Reflection

On December 29, 2019 my group and I completed our mission titled a delightful
Christmas: strengthening the bonds of Filipino Families through Faith. Our goal was to interview
the couple about their marriage life and how it affects their relationship with each other, their
children, and with God. Afterwards, we will attend, together with our chosen family, the Sunday
mass to receive the Holy Eucharist.
As a Catholic kid with a politician father—whom was always invited to weddings and
tagging me along with him— was taught that relationships, marriage and eventually family is
what I should aspire to achieve. And Jundee B. Cabigon was no exemption. After the interview,
he confirmed that he had failed relationships before his marriage. This actually made me wonder:
how do you know when someone’s ‘the one’? If God is giving you the needed relationship
experience to meet, date, and marry the one He has for you, this could be a sign that God is
preparing you to be open for marriage. I am petrified to talk to the opposite sex. I may scare
every girl away because I come on way too strong and too soon, and I have an overly idealistic
of what a relationship should actually look like that can sabotage me once I actually get in to a
relationship. However, I believe that God is in control and his sovereign will works through
practical means, including in the dating process. This means that he is training me to develop the
needed relationship skills. Perhaps, I go on a date and it goes terribly wrong, but through that
experience, God made me ready for my next relationship, better than ever. God works in
mysterious ways and our love story aren’t an exemption. We should always hope that every
person we love genuinely is ‘the one’ because you never know when you’re about to meet
someone very important. You just logged in to Facebook and there they are, you went to
celebrate the Sinulog Festival and there he is, or you were to meet your friend’s friend, which
how Jundee and Noreza actually first met and fell in love. A sign that God approves a
relationship is if it fulfills the purpose of Christian dating. Meaning, God is never displeased if
you date someone that you don’t end up marrying— which is Mr. Cabigon’s case—because wise
Christian dating is a process that’s used to determine, whether or not a man and woman, want to
become a husband and wife. While they were together, Noreza confirmed that they visit the
Santo Niño mass every Sunday. Evidently, this relationship increased their motivation for
ministry and service to God. they believe should show their love for God through their love for
each other. Because of patience, trust and faith in God they found each other. After years of
dating, they decided that they are ready for a lifelong commitment: marriage.
From that day forward they promised: for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till they are parted by death. However, none of us
can vow to be perfect. Thereafter, marriage life isn’t puppies and rainbows because no
relationship comes with a lifetime guarantee. Jundee and Noreza stated that they often fight too,
but they tried everything to sustain their marriage. Communication and balance helps to
strengthen the relationship if done with respect and trust from both parties. Even if God’s the
best match maker in the world, things that are common such as conflict will arise. All we can do
is promise to love each other with everything we’ve got. Because love is the best thig we do.
God is testing us how can we use the everyday challenges, joys, struggles and celebrations of
marriage to us draw close to God. Marriage is not easy to sustain. Therefore we should
appreciate God’s design for marriage which is to provide us with partnership, spiritual intimacy
and the ability to pursue God—together. Because when God gives us a boat load of problems, He
provides us with an ocean wide of solutions. When asked about their thoughts on divorce, they
quoted Mark 10:9: what God has joined together, let no man separate. Their bond was powerful
than any dilemmas thrown at them, because God made two of them into one flesh. A testimony
from other couples said that their children became the arrow that pointed them to God’s
restoration and healing when they were in the brink of getting a divorce. As a result, this
commitment to each other, became deeper and solid when God blessed them with three angels:
Matt, Ashana and Marcus.
This task taught me that through our marriage, we become conformed to the image of
Christ. Christ is kind, gives unconditional love and mercy on us. We are married so that we learn
unconditional love. You’re married to a person who needs mercy so that you learn to give it. You
are married to a person so that you’ll pour your kindness and love on her. And by doing so, we
become just like Jesus Christ. We become just like the God we worship. Living in the bonds of a
covenant marriage and the implications that has on our lives is so good and edifying that we
should do everything to sustain that marriage. Divorce should not be used to be a convenience,
couples like Mr. and Mrs. Cabigon are only few and rare⸻ one that really radiates selfless
love, radical forgiveness and constant hope of reconciliation. Our lives be blessed forever if we
live in a covenant relationship with Him, our creator, forever.
 LOVE STORY OF THE MARRIED COUPLE
Jundee B. Cabigon and Nureza B. Cabigon
Jundee was raised by reverent and God-fearing family on Sangat, San Fernando, Cebu.
He is smart, hardworking and a loving son to his parents. He was 13 years old when he first
hopped on the dating world. After some failed relationships, Jundee was still optimistic towards
it. Jundee had his eyes on a very special girl named Nureza. Nureza came from a well put up
family, while Jundee’s was the opposite of that. But that didn’t extinguish the fire that he felt for
her. At the time they met, Jundee was still not over his break up. He thought, “Now is not the
right time to approach her.” Sometimes, love means taking a step back. If you really care about
someone, then you better be better to deserve her. Because in the end, the only thing that can
heal a broken heart is time.
“I’ll wait for you Nureza” he promised.
As years went by, Jundee focused himself on the important things. He went to school and
studied really hard. One day, when he revisited his childhood friend, his childhood crush, Nureza
was brought up. His friend told him how beautiful Nureza came to be. When Jundee heard her
name, his feelings and how she makes him feel came rushing back. He doesn’t completely
remember her. It’s like a dream that’s he’s trying to preserve, but it felt like something that’s
already gone. He was confused on what to do next, with Nureza’s phone number on his hand.
“What if it’s a mistake?” he thought. Here’s a thing about mistakes: Sometimes, even when you
know something’s a mistake you do it anyway. For all he knew she was the one, and spoilers:
she was.
One fateful day, Nureza’s family hosted a Christmas party in their place⸻Lantawan.
Everyone was invited. Jundee put on his best clothes, one that gave him the confidence an
ordinary attire couldn’t give him. It was his lucky black polo shirt and he’s wearing it on
Nureza’s party. As he entered the house, his eyes immediately searched for her. And there, on
the balcony, stood Nureza. Her eyes sparkled like the starry night, her hair like silk curtains
flowing from the autumn breeze. Jundee took a deep breath and swallowed all his fears and
doubts. With a determined step, he approached the young beautiful Nureza. He had God to thank
for that night, and the whole universe, and anyone else he could possibly say ‘thank you’, that he
saw a beautiful girl on that party, and had the guts to stand up, walk over her, tap her shoulder,
open his mouth and speak.
The things that happened after that were swift and every moment was heart-fluttering.
Nureza agreed to become Jundee’s girlfriend on 2004. Jundee would wait up until Nureza’s work
was done and they would come home together, sometimes the other way around. Then, they
would go to a pungko-pungko stall and share a meal together. Each time they got, they went to
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño to pray and ask for guidance to the Holy Child. This was when
they were both living in the city for their jobs and education.
 There are two big things in any love story: the day you meet the girl of your dreams, and
the day you marry her. On September 26, 2009, Nureza and Jundee got married. And soon, their
union was blessed with the coming of their 3 beautiful children; Ashana, Marcus and Matt.
Admittedly, the couple has had some rough patches but it didn’t break them apart. They
believe that having kids made them stronger and more united as a couple for they have other
people to take care of and consider, not just themselves.
Break up leading to divorce is not an option for the couple for they believe in Matthew
19:6 “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no
one separate.” Aside from that, they greatly considered the welfare of their children. With this
being said, the couple believes that they must try their best to keep the family strong, happy, and
united with Christ at the center of their relationship and family.
Right now, they’re living a happy, peaceful life in Sangat, San Fernando.