My travel here in the States had been quite a blessing, with so many wonderful surprises. Right when the SFC conference was about to finish, someone approached me and asks if I am Gelo, only to find out that she was Aunt, who lasts saw me when I was still 3 years old. Then here in LA, I was able to meet my uncle, whom I haven’t seen for 15 years already. I was also blessed to have reunions with my batchmates in FTPW training. We had a good updating and we were joking around how we are growing old because before, we used to talk late at night and now we sleep early and talk early in the morning instead. So yes, we did had a sharing around 5 am in the morning. That training was 9 years ago and here we are, one brother is married and the other is now engaged. So we took a photo, and put a sign there, “the married, the engaged and the single”

God is good, I am affirmed once more that when we follow Gods way, we build lasting relationships that goes beyond assignments and service in the community. There are things that lasts… family, friendship, brotherhood, sisterhood. Godly friends gives hope and joy.

Grant us the grace O Lord always Godly friends. Amen.

Christ: My child, permit Me to do with you what I will, for I know what is best for you. You judge things according to human reason; but you are often swayed by your feelings, so that you can easily be deceived.

Disciple: Lord, everything You say is true. If only my will remain firmly fixed in You, do with me as You please, for whatever You do with me can only be good. If, in Your mercy, You comfort me, may You be blessed; but if it is Your will that I be afflicted, still will You always be blessed.

Christ: You must be as ready to suffer as to rejoice, as willing to be needy and poor as to be rich and have abundance.

Disciple: Lord, I willingly bear for You whatever You are pleased to give me, and thank You with all my heart.

Lord, if it be Your will, so let it be, and if it be to Your honor; let it be fulfilled in Your name. Lord, if this be for my good, give me the grace to use it for Your honor; but if You know that it will be harmful to me and not profitable for my soul, then take away from me such a desire. Do with me what You know to be best, as pleases You best and as will best promote Your glory. 

[Taken from Imitation of Christ]

“Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal rather than religion-specific values… It requires that their proposals be subject to argument and amenable to reason. Now, I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, to take one example, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God’s will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.” – Barack Obama

Last Sunday I attended mass at St. Joseph’s Oratory here in Montreal with a few brothers and sisters from out of town. St. Jo’s is kind of a tourist hotspot, so before communion they made an announcement asking all those who were not Catholic to refrain from receiving communion.

—

Objectively,
I am not better or worse than my peers.
I am not better or worse than my job.

I am,
Not Entitled.

In the eyes of God,
I am not meant for something greater.
rather, I DESIRE something greater.

Objectively, I am. In the eyes of God.

– Jesse R.
“I Am, and We are Missionaries”

Luke 5:16

¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Conference week, anxious, worried, excited.  A thousand things running through my head, the chronic worrier in me trying to think of all loose ends.  It astounds me how a conference of 600 people can be run by only 3 fulltime workers and a lot of other “all the time” workers who have day jobs.  Too many things that still need to be done.  But Jesus showed us the way to handle all these “busy”situations.  It didn’t matter that He was God, He took time to be by Himself and with the Father.

No matter what all the fancy preparations and equipment, it will be the message of the Lord through the talks and sharings that will strike the hearts of the almost 600 coming this weekend.

May I find the “lonely places” this week, where I can just be truly with the Lord, and that’s all that matters.

“It is not possible to establish true links with God, while ignoring other people.” – Pope Francis I

I’ve noticed that God speaks to me when I least expect it.

I attended a Baha’i Marriage two weeks ago.
I have been reflecting on the Marriage even since
And I have concluded that…

I JUST CAN’T DENY HOW STRONG GOD’S PRESENCE WAS!

God was definitely there.
Yup!

For the past two years I have been attending various Weddings.
All of the Weddings that I have attended were mainly Catholic Marriages,
Which I have been accustomed to and have fallen in love with.

I have always believed that Marriage is Sacred.
Because of this, I have become very conscious as to what is happening during the ceremony
What is being said
Who speaks
What readings are being done
The vows, or even
The choice of songs

Through Sacredness the Lord reveals His messages.
I have become more aware of what God is trying to telling me next.

I can truthfully claim that during each ceremony,
I have encountered God in some shape or form.
The Baha’i Wedding was no exception.

I have come up with three realizations
Marriages are Intimate
Marriages are Sacred
Marriages are Miracles

The couple share their intimacy with others
The couple declare that their relationship is sacred
The couple witnesses how two people can in fact become one,
a Miracle.

As I watched them look into each other’s eyes
I had to catch my breathe

Their very glance

Took me aback

As they recited their vows

 

For some reason

 

At that very moment

I knew that they were no longer looking at each other
But they were experiencing God in one another

Though both may be from two different Religious backgrounds,
Who’s it to say that God wasn’t present.

The presence of God isn’t defined by our theological knowledge,
or our memorization of doctrine,
but it is dependent on our catholic love for others.
our universal love for others.

which INCLUDES all
and
EXCLUDES none.

“The unity of God, the unity of religion, and the unity of humanity”

In other words…

“Religions must cooperate to remind humanity that God exist”

– Baha’i Doctrine & Pope Francis I

Lord God,
allow me to have an open heart and an open mind to seek inclusivity rather than exclusivity. As a Catholic, allow me to embrace my faith with joy, to love and respect others of different Religious Backgrounds in how they choose to live out their faith. We are all brothers & sisters alike…all searching for YOU.
May my actions speak louder than my words.
Thank you again for revealing Yourself to me at the perfect moments,

Your Spirit is strong.
Amen 🙂

Everywhere!

Well, we made it. 18 hours later and we are now in Calgary.

All I can say is, the familiar feeling of Conference coming up….OH man.

A quick list of things I’ve been thinking about:

1. Outdo each other in love.

2. Everyone deserves our outpouring love.

3. Thanks, God.

Only problem is, why only feel this way now?

We should live these things EVERYDAY….

THANKS GOD.