To Infinity and Beyond! (Saturday, June 15)

Sometimes, we are approached with connotations like “Things aren’t going the way I planned” or questions like, “Why is this happening?”, “Why does this hurt so much??”. We, as human being have all these confusing emotions and are faced with so many things we don’t understand, and blame these things as the reasons that hold us back. But in reality, the only thing holding us back is the fact that we’re not holding onto something that keeps us grounded.

The whole world is filled with things that are unstable. No matter how strong we think something is, the fact of life is that everything is always changing. The world changes as we change, and the only thing that remains is God. God is constant. His love never changes. He is all that is infinite and He is all the love that we, as humans, continuously long for. If we are brought into this world, made of pieces of Him…made in His image, then our call, is to work with one another to see where we all fit; to be unified through His word, each being a little puzzle piece of Him in order to come together to complete the big picture: God. God is who we need FIRST to start completing our lives.

“apart from me you can do nothing.”
– John 15: 5

He is the base… the foundation in which all our actions, words, and thoughts derive from. “Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16: 14) If God is love, then everything in our lives must grow in Him.

So the next time we say “things aren’t going the way I planned”, or “I don’t know why this is happening”, or we just feel like everything is falling apart and you feel like you’re sinking into a pit of sadness or a dark hole and what not, let us ask ourselves: “Where have I put God in my life? Who is He to me?” Chances are, if He isn’t first, then nothing else is. Things will fall apart if it is not built on the foundation of love; if it is not built on One who is constant, never-changing, ever-loving, and forever eternal… God.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”
– John 15: 5

May He always live in us, and be praised.

All is Well

No matter what is happening in our lives or how heavy our cross, all is well and will be well if all is well in our relationship with God. Love for God must be our top priority. The prosperity of our lives truly depends on how our relationship with God is doing. If our life is chaotic and we feel lost and confused, we only need to go back to the Lord. We must humble ourselves, have a thorough examination of our conscience, bring to light our sins, and with a contrite heart, repent and ask forgiveness from our Lord through Confession. This is how we go back to the Lord. Then, in the state of grace, we receive Holy Communion. Then very truly our Lord is with us, and we will be filled with grace to recognize His will in our lives and to live the Gospel with our whole heart.

Let us strive to always live in the state of grace. This is the state of Christ’s strength made perfect in our weakness.

Lord, make haste to help me. Amen.

A Hidden Gem

Sirach 2 (http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Sirach+2)

Read it. Internalize it. Digest it. Remember it.

Points of reflection:

  • anyone who trusts the LORD will never be disappointed
  • similarly, if I am ever disappointed, then I know I lack trust in the LORD
  • ask the Holy Spirit for an increase in the gift – fear the Lord. It will lead to wisdom (Proverbs 9:10)
  • fall into the hands of the Lord. Surrender. Be humble. God is a winner. Surrendering to Him is surrendering to victory

In the words of my brother, Praise God for God!

A Diamond With a Flaw is Worth More Than a Pebble Without Imperfections

“Iron is sharpened by iron; one person sharpens another” – Proverbs 27:17

You always hear this verse put into action with brothers. I have literally seen them after brothers forums, beating their chests and shouting what seem to be war-cries. Kewl? But it is true, although people can bring out the best in others, it takes a true man to show how a brother should act. And it takes a true woman to exemplify how a sister should act.

I have always surrounded myself with strong, faithful brothers. I became tough. I started taking on roles I had no right taking. I started disregarding what the brothers could do for me, because I believed I could do it myself. But as they would go off to brothers forums and their households, I was left wondering how I should be.

My brothers and sisters, a diamond is one of the strongest materials on Earth. So strong and resistant that they are only cut with other diamonds. Try and use iron to shape a diamond and you’ll be out of luck. It is the same with us.

Although I love my brothers – my strong, protective brothers who lead me and guide me, I truly grow with my sisters. With their love and support and, most importantly, their examples, I can truly say that I am becoming a better woman. I am learning to live out my role as a daughter of God.

Iron may sharpen iron, but only diamonds can sharpen diamonds.

