True North Missionaries Journal

Last week I was blessed with the opportunity to witness a Grade 2 retreat at St. Judes Academy of the Arts in Toronto. The children learned about how we are all called to become Saints. To journey with the Saints, Mary and Jesus. I was amazed by how intrigued and inspired they were in wanting to learn more about how to be like Jesus.

During the retreat they were taught a few worship songs. One of the songs they sang was “To be like You – Hillsong United”. I’ve always loved the simplicity of this song and hearing the children sing was angelic.

We made our way down to the chapel and the children had the opportunity to pray with the Saints. They were each given first class relics of different Saints that they could hold and pray with.

As we all knelt in front of the Blessed Sacrament in adoration and prayer we started to sing the reflection song  To be like You.

I closed my eyes and started to hear the children sing out:

Jesus, Jesus
All I want is to be like You

Jesus, Jesus
All I want is to be like You

I opened my eyes and looked at them singing. I was in awe. My eyes started to tear up as I heard them sing. The innocence and purity of their faith was so beautiful to witness.

I was reminded of how beautiful our faith is, simple and pure. All I want is to be like You. Witnessing this child-like faith has reminded me to love God simply because all we have ever desired and wanted was to be like Him and to be with Him.

Our faith is simple. Our love is simple. Our God is simple.

“All I want
All I need
More of You
Less of me
Take this life
Lord it’s Yours
Have my heart
Have it all”

 

Amen.

We must guard our mind and heart to always choose what glorifies the Lord. Dishonesty hurts God, other people and it hurts our soul. The moment we realized we are being dishonest, let us always aim to correct our action. I believe we learn to be honest by being honest . If we think we learn to be honest in a different way, we deceive ourselves.

How many of us have been guilty of this? Complaining about how we hate this, or that, just because it was a little inconvenient for us?

I hate when I ask for no pickles, but they still give me pickles
I hate it when my house is so big, I need two wireless routers.

Those are just examples from the video above that puts into perspective how insignificant our problems are when we put them side by side with the real problems in the world. Insignificant is an over statement. Those First World Problems we experience are not even problems at all. They are only slight inconveniences in our days. Even those inconveniences are privileged inconveniences, that privileged people claim.

For almost 4 years now, I have been serving in ANCOP and RevUP, and I have never really sat down and thought about how much I complain about all these little problems. For half of my time in CFC-Youth, I have been actively serving, loving, and interacting with the poor, without even realizing that when I am not with them, I would complain about those slight inconveniences that the people I serve would fight tooth and nail to have. How inconsiderate of me. How selfish of me to think that my problems are bigger than those of the poor, marginalized, and neglected.

This is a reminder to me, and to all of you whom may read this, that our sufferings are nothing, compared to millions of others around the world. If you are reading this on your computer/laptop/cellphone, you are already more privileged than half of the people in this world. You are blessed.

I challenge you all, to be mindful the next time you are about to complain. Are the things you are complaining about, really worth complaining for?

All the glory to God

Simply put, our calling to be missionaries is a commitment to give Christ all that we are and all that we desire.

True love, requires unconditional sacrifice.

It’s hard..and in the short days of this year, nothing has gone according to plan.

But I trust this is who I am called to be. Despite the difficulties of every day life, draws near eternal happiness.

 

Lord, hear our prayers.

Deo Gloria.

 

I can do things you cannot. You can do things I cannot. But together, we can do great things.

 

-Mother Theresa-

“It is easy to love.. It is easy to love!

Why? – because God is Love” (Kuya John A.)

– – –

This evening, SFC Central’s service team for the Regional Conference gathered together at our Recollection. My heart has been looking forward to our brothers and sisters to gather as one for the final send-off before recon for the past wks as the blessed memories of past recollections before previous conferences came to mind.

As Pentecost was just celebrated last Sunday, each of us present tonight were very blessed to receive the grace of hearing the Lord’s voice loud and clear through our anointed speaker.

We had the opportunity to revisit our anchor Scripture verse, John 21: 15-17, visually in a video clip. We were able to take time to reflect on our posture leading up to this beloved Re-Con. We were blessed to hear much needed reminders- the gift of Counsel and we received the Lord’s love, consolation, and mercies through encouragement, only by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord met each of us where we were.. spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally. He only desired that we lifted up our whole hearts to Him, that we offered it all to Him, “Lord, this is what we have. Please take it, we surrender it to You. All for Your glory. Trusting always in Your Love.”

We worshipped together, this precious gift of praising our Almighty Father as sisters and brothers, one family. And not only through the joyous, powerful, and amazing gift of music and song; we came together even more intimately in smaller groups to open up and share our hearts with one another. And, we were given time to reflect  and discuss how the Holy Spirit has moved in our lives and when we’ve last experienced a Pentecost like those did in the “Upper Room”.

We experience Pentecost every time we let our hearts speak “Come, Holy Spirit, come!”, when we open our hearts to receive the Holy Eucharist and precious Blood of Jesus Christ during the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, and simply, truly, every moment we’re blessed with life for we are baptized in the Holy Spirit and profess our faith in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

May we continue to open our hearts to yield to His  Holy Spirit that we may be filled, bear His fruits, ask & receive every Gift!, so that we always recognize He lives, abides, dwells within us and each other, that we will never cease in praying for each other, and only grow in purity, faith, hope, and the LOVE our God gives freely!

Thank you Blessed Mama Mary for your constant care, protection, and intercession!

St. Peter, the apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

 

 

 

Two weeks ago, I heard one of the most amazing homilies!

Deacon Peter (at Merciful Redeemer Parish) was talking about how in Mark 16:15-20, Jesus calls us go out and proclaim the gospel, and do what it is that God put us on this earth to do. He compared it to the movie, Forest Gump.

“Have you found Jesus yet, Gump?”

“I didn’t know I was supposed to be looking for him, sir.”

During Deacon Peter’s homily, he said, “We don’t need to look for Jesus. He is not lost. If anyone is lost, it’s us.

What do you do when you are waiting for God? God gives us a yes, sometimes no. More often than not, he says wait. It’s God’s way of pacing us. He makes us wait not because he needs, it but we need it.

Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. The time of waiting can be a time to deepen our faith, not to put us in despair. It is in the waiting that our souls become cleansed.” 

In my reflection, I realized how impatient I am and how I much I always want to be in control. Even more now because of how crazy things have become at work. I’m still waiting to hear back on new job, and I get so antsy every time I think about it. I know that there’s nothing I can do to make them come to a decision any faster or make the processing of my application any faster. And it drives me crazy. But this homily was a great reminder that I need to stop stressing out, and instead, simply pray for patience and be still in Him. He has the upper hand on this one, and I just need to relax and enjoy the ride.