Author: Vince Licerio

“Turn my eyes to see Your face as all my fears surrender. Hold my heart within this grace, where burden turns to wonder. I will fight to follow. I will fight for love. Throw my life forever, to the triumph of the Son.”

I was simply reflecting as I was at work early in the morning by myself and I had those specific lyrics stuck in my head repeating itself over and over again..

How beautiful is it that the Lord can work in the smallest of our thoughts and transform them into an even more powerful affirmation that He is working in ALL our battles. 

Crazy…**if you’ve taken notice in the way that I write reflections..I really feel that the Lord is allowing me to see His love in a very simple way. Yet, every simple affirmation remains so complex, so overwhelming to the point that where I can see God in awe and fear. **

Past that little side note, we will never stop fighting for the truth. I firmly believe that as young Catholics been given the opportunities to see the work of the Lord in our lives up until now is a calling to be part of the small percentage of the world that has been chosen to show what true love is.

How ironic is it that the way the Lord has called us to fight is to truly love one another as He did for us. To love ourselves. To love all those around us. That the battles against sin, against our worldly desires, what ever the case maybe, is worth fighting for because the Lord has something prepared for us that not even our own minds can imagine or comprehend. 

To those “spiritually dry” or struggling with your faith. Its all apart of the never ending battle. Best believe that if you feel you are being attacked the most, it simply means the Lords victory ahead is going to make it worth going through again.

Simply put, the Lord is love. The cause of our joy. I will fight for love. I will fight to follow. For the triumph of the Son. Love truly is war!

If I can help you some how, or if you need anything at all, please don’t be afraid to contact me at any means!

Deo Gloria.

 

“…and he will be the stability of your times,
    abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
    the fear of the Lord is his treasure.” -Isaiah 33:6

Money was never really something I ever wanted to worry about. I was definitely blessed with the financial income despite my issues with prudence…I made it quite far, and I made sure the Lord knew that.

Until He decided to test me. I think this is a side of discernment from MV’s when it comes to FTPW that you don’t really hear that often, frankly because…well, majority of us have finished school or on the way to getting to our careers.

So, I’m in a bit of a rut. Financially (I REALLY DISLIKE TALKING ABOUT MONEY DESPITE ALL THE JOKES I MAKE), but I think it came at the right time.

Work is kicking in, endorsement deliberations have begun, some sort of invisible pressure has come upon myself and I’m sure for those that are in their second year as an MV.

I’ve been wondering about how I’ve gotten this far with the horrible decisions I’ve made with money, and now that I suddenly need it, its no where to be found. So i’ve stressed about it over and over again, thinking about how I’m gonna be able to leave my family just in case things go according to plan etc etc…you know…adult stuff.

I was then just reminded in a very subtle way of something very important that I’ve been learning and living by.

It was never me providing for myself or me being able to provide just on my own..but that my own stability from the past has always been because of my reliance of the Lord.

Life is definitely not about making the most money…its most definitely about being the better person that the Lord has always planned for you to be. You can say we have the best banker in the world on our side. That the Lord’s financial aid has always been His infinite mercy, His overflowing love despite sins and non practice of prudence or faith.

Crazy eh? Living a simple life can most definitely have the biggest out pour of love from the Lord. God will always provide. Trust! He’s got you!

Let’s allow ourselves to be stable in life, by letting the Lord be our source of Stability.

Thank You Lord. I see what You are trying to do here. Allow me to be completely open to You in everything. Thank You for providing for me and continuing to provide for me. Allow me to store treasures in heaven, and that the treasures I leave on earth can been seen as blessings from You.

Amen.

Deo Gloria

 

 

“You who seek God, let your hearts revive!”

The Lord has been truly truly great.

This weekend, I was honored to first time over-see a youth camp happening within my chapter here in the Pacific. Just reflecting on the journey of the chapter and the limited time I’ve been with my household serving, I was so hesitant to step in and do all the work, and just ensure that everything was going according to schedule.

Oh man, of course…you know the Lord had something to say about that.

I was definitely blessed to witness the growth of faith in my household. The way they opened themselves up to the Lord, to people they have never met before…it was honestly a prayer that came true…very fast. I was overwhelmed in awe for God.

Really, how coincidental was it that the Camp was also called Camp Revival. Where the Lord had revived the hearts of even those serving others this weekend. Thank You LORD.

Sometimes the Lord calls us to be witnesses to allow us to see Him literally work first hand in the people you love…this is something I’ll never forget.

This is definitely the start of something new within our community here in the Pacific. A brother in my household mentioned something about the camp at our last camp meeting.

“God gave us what we need, no what we want.” This is exactly what the Lord needed. Open hearts and a revival of His Spirit.

Let Hope Rise!

Deo Gloria

 

 

I really feel like I’ve been called by the Lord this year to suffer. I’ve probably mentioned it before, but yeah. This year has had no shortage of tugging at my heart spiritually, mentally and physically.

I can tell you right now though, that I do see the love that obviously comes from suffering. That all the hard work, the sacrifices, the endless amounts of prayers…the Lord really does work in everything.

