3 Things that Cause UNthankfulness

This is just a quick post as I don't want to forget these little things I learned from the Homily of Father Jojo Monis of Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish. The topic he discussed was about the top 3 things that cause us to be "UNthankful." 

1. Taking Things for Granted

Father Jojo said that this is one of the main reasons why we become unthankful - when we forget how blessed we already are. 

Sometimes when huge or even little challenges come into my life, I dwell on them until I feel like I've solved them. Though I pray to God to help me surrender these worries, I must admit that I sometimes have a hard time doing a "full surrender" to His will. 

The homily reminded me that despite my problems, I am still blessed with a loving family and a brand new day to make better decisions and become a better person. All of us are blessed. We just have to make an everyday effort to acknowledge these truths.

2. Envy and Selective Blindness

One day I had a meet-up with my girl friends and we were updating each other on what's going on with our lives. One of my friends said, "Oh have you seen the Facebook account of (some girl's name)? I can't believe she is now a (insert awesome career here). I hope I can do the same thing. She used to be not good in school. I can't believe she's a (once again, insert the career here)."

That conversation got me baffled. I am actually very happy for people who were once struggling adolescents but have now become better individuals. Likewise, I am also happy for myself and my journey through life. Sometimes, I just hope that we don't get too engrossed in this "it's-greener-on-the-other-side" mentality and simply be happy where we are now. Let's all be happy for each others' successes because we all have something unique to celebrate about our lives. Let's choose to see the good things instead of what we feel are wrong in our lives.  

3. The Feeling of Self-Entitlement

"I achieved things without the help of God."

Some of us may tend to think that we are self-entitled of our achievements. Like everything that happened in our lives were solely from our own efforts. No one helped you get to where you are. No one blessed you with your talents, gifts, and opportunities. It's all just you.

Father Jojo reminded us that although this arrogance can well up in our hearts, we should be reminded that there is someone out there bigger than us and taking care of us despite our ingratitude.

I have a friend who seemed to have it all. He's very proud of his achievements because he was top of his class while in university and recently, has passed all tests for a much awaited career promotion. When the time for promotion came, he apparently, was not chosen. He was so used to his success that when he did not get what he wanted, he became resentful of his work and secluded himself from his workmates. 

The call for us in our times of pride and arrogance is to regain the virtue of humility in our hearts. Sometimes there will be things that we will not get in life but this should not stop us from appreciating the rest of what's great about our lives.

Live Life to the Fullest! God bless you! :)

Jacq

About Humility

I have been reading Pope Francis' book entitled The Way of Humility and so far I have learned a lot from this very wise man. 

Let me share some of his quotes as I also narrate personal struggles in my life.

"Negative criticism leads us to focus on the faults and failings of other people; as a result, we can feel superior."

Lately, I experienced a huge setback in my life. Someone stole a huge amount from my bank savings. I confided it to my closest friends and family. Sadly, some of my family members I sought refuge from and look up to were the first ones to criticize me and what happened to me. 

After I read the book, I realized that it is easy for people to criticize than to really listen and to empathize. It is easier to hurt others than to comfort. All my ailing heart needed was comfort.

I realized that maybe my condition was not really the issue at hand when they decided to criticize me. Maybe they also had an ailing heart or were going through some tough times of their own. I can only try my best to understand them. But I thank God for all my friends who supported me through it all. Even if they weren't blood relatives, they proved to me how they are true sisters and brothers in Christ.

"Those who have fallen into the habit of being suspicious about everything little by little lose the peace of mind that comes from trusting confidence in God."

After I have learned of this huge setback, I also fell into anxiety even to the point of not being able to sleep. After months of agony, I realized that worrying is causing me to become faithless and prideful because I am not able to surrender these feelings to God. Thankfully, God touched my heart and now I'm back to doing my regular prayer time, Gospel reading, and have grown to constantly rely on praying the rosary to help me. It is true that in the worst case scenarios of life, when I have no one to turn to, it is God who is left available to turn to. It is saddening to realize that I sometimes tend to try to resolve things on my own before considering the power of Christ to save me. But today I am humbled. I need and accept His saving grace and I surrender.

"But if we carefully seek out the root cause of our disquiet, we always find the same: the fact that we do not practice self-accusation. This is why we feel crushed and never at peace. It is not surprising that all the saints say there is no other road than this."

