I believe it was qurter to six when the sky started to change from its lush light hues into a myriad of dark indigo which seemed to herald the coming of we have not expected...
...The three of us are happily chewing our pork liempo when the darkness of what we thought was dusk started to surround our small pad...
...We honestly thought it as just the natural indication that it was twighlight and that the sky was merely giving way for the moon and the stars to decorate its presence with their tapestry of planets, stars, galaxies, supernovas and constellations of all shapes and forms. But lo we were mistaken to our astonishment it was merely precipitation, the rain. A relentless downpour that was seemingly unexpected a few hefty minutes ago when we were still happily strolling the empty back alleys of Ortigas Center...
...That was just this past Saturday...
...For those who've been at the habit of reading this blog, I must warn you that there is really nothing new about this post this is just another post where I'll be speaking of how meaningful my weekends have been and this one is not such an exception...
...So if ever such stuff bores you, please do feel free to stop reading this now...
...But if it is of your interest please (I encourage you) do read on...
...Like I've said earlier Saturdays are cool for a lot of reasons, reasons which I'd rather not enumerate on this venue...
...The youth service has ended at around 5 o clock in the afternoon whereafter greeting Jeanie and after a few chit chat with Riva, I suddenly stumbled on Aga who also happened to have attended the service...
...When the socialization ended I thought of asking Laix (who was with me at the time) and Aga to go with me for our regular Bible Study which Aga happened to missed the previous Wednesday. So off we go...
...I decided that we'd rather not go to Megamall where we've always taken our BS after grabbing a bite to eat at A&W. So instead of going through our regular route where we would walk from Galleria to Megamall via ADB and San Miguel Avenue I decided that we'd take a detour to J. Vargas where we'd be going to this place that I eat at in Amber Avenue right in front of the Opus Dei-run UA&P, which had a lot of these cool canteens that served cool rice meals...
...After a few twist and turns, and after going thru vacant parking lots and empty streets we've finally reached our destination...
...We all shared a meal of pork liempo when the sudden downpour soaked the hot stones and gravel that were scattered on the parking space-cum-food court which have earlier been bleached with direct sunlight...
...After the meal we went so on with our Bible Study. I'd rather spare you the details of what happened, and what we've talked about so as to focus on something which I see is of more relevance to you who are reading this right now...
...While we've partaken of the Word I cannot help but feel a sense of belongingness and a sense of fellowship with the company of Laix and Aga a feeling which I have almost long since forgotten if not God energized me again to be on fire with my faith. And as I look back now I cannot help but be reminded of this old hymn that was written by Dr. John Fawcett. A hymn that we used to sing at church way before Don Moen or Hillsong became the fad of church music...
...The hymn is entitled Blest Be The Tie. I'd spare you the commentary and the historical significance of the song and let the lyrics of it speak for itself:

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.
We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.
This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.
From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
...You may be asking what does this mean?
...Well as the writer of this song puts it I see us as a: 'fellowship of kindred minds' in which 'perfect love and friendship reigns'. I may sound sentimental or even silly for some of you but frankly I do not care, I've long since remember myself in a place where I've felt such and I must say that such also has not been felt when I was with my band, with my comrades in the ND Movement, nor with the Recto punks and the PUP anarchists that I've hanged out with in my college days and I am glad that our friendship was not based on a common field of interest, set of circumstances and the like what we have is the foundation where we would always feel blessed by the fact that we were sinners but by God's grace have been redeemed, and as I've said earlier we are but a fellowship of kindred minds looking forward to the glorious hope of someday being able to be part of what Henry Van Dyke has described in this line from the hymn Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee:
Mortals, join the mighty chorus
which the morning stars began;
love divine is reigning o'er us,
binding all within its span.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music leads us sunward,
in the triumph song of life.

posted by m35b @ Monday, September 06, 2004

---