Seeing Jesus in every little situation

Last Wednesday, we went to the airport to pick up my brother-in-law and his family, who were migrating from the Philippines. While waiting for an hour or so, I noticed that there was this young Filipino girl with her luggage who just arrived from a flight and it seemed that she was anxiously waiting for someone. Then I just turned my attention in looking for my brother-in law.

Later, I noticed that my wife, Evelyn, was talking to her and then I saw her lending the girl her phone. Then my brother-in-law and his family arrived and I wanted to leave right away as my free parking was soon expiring.

I noticed the girl still using my wife’s phone and I was kind of irritated. How could she still be using the phone when it was obvious that we needed to leave. My wife then told me me that her husband was working and couldn’t get off as he had already taken hours off earlier but the flight was delayed by 6 hours. The girl was then asking where she could take the taxi to her husband, she just arrived from the Philippines and its her first time in Canada.  Hesitantly, I offered to drive her to her husband’s work.

When we arrived at her husband’s work, they were reunited happily after two years and all ended well.  I suddenly realized that I failed to see Jesus in this situation, that the least of my brother and sister needed help and I was worried about my free parking.

Thank God for my wife, who continues to amaze me with her sense of servant hood, I see Mary in her everyday.

Lord, help me to open all my senses to you, to allow me to see you in every little situation.  Forgive me, Lord, for my constant shortcomings but never give up on leading me to the right path.

AMDG

Tito Gee

Whom Shall I Fear?

This song has been on my mind for the longest time. The lyrics are so beautiful that it’s as if my own heart were singing a song to Him each and every day. I know many people might not be able to relate, but for those that can, here are a few of the most real words a heart could ever sing to the Lord:

Verse 1:
Because I know You live
I’ll put my faith in this
That You hear my call
Lord, You hear me calling

Because I know You live
I’ll set my heart on this
You won’t let me fall
When all else is falling

Chorus:
When all You are is glorious, oh God
Victorious and strong
Whom shall I fear?
When all You are is powerful and true
And good in all You do
Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?

Verse 2:
Because You’re on my side
I won’t believe the lie
That I’m all alone
I’m not all alone here

Because You live in me
My heart will still believe
That You came to save
And You’ll come to save me

Pre-Chorus:
I know You’re with me in the fire
You never leave me in the flame
I know Your thoughts are so much higher
And all Your ways are not my ways

Chorus:
When all You are is glorious, oh God
Victorious and strong
Whom shall I fear?
When all You are is powerful and true
And good in all You do
Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?

Bridge:
You are for me
You came to save me
You will never let me go
In my heart I’ll always know
I know that You are for me
You came to save me
You will never let me go
In my heart I’ll always know

Music and lyrics by Lincoln Brewster.

See You Soon

So this is cool…I guess I’ll start with this,

“For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.” –Ecclesiastes 4:10

I work in the restaurant a lot as one of the few chefs that gets to stay in the front and look on to customers eating and conversing amongst each other. Today was different. First time I’ve ever worked a Sunday night, and long story short, a table for one came in. I don’t know what it was that made my heart sink at that moment. Maybe it was the fact she was eating alone while looking around the other packed tables, or maybe it was the idea that she didn’t have much of a smile on her face, or children to take care, or anyone to take care of her. I don’t know, but what I did do, was get out of the kitchen, and be a server for once…End of the story goes, I served her.
They say food is the universal language that everyone can understand. I think that’s changed today. God’s love is much easier to understand and comprehend.

So, where is this going?

As much as I know I am called to lead, the call is stronger to serve. I really do value the members in our community, and with just that little extra push, you really can change those with the heaviest of hearts and the thickest of walls. Let’s step out of our comfort zone and put ourselves in a position not just to be found by God, but by those we encounter at our events, conferences, our even outside the CFC-Youth community, who simply just want someone to talk to, or to simply just know they were never alone and that the God that dwells in us, dwells in them.

So, I served this lady that just wanted to check out our restaurant and try something new. I ended of our conversation as she was leaving with a , “See you Soon”. I don’t know what it was that made my heart be comforted again. Maybe it was the fact that I invited her back and at that moment though she was silent, she smiled, or maybe it was the mere connection of the fact that I used to be like her, until I found this community, and this time I did something about it. That’s the real end of the story. She left, and God showed her to me, to be reminded that there’s work to be done. There is love to be lifted…but it was all only possible that through God, I learned this all.

“Where could I go that I could hide myself from You? Where could I run that You won’t be there waiting for me? Closer to You, I find my heart is drawing near, and I need Your love.”

Long Live Christ the King,

Vince Licerio

 

 

 

 

Sailing through the storm

A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor
– English proverb

It’s funny. I hear it so many times during talks and shares: there are so many struggles in our service. But the thing is, there isn’t. Most days there aren’t. Most days I am so happy and joyful in my service. But a few days before any large event? Bam. Struggles. Spiritual warfare. Angry words and frustrated texts and sleepless nights.

But what’s beautiful that we continually serve more events. We continually ask for these hardships. As a community we are not content to remain where we are. We strive to grow. We strive to be better. We endure all the hardships thrown at us. We tread the treacherous water, almost drowning, until we reach shore. Because when we reach it, we are better.

It will never be sitting and listening to talks that makes us better leaders. They may inspire us. They may educate us. But if we sit around and do nothing about it, it is useless. It is lost. It is stuck on a ship that never made it to shore. We need to bring the truths we learn to others. And the hardships will bear down on us like waves. But if you fight it? If you choose to sail through the storm? What an amazing sailor you will be.