I was very disquieted. Inside I had bombs exploding in my chest asking the Lord, "why me?!" But then Pope Francis reminded me, "why not you?" As Christ, my Lord, died on the cross, so too must I carry my cross. And this is the cross He allowed me to carry. And by His grace I can carry it. As the Lord is crushing my prideful heart, He is replacing it with a more humble one. A new heart that is stronger than the one I once had. A heart capable of truly sharing in His pain now and later on, His glory. 

"Look at a beast of burden. If it is sturdy, it cheerfully carries the heavy burden that is loaded onto it; if it loses its balance it gets up straightaway and suffers no harm. If it is weak, however, any load is too much for it; and if it falls, it needs a lot of help to get back on its feet. The same is true with the soul."

"Christ knows better than I whether I should obtain satisfaction, and he himself will take care of this thing or this food." 

On the day I learned I lost most of my life savings, I realized that maybe God is telling me I really do not need those things. I do not need to be secure in myself. I only needed to be secure in Him and to trust Him that He will take care of me. I should have 100% faith.

"But in his wisdom the prophet knew well that nothing attracts God's mercy upon the soul as much as trials, especially those that come in the time of misfortune and persecution."

And I trust in these words. I put them in my heart. I feel God telling me to relax. He will take care of me no matter how hard and no matter how impossible circumstances seem to be. 

And as I end this entry, I would like to leave you with a final quote I love:

"Everything happens by God's providence, according to what is best for each person."

God bless you! 

 

 

 

Three Qualities of a Missionary

"He said to them, 

'Take nothing for the journey, 

neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, 

and let no one take a second tunic.'" 

- Luke 9: 3

Last Wednesday, Fr. Ruper Solis, SVD celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the Couples For Christ Global Mission Center. I memorized the homily he said because it was something very useful to us missionaries. The homily was in line with the Gospel which was taken from Luke 9:1-6.

Being a missionary priest in Argentina for the last 7 years, Fr. Ruper has so much to share about how to really be a missionary.

Fr. Ruper Solis

"Do not take anything with you"

In the homily, he shared with us the Three Qualities of a Missionary.

Number 1: You are a messenger.

Fr. Ruper reminded us that as missionaries, we do not send ourselves but it is the Lord who sends us. Sometimes, when we go to a place, we tend to be arrogant and think "I will save these people." But not really.

He reminded us to remember that it is Christ who sent us. We are merely bearers of the message and servants ready to do His will. We are there not to do what we want but to open ourselves to do exactly what God wants for the people through our presence.

We are but instruments.

Number 2: You should Live Simply.

Before Fr. Ruper went to Argentina, he carried with him 2 large suitcases of personal belongings enough for the 7-year trip. When he got back to the Philippines after 7 years, he also brought back 2 large suitcases with him. That was all he had.

He found it funny that his entire possessions fit in only 2 large suitcases. But that story reminded me of how we are but nomads in this life. Earth is not our final destination but Heaven.

We came here on earth with nothing and we will leave with nothing.

As missionaries, we are to live simply and be ready to surrender much material wealth for the call of the Lord.

Number 3: You must be a Positive thinker.

Being a positive thinker is one of the most necessary 'skills' of a missionary. According to Fr. Ruper, being a missionary is not a walk in the park. There are times when you will face rejection, persecution, disillusionment, and hopelessness in your journey. It is best to think positive and focus on God despite the many oppressions that come your way.

---

Those are my notes from his homily and I hope these will inspire you in your journey as a missionary for Christ.

God bless you!!! 

Love, 

The Catholic Chic

Your Heart Today

Every Sunday, my family joins the choir for the 6 am Mass at our parish. Today, our choir head chose the song "Your Heart Today." 

I was deeply touched by the message of the song that I wanted to post it so I can share with you guys. Here are the lyrics of the song and the video. Happy viewing!

Your Heart Today 

by Fr. Manuel 'Manoling' Francisco, SJ

sung by Bukas Palad

Where there is fear I can allay
Where there is pain I can heal
Where there are wounds I can bind
And hunger I can fill

REFRAIN:
Lord, grant me courage
Lord, grant me strength
Grant me compassion
That I may be Your heart today

Where there is hate I can confront
Where there are yokes I can release
Where there are captives I can free
And anger I can appease (REFRAIN)

BRIDGE:
When comes the day I dread
To see our broken world
Compel me from my cell grown cold
That Your people I may behold

Where there is fear I can allay
Where there is pain I can heal
Where there are wounds I can bind
And hunger I can fill (REFRAIN)

CODA:
And when I've done all that I could
Yet there are hearts I cannot move
Lord, give me hope
That I may be Your heart today

 (lyrics from elyrics.net)

Love,

The Catholic Chic

My notes on "Exorcism: Encounters with the Paranormal and the Occult" by Fr. Syquia

"It is the enemy who should fear us, and not we him."

