When the world seems far beyond me, And I have no place to go, When my life seems cold and empty, And I feel I’m all alone, Then a song that I remember Helps to ease my troubled mind...
When I was still with the choir, we were learning some new songs to sing for the mass. One of them was a song entitled "Sa Iyong Mga Yapak." When we were working on our harmony, I seem to remember our choirmaster telling us to feel and understand every word that we sing. Taking that suggestion to heart, we began singing the song and while the sopranos (I being one of them) were singing the words, I almost choked and found myself wanting to cry. It's like a revelation at that time that the song that I'm singing refers to the loving act of our Lord Jesus Christ as he suffered and died for our sins. It's a good thing that there were eight of us in the soprano section and so, my stopping at mid-song wasn't too obvious. Since then, whenever we sing this song during the mass, I try my best to hold back the tears for a few minutes so that the beauty of the song and it's reflective words may touch those people hearing mass. I knew then that this song is truly perfect for Lenten Season. But I'd take it a step further that this song truly reflects Jesus' everyday sacrifice to us whenever he changes the host and the wine into his body and blood. This is one of my favorite and most loved Filipino Sacred Music. Here I share it with you in the spirit of the Lenten Season and in thanksgiving for God's marvelous gift of love and mercy.
By the way, the English translation is a rough one. Pardon my efforts if I have not completely captured the essence of the song. I hope that you'd be touched by the song itself.
SA IYONG MGA YAPAK English Translation
Landas na kay tinik sa Iyo'y inilaan A path filled
with thorns was intended for You
Bawa't hakbang nito'y dusa't hirap ang laman Every step is filled with
suffering and anguish
Sa kalooban ng Ama nagpasakop kang ganap You
submittedto the Father’s willfully
Buhay Mo O Hesus ang siyang alay na sapat Your life,OJesus,was the only offering that’s enough
Laban sa agos ng mundo, Against
the grainof the world,
Lumakad ka sa landas Mo Youwalkedthe
path only you have chosen
Laban sa lakad ng mundo, Against thetrendof the world,
Landas na sa 'ki'y nais Mo You walked the path you wished that I would take
Sa Iyong mga yapak, ako ay tatahak I will walk in Your footsteps,
Kahit tigib ng luha ang nilakaran Mong landas Even
though the path You trod isfull oftears
Pasakit man at dusa dulot ng mundo'y kamtan Even if the world may bring me painand
suffering
Bawat bakas ng Iyong mga yapak Every traceof Your footsteps
Bawat hakbang Mo'y aking susundan Every step You take, I shall take it too
Kay hirap Mang gawin kalooban Mo'y tupdin Though it’shardto
doThywill completely
Pinili kong sundan bakas ng 'Yong mga hakbang I choose tofollow the path
treaded by your footsteps
Ang buhay ko'y laan sa Iyo kailanpaman My life I give fullyto Thee forevermore
Maglilingkod sa'Yo Panginoon hanggang wakas I shall serve you, OGod,to the end
It's difficult to lose a loved one--that's partly the reason why I haven't written anything on this blog. I know that we (the family) have done everything good for my dad. There was one detail there I wasn't happy about and it concerns the subject (the inspiration) for this blog. I lost that inspiration and it took a while before I thought about what to write in this blog.
Since my dad passed away three weeks ago, the family and I were too busy with things to be done for my dad's passage to the afterlife--the family, both here in Manila and Bacolod, contributed and shared with us (dad's immediate family) their condolences, plus friends of dad and the family. I couldn't thank them enough!
Our time to grieve happen to coincide with the Season of Lent. I came to recall a song that immortalized Mary's sorrow at the death of her dearly beloved son Jesus Christ--Stabat Mater. Who else could perfectly understand the pain of loss and suffering than that of our dear Blessed Mother Mary? This is a song that I see fitting for this occasion. And also, this for you, dad! Farewell!
From the family mausoleum in Isabela, Negros Occidental
STABAT MATER English Translation
1. Stabat Mater dolorosa 1. At the cross her station keeping,
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa stood the mournful mother weeping,
Dum pendebat Filius close to Jesus to the last
2. Cuius animam gementem 2. Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
Contristatam et dolentem all his bitter anguish bearing,
Pertransivit gladius now at length the sword had passed.
3. O quam tristis et afflicta 3. Oh how sad and sore distressed
Fuit illa benedicta was that mother highly blessed,
Mater unigeniti! of the sole-begotten One!
4. Quae moerebat et dolebat, 4. Christ above in torment hangs;
Pia Mater, dum videbat she beneath beholds the pangs
Nati poenas incliti of her dying glorious Son.
