A Song forever in my Heart

Source
Coqui, the singing frog of Puerto Rico. It is about one inch long

and can sing with a volume of 100dB within 65 feet of its physical

location

Source


Among my dearest memories from my homeland, the island
of Puerto Rico, U.S., is the sweet melodious chant of the
Coqui which began every evening at sunset and continued
long after I was already asleep. This song was my lullaby for
the first twenty years of my life. 


I took it for granted. I was as certain the Coqui would sing for
me again the following night, as I was certain the sun would
rise again in the morning sky. But for my last twenty-six years
of residence in the mainland, I haven't had the joy of knowing
that my little friends are outside, resting on the leaves of 
Bromeliads and serenading me into sleep. I now realize the
wonder of God's creation and the magnificence of this gift.


It is the same when it comes to God's blessings that he bestows
upon us in the Church. Just today, I was remembering the
aroma from the relics of the Apostle Paul, which I have had the
privilege of venerating many times during my pilgrimages
to Greece. 

Reliquary of the Apostle Paul in the Church of the Apostol Paul
in Thessaloniki, Greece

I can think of many other relics, the relics of the Apostle  Andrew,
St Gregory Palamas , St Demetrius, St Stephen the First Martyr,
St Basil the Great, St John Chrysostom, etc and I can't help feeling
overwhelmed by the fact that I actually was there and venerated all 
of these awesome saints of our Orthodox Church. The reality of
these blessings begs the question, "Why me?".

Relics of the Apostle Andrew in Karyes, Mount Athos, Greece


But it is not only the possibility of venerating the wonder-working
relics of the saints, gushing with Holy Myrrhon, that amazes me.
What about the fact that we, as Orthodox Christians may partake
of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ at every Divine
Liturgy celebrated in our parishes, if we are prepared.




Fr Zacharias Zacharou, the disciple of Blessed Elder Sophrony
of Essex tells us that Fr Sophrony, until the very end of his life
had an inspiration for the Divine Liturgy. It was as if every Divine
Liturgy was the first, so much so, that by the time he (Elder
Sophrony) stood in front of the Holy Altar, he was already rapt in
his spirit, in communion with God.




Consider the comfort it is to know, that if we fall into sin, our Lord
is always willing to receive us in repentance through the sacra-
mental act of absolution by our priest. This is a labor of love
constantly taking place in our communities, an Orthodox  priest
willing to sacrifice the opportunity of spending time  with his family
on Saturday night, so that he may help us to be reconciled to God
and receive in this way sacramental absolution of our sins.

I am afraid that many times I have behaved as if these blessings
were only the playing out of the routine of my life but they are not.
They are a precious gift from God to us. Why me?, I asked and the
answer is as simple as it is fathomless. It is so because God loves
us.

From now on, every time I listen to my recording of the melody of
the Coqui,  I want to remember that God's mercies are also
new every morning and that the daily blessings from the life in
Christ are nothing less than miraculous indeed.

Below video of Puerto Rico's National Forest