- Saint Faustina

"If we are at war with the devil, we are at peace with God."

- St. John Chrysostom

---

The parishioners of the Sanctuario de San Jose, together with the Defensores Fidei Foundation (DFF), a Roman Catholic lay foundation, organized a talk entitled “Exorcism: Encounters with the Paranormal and the Occult.” It was held last August 16 at the Sanctuario de San Jose Parish in Greenhills, San Juan. The speaker was Fr. Jose Francisco “Jocis” Syquia, the director of the Office of Exorcism of the Archdiocese of Manila. 

From CBCPNews.com

I learned about Father Jocis when I got a hold of his book Exorcism, Encounters with the paranormal and the occult way back when I was in college. It is one of my favorite Catholic books until now because I learned a lot about the workings of evil against Christians and how I could defend myself and others from oppression. 

Father Jocis authors other bestselling books - Exorcist, a Spiritual journey and Exorcist vol. 2, Spiritual Battle Lines. I highly recommend these books to all Catholics who would like to learn more about combating evil in today's world.

The program started with some welcoming remarks from the founding head of Defensores Fidei, Henry Siy. It is then followed by a brief introduction of Fr. Jocis.

It was my first time to see Fr. Jocis Syquia in person and I was surprised that he looks quite young! Another thing I learned about him is that he has a licentiate in Spiritual Theology from Angelicum in Rome where he finished as a Magna Cum Laude. Awesome!

 

Anyway, here are some of my notes on the lecture of Fr. Jocis. I pray that you'll be guided by the Holy Spirit as you read on:

Fr. Jocis starting his lecture at the Sanctuario de San Jose.

Who is the source of your suffering?

Sufferings and trials are a part of life. I never really reflected about where my sufferings come from or who gives it to me. I just accept its existence and try to solve it as best as I could. Most of the time, people blame God for the sufferings they have in life.

According to Fr. Jocis, we should consider the fact that many of our sufferings come from the devil. He said: 

"Sufferings which come from the Lord should be life-giving. 

If it is not, it is caused by evil."

Are our sufferings life-giving? Let's take time to reflect on the cause of our trials. For all we know, they may not have come from above. 

Remember that the devil wants to be hidden from our awareness, to deceive us that our sufferings come only from ourselves or from God.

 

The acts of fallen angels

Uncertainties in life and the Loss of Faith opens us humans to temptation, sins, and the occult. Fallen angels use these situations in our lives as a way of getting nearer to us.

Fallen angels cause oppression, obsessions, infestation, and ultimately, possession (Read more about it here). According to Fr. Jocis, more Christians have experienced forms of oppression. Some of us may not even be aware of it but we are already being oppressed by the enemy at this point in time.  

Specifically, demons can cause physical, emotional, and psychological problems.

I realized that I have experienced some forms of oppression previously enumerated by Fr. Jocis. Some of them include persistent nightmares, waking up at 3 am, and having gory and bloody dreams. These happened when I neglected my prayer time before going to bed. Only when my husband and I started to diligently pray before going to bed and adding the Prayer of Humility and Hail Mary in our prayers did I stop having consistent nightmares.

My dad had the same oppressions before. He sleeps in the room next to ours. When he started wearing blessed sacramentals, aside from praying before sleeping, did his nightmares stop.

The reality of hell and the battle for the soul.

In the apparition of the Lady of Fatima, she showed the children who saw her, the reality of hell. Hell was described as a sea of fire beneath the earth, a place where souls and devils are together for eternity. Father Jocis discussed further that the devils look like loathsome, animal-like creatures, pitch black in color, and transparent in form.

On earth, God protects both good and evil people from the snare of demons; but once a soul goes to hell, God is not there and satan can do with the soul whatever he wants.

According to Fr. Jocis, it is impossible for a Christian to be left untouched by satan. Therefore, we should be steadfast in this battle for the soul. The more we battle the evil one, the more God is glorified.

An important step in this battle is to first detect the opponent. Remember that he is very deceptive so always pray for discernment and strength from Christ.

We should also be sure that we are on the side of the Lord. Fr. Jocis reminds us that even good people can be used by the deception of satan. 