5. Quis est homo qui non fleret, 5. Is there one who would not weep,
Matrem Christi si videret whelmed in miseries so deep
In tanto supplicio? Christ's dear Mother to behold?
6. Quis non posset contristari, 6. Can the human heart refrain
Christi Matrem contemplari from partaking in her pain,
Dolentem cum Filio? in that Mother's pain untold?
7. Pro peccatis suae gentis 7. For the sins of His own nation
Vidit Iesum in tormentis, saw Him hang in desolation,
Et flagellis subditum. all with bloody scourges rent.
8. Vidit suum dulcem natum 8. Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
Moriendo desolatum she beheld her tender child,
Dum emisit spiritum till His Spirit forth he sent.
9. Eia Mater, fons amoris 9. O, thou Mother, fount of love,
Me sentire vim doloris touch my spirit from above,
Fac, ut tecum lugeam make my heart with thine accord.
10. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum 10. Make me feel as thou has felt;
In amando Christum Deum make my soul to glow and melt
Ut sibi complaceam with the love of Christ our Lord.
11. Sancta Mater, istud agas, 11. Holy Mother, pierce me through;
Crucifixi fige plagas in my heart each wound renew
Cordi meo valide. of my Saviour crucified.
12. Tui nati vulnerati, 12. Let met share with thee his pain,
Tam dignati pro me pati, who for all my sins was slain,
Poenas mecum divide. who for me in torments died.
13. Fac me tecum, pie, flere, 13. Let me mingle tears with thee,
Crucifixo condolere, mourning Him Who mourned for me,
Donec ego vixero. all the days that I may live.
14. Iuxta crucem tecum stare, 14. By the cross with thee to stay,
Et me tibi sociare there with thee to weep and pray,
In planctu desidero this I ask of thee to give.
15. Virgo virginum praeclara, 15. Virgin, of all virgins blest,
Mihi iam non sis amara O refuse not my request:
Fac me tecum plangere let me in thy weeping share
16. Fac, ut portem Christi mortem 16. Let me, to my latest breath,
Passionis fac consortem, in my body bear the death
Et plagas recolere. of that dying Son of thine.
17. Fac me plagis vulnerari, 17. Wounded with his every wound,
Fac me cruce inebriari, steep my soul till it hath swooned
Et cruore Filii in His very blood away.
18. Flammis ne urar succensus 18. Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Per Te, Virgo, sim defensus lest in flames I burn and die,
In die iudicii in that awful judgment day.
19. Christe, cum sit hinc exire, 19. Christ, when thou shalt call me hence,
Da per Matrem me venire be Thy mother my defense,
Ad palmam victoriae be Thy cross my victory.
20. Quando corpus morietur, 20. While my body here decays,
Fac, ut animae donetur may my soul Thy goodness praise,
Paradisi gloria. Amen safe in Paradise with Thee. Amen.
It is only now that I've had the time to write a blog. I guess when I do a week's training, I realize that I haven't got the time to write and organize my blog. Last week was Valentine's week--a week dedicated to love and friendship. So how have I been during that week?
I admit that I am an impatient person. I even get impatient with myself--not finding the file I'm looking for in my computer at one time led me to a childish tantrum. At that time, I was alone in the room. As my trainees came in, they did see the distress in my face, but the tantrum was over by then. If I get impatient with myself, so much more with other people.
Last Friday, I had a sinking feeling of sadness. Yes, I pray to the Lord everyday. But I'm saddened by the fact that how I am in prayer is not how I am in practice. I may be "holier than thou" in front of the Lord in a chapel or church. But where is the love when I'm out there facing different types of people and being impatient when they do something that's not to my liking? I was saddened by the fact that I am angry at some people and I am impatient with others. Realizing that I myself am imperfect and no better than any human being, why am I being so impatient with others? Have I lost the love of Christ?
I struggle with my impatience everyday. It's more of a spiritual struggle and times like these call for prayers--not only my own--of other people, especially those who are close to me. Today, I reflect on the importance of praying for other people. I remember being told that praying for others is actually quite powerful. The inspiration for this song came from the Gospel according to St. Matthew 18: 19-20. I know I couldn't face my struggles alone. With God--and others praying for me and I for them--every struggle can be overcome.
ESTO LES DIGO
Esto les digo, 'This I say to you, si dos de ustedes se ponen, if two of you are put, se ponen de acuerdo aquí en, are put in accord here in, en la tierra para pedir, in the earth to ask, pedir algo en oración, to ask anything in prayer, mi padre que está en el cielo, my Father which is in heaven, se lo dará. will give it to you. Porque donde dos o tres se reúnen en mi nombre, Because where two or three are gathered in my name, allí estoy yo, there am I, en medio de ellos. in the midst of them.'
