Take Courage, Explore, and Follow

My daughter Kaitlyn much enjoyed her time in one of Playhouses in the mall. What was unusual was that I had to be with her since she was just 2 years old. And so I entered into the colorful world of kids. There I was, encouraging her to climb the obstacles, explore the other side, and dare the slides. Before I knew it, it was already time to log out. I had a swell bonding time with my little princess.

Like Jesus, he came into our colorful world. He encouraged us to live in righteousness, he taught us about heaven, and dared us to radically follow Him. His words to this day and for eternity will last and will always give our toddler-faith the assurance of His salvation if we trust and accept His saving hand.

Let us therefore take courage, explore the faith, and radically Follow Him.

The Eyes of Faith

"When the Israelites saw Goliath, they ran away in terror. "Look at him!", they said to each other.(1 Sam 17:24)

When the soldiers saw Goliath, they compared this giant to their own build and realized how puny they were. But when David saw Goliath, he compared him to the Living God and realized how puny Goliath was.

"After all, who is this heathen Philistine to defy the army of the living God?" (1 Sam 17:26b)

That is the difference between someone who sees through the eyes of fear and someone who sees through the eyes of faith.

Today, what is your "Goliath?" How do you see your Goliath? With fear or with faith?
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JP2: Church is Mission!

We visited the exhibit of the Relics of Blessed Pope John Paul II.  It was in Gateway Mall.  Many people were there, mostly surprised and delighted that there was a display about the holy objects.  But what was also fascinating were the different quotes from Homilies that he gave in different places. One of many particularly caught my attention.  The one he gave on June 6, 2004 in Switzerland.  He exhorts...

Dear friends, the Church is mission! Today she also needs "prophets" who can reawaken in the communities faith in the revealing Word of God, who is rich in mercy. The time has come for preparing young generation of apostles who are not afraid to proclaim the Gospel. It is essential for every baptized person to pass from a faith of habit to a mature faith that is expressed in clear, convinced and courageous personal choices."

1. The Church is Mission!  In my reflection we need to be going out and to boldly regain territories that have been dominated by evil. Like media, politics, and business.  Ironically at the other end of the mall was an autograph signing by a popular men's magazine that feature nudity.  We are being desensitized by the enemy into accepting evil practices as a social norm, until it becomes the law of the land as in the case of many anti-life bills.  We, the church, are called to be missionaries for we are sent to witness God's love to others and stand up for Him.  We are meant to go out and make disciples. But JP2 also reminds us that the Church itself is also a mission area.  We also need Church Renewal so we can be a strong force to battle evil in our society and the world.  One of the ways to actualize this is to be part of a prayer group, a Christian community, be active in Church service, wherein we can be formed and be sent to live out our mission.

2. We need "prophets" who can reawaken faith.  Many of us Christians are 'non-practicing.' We go through the rituals of our religion but forget to practice our faith.  There is a need to reveal the Word of God to others through the lives we live.  How can we reawaken the faith in others? By making the faith awake and alive in our own words and specially our deeds.

3. Preparing young generations of apostles. Much of my formation and conversion was when I joined CFC Youth for Christ in 1995.  There I realized that together with other young people, it is possible to live out my faith in an environment where Christ is upheld and our talents were used to serve Him. I experienced my first mission when I went to Lilo-an, Cebu to start YFC there together with others my age. Since then, mission has been a great part of my life. Now that I am in Couples for Christ, I will never forget how the community has molded me in my youth and helped me in my most trying times.  We are to capture the youth, so when they become the decision makers of society, they will carry in them the experience of Christ and apply it in their profession.

4. Clear, Convinced, and Courageous personal choices.  This is the challenge to many of us who have a "lukewarm" approach to our Christianity.  Many of us do not wish to make a stand. But the truth is that if we do not make a stand, we have already made a stand to sit on the fence and accept the crisis that is before us.  Are we really for Jesus?  Then let us take a look at our business dealings if they are for Christ.  If you are a student, take a look if you are honest and hardworking in your studies. To be clear is not to mar our lifestyle with compromises. To be convinced is to root our decisions to God's word. To be courageous to finally take action for the sake of Christ.

The Church is Mission.  Let us ponder on that. We need to strengthen those who are within the church. We need only look around us, our family, our neighbors, our city.  Let us be inspired by Blessed John Paul II's words. Let us do mission, also from within, so we can be strong, revitalized, and on fire for God's will.

When We Are Persecuted

I was at Ancient Corinth. Yes, the place of the Corinthians of whom St. Paul addressed his letters. I was excited to see and walk in the environment where St. Paul lived and preached the Good News. In his first visit, he lived there for eighteen (18) months. And on his second visit, he stayed for three (3) months. In Corinth, Paul was accused by the Jews of persuading men to worship God contrary to the Law (Acts 18: 13). He was brought to the tribunal before the proconsul Gallio. But Gallio dismissed Paul of accusations by answering,"If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud, I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews; but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles and your own law, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be a judge of such matters. (Acts 18: 14-15)"

Like Paul, we go through persecutions as Christians. There will be times when people will wrongfully accuse us and smear on our name, for the sake of Christ. Paul encourages us: We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4: 8-9). What then do we do when we are persecuted? Paul further exhorts in 1 Cor 16: 13-14, "Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Your every act should be done with love."

Being on your guard, in my reflection means that we do not loose our posture as Christians, even in light of persecution. We are to be on our guard of the tactics of the enemy, so we will not give in to his taunts. We have to be standing firm in the faith, keeping our convictions and principles strong. We are not to be easily swayed to turn our backs from our beliefs. Courage takes a major role in persecutions for courage is not the absence of fear but doing things in spite of fear. To be courageous is to be bold in doing what is right. Being strong requires us to have trained and to have practiced our faith to be able build in ourselves great inner strength. Especially in times of persecutions, our strength will be measured by our reactions and our sense of hope. Doing every act with love is the greater challenge, since we are called to love our enemies. If amidst persecution, love still surfaces above all, then we have truly grown close to the Lord.

Paul, despite being tried and almost sentenced in Corinth, still went for a second visit. Let us not stop if persecutions come our way. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him (Philippians 1: 29).