Exorcism 101

Exorcism is an act of reconciliation with God. This process removes satan who attaches to our soul, body, and in the environment.

In the time of Christ, He has used the Ministry of Liberation/ Exorcism out of charity. If you read your bible, you would find numerous accounts of Jesus freeing people possessed by demons. He also allowed his apostles to perform this charitable work to help others.

Fr. Jocis reminds us to see satan in the eyes of Christ. If we have the mind of Christ, we will not be afraid. He added, Jesus combated the devil as a human being too. This fact should empower us that we too, as long as we are united in Christ, can defeat the devil as He did. Only through Christ can we expel a fallen angel.

Sacramentals for exorcism: Benedictine cross, rosary, and the Benedictine medal.

 
Syncretism in Filipino Christianity

Syncretism in our country is evident among Filipinos who combine their  pagan past with the practice of Catholicism and Christianity. 

There is a certain split-level Christianity when we believe in Christ and yet we also believe in feng shui, lucky charms, other gods, new age beliefs, etc.

I was struck when Fr. Jocis said something like, Sunday Catholics are still pagan. Sunday Catholics are those who attend mass on Sundays but do not really practice their faith beyond mere attendance. 

I realized that we should challenge ourselves to practice our faith in our every day living and also become more active in parish activities and even in Catholic lay organizations. We are to act with the heart of the law, and not by simply going through the rule of the law without understanding what it means to be truly Catholic.

We are called to actively participate in activities of our parishes and lay Catholic organizations.

The Sacramentals

Sacramentals include Holy water, Holy oil, Exorcised salt, Blessed candles, St. Benedict's medal, Rosary, Scapular, Holy cards, and Statues of the Saints among others (Read about their effects on evil spirits here). These sacramentals should be blessed and prayers must be used with it to become more effective.



Be reminded that sacramentals must be blessed because spirits can attach themselves to the sacramentals too.

I also learned that when we bless the food we eat, these become sacramentals as well and is used by God to heal us of physical ailments and bless our bodies.

Sacramentals for blessing by Fr. Syquia.

The blessing of the sacramentals.

I am also not aware of the Saint Michael prayer. Thankfully, this was introduced in the lecture and it is effective in battling the advances of satan (Learn more prayers here). 

Saint Michael, the Archangel, 

defend us in our hour of battle.
Be our protection 

against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God restrain him, we humbly pray;
And you, O prince of the heavenly host by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world
seeking the ruin of souls.

---

I hope you enjoyed reading my notes. What I've written is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the topic of exorcism. If you want to learn more, I suggest you buy the books of Fr. Syquia in bookstores near you. I personally bought my copy from St. Paul's bookstore.

For online information, please visit the Office of Exorcism of the Archdiocese of Manila website at www.exorcismphilippines.org. 

Also, listen to Fr. Jocis' radio show at Radio Veritas. His show is entitled "Kristo, Liwanag sa Dilim" and it is aired every Saturdays from 6 - 7 pm.

Note: All pictures of the books of Fr. Jocis were taken from Google images and St. Paul bookstore website.

Yours in Christ,

The Catholic Chic

Let me Know Myself by St. Augustine

This is a beautiful prayer created by St. Augustine which I reposted from the EWTN website. You can check the original page here. I decided to repost it in my blog so I won't forget.

Happy praying!

Domine Iesu, Noverim me (Lord Jesus, Let Me Know Myself)

Written by St. Augustine; (354-430)

Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know Thee,
And desire nothing save only Thee.
Let me hate myself and love Thee.
Let me do everything for the sake of Thee.
Let me humble myself and exalt Thee.
Let me think of nothing except Thee.
Let me die to myself and live in Thee.
Let me accept whatever happens as from Thee.
Let me banish self and follow Thee,
And ever desire to follow Thee.
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in Thee,
That I may deserve to be defended by Thee.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear Thee,
And let me be among those who are chosen by Thee.
Let me distrust myself and put my trust in Thee.
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of Thee.
Let me cling to nothing save only to Thee,
And let me be poor because of Thee.
Look upon me, that I may love Thee.
Call me that I may see Thee,
And for ever enjoy Thee. Amen.

Repost: Yesterday Once More by Fr. Joel Jason

"...But from the Beginning, it was not so." 

- Jesus

(see Mt 19:8)

 

---

Yesterday Once More

July 26, 2014 at 6:10pm

26 July 2014

17^th Sunday Ordinary A

Matthew 13:44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied.

He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his store room new treasures as well as old.”

