenage hooligans that made up that amazing "Teen Action" group. I spent many nights in their home, meeting around a large wooden table, planning events for our youth group, or privately pouring my heart out whenever I had a typical teenage issue, from a heartbreak to a religious question.
Attending this celebration opened the doors to a flood of memories that were stored inside my heart. Aside from seeing friends from the past that I had not seen in a very long time, it made me realize that they were not only part of the soil of my spiritual growth, they opened the doors to people and events that would mark my life forever. My love of writing began in this Youth Group, when I became part of the team that published the monthly newsletter. I also attended "Encuentros Juveniles," a youth encounter, because I learned about it through "Teen Action." In this weekend encounter, I got to know You in a more personal way. I realized that You were more than a God who lived in heaven. You were my friend and You had been walking by my side all of my life. Our relationship changed completely. It was also through "Encuentros Juveniles" that I met Rafael. Eventually, I became the newspaper editor and he was the treasurer. You crossed our paths and the rest is history.
As You can see, I owe a lot to Jesus and Estrellita Trujillo. They also taught me, without words, what it would take to make my marriage successful. Aside from sacrifice, compromise and loyalty, like Father Willie mentioned in his homily about his grandparents and which no doubt are key ingredients in the Trujillo's marriage, they also taught me that in order for my marriage to succeed, You had to be at the center. Jesus' motto was always "Jesus Primero" (Jesus First), and he was not referring to himself. You were always present at the Trujillo's household. They poured Your love to everyone who walked in through those doors. The mass was concelebrated by two "Teen Action" members whose vocation started in our youth group, Father Juan Carlos Rios and Father Albert Lahens. In his homily, Father Juan Carlos, who lived with the Trujillo's when he moved here from Nicaragua as a teenager, shared that even though the Trujillo's were not rich in material things, they were rich in love. The mass was packed with hundreds of people from different eras of the Trujillo's 60 years of marriage. They were all there because at some point in their lives, they were touched by the Trujillo's love, a love that could only come from You because it was generous, it was charitable, it was lavish, and it was receptive. They welcomed everyone into their home, from the poor to the rich, from the troublemaker to the subdued, from the believer to the nonbeliever. We had a few troublemakers join our youth group through the years, but when they were touched by the Trujillo's secret ingredient, their lives were never the same.
Thank You, Jesus, for leading me forty years ago to that youth group that would alter my life forever. Thank You for couples like Mr. & Mrs. Garcia-Tuñon and Mr. & Mrs. Trujillo who spend their lives bringing You to others. Thank You for reminding me today that a successful marriage is not only based on romance, flowers, candle light dinners and walks along the beach. A successful marriage is about a lifetime of sacrifice, compromise, loyalty and having You at the center. That is the key to celebrating 33 more years of marriage.
I would like to pray today for Jesus and Estrellita Trujillo. May they celebrate many more years together with You at the center so they can continue spreading your love. And may You bless their beautiful family which has expanded in all these years from a son and a daughter, to an additional son and daughter, eight grandchildren, plus two through marriage, and one beautiful great-granddaughter. May You bless them always.
I love You, Jesus!!! May You always be first.
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