Tag: service

Abundantly Blessed

Each and every single day the Lord blesses us from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep. Reflecting on the Sunday Gospels these past couple of weeks there was a similar view in them — the Vineyard Parables. Where we see Jesus teaching about how what we give here on earth, we will be blessed in Heaven.

“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven” — Matthew 5:12

Giving is not only a matter of donating money, clothes, food. It’s also a matter of giving of our time, talent and treasure. The Lord has blessed us with so much and is giving us so much more each and every single day! Only through the Lord’s grace are we able to give and share our blessings which are meant to be shared amongst others. So if I were to sum it all up in one sentence — each and every single one of us are abundantly blessed to abundantly give so that others can do the same.

Lord, we praise You and thank You for all the blessings you have given to us. Let us not take it for granted in any way, shape or form but instead, let us share our blessings to others so that they too, can feel your abundant Love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Christian Medeiros

The Right Compass

On pointing others to Christ.

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I spent my Saturday in Ottawa for the Regional Youth Conference (RYC) for CFC-Youth Ottawa and Montreal. One of my personal highlights was seeing an overwhelming amount of youth from the West Chapter (Montreal is cluster size with 2 Chapters), performing for dance, worshipping, sharing, serving in production and simply being AT the RYC. It was only shy of two years ago when the entire Chapter fit at my house for a Household Assembly.

The West Chapter was my last MV assignment before going Full-time. I remember having hard meetings with MJ and Marko. Discussing, carrying out and processing successful and failed ways to address different issues- increase membership attendance, pastoring without CCS, inspiring leaders to step up (especially brothers). These meetings were at times filled with emotions (frustration, tears, impatience, but also joy, eagerness and most importantly hopefulness)

I spent my Sunday at Saint Wilfrid’s Meet and Greet, Parent’s Orientation and Cluster Meeting. It’s always an eye and heart opening experience to hear the concerns of members, leaders and CCs at the Chapter level.  The directions we discern for and set at Area level (we’re talking 2 stories up in leadership, with Cluster and Sector) are kind of useless without visits at the grass roots.

In the meeting- I listened as a Tito consoled a Youth Leader for his failed attempts at communicating and following up on a Camp Leader (Prayers up, Camp Surrender!) and the pressure of having to take care of things while being in exam period. Tito simply said: “It’s okay, you tried your best. Now, we help you.”

As a missionary, it’s very easy to see ourselves as a “movers” of the mission in the different things we being asked to do- event planning (like RYC), giving trainings (camp trainings), running events (regular cycle of events). But what matters most is being able 1) to consistently witness of Christ’s love (even in crappy times, being to share about God’s every day victories in our lives), 2) simply assure others of God’s overflowing gift of mercy (needed words affirmation) and 3) to point others to the Lord’s work especially in hopeless situations (calling for and spotting the inspiration and pacifying movement of the Holy Spirit).

The is what sustains the Great Commission. We do this it by being active in our lives in the Spirit rather than reactive out of something else (our qualifications, self-promotion, etc.) in all we do in mission. We are that right kind of active (and certainly no longer reactive) in mission when we are always deliberate in building up members, youth leaders and even CCs (pastoring, mentoring, training) rather than being creative and trusting in delegating service tasks.

To be full-time for mission is to be full-time for others as servant leaders. Before moving, always being attentive to the hearts (not just needs) of God’s people. Some times, all they need is loving (not judgemental or expectant “i-gotta-ask-you-to-do-something”) presence – ours, and a reminder of the Lord’s in all situations. 

The call to anyone to service is always suppose to be one of out of love- God love us with a personal, intimate, persevering, fulfilling love and we respond (in all we do) with that same love. If we do not see this anymore… Then how can point others to it? We have forgotten who we are as His beloved. Do we still recognize Him in all things? A reminder of our dignity as servants leaders from John 3:1-2:

1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he[a] is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

 

Simply Lord, may Your love shine through in all that I do.