Yesterday Once More

This Sunday we reflect on the last set of the parables in this wonderful chapter of Matthew 13. Jesus here speaks of the Kingdom of God and uses the imagery of treasure buried in a field, a merchant in search of fine pearls and a dragnet. We could say a lot about each of these parables but what caught my attention reading the Gospel this time is the last imagery Jesus used: “… the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old” (v 52).

Notice that Jesus calls both the new and the old as treasures. It’s a beautiful imagery of the Church and of Her faithful. It is an institution and a community enriched by the harmony of the old and the new, of tradition and vision, of growth and rootedness, of conservatism and liberalism.

We must admit our attitudes often fall into either of opposite extremes missing out on the benefit of synergizing both dimensions. That line in the parable is a statement against an ignorant prejudice against the old and a juvenile prejudice in favor of the new.

I attended a meeting once with a group of passionate, energetic and quite accomplished young professionals. After opening prayers we all sat down and got ready for discussion. I brought out my old reliable pen and paper. Everyone began to pull out their MacBookPros and iPads and netbooks. Expecting an important message anytime on, I laid on the table my old reliable Nokia 6330. Then everyone brought out their Blackberry’s, iPhone5’s and Samsung tablets. “Welcome to the digital age,” I whispered to myself. I must admit I felt so Jurassic that afternoon and I left the meeting feeling like I needed counseling to regain my self-esteem. Retiring my good old Nokia phone was a step in the right direction.

We should embrace cultural evolution, progress, technology and modern advances. They are goods in themselves. They are a testament to the richness of human culture, intelligence, and creativity. But may I throw in a little caveat. An experience years ago pointed this out to me. While walking in a mall, I once overheard a group of teen-agers shrieking, “Oh my gosh, did you see that? That is so 2010!” I didn’t know what they were talking about but the aversion with which that teen-age girl said “That is so 2010!” made it seem like 2010 was centuries ago. For a moment then I was disoriented. I checked my calendar and we were just halfway of 2011.

I remember the late Fulton Sheen speaking of what he called “the chronological arrogance of the modern age.” It is that attitude that undiscerningly accepts and embrace anything and everything that is “modern.” It is that attitude that also mocks anything and everything that is “yesterday.” And if there is a slogan that best illustrates this “chronological arrogance of the modern age,” it is this: “That is so 2010!”

Yes, as Jesus suggested in the parable, the new is to be welcomed, but not without discernment. The new is to be rejoiced at but not with the automatic dismissal of the old. A feminist activist sarcastically wrote in her recent column, “…the Philippines and the Vatican are the only country in the world that refuse to legalize abortion, and it’s a shame because we’re already in 2014.” A lawmaker trumpeted in Congress, “Every city and country in the world has already accepted divorce. The Philippines is the only one that has not implemented it. It’s the modern times already.” Pray tell me. Is human life and marriage a matter of vogue or values? Even our ethical and legal procedures seem to be determined by this “chronological arrogance of the modern age.”

Just think about it? Are marriages today better than the marriages of old, say the 1950’s or 60”s or even 70’s (I can hear the teen-agers shrieking again)?  Do parents feel more secure today for their future and for their children than yesterday? Do we feel more safe and secure in our society today than before? Are children more respectful of the elderly today than before? Is the world a safer place today than before? If we search our heart of hearts, we know the answer is “no.”

Maybe the era that we ridicule as obsolete knew something right yesterday. Maybe the folks we brand as “narrow-minded” and “unenlightened” were doing something right yesterday. Maybe we are in a big mess today because we have ignored the wisdom of yesterday and embraced hook, line and sinker the proposals of the present day. Maybe yesterday need not be readily dismissed by today.

God bless you!

5 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest

My Notes on Fr. Joel Jason's Talk at the Mercy Cafe

We love because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19

 -----------------------------------------------------------



Last weekend, the Mercy Cafe hosted its 6th talk entitled La Vita e Bella at the Grills N' Sizzles bar at Examiner street, Quezon City. 

The invited speaker was Rev. Fr. Joel Jason, the Dean of Studies of the San Carlos Graduate School of Theology. 

This workshop was very timely because I am also in search of how I could live my life to the full. This workshop gave a fresh perspective because rather than suggesting the usual traveling, rock climbing, or bungee jumping advices I got from other blogs on how to live my life to the full, it targeted my inner self, my heart, and my soul. Here are my notes on the discussion. Fr. Joel started with the 5 Signs You are NOT Living Life to the Full (or you are Dying Spiritually), each followed by specific steps on how to live life to the fullest. Happy reading friends!

