Maintaining Relationships – Are we Accusers or Comforters?

We are again being bothered by a brewing outburst of feelings among some members of our community. Is it something new? I don’t think so.

Pondering deeply… this is the root cause of all troubles that have arisen in our community - Maintaining relationships.

It seems the strength we used to be proud of as members of the community is again being tested. Maybe not among those who are in the ground but in the upper echelons of the community. However, if it is happening up there, surely it could be happening in every level down the line. Have we become so proud of our own achievements and that we have become blind or unable to distinguish the work of the devil from the work of the Holy Spirit? If we remain set to our ways and reluctant to examine our thoughts and attitudes, we shall remain undisciplined and subject to the influences of the evil one.

There are two forces we have to contend with in our struggle to the daily challenges of our lives. The forces of good and the forces of evil. The former symbolizes unity and the latter of division. Consolations govern unity; accusations lead to division.

If our words are often full of accusations – founded or unfounded - towards one another, then it creates division. The relationship turns to mistrusts and suspicions. One’s shortcomings are magnified to the extent that one is made to feel useless and unworthy.

In contrast to the divisive nature of our thoughts is a kind and compassionate heart. If we tend to look at people with kindness and compassion, then we become comforter ourselves as the Holy Spirit is the comforter of souls. This brings unity and love among friends and families.

St. Paul exhorts all of us to fill our thoughts with “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever is gracious.” (Phil 4:8)

Let us all be comforters, not accusers of one another.

Making Prayer The Center Of Our Lives

The mission order has been issued for us all last 09 January at the CFC Conference in Araneta Coliseum. To go and spread the word of God among all the people. But how can we if we ourselves are not prepared to do the task at hand? It is essential that we must first look into ourselves.

Fr. Steve Tysman (from the devotional book, Sabbath) in his reflection to today’s Gospel reading appropriately said that we must at first develop the desire to receive what God has to offer to us.

“It is this desire for God that we have to develop. One of the best ways to preserve our holiness is always to cry out to God from the depths of our hearts and to always seek whatever might be his next gift for us.

If we examine the lives of the saints, we will see that at the heart of their lives is their prayer.”

It also took me quite a time to develop this habit of finding the right time for my personal prayer. More than 10 years in fact. I practically tried everything to have a consistent prayer time. But I persevered. In our lives as Couples for Christ, during household meetings, it is often monitored by our household heads how we are doing in our personal prayer time. Wouldn’t it be funny if we keep on saying the same thing that we are still in the process of developing or looking for the right time for this? It’s funny, but it also happened to me. as I have said it also took me quite a time to develop the habit.

One of the books that helped me resolved this matter is the book “Byways of Blessedness” by James Allen. Each one of us has a natural body clock that determines when we have to go to sleep and what time we wake up. Since everyday, we each have our schedule fixed to do what we have to do each day; we find it hard to put in a real and consistent time to put in our personal prayer time.

If I can not find the right moment in the usual time I have everyday, then I have to make one – this is what I have resolved. I adjusted my body clock to rise up 1 – 2 hours earlier that I am used to. Adjusting our body clock is not easy. I struggled and persevered until it became a part of my schedule everyday.

This struggle has become the beginning of my journey and it is now the challenge of maintaining it that I now must face. But with God and prayer as the center of our lives, how can we fail?

Let's greet 2010 in a nontoxic way

Dear friends,

A new year is dawning upon us, but the environmental concern that we face still lingers beyond. I do not wish to remind everyone of the tragic environmental disasters that occurred around the globe this year and past. However, let us heed the signs of the times. We have to act now.

As we celebrate the coming of the new year, let our celebration be more meaningful. We can have merrymaking activities with our family and friends without the need for fireworks; instead sing songs together, play music, even loud music - rock or a booming Beethoven. Let us just try to remember that fireworks often poses danger to properties and lives. There are no safe fireworks as the materials used are highly inflammable. Fireworks also produces smoke and dust that contains harmful chemicals that poisons the air; which in turn comes back to us as we inhale the now poisoned air around us.

Me and my family just recently watched the movie Avatar. Pondering on the movie deeper, it is all about a people living in harmony with their environment. People willing to take sacrifices and protect their cherished world from greed and lust. Isn't it about time that we care for our mother earth who nourishes us?

Merry Christmas to all!

The most precious thing that ever hung on a tree was Jesus Christ. God came to earth as a baby to fulfill the long awaited promise of a Savior.

Thirty-three years after His birth, Jesus willingly laid down His life for us. The most powerful message that has ever been or ever will be shared this Christmas is Jesus Christ.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. - I John 3:16 NIV

Merry Christmas!

From me and my family: Ruth, Sam and Noli, Emil, Shalom, Lemuel, Raiza, Nathan, Nikki

THE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOSPEL

Our impression of the early Church is that St. Paul is the only preacher and minister that have spread the Gospel, especially to the lands of the Gentiles. There are so many writings, books and testimonies about him and it is his writings that have been our source of guidance on how to live according to the Gospel.

It is very important that we also recognize the fact that St. Paul did not work alone. He had many co-workers, friends and supporters who helped him in his works at the time of his ministry. The early Church is working under an organized structure with the Apostles headed by St. Peter forming the elders group that is consulted even by St. Paul for questions regarding the practice of the faith.

It is well documented through the Book of Acts in the Bible how the Church progressed through the works of many men and women. The fulfillment of Christ’s promises and God’s plan for man is slowly unfolding at this time. Through the Holy Spirit, the Apostles had received the power to be witnesses of the Gospel. During the first half of the book, it was the Apostles headed by St. Peter that stood prominently in proclaiming the Gospel among the Jews. But Jesus’ plan for His Church and for salvation of mankind is not confined to be within and among the Jews alone.

The climax came at the time of St. Paul’s conversion, which ultimately led to the propagation of the Gospel among the Gentiles in Asia and Europe. St. Paul worked really hard for the Gospel among the Gentiles, but he could have not achieved what God had intended without the help of the community members of the places he have visited. There are others prominently mentioned in the book of Acts, John and the other Apostles, Apollos, Barnabas, Aquila and Priscilla and many others who have worked with the two.

The early Christian community readily submitted themselves to the power of the Holy Spirit thereby achieving unity among them. Unity is the work of the Holy Spirit. Even at times of great debates and disagreements, everyone would submit to the authority of the council of elders preserving the harmony of the community in different areas of the known world.

It is through this commonality in mission and vision that carried the faith even through its darkest moment of history – the persecution of the Church.

It is the same as today. Our lives as members of the Couples for Christ (CFC) community and the Catholic Church in general are focused on how we can propagate the Gospel through CFC’s own charism in renewing the face of the earth. Together we testify through our unique way of CFC life, through our relationships within our family circle and among the brethren in the community. Whatever way we serve in the community, it is a matter of fact that we all recognize the importance of everyone’s role in the work we all do for God.

CFC is a dynamic community. It is continually evolving becoming an indispensable part of human society. From being a family renewal movement, it has also made an indelible mark in being a leading church of the poor advocate. A work that is centered on Christ’s love and service for the deprived and abandoned. CFC is a real missionary community of believers, united in making this world a better place to live in under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.