The Spirit

Gospel Reading, Sunday, May 26

John 16:13

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

An encounter with the Holy Spirit is such an amazing experience.  Even in the most troubling and discouraging times, when the presence of the Spirit is revealed, great and amazing things happen and the connection to God is really experienced.

Last Saturday, CFC-Youth Calgary held its praise and worship concert, Magnum Deus (God is great).  During the worship concert, one of the youth leaders was praising in tongues but it sounded different and he was brought out of the venue into the lounge, shaking and troubled.  He asked to be prayed over because he felt the words coming from his mouth were not of God.  He was also bothered because he drew a blank for his sharing.  It was clearly the work of one who wanted to hinder what was to be the final sharing of the night.

As we prayed over him, I prayed for the spirit of calm, our God is a God of calm and peace, of love and joy and nothing is stronger than Him.  It took some time to calm the youth leader down but when God’s warm embrace touched this youth, we were able to return to worshiping.

He still drew a blank for his sharing but I assured him that we got his back that we would be praying for him.

When his time to share came, he shared about not having anything to share.  But in this emptiness, he declared that the Holy Spirit was in our midst, with so much conviction and force that I doubt if there was anyone in the room, who did not sense the presence of the Spirit.  It was at that point that the Holy Spirit took over.

This declaration paved the way for a powerful close of the concert that to the last note played, the glory and power of God was vibrating throughout the building.

Many times, we feel so lost, troubled, scared.  That is the work of the evil one, who knows how to use our weaknesses to his advantage.  But as we empty ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to take over, there is only one outcome, the glory and power of God always remains victorious.

To Him, all the glory, praise and worship!

Wake Up

It doesn’t taken much to realize how much we really owe the family ministry of CFC. In a sense that, it really has done so much for our own lives, and has been able to change so many things for the better.

I really would write a more in depth reflection, but honestly, as simple as it is,

Praise God for this community. He is truly great for giving us exactly what we needed.

Lord, watch over the MV’s entering SHOUT this week. Allow me to remain open to Your love and Your calling.

Lord, I offer my life to You, take over.

Soar

WireBirds-8

     Often I see birds rest on telephone wires. I’ve always wondered why they choose the wire to rest on. Sometimes there are just a few, and often there are many, however I have never seen one alone. The next time you see birds on a telephone wire, observe carefully. In order that they leave, only one will fly away first. Soon after, the rest of the birds follow.

     This image speaks a great deal of missionaries, trailblazers, counter-cultural Catholics, leaders, or anyone in between. We are anointed, we have been chosen. This call means that the Lord has planned for us to do great things. One of these, is to fly alone. We are called to initiate. In these moments, some may not know what we are doing, and often we ourselves won’t know what’s happening. It’ll be scary, it’ll be lonely, it’ll be hard, but only for a moment. Soon after the Lord will give us what we need to be empowered once again. He gives us our family, our household, our friends, all of those people dear to us that will support us. They will soon follow. The Lord simply wants us to trust Him; Isn’t that always what He wants from us?

     I recently went on a silent retreat and we had a few hours for personal reflection. We were in the middle of nowhere and there were trails setup all around the center. Father told us that there was one trail we should not go on as it didn’t lead back to the center (apparently it went all the way to Niagara). It sounded like an adventure, so I went on that trail anyway. I travelled for an hour and a half looking for the Lord to speak to me in some way. Fearing that I would not make it back to the center in time, I said to the Lord, “Just give me something Lord, anything.” As I climbed this last hill, I arrived to see the clear skies and acres of green pastures. As I was admiring the sky, a single bird emerged from the forest.

     Immediately I thought of the analogy I always use (the one mentioned above), expecting a flock of birds to follow afterwards. After a few moments, no birds followed. A few moments turned into a few minutes and before I knew it the single bird had already flown very far.

     It was in this moment that I realized, sometimes there will not be others there to comfort you. Sometimes we will need to soar for a long time. We will get tired, the difficulty will grow, and there will be vast skies ahead of us. But we must never mistake this as loneliness, for the Lord is always at our side. He is in the air that raises our wings. He is in the sunlight that warms our backs. What the Lord told me was very simple.

When He calls, we must soar.

Heavenly Father, grant that I may always have full confidence in Your power, Your plan, and Your wisdom.