Author: Lara Suarez

When my family returned home from the Philippines in May, I knew I was faced with something that I had no motivation to do. Job hunting. Oh dear. Post-grad life. I was fortunate because when I came back from vacation, I hurled into RYC prep that was happening a week away. After RYC, a certain Calgarian flew in to attend my University convocation the week after.

Before I knew it, those two weeks of what felt like an extension to my vacation were over, it was June, and I still had no job. All of my friends told me that it could take weeks –even months to find a job, especially as a new graduate. MV Shout was slowly approaching, and even without funds, the Lord still showered me with the means to go through the love and support of this community.

The search continued, and as conference was getting closer, I started to feel a heaviness in my heart because it seemed like there was no chance of me going. Even with all the offers of support, I knew that choosing not to accept them in obedience to my parents wishes of me finding a job first was the better choice. I kept telling myself “I did attend ILC, and experienced JESUS Expo already, so really, don’t be sad Lara.”

Still, the Lord had something prepared for me that conference weekend. On the Friday of conference, I received a call from a job I applied, asking me to come in for an interview on Monday. Saturday, I was able to spend the morning and afternoon with my parish of St. Patrick’s in celebrating our annual parish picnic. Sunday was spent with family, enjoying some BBQ and watching movies.

I went to the interview on Monday, and about two hours later, I received a call saying that they wanted to hire me. How the Lord works!

I had my own Jesus Expo that weekend. I experienced Mass from Fri-Sun with my parish family of St. Patrick’s. I had “Awake Fair” and “Competitions” at our parish picnic on Saturday. I had my personal “Sessions” and “Workshops” in my prayer time. I even got to have my own mini-Liveloud, courtesy of my Liveloud CD. And of course, a “Victory Party” at my family BBQ.

I held onto this verse during my job hunt, and after ETNC: Jesus Expo, everything fell into place:

God himself will provide you with everything you need, according to His riches, and show you His generosity in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:19

Praise God.

“Love is inconvenient.”

Today at Mass Fr. Martin recalled the story of the parish deacon giving the homily and starting it with those words much to his and the parishioners surprise.

It is a great inconvenience to love. But the truest love, often comes from the greatest inconvenience. It is never convenient to lay down your life for the other, but Jesus’ commands us to do just that ‘…Love one another as I have loved you’ (John 15:12). How did Jesus love us? By dying for us. By giving His life for us. By suffering the greatest inconvenience and showing us the authenticity and purity of His love.

I look back, and reflect on my week and realize the times God has been giving me opportunities to love out of inconvenience. These moments are truly humbling, to put others before you, no matter how inconvenient it is for yourself.

Putting others before yourself does not mean you are putting yourself second and the others first, rather, you are putting God first. You are acknowledging that the love Jesus has for us surpasses any need to be comfortable, and looks to help those in need of this love.

Remembering that

love is inconvenient,

this love is the Love that Christ Jesus has for us, and

these inconveniences can purify my love,

will help my growth as a mission volunteer, and as a daughter of Love.

Today was Big Sky Region’s 2^nd Car Wash Fundraiser for conference. The youth were out in the sun from 10am-6pm, holding signs and washing cars to raise funds for a lower transportation cost. One of the signs that I had to hold up said “Honk if you love God”.

McPhillips St. is one of the busiest main roads in Winnipeg, and as I held the sign for a short amount of time, I saw many things.

• I saw people honk -sometimes once, sometimes a lot- which got me to jump and cheer when they did.
• I saw people delay their honks, once past the signs, they would still push their horns.
• I saw people hesitate to honk, their hand move over their horn but instead choosing to not push it.
• I saw people ignore the sign, and just drove by.
• I saw people read the sign, and drive by –silent.

What struck me, was the number of people honking versus those that did not; the long periods of silence, the lack of honks. How many cars passed by that 8hrs? How many people have read that sign?

Today reminded me, that every second of every day, we have an opportunity to proclaim God’s love. We are given the opportunity each day to share Christ to one another, and praise God we can do so openly, freely, without imminent fear of persecution. In Canada, no matter where we live, if you want to find mission, just step outside into the public, and it is there.

How many more honks would there have been, if more people proclaimed Christ to others?

How many more honks would there have been, if I had proclaimed Christ to others more?

I pray that we never grow weary of this mission, to seek it in the every day, and to be bold and fearless even if it’s as simple as proclaiming that we love God.

 

Last week, my Couple Coordinators celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary. They renewed their vows and were so generous enough to invite all their friends present who wished to renew their vows to join them.

I had the pleasure of seeing my parents renew their vows to each other. It was a joy to see my parents along with the other couples, facing each other, still smitten by their love, recommitting themselves to one another in front of everyone.

The vocation of marriage takes serious discernment just like any other vocation. For those called to married life, they are to be “no longer two but one” (Mt 19:6). In this way they are to live in love, be fruitful, and thus become a sign of God himself, who is nothing but overflowing love [Youcat 260].

The basic unit of our society, the family, starts with the marriage of a man and a woman, giving of themselves entirely to the other, in service and in love. An exchange of Trinitarian love with man, woman and Christ. A covenant made with the Eucharistic sacrifice uniting their offering of their lives to each other with the offering of Christ for his Church, so that they may be ‘one body in Christ’ (1621).

How blessed are we to be in a community called Couples For Christ, and to be witnesses to amazing couples, marriages, and families overflowing with Christ’s love.

I thank God for being able to witness the beauty of 15+ couples renew their vows with one another and to celebrate the fruitful love they have for each other.