From Your beloved,

@Cinderellish

 

Presence

In the past 1-2 months, my heart had been in some sort of ‘recovery mode’. A lot of damage had been done because I had been passive with specific blows some events had on me. I had been trying to “guard” myself from specific pains I was feeling, not knowing that I was actually just boxing them off and putting them aside, and I eventually realized I couldn’t do that anymore. After realizing this, I knew that the recovery would only come by opening my heart up to these hidden pains. I had to allow my heart to be vulnerable to the Lord again, but in a deeper sense… one that I had not even known nor could I explain it.

It’s been about 2 months, since I have been in some sort of “recovery mode”, and just when I was beginning to feel afraid that I could never recover, the Lord acted once more in His perfect timing, and He just knew He had to pull me out of the well I couldn’t get out of and bring me somewhere where He could make His presence in my life obvious for me. At the last minute – literally 24 hours before I had to go – God decided to send me to Philippines. When I was there, the Lord really put things in perspective for me. No matter what is happening, I have all the reasons to be grateful because presence, no matter what measure it is in, is in my life. 

Presence is in my life.

Presence of family,
Presence of friends,
Presence of lasting and sincere relationships,
Presence of new relationships that come day by day,
Presence of the every day items that I may sometimes take for granted,
His Presence,
but also, the gift of the presence of mind…

Being so distracted a few months ago, I had not even realized how beautiful this is. BUT, if I wasn’t so distracted, I would have never been able to value this as much as I do now.

How many times have I prayed the Rosary, but somewhere in the middle, I took a quick glance at my phone for the time or sent a quick reply to a text? Or how many times have I prayed for grace before meals, but already held my spoon and fork in my hand, thinking about the food and not the prayer? How many times have I said “Thank You, Lord,” or “Praise God,” without actually acknowledging His Presence in what I had thought, said, or done in that moment? How many times have I TRULY ACKNOWLEDGED HIM? 

When I prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy this time, I closed my eyes. But in the moment I opened them, I saw my phone light up with a text. Yet, instead of being eager to see what it was, I found myself more eager to close my eyes once again and continue. And for the first time in a very long time, I felt completely accomplished and complete. This is what I learned through what I had experienced:

Wholeness is not defined by how much you can do, but by how much you embrace something. Holiness is defined by how much you embrace Who you are embracing. And this wholeness and holiness is what determines how much you can do (because it is only with God, that all things are possible).

Presence, as much as it is a blessing, can also be more than a checklist of tangible or intangible things to be grateful for. By action, it is also a prayer. And this is what God was leading me towards. That prayer is not limited by the state and readiness of my heart, but is also made fruitful by my willingness to be and my willingness to act, recognizing first, the Lord. And by being able to bring that presence of mind, His Presence will always guide.

Lord, may I never lose sight of You. 

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us,

Amen.

Crown of Creation

This past weekend I attended ‘Princess Diaries‘ that Toronto SFC hosted for all the sisters. I was excited to just be a participant and not have to worry about serving. But then a week before the event, Renee, the GTA West Head asked me if I could lead the Praisefest for Saturday night. And you know what happened that whole week before the event? PANIC.

I was so mentally drained from trying to figure out the dynamics of a worship, the order of the songs, the prayers that go before the songs, the appropriate songs, the transitions, and everything else in between. On Friday morning I reached some point of mental desperation and just exasperatedly told God that he really should have chosen someone else.

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To understand this more let’s look at the three  desires planted in every woman’s heart:

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a) the desire to be romanced
b) the desire to play an irreplaceable role in an adventure
c) the desire to unveil beauty

Those desires are often misunderstood which is why a lot of sisters end up broken. We turn to the wrong sources to fill the void. I myself sought those desires out in multiple people, men boys who had no other agenda other than to fulfill their own desires.

