By Vissia P. Hernandez

22 February 2011
Sagada, Mountain Province

It is my brother Jong’s birthday today. As I am getting settled to do Centering Prayer (CP), my second for the day, I am thinking of this morning’s services at St Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church, here in Sagada, Mountain Province

In his homily, the Anglican pastor drew a parallel between the widow Ruth in the first reading who was adopted by Judah, the tribe of Naomi, her mother-in-law, and Gaudan (Jong’s Igorot name) who was adopted as an honorary son by the people of Sagada for his pro bono services to the community as resident theater director, cultural events coordinator, museum curator, occasional village petition writer, teacher, friend, brother.

If I were in my parish in St John Bosco, Makati, the first reading would be from the First Letter of St Peter - be good shepherds in God’s flock, not for profit, but eagerly. I should be celebrating the feast of the Chair of St Peter, the institution of the Catholic Church. Jong used to tell me that many Protestant churches share the same readings with the Catholic Church on some days, but understandably, not today.

So, even the psalms are different. Which one should I read on this special day to start off my CP? Should I go for ‘St Mary’s’ Psalm 120 (I have lifted my eyes to the mountain, from there, help will come to me) which is perfect for where I am or ‘St John Bosco’s’ Psalm 23?

Since I started CP almost three years ago, I have done it in several places: my bedroom, my office cubicle, at the COP office with my SG, in an island retreat house by Laguna de Bay, in several chapels and churches, but never in as breathtaking a location as this one. I am perched on a ledge overlooking Echo Valley; a canopy of pine tree tops covers the deep and wide valley below and separates my narrow ledge from the towering limestone cliffs across from where I can barely make out what seem to be weatherworn, wooden ref magnets stuck on limestone walls - the famous hanging coffins of Sagada.

Zoom In

Chilly winds whirl out of the valley but are tempered by the late afternoon sun; instead, pleasant breezes waft around my ledge. Jong calls this time of the day the golden hour, the first and last hour of sunlight in a day, sought by cinematographers and advertising ‘creatives’ like him to craft films in soft and warm hues. The valley is bathed in gold. How can it be more heavenly than this?

There IS one way. I begin my Centering Prayer. Psalm 23 wins; ‘The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want . . .’ Today I choose sacred breath over sacred word – taking one pine-scented breath after another as I begin my ‘descent’.

I surface about half an hour later. The gold is almost gone from the valley as I finish the Lord’s Prayer and open my eyes. I am feeling a bit disoriented, almost lethargic as I often do after CP. I remember Pixie’s imagery during my introduction to CP. Like Mary of Bethany, I have been sitting quietly at the feet of the Lord with no other thoughts, actions, feelings or intentions beyond merely being with our Father in Heaven.

Heaven . . . for the past months I have drawn comfort and healing in knowing that as I sit with my Father, I am as close to heaven as I can possibly be, worshipping quietly with all the angels and saints and loved ones who have gone.

I hear the tourists coming up from the valley below. Earlier, I showed them the footpath to go down. How thankful and excited they were to get closer photos of the hanging coffins and how thankful I was to finally have the ledge to myself so I could do my CP and lectio in peace and quiet. As though on cue, my phone rings, Jong’s friends are inviting us for his birthday dinner. Sunset comes early in the mountains. Lectio will have to wait until later. I retrace my steps through the narrow mountain trail before it gets too dark.

The shadows are longer and mist is rising as I hurry down to the village, past the village graveyard overgrown with wild ferns and Bontoc lilies, smooth and satiny as the armloads that Jong thoughtfully brought home for Uying’s wedding years ago. I am looking forward to dinner; his friends said they will be serving my brother’s favorites. I wonder if they will also have pinikpikan and tapuy in heaven tonight.

The author may be contacted at Vissia_Hernandez@pal.com.ph