 

I Love My Household

I have really loved every household I’ve been a part of in this community. The household is truly what the community stands for: a communion of Love. It is a place to foster that love for God and for our neighbour. It’s the gathering of hearts in Christ that is the heartbeat of our community. Without that phileo love, or, fraternal love, this community would wither away. It’s in that phileo love that has helped me to experience that agape love—God’s love.

My brothers and sisters in the community have helped me love my faith and my family. They have also inspired me to be a true friend and brother to all. It has never been perfect and I’ve definitely gone through tough times with some because of differences, but that’s also why the community is so beautiful. We are not a business based on protocols and performance. We are not a perfect machine. We are the Church made up of imperfect people. We are a living organism that is constantly growing and bearing fruit in the good and bad by the grace and workings of the Holy Spirit.

Thinking about this makes me reminisce about the individuals I’ve shared this journey with in the Community of CFC-Youth. I would just like to say thank you to all my past household heads, parents and youth, and fellow members, for the example that you’ve shown me. Thank you for allowing God to use you, to love me.

Dear friends, may we continue to share that fraternal love with each other. As Christians we bear Christ in us, in the core of our hearts. Thus, let us always be quick to forgive each other most especially because we are brothers and sisters in Christ! Also, let us be quick to honour and encourage one another always. If we are preaching the peace of our Lord to people that don’t know Him yet, then we better be witnessing to that peace between each other. Let the world know that we are disciples of Christ by how we love one another.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Man of God

13 days until I get to go back to my first home after 3 years, and it’s definitely taking a toll on my entire family, especially for me. From packing, setting up a more firm itinerary for me to be able to see both sides of my family, to buying ‘pasalubong’ for everyone, I can’t help but be reminded of my Grandfather aka my Lolo. It’s been 3 years since he passed away, but I guess since my siblings and I basically grew up in his and my Lola’s care it’s normal to have him to be constantly alive in my heart even though the last time I saw him was 8 years ago. The other day I found myself looking at buttoned up shirts, which he always wore and I pointed it out to my mom, and said that it’d be great on Lolo. Then it hit me, I miss him now more than ever. Although I’ll be able to see my Lola when I get back, it wont be the same because of her severe dementia.

Ever seen The Notebook? Well, think of my Lolo as Noah and my Lola as Allie. My Lola’s dementia became so severe from the time that my family migrated, to the point where there would be times when she wouldn’t know who my Lolo is, or that they’re already married even though they were married for 49 years. I can’t imagine having to constantly love someone who can barely even remember you, yet my Lolo did it for 6 years straight.

A man of patience, love and understanding. The one who lived not to earn as much money that he could obtain, but to teach his children that the love of God is more than enough in order to live a happy life. He loved God so much, that he inspired my dad to discern religious life. The one who taught his grand children how to live simply in order to see more of God in anything and anyone that’s around them. A true man of God.

As much as I’m happy to know that my dad discerned for religious life, I’m extremely thankful know that God’s path led my father to married life. At least I know that my Lolo’s teachings will continue to be taught for generations and generations to come. I can only pray that I may also live a life that’s even remotely close to how he saw it. To become a true woman of God.

Seventy Times Seven

“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

Mt. 18:21

Jesus basically meant always forgive your neighbour and show mercy because our Heavenly Father always forgives and shows mercy. Jesus then told a story of a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. Basically, a servant owed the king 10,000 talents, which was at that time worth a lifetime of wages. The servant fell down and begged his master to be patient and assured him that he will pay him back in full. Moved by compassion, the master let him go and forgave him the loan. He let the servant go free without having to owe anything anymore! Completely forgiven. Debt forgotten. The servant then went out and met one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount, just a days worth of wages. He seized him and started to choke and demand that he be paid back. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him to be patient and assured he will pay back in full, but the man refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back what he owed! When the king found out what the servant had done he was outraged that the servant didn’t show the same mercy he showed him. The king handed him over to the torturers until he paid back the entire debt of 10,000 talents. Jesus ends his story by stating, “so will my Heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

Wow! How disturbing this parable is to those with hardened hearts! We are like the servant who stands before God so sinful and unworthy. We are like the servant who has a lifetime of debt, and each of us begging for His mercy. The beautiful truth is that our Heavenly Father does indeed forgive us our debt in it’s entirety and forgets what we owe. He forgets our sins. However, the condition is that we must forgive those who sin against us entirely and forget their sins if we want our Heavenly Father to do the same for us. When we harbour ill intentions toward others and are unforgiving toward our neighbour, we practically throw ourselves in the dungeon to be tortured. There’s nothing like the torture of a hardened, unforgiving heart. The scary thing is that if we decide to not forgive our neighbour and decide to remember his sins against us, so will our Heavenly Father when we are judged. The consequence is eternal damnation, eternity of suffering in the prison we put ourselves in. To decide not to forgive someone, especially if they practically beg for forgiveness, is outrageous when we ourselves beg God for His forgiveness.

Forgiveness is FREE. The only thing to be earned again is TRUST if that was lost. Forgiveness is DIVINE, thus we must rely on God’s grace and not our own understanding. Most of the time to forgive is unthinkable and might seem impossible. It is definitely impossible if we do not realize the log in our own eyes and can only see the speck in our neighbour’s eye.

The truth is that no one can sin against us more than we have sinned against God, and no one can forgive and forget unless we realize that God has forgiven and forgotten.

If we are finding it hard to forgive someone we must check ourselves before God. We must seek his forgiveness in Confession, then show the same mercy to our neighbour to truly be right with God again.

Lord, have mercy on us. Forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us. Amen.