Fullness of Life in Christ Weekend

I attended several preparatory service meetings since last month for the recently concluded Fullness of Life in Christ Weekend for the CFC’s North B sector. Days before our initial meeting held at the residence of Bro. Lito Santos at Ciudad Regina last April 11, my cluster household head had asked me and Bro. Vic de la Cruz to help out in the sector’s service team for the conduct of this year weekend seminar.

I said yes quite reluctantly, because I really wanted to attend the weekend with my wife as focused participants. Experience has taught me that as a member of the service team, your attention during the actual talks and activities suffer as you go along doing your assigned tasks. We didn’t attend the weekend seminar for community elders in Subic earlier this year so I didn’t enjoy the advantage of other service team members like Bro. Vic who were there in Zambales.

Moreover, as we service team members later realized, the weekend’s implementation was left at the hands of chapter heads like me, with minimal involvement of the cluster leaders which was noticeably unorthodox to say the least. At any rate, we all went through with our planning and implementation and the rest is history.

I volunteered myself to handle the music related tasks thinking this assignment shall give more time during the weekend itself to really listen to the talks. The task primarily meant coordination with the sector’s music ministry for the preparation and finalization of mass songs, worship and reflection songs. During the event itself, I also manned the computer and LCD projector and became the ‘voice-over’ emcee for the program.

The weekend went through rather smoothly, I might say. Despite a number of preliminary logistical and attendance concerns, there were little technical problems and the activity was well attended last May 15 (Saturday) at the Aventura Hall of the Philippine Heart Center.

The whole day program started with a registration period for participants followed by the celebration of the Holy Mass and the morning’s corporate worship. The afternoon session also started with a worship activity while the weekend’s program later ended with a Praisefest led by energetic cluster household brother Willy Bagsarsa.

On this post I share with readers my ruminations on the weekend’s five major talks:

Accepting the Call

It would seem that God is constantly calling on us, inviting us to follow Him (John 1:39-51). Unlike the twelve apostles though, a number of us have rejected such invitation many times over in our lives.

Like the speaker, Bro. Art Valdellon, former Sector Head of East B and current Provincial Area Head (PAH) of Rizal, at some point in time I finally decided to respond to God’s call. My decision happened in 2002 when I accepted and convinced my wife to attend a Christian Life Program (CLP). What struck me in the invitation letter was the phrase ‘God was calling me by name’. Wow…the Supreme Being, God Almighty was calling me by my name! I just had to respond!

The thing about knowing the Lord is, the more you experience Him, the more you are drawn closer to God! Trials like the recent freak accident of Sis. Edna (Bro. Art’s wife) a ‘teardrop’ story she courageously shared with us often do not disappear from the renewed lives of Christians. But our discovery of a new spirit, God’s Holy Spirit in us, is more than enough to help us confront such difficulties.

Conclusion: Acceptance of God’s loving call brings us spiritual freedom and a new, full and vibrant life in Christ!

One In Christ

Bro. Mon de Leon’s (PAH of Laguna and South B Sector Head) wacky stories as a CFC member were a complete contrast to the sober testimonies of the Valdellon couple. Yet as always, he was entertainingly effective.

Sis. Penny, Bro. Mon’s wife didn’t look a bit sick but was once described medically speaking as “a walking disaster”. By God’s grace, she not only lives but has been a source of strength for he renewal of others.

The crux of the message was to continually abide in Christ (through prayer, Scriptural study, sacramental life and devotionals) so that we may bear much fruit in our lives. The Bible talks about “the kind of fruit that endures.”

I have to remember that the new life I now enjoy in the Lord is not a product of my good works but by His grace and love. It is our faith response to God’s call that pleases Him (John 15:16).

Rooted In Christ

Being one in Christ implied being “rooted” in Christ. Faithfulness is not enough. We also have to be fruitful. It is a special way of giving glory to God (John 15:8) where discover to live in a manner worthy of God and pleasing to him as we grow in His knowledge, every good work bearing fruit (Col. 1:10).

Our quest for fullness of life in Christ begins with our vertical and horizontal relationships. We need to always keep our relationship with God active and very much alive. Secondly, we also need to strengthen our relationship with other people. This starts at home with our spouse and children.

Bro. Nonoy (PAH of Zamboanga City) and Sis. Marivic Dalman bared their continuing struggles as spouses and members of our CFC community. They continue to serve however, having established strong roots in the Lord.

Bottom line - it is only when we are deeply founded in the Lord (Matthew 7:24) that we shall be able to carry out His commandment to love one another, even when it is most difficult to love.

Journey In Faith

The next speaker, Bro. Nides Respicio, a present member of the CFC Board of Elders, STMA National coordinator and Area Head of CFC Guam shared with the participants something I thought someone already sent me through e-mail. It was the wonderful discovery of how the biological “glue” Laminin looked like up close. Laminin is the stuff that binds our cells together No laminin, no body tissue. No body tissue, no organs. No organs, no…well, I know you get the picture. The swell thing is that seen under the electron microscope, laminin is shaped like a shining cross! Not a star or a globular blob but a whitish shining cross! Only a great and masterful cosmic Creator can think of that!

It’s just one of those little reminders that we have a wonderful God who has a clear plan for all his children. Life is a journey but not necessarily one where a person flies aimlessly through space and time. Life should be a journey of faith where we strive to be real learners in the ways of God. This wisdom will enable us to become what God planned us to be.

This journey is best undertaken under a Christian community that supports each other spiritual growth. A community where there is adherence to the apostolic teachings and sacred traditions of the Church, where there is building up of the church of the poor and promotion of a modest lifestyle. A community that nurtures missionary hearts for Christ, a strong zeal for global evangelization.

The talk reminds us to travel light in this journey of faith. Take only the rudiments of life, thankful to a God that loves us and provides us with everything you need. At the same time, unload our excess baggage. Our pride, our grudges, our other sins, our lack of faith in God and anything else that impedes us from living a holy life.

Often, we mistake the trees for the forest forgetting we have a big and awesome God who has big and awesome plans for us. Have faith! Go through life with faith in a God who shall never abandon us, a God who will teach us His plan of glory and salvation.

Filled With Thanksgiving

“I have come in order that you may have life - life in all its fullness.”

(John 10:10b)

How do we respond to a God who offers His only Son that we may have life in its fullness? - With praise, worship and thanksgiving!

The speaker Bro. Jimmy Ilagan, Sector Head of Sector A echoed the following insights:

God is enough for each one of us! (Psalm 23:1)

Continue to strive for a life of holiness. With peace and harmony in your life, you and your family shall become models for others to follow.

Be thankful. Live a life of appreciation for God’s daily blessings! Start your day with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. End it in the evening with the same expression of honor and gratitude to God. More so, let’s be more expressive; be more appreciative of your wife, children and family. Do the same with your household and pastoral leaders. Thank all of them for everything they have done for you.

Finally, there is no true sense of love without the possibility of sacrifice (Luke 10:33-35). We don’t love just because it’s convenient for us. On the contrary, we should love our neighbor, especially those in need until it hurts! Remember, the word thanksgiving is made up of two words - THANKS and GIVING.

Final notes

The fullness of life in Christ is best seen when we bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23). St. Paul told the church in Galatia that the “Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives” (Galatians 5:25). Want to experience love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control in your life? Put down your human nature and offer your new life to Jesus! Only with God’s kingship in our lives will we experience life in its fullness!