Last Sunday Blessings in Puerto Viejo

It was Sunday. To start the day good, since yesterday we had biked so much for exercise, I decided to go for a run. So I got up around 7ish and went for a jog, hoping I could reach the mini soccer fields we passed on our way to Punta Uva. The weather was perfect.

As I was getting near Playa Cocles, I asked a guy waiting at what seemed like a local bus stop if he knew of a local Catholic Church. (I had prayed to Jesus that if it was possible if I could receive Him in the Eucharist during my stay in Costa Rica … it seemed unreal because on our way over to Puerto Viejo all I saw were Evangelical churches). They guy told me that there was a Catholic Church in Puerto Viejo, by the beach, but the priest traveled from another city… but he also said there are many other churches, like Baptist and many Evangelicals. His brother (I think) was a pastor and was holding a small bible study group until they could find a place to worship. He told me that the Catholic Church didn’t “have strength around here” and that many people were mainly Protestants, including him. It was a good talk. He talked to me that he saw that the Catholic Church taught sound (and true) doctrines but that it had become more of idolatry with Mary and the saints. It was a typical misunderstanding, so we just talked about our thoughts and scripture. He told me that there was a “black Christ” that people went to … haha I laughed and said that Christ can be black, yellow, white, bronze but he maintains Christ. He didn’t like that people worshiped a black Christ because it was from the devil. Something I really was amazed was that he talked about the absurdity of how Mexico (in general) “worships” the Virgin of Guadalupe that they lose focus on their savior, Jesus Christ. Up to then it hadn’t really occurred to me the admiration (as a Catholic) of how the Virgin Mary appeared to a weak, humble Mexican native that brought about a stronghold/powerhouse for Mary to use (in Mexico) for her Son. And to think … many Americans (not all but a good number that I’ve met) look down on Mexican immigrants, and even some Mexican-descendents themselves are ashamed of their roots. So it got me thinking, how crazy and humbling it sounds that our Lady came upon a people that are sometimes despised by others for His glory! While I was talking to Jorge, the guy at the bus stop, the Luke passage came to my head:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For he has looked with favor on His lowly servant. From this day, all generations will call me blessed. The almighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His name. He has mercy on those who fear Him, in every generation. He has shown the strength of His arm. He has scattered the proud in their conceit and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich He has sent away empty. He has come to the help of His servant Israel. He has remembered His promise. The promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”

The talk with Jorge was great. We talked for nearly an hour and twenty minutes. Haha I wish I could have asked for his address so I could send him a postcard or a letter from the U.S. but God allowed me to forget. He urged me to keep the Holy Trinity above everything else, which I agreed and I asked for his prayers. So, it was a great Sunday morning to begin with.

After breakfast (where I finally tried my own plate of rice&beans) the ‘angels began to cry” (it started to rain). We spent a good time resting in our room. When we left to the bank we passed by a yellow-ish church by the beach and it urged me to ask someone if it was the Catholic Church that Jorge mentioned. A lady was passing by and I gently inquired what kind of church it was, and if it was open. She said it was the Catholic Church (I had a huge smile) and she asked a guy near what time it was open for mass. 3 or 4pm. Eeek I got excited. So after that all I could think of was how much longer until I could see Jesus face to face in the Eucharist. I kept looking at my watch …

Anyways, before then, Sarah and I hear a lot of noise coming from a house near the main road. We decided to check it out – and a guy told us to come in. A group of people were sitting in a circle with drums making “African” music. There was a girl laying down doing the stinky leg upwards… haha.

Soon after we returned to our hotel and got ready for Mass. My roommates decided to come too, so we went. The church was like a medium-sized chapel. It felt like daily mass because there were no instruments and only our voices made up the music. It was interesting to hear the Gospel of Mark, that no one is a prophet in his own town (Jesus couldn’t perform any miracles except a couple because no one believed in Him since they questioned his divinity). I wonder what God was trying to tell me. Well, looking back now I realize how I took my Mexican friends and their love for the Virgin of Guadalupe for granted. I’m still getting to know my own heavenly mother but the filial love for her has opened my eyes to a true admiration for those that love this Virgin Mother. She shared the same blood, similar facial characteristics – maybe even His own eyes, lip shape, cheek bone structure – as my best friend, Jesus… how could I not love her if I desired with all my heart to love Jesus? It was a beautiful mass and I could not help but want to cry out of thanksgiving after receiving my Savior in my mouth – still an unbelievable miracle to me.

Anyways to make it short, I studied math (-_-) and ate a NICE FRESH kingfish dinner with Sarah and Jen at a no-name restaurant. Finished the day with our last banana pancake.