Bells and birds

Water

Candle of love

Reflecting on the Fourth Week of Advent – Candle of Love

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3 :1

The Candle of Love signifies the Angels' declaration of the Good News ... the Savior is coming!

God’s Love.

One of the best gifts I received from the Great Father is the ability to acknowledge all the blessings that I have been indulging in my everyday life.  Of how God's love is present in every people I encounter, on how I am able to win every trial, in every food that I partake, in every reason to smile, even to cry…. in everything.

More often, we focused on God's love through all His blessings. And lately, I realized that the fullness of God's love is far more than what I had always thought.

Weeks ago, I had a conflict with a dear friend. For some reasons, the more that I was hurting; the more that I become more loving. And at some point, I was affirmed that it is hard to beg for love. In my moment of reflection, I realized how hard it is to keep on loving people, even if circumstances cause you to hurt so much.

I had a pinch of how it feels, when people turn their back on Jesus, make fun of Him, hurt Him and yet, He showed nothing but love in dying on the cross for all of us.  If that did hurt, imagine how the Father felt for His dying son.

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." - John 3 :17

Surprisingly, in that moment of loving and hurting at the same time, I felt so much peace. I realized how the Lord loves me so much, that He is able to condition my heart to love unconditionally and reflecting on it, I realized how great it is to live a life , where you are able to love even at the darkest times.

As we are all aware of God's ultimate love for us, most of us fail to understand that the fullness of God's love can only be achieved if the same level of love magnify from God, through us, to other people.

Christmas is a season of love as it marks the coming of the Savior which saved us all by dying on the cross. It signifies Father’s great love as He sent His only Son, to live with us, and to die for us.  

But as we share our own version of "giving love" through giving gifts and presents this Christmas Season, may we all realize that the best gift of all is love. Receive Great Love. Give Genuine Love. Live to Love.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres".- I Corinthians 13: 4-7

- Sis Shayne Navarro, SFC UAE

#Pablo

This season reminds us to be more grateful and hopeful, to everyone who already sent their help, may God bless you a hundredfold.
 Let us proclaim the our Dear Father will provide for them.

It's Christmas eve...we pray...

Find its way...

A wonderful miracle

The Key

My Spirit reJOYces :)

Reflecting on the Third Week of Advent - Candle of Joy

Joy. Rejoice. Delight. Be happy. Happiness. High Spirits. Great pleasure.

It can be whatever word you want from the thesaurus. Or whether it be spoken, exclaimed or even whispered in different tongues, joy is universally understood. It is more than an emotion like happiness. It is a state of being. The knowledge of joy (or at least the anticipation of true joy) has been hard wired into our DNA. We have been fearfully and wonderfully made with the longing to be in the presence of what would truly rejoice, and that is to be in the presence of the One who embedded us with that longing in the first place.

As the day draws near, our hearts must be in a state of breathless anticipation, delighted expectation.

Let us focus our souls towards the Source of Joy. Not to be worried about the days that would lead up to it.

Let us allow our spirits to be as excited as John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb during the Visitation, when even as an unborn baby, he could not contain the joy at being so close to His Saviour who was to be born.

Let every single cell in our earthly bodies join with the heavenly choirs as we truly exclaim,

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour”

Let us prepare ourselves mind, body and soul, not for the bountiful feasts that we would be partaking of in the many Christmas parties. But, rather, let us empty ourselves... liberate ourselves from the darkness in our lives to fully experience the joyful Light that we await to receive on Christmas day.

Come, Lord Jesus. Maranatha!

Why pink?

Many Catholics are unaware that the third candle of Advent is pink, not because they ran out of purple wax, but is part of an ancient tradition passed down. It was once a tradition for the pope to give someone a rose on the fourth Sunday of Lent before Easter to “liven up” the somber tone. And before Christmas became globally commercialized, it was common for people to fast during the Advent season (or the mini-Lent) as they called it. As such, the practice also became customary during Gaudete Sunday.

Heavenly Father,

This Year of Faith, we pray that ALL may ask You for the grace to have eager hearts to learn more about our faith and for eager mouths to share it with others.

- Apple Fuentes, SFC UAE

#Sandy Hook Elementary School

Joy of the Season

PRAY and PREPARE

I am a planner.

I find it irresponsible if I was not able to plan for something that is already a known challenge. I always have a list or a mental list of what to do and what to buy. I mark my calendars, count the days, and write down what to do for the day. Meal plans. Vacation plans. Party plans. It is me, being sure that I maintain the control of the situation even the schedule and the details to ensure the outcome that I want. In the process of making all the lists and post-its and journals I find myself having planned for almost everything, but unprepared for what God really wants for me and that really broke my heart.

 

There are times that when I pray I tell God what my plans are and ask Him to bless me and help me with the “list”. Not bad right? At least I’m including God in my plans. But I was wrong. Who am I to include God in my plans? I should’ve asked God to prepare me for His plans for me. I should’ve prepared and not plan all along because only God knows what and where He wants me to be.

It’s really amazing how the power of God works. Looking back at all of the award-winning, heart breaking, confusing, blood-increasing, adrenaline-rushing moments of my life, God was there working in my life. I just didn't see at that time because I was so blinded of those moments. My past has prepared me for who I am and what I am doing today. When we pray to God to give us strength He will not give us vitamins or some sort of gym membership but instead He will give us challenges that will make our faith stronger.

God does the planning; we do the preparing. Just like what happened before Christ was born. It was “John the Baptist prepared the way” not “planned the way” for His coming. They always say that things happen for a reason and now I know that reason. God is preparing me for service. The catch here is that I’m still praying for something that is yet to come. I know that God will inform me of what service that will be when He is ready and when He knows that I am ready. Just like what surfers do, they don’t plan the waves; they are just prepared when the waves roll in. Planning is deciding what I will do and preparing is becoming ready to do what I might be called to do.

Abi Young, SFC UAE

Reward for good service is more service.  Enjoy it! –Noli Manuel

Every second is a chance to turn your life around.

Follow your heart if your heart belongs to God alone.