Fifteen minutes before the session ended (New Heartbeats) He granted me the grace and wisdom to finally see all the pieces come together. And when it finally sank in, I could not contain the peace, joy and love that was pouring out of my own heart!

He said,

“My dearest Therese. These desires are not something to be afraid of. Do not deny yourself these desires because each one will lead you closer to me. Do you not already know that every movement in your heart is known to me? I fashioned that very thing that beats inside of you. Unite it with my sacred heart and will understand better the plans I have for you, as woman.”

 

THE DESIRE TO BE ROMANCED, I placed in you so that you will come to me in Adoration. I will embrace every part of you in the silence. Come to me, and I will pour myself out to you. Do not be afraid to glance out at me for I long to look out at your face. Each time you come, the heavens rejoice. This is where you belong, this is where you are meant to be- here with me. My beloved I have waited for you and you are finally here! Have FAITH that I am here.

THE DESIRE TO PLAY AN IRREPLACEABLE ROLE, I placed in you so that you will come to the House of Worship and receive me in the Holy Eucharist. Come to me exactly as you are. You say to me, Lord but I am broken, battered, shattered.  And His reply: “But I NEED YOU. YES, YOU.” From the moment you receive me on your tongue you become the ultimate living tabernacle and you are NO longer broken, battered, shattered. I pour out my Holy Spirit within you, and my love which is far more precious than gold will bind you back together. There will always be HOPE.

THE DESIRE TO UNVEIL BEAUTY, I placed in you so that you will come to me in Confession. No sin you’ve committed, no sin that you are committing, no sin that you will commit can ever be too much for my cross. Nothing is more beautiful than a woman who humbles herself and acknowledges her weaknesses and limitations. All those layers you choose to hide behind, the masks you choose to wear around you will all be washed away. In every single instance, you come out as clean and pure just as I intended for you to be. I meet you with nothing but LOVE.

Wow. Praise the Lord. I could not contain myself in that tiny little seat. The Lord fulfilled ALL THOSE DESIRES in me within the past 24hrs! He granted me my trinity run; Adoration at Our Lady of Lourdes the night before, Confession before the last session, and Eucharist shortly after. The Lord loved me so much that He made straight my paths right before I stood before my sisters with a heart that was now READY AND WILLING.

“You, eternal trinity, are a deep sea. The more I enter you, the more I discover, and the more I discover, the more I seek you.”- St. Catherine of Siena

Amen.

Tears of Consolation

Engaging in Mission begins by seeing it from the foot of the Cross.

“The Lord will fight for you, you have only to be still.” – Exodus 14:14
“She kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” – Luke 2:19
“May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.” – Psalm 126

Last weekend, CFC-Youth Montreal’s Area Core had their year planning. It was the first time ever that this was conducted over a weekend instead of just one day and this made a difference. With more time to not only plan but to properly recollect to in truly discerning the leading for the Area, small region big dreams were really sifted out in full detail into a very deliberate plan that left us – both incoming and outgoing leaders- not the “typical” empowered at the end of a praisefest, but in tears.

What kind of tears were these? Were they sad or happy tears? There was something about these tears that were different, so different that both Ellen and I had to process in private afterwards… They were neither. They were tears of resolve after contemplating the many difficulties (no CCs, no programs heads) up ahead. The same type I’m sure Mother Mary felt in her heart standing at the foot of the cross in seeing every detail of It (wood, size, colour) and of Jesus’ pain and suffering (crown of thorns, thirst-dried lips, wounds). There is no doubt that she felt the deepest anguish, pain, and helplessness. Yet, she never buckled down and stood by Him until the very end. 

For many different reasons, if we see service as a Cross,(e.g. lack of CCs, demotivated leaders, etc.) God never wants us to be standing in the crowd watching It. We will slowly become part of the jeerers, demanding that Jesus reveals Himself (“save yourself!”) to us in order to believe and move. He wants us standing so close to the Cross that we will immediately see and recognize that It is also ours. And with renewed resolve, we must pick it up, carry it through our personal road to cavalry to where we will be moved again in meeting Christ on His cross.