Participants with Rev. Fr. Joel Jason

5 Signs You are NOT Living Life to the Full

Sign 1. When Church Services bore you.

When we become bored during our prayer time, worship, doing service in the parish, and most especially when celebrating the Eucharist, chances are we are not focusing on Christ but ourselves. God becomes a rival or competitor in our "Me" attitude. 

When we realize that God is not our competitor, then worship becomes joyful and becomes our life. And when we worship, we become more alive.

There are instances when our ego or the self, fears its disappearance when we surrender ourselves to God. However, Fr. Joel reminded us of the Theodrama of reincarnation, that when the Creator comes to the creature, the creature will be brought to a fuller life. It is a kind of life that the creature cannot achieve on its own power.

How to combat sign 1: Make your work your worship.

Work here pertains to everything you do, from waking up in the morning, brushing your teeth, eating breakfast - everything! It includes your thoughts, desires, words, and actions. 

There should be no separation of what we say from what we do. We have to live our faith. Our whole life will become our worship and we will weld our life to glorifying God even in the simplest, most mundane tasks.  

Make your meal times your worship.

Sign 2. When Noise attracts you more than Silence.

All of us need our silent or alone time. 

According to Fr. Joel, silence is the language of God and of love. We hear His messages to us more clearly when we sit in silence with Him a few minutes a day. 

We speak more calmly with others too if we are at peace with them. If you prefer noise more than silence, then there is a certain possibility that you fear hearing the voice of your own heart and what you truly feel inside.

How to combat this: Give yourself the "Silent Treatment" once a week

Try to not use your cellphone or refrain from going online in your social media accounts. Once you are comfortable hearing the sound of silence, then you are ready to live life fully.

Q & A with the speaker.

Sign 3. When the words of a celebrity attract you more than the words of Christ.

Do you have social media accounts? Check out who you are following. If you prefer to follow more secular accounts than Christian or Catholic accounts, then maybe you need to refocus where you're getting your inspiration and guidance from. 

Maybe it's time to refocus on Christ.


How to combat this: When you voluntarily immerse yourself in the word of God daily (i.e. Bible and the daily readings).

Remember to feed your soul with God's word daily. Your soul needs that most. If we put God's word in our hearts, then sin will have no place in it and evil will not have a hold on our hearts. 

Remember Christ was tempted in the desert three times and he used scripture three times to combat the evil one (Activity: Read Deutoronomy and search for Christ's responses).

Christ has the words of eternal life and words have the power to describe and CREATE reality. Let Christ create your reality. Be immersed in His words (Activity: Read Psalm 118 and be inspired).

Let Christ create your reality and Live a Most Beautiful Life.

Sign 4. When Ambition attracts you more than Mission.

Ambition points to the glorification of the self while Mission aims for the welfare of others. 

Is your ambition consistent with your mission? Is your ambition aimed for service? Do you work for money or out of love for your neighbor? Once our ambitions conquer our life and we neglect to serve others, maybe it's time to do a little rain check and refocus on what really matters.

How to combat this: Perform your profession in the Spirit of Mission.

No matter what our profession is, let's see it as a way for us to become Christ to others. Perform your best out of love.

CFC Full-time pastoral workers enjoying the talk.

Sign 5.  When the Story of the Cross no longer moves you.

When the story of the sufferings of Christ no longer stir us, then how can we become true sufferers with Christ? 

Remember as Christians, we are to die to ourselves for the sake of our brethren. We put them first before our selfish needs.

How to combat this: Acknowledge your God-given gifts and talents, then give them away.

How can I be a true sufferer with Christ? 

The best way to live with Christ is to share our talents with others. All of us have gifts and talents, whether we believe it or not. Always remember that every gift is meant to be given away. Our lives are temporal and the way we share in the glory of the cross is to also share what we have and who we are for the betterment of the lives of others.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed reading my notes. And I sure do hope we see each other on August 9, 2014 for the 7th Mercy Cafe session again at Grills N Sizzles, Examiner Street, Quezon City!

Full-time workers at the Couples for Christ Global Mission Center take a picture with Fr. Joel.

CFC full-time pastoral workers with the host of the event, Mary (rightmost), who is also a CFC full-time worker.

The next Mercy Cafe (session 7) will be on August 9, 2014. If you are interested to join, please check out their Facebook page: Mercy Cafe.

Thank you and May God be with you!