A Personal Reflection on Our Pilgrimage of Hope and Purpose

I felt like coffee beans sealed inside a roasting drum during our three-day pilgrimage retreat.  The heat inside the van scorched us from every side, and every bump in the road tossed us like beans tumbling in a cylinder. Yet that same blaze and motion drew out richer notes within us: flavors of grace, challenge, and discovery.

Out of countless memories, three “roasts” still linger; I can almost smell their aroma and taste their bittersweet afterglow.

1 | Scorched Roads & Sudden Brownouts

My Body Learns Endurance and Gratitude

The long, bumpy ride under the unforgiving heat felt endless. A daytime power outage at the resort left us sticky, hot, and restless. Then it hit me: real pilgrims once walked dusty trails for days or rode animals over rough ground. Compared with that, our discomfort was mild. The rough patches strengthened both body and spirit; every jolt and bead of sweat whispered, “You can go farther than you think.” Each time we reached a breezy church patio or a cold drink, fatigue melted into thank-yous. I discovered my body is tougher and God’s grace thicker than I usually admit.

2 | Fr. Erwin’s Challenge

My Conscience Feels the Heat

During the second-day Mass, Fr Erwin preached on John 15:12-17—Love one another, even the hard-to-love.  His words pierced my heart like arrows. I felt exposed: I’ve been choosing to ignore certain people I find difficult to love. The sting of that admission was holy. It’s painful yet strangely cleansing. This moment roasted not my body but my will, prodding me to widen my circle and love where it costs. After the Holy Mass, I felt uneasy but eager, knowing conviction is the first step toward real change.

3 | Rosary on the Shore

Body & Spirit Dance Together

Night fell on Santa Fe Beach. Waves lapped gently while a resort band blared pop tunes nearby, and tourists laughed loudly over cards and alcohol. We walked the shoreline with rosaries in hand. My body wanted to sway to the music, yet my heart strained to stay with the Hail Marys; I even closed my eyes so the rhythm outside wouldn’t drown the prayer inside. In that collision of noise and grace, I tasted harmony: my faith is meant for real beaches, real bands, real life, not sterile silence. God’s presence can hold both song and supplication, and so can I.

In the end, these three roasts drew out in me the following:

• Endurance lives in me – I discover it on rough roads. Endurance is the deep roast that gives my spirit its strength.
• Conviction is mercy in disguise – it hurts only because it heals. Conviction is the fragrant oil that surfaces only under high heat, showing where love must flow.
• Prayer belongs everywhere – even where guitars strum and laughter spills. Prayer is the steady grind that releases aroma into every corner of life.

As beans lifted fresh from the roaster, I carry these notes within me now—bold, aromatic, and ready to be brewed into daily service. I long to be poured out as warmth and hope for others, especially in my call as a Salesian Lay Mission Partner.

Endnote — Gratitude and Grace in Detail

It is a privilege to belong to a religious family that cares for the whole well-being of its Lay Mission Partners. From 21 – 23 May 2025, we made a Pilgrimage-Retreat to several Jubilee churches in northern Cebu and spent our evenings on the beautiful island of Bantayan for prayer, rest, and recreation. My heartfelt thanks go to —

• Fr. Erwin Joey Cabilan, SDB — our Spiritual Director, for guiding each on-site catechesis and ensuring we could receive the plenary indulgence through the sacraments.
• Br. John Raymond Montejo, SDB — our Retreat Master, for crafting an orderly, insightful itinerary and pairing every stop with questions that led us from “Where am I now?” to “How will I answer God’s quiet invitation?”
• Ma’am Gina Cabo — our motherly organiser, who not only kept our stomachs full and every need met but also surprised us with treats we didn’t even know we wanted.
• The Salesian community of Don Bosco Formation Center, especially Fr. Rector Andy Mendoza, SDB and Fr. Marco Bollozos, SDB, for their constant support and prayers.
• My fellow Salesian Lay Mission Partners — thank you for the laughter, chika, photos, and dance steps that turned every kilometre into a memory.

Our retreat took place during the Triduum of the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians. On the visperas, while we were on the way home, we learned that the LET results had been released and our students’ names were on the pass list! The van erupted in joyful shouts. We take this as a loving gift from Mary Help of Christians herself. Salamat, Mama Mary, for your unfailing help and motherly care.

May the rich aroma of this shared “roast” keep filling our ministries and the young people we serve.