Tuesday, November 26, 2013

We Are Not Naive


I’ve heard some saying that as Christians we need to be fully aware of the world. We cannot be forever in a cocoon protected from realities of life that when it breaks we find it hard to survive. This has to be truer with missionaries. Missionaries cannot be naïve to what is happening in the world. We need to understand its ways and dealings if we are to proclaim His love effectively.

Missionaries are not naïve. We understand and we are fully aware what is happening around us that is precisely why we choose what is true, good and beautiful because we see it and experienced it and we came into a conclusion that there has to be something more than what it offers.

Our awareness of the world should compel us to speak the truth, choose the good and see the beautiful. 

by aats

The Call


It is never wrong to decide to be on the side with Christ. Only the best can come from Christ, after all He is the source of all that is best. The question of calling then is not a question of choosing what is best for us, but rather a deeper realization that there is a specific and personal call that demands a specific and personal answer from us.

When I answered the call, I thought before that I am leaving behind my dreams and desires but now more than ever I am affirmed that what I did was actually opening up my hands to receive something that is greater. When we answer to a call, I believe we are saying yes to a blessing. 

by aats

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Routine


Not everything about routine is boring. After being away for almost a month and being back in my main area of mission, I felt so good to be back in my routine. There is something good about routine it gives us certainty.

Lord, may you grant us the grace to see the beauty in the routine. Amen. 

by aats

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Surrender


This month I started the “33 Days to Morning Glory” by Father Michael E. Gaitley, a “do-it-yourself” retreat leading to the consecration to Jesus through Mary. One thing that struck me is the readings on total surrender. Surrender goes against the usual reaction of men, we don't want surrender we want control. Marys’ life is a life of total surrender and the thought of following her way of total surrender is scary but the more I go through the days of reading and reflection the more I am assured that it is the best way and the most grace-filled road to walk through. My take on this is that it will be a practice of humility and surrender for me. To surrender is to put myself within the bounds of grace. After all, Mary is full of grace. Can there be more beautiful and wonderful than that?

by aats

Monday, November 18, 2013

Inspirations In The Middle Of The Atlantic




I am here in Bermuda for the Singles For Christ Discovery Weekend. It was a weekend filled with the Holy Spirit. The event itself was very inspiring, however it did not end there, as my brothers and sisters in the community never failed to show me Christ love in their lives.

I discovered the God of hospitality and generosity. They brought me to different places of interest in Bermuda. I even had some snorkeling! What more can I ask, swimming while back in Canada it‘s already almost winter weather.

I discovered the God of nature and the simple things. Bermuda is a beautiful island. It is dotted with pristine beaches, beautiful houses and picturesque winding roads. I like the houses and what amazes me is that during one of my prayer time at the retreat God spoke to me through a “roof”. I was seating on the side while the participants were doing an activity and I asked God, “Lord, what is it you are trying to say about this roof?” By the way, the roofs in Bermuda are concrete and are designed to catch water from the rain. (picture)  I heard an inspiration saying, “Like that roof that tries to catch all the waters from the rain that fall on it, catch all the moments of grace that falls on you.” God is in the nature and the simple things. 



I discovered the God of seekers and surprises. When I had some opportunities to talk with my brothers and sisters, I was reaffirmed that all of us are seekers. We seek for what fulfills us and what makes us happy. The seeking brought us to different places and somehow some things make us say, “There is something lacking.” And we found that “lacking” as a cry to the God who can fill us up, He who makes us fulfilled and happy.

We are but passers by in this world, and so we need to maximize our time and use it for good. And when we use our time for good, God surprises us with all things unimaginable. Just for this trip, God overwhelmed me with surprises. When we arrived at our host, I found out that our wife host was actually a YFC member back in the Philippines and more than that, I actually was serving with her sister and some of her friends, back when I was assigned in there place. Another surprise came when I was introduced to a brother only to find out that we actually graduated on the same year in the same university, together with another sister in the community whose cousin too I was serving back in my university years. It did not end there, another Couple came over and when we started talking, we started realizing that we knew each other already and it turned out we did. During my first mission in there province back in the Philippines, we met and in fact, I was able to sleep over in there home once, because I had a one on one talk with her brother. It seems like the Lord is telling me, anywhere you go (even in the middle of the Atlantic), you will feel my assuring embrace.

I am blessed with the place and the people. God showed me His love through the place and He allowed me to experience it more through the stories shared, lives exchanged and inspirations shown by my brothers and sisters. I am affirmed once more that God never fails.

I have so much to thank for and even much more to learn from them. I am just starting to chew what He had just shown me and for sure more realizations and inspirations to come. And, for this I am grateful. 

by aats

Friday, November 8, 2013

The Process of Falling


Fall is beautiful because of its colors, but take note its beauty comes from dying leaves. Nature has so much to teach us. Beauty never waivers with age, instead it becomes sharper as years go by, until such time it is no more, only to come back to life in spring.

During fall, the leaves started dying and falling. The process of falling is the process of being laid bare. The trees starts shedding off their leaves and soon enough it is laid bare. Shedding allows the trees to reserve energy and survive the harsh winter weather.  When you are bare, you are at your most vulnerable self, yet you are also at your most chances of surviving hardship. The more you fall, the more you enter into the mystery of being bare. 

by aats

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

The Selflessness Exchange


There is no better assurance for a woman than to have a man who love God more than her, because if he love God more than her then he can love her more than himself. He will love her with the love of the Lord. The same is true for man. There is no better assurance for him than to have a woman who love God more than him. This is the beauty of what we can call, the selflessness exchange. 

by aats

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Deceivingly Warm






I’m in Winnipeg and the sun is shining, the sky is clear. Deceivingly warm to look at. Who would think it’s actually minus 5 degrees? You have to feel it to know it. Sometimes seeing is not enough; you need to feel it to know it’s true. 


by aats