I really love my household. We had a camp training yesterday and I can honestly say I’ve fallen in love with them, their yes, and everything about each individual person. Just reflecting on how the journey started with them which to be honest was pretty fast paced, I can really see how crucial it is that in every second, us as leaders and servants must only speak, act, live as Christ would.

I dunno…its a very simple reflection but the Lord still spoke to me this weekend in this way. Praise the Lord. Maybe its just exhaustion that I can’t put words together anymore for this specific reflection. I guess that’s my calling. To be tired. To be on my toes as much as I can. To be called to suffer for the sake of the people I love and grown to love.

Lord, thanks.

Deo Gloria

The Lord has truly been great. Last week, the chapter of Burnaby (Where I am serving) had its very first Leaders Enrichment Retreat.

Praise the Lord. Our theme for this retreat was “Responsum” or “to respond”. I thought over and over again, sitting in the back on a beautiful Sunday morning, waiting for my Kuya Miguel to queue me in for the Praisefest. The reflection song, “Oceans” played and upon reflecting on my vision for my beautiful chapter, I was overwhelmed. I really asked myself, how can my chapter respond to the call of the Lord. Tears poured down my face…I don’t know why…but I firmly believe I felt the Lord embracing me…talking to me very very personally…

then the bridge was sang, “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, where ever You may call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my will be made stronger, in the presence of my Saviour”…

I was at peace. I immediately began to visually see the “yes” of each member of my household. I visualized everything it took for them to think things through to take up the responsibility of a household head. I visualized the struggles, the sacrifices everything.

That was the response. The very yes that dwelled in our hearts in discernment for responsibility. Our response was our responsibilities. The love we continue to share as a HH. A rebuilding chapter.

I sat there as the reflection was ending. From the anxiousness to leading the future of our community into prayer, all the way into finally walking up there, I remember thinking in my head,

“Thank You Lord.”

At that moment, I knew we were in the midst of something greater. Someone greater. I’ve never felt so loved as we (Burnaby HH) finally broke that heart of stone shell when it came to worship. That was our response. To Love at that moment. To Love now.

Lord, allow me to push myself deeper into my faith. To respond with a greater love. A Love that can only been seen as a Love you have given to others through me, Your instrument. 

Deo Gloria

I got this uneasy feeling going on. Sort of, discomfort you can say. Its my first year being a Chapter Head and oh man..the experiences I’ve been able to be a witness or be involved in directly, is way tougher and requires much much more attention than any other service role I’ve been given before.

BUT I know this feeling is a good thing because the Lord constantly will continue to leave us in uncomfortable positions to make us better. To constantly remind ourselves that this discomfort will only be turned to comfort when we seek Him in all things. 

Simple right?

You’ve heard it many times. The Victory has already been won! Rejoice already! Yes, the road to whatever ahead of our service is always going to be tough, but the Lord is already greater than that. (Now, I just have to remind myself that)

So yeah, pray for the Chapter of Burnaby’s First EVER Leaders Enrichment Retreat! Also, our camp coming up a couple weeks after!

Lord, allow me. Amen. 

Deo Gloria 

Ever since I started really committing my own time into the community, it was only natural that I dreamed and began to pray for my own parents to make their way back in the community (My parents used to be CFC). It’s often rumbled in my own head if its something really for them, or if their experience in CFC really helped them. Note, If your parents are in CFC, cherish that. There are a lot of us praying for our own families to give the community we love a chance.

Anyways, I’ve always tried to be big on being an example to my family first. Especially my parents. I really want them to know that I’m convicted that the Lord works in my life through this community. I actually do let them know anything and everything (PG for getting over that), and I’m open to letting them know I’m praying for them.

And I guess here is where the blessings and tiny miracles happen…I know, you’re probably thinking, well…this guys weird. His parents aren’t even involved in the community.

Well that is wrong. They are immersed in my life and the God that is present in it through the examples the community has placed for me AND me to them. I can say straight up, CFC works. Even if my parents aren’t active in it for the time being, I really appreciate that it was CFC that has done its job in planting a seed and allowing my parents to be active in the faith even if time does not permit them being in the community itself.

With my cousin who has just left for mission in Israel, imagine the impact it made on our families. That all our work in the community finally got to this point where they were able to see one of us go with the heart convicted in the family ministries. That we are taking the steps that no one ever thought we’d take. Praise the Lord for the humility it takes for our families to be witnesses to the Lord’s calling in us.

So where are you trying to get at? It seems pretty scattered..

Let’s be examples to our families as much as we are servants in this community. If we are convicted so much in wanting to serve the Lord in CFC-Youth and it’s family ministries, then we won’t forget our own family at home. You never know where its going to lead. My own family is NOT involved with CFC at the time being, but with the examples we place, the love we put forth from everything we’ve learned in this community, I’m glad to say there has been change in how involved my parents are in my own life and their own spiritual life. Who knows where it will go from here…

but I’m going to keep pushing until the wheels fall off. 

Lord, allow me with the utmost humility and perseverance to be an instrument of Your word. To be a witness and example of Your work in my life, to my own family. Allow me to carry on with the mission recognizing that You are working even when I cannot see. To recognize that You are calling them, as how You have called to me. 

Deo Gloria