(prayer): Jesus, we are deeply moved by your loving sacrifice. Let the tears we shed in our Mission of spreading the Good News lead us to true resolve, a place where we acknowledge that laying down our lives out of love for you is our only consolation and way to everlasting joy.

Trinity Run

Winter is fast approaching, and I can already feel my body starting to switch over to hibernation mode. Soon enough it’ll be too hard to get up out of bed, nearly impossible to escape out of those double duvets. Tis the season for excusing our way out of health habits.

I used to run regularly to maintain some sort of physical activity but that died down since who knows when. Spring is always difficult to face after long winters because of the three month break. I personally loathe treadmills and will refuse to get on one. I’d rather wait. I much rather prefer the great outdoors, but Toronto winter weather does very little to help with that. Daylight savings mean shorter days and longer nights. It takes approximately two weeks to adjust. My body is definitely losing on this front.

Our spiritual health suffers from the same changes. We have cycles where we’re going  strong- we’ve found some sort of groove with our prayer time and involvement with the sacraments. At these moments, our relationship with Christ is toned and trimmed. Excess weight cut off. The closer we get to Christ the less baggage we carry- our material and worldly desires no longer necessary. We are tied down to less.

But then, at some point, we face an itch of sorts. An itch that just needs to be scratched. A craving that just needs to be satisfied. A thirst that needs to be quenched. But instead of reaching for the healthy & obvious choice of water we go for the Coke. Pepsi. Ginger Ale. Root Beer.  And just like that, our impenetrable fortress comes crashing down. Why? Because we foolishly ignored that cracked wooden frame that started to break- little by little. It was easier to feign ignorance to something that needed fixing. It’s easier to give in and let our human needs win.

“I’m only doing it once.” I still exercise anyway. Cheating won’t hurt.” 

That’s what I realize happened to me. And for some reason or another, I kept making excuses and reasoned my way out of a very fruitful, beautiful prayer habit. It only took one small “set back”. I cut down my prayer time, my weekday church dates, and adoration drop ins so that I could bulk up on old habits which I knew were only going to get me in worse (spiritual) shape.

Negative thoughts filled my head. I became impatient, moody, and lethargic. Two weeks passed since my last confession, and although I knew I needed it PRONTO …my body would magically (temporarily) shake off the anxiety. It made me think I could keep going. Nyeh, it can wait.

Nope.

Confession is our detox. Our body needs to get rid of built up toxins the same way our soul needs to get rid of impurities. Getting through it is tough, but we always come out healthier afterwards. Praise God, for God because I finally went for that detox round. He knew I needed it. And I knew I needed it. The hardest step is always the first, the hardest run is always the most dreadful.

Our prayer life can be a long outstretched summer. However if we trip and fall into the darkness of winter, we shouldn’t despair. We don’t have to endure three months of waiting. We can choose to fast forward to spring.  My winter lasted 8 days too long, but today’s TRINITY RUN (adoration, confession and Holy Eucharist) allowed me to see the Son rise gloriously. Thankfully, our salvation and redemption is not bound by time, because we are loved by a God whose love is endless and timeless. 

 “A clean heart is a free heart. A free heart can love Christ with an undivided love in chastity, convinced that nothing and nobody will separate it from His love.”
-Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Sing to me…

Amidst the commotion and the busyness of the preparation for this conference, You still find a means to sing to my heart in ways I cannot even fathom.  You play a tune unheard of yet so familiar, a complicated melody only You have mastered.  You enchant my senses and call my true self, Your love and daughter, to complete surrender.  You envelop me with Your still small voice and enliven me with your passionate and fierce spirit.

Jesus, you were “fashioned of flesh yet you were not too proud to wear our skin”.  May we strive to be humble as we walk this earth and serve others. 

Mama Mary, please pray for our souls and for the souls whom have no one to pray for them.