I Have Failed...

... to understand the spirit behind canteen work. Yesterday was RCIA's canteen duty and once again, chit chats at one point revolved around cost.

i had not seen why it's not ok to sell food for fund-raising. i suppose i feel that it's fine because we do provide quite a vibrant service in an equally vibrant atmosphere. and our cheer has always helped us to persevere all the way through to lunches despite it being physically tough. that passion alone, has always been reason enough for me to make a little profit from this duty.

but a friend said that if she had her way, canteen service should be free. food should be sold at cost. "Because it is a Service". her words echoed in my head the whole day.

i don't know why i always felt that canteen service was an opportunity for us to raise funds... but i think now that i have gotten carried away with this. perhaps the spirit of our canteen duty should follow that of our Feast Day... where we served food to parishioners at no cost.

will we then be as passionate about it? will we serve with the same cheer that characterise us, the RCIA? i think i forgot that centeen duty every 2 months is not an opportunity to raise funds but an opportunity for us to serve. this time round, not just to serve those within our RCIA but the entire parish.

so i thank my friend for finally drilling that message into my head!

joyce

The Burglar

Hiding in a corner curled up like a cat
Looking across the room thinking what is that
Seen through the glass of my heart
Nakedness felt right down to the butt

Through everything you go one by one
Searching till mind is satisfied and done
No one else knows what you do
Smug and proud, keeping your cool

Behaviour is so unjust and bad
Putting up a front that looks so sad
Denial and escaping is all you know
Admitting is a better way to end the show

Caught in the act when all is final
Exposed and stood at the judges panel
What else more do you have to say
Repent and face the price to pay

Gifts from God

Friends like you are hard to find
You know not those who only wine and dine
Tears in my eyes starting to dwell
With fond memories in here I tell

Fun and laughter; Peace and joy
Is deeply rooted in this friendship soil
Ha! Ha! All the plans and tricks we're up to
In the birthdays, we play the fool

Always arguing over who pays the bill
One or other breathless will shout :"Please stay still !!"

Fated to meet you guys in this chapter of mine
This friendship and closeness that God has bind.
I am truly touched by your actions for me
Really feel blessed by you and of cos !! "HE"


(Dear Frenz...Love you all)

Joanne

How God Reveals Himself in my Life

the wonderful thing about journeying on RCIA is that it has helped me to see God's hand in my life more clearly than ever. whereas before, i used to only turn to Him when i need Him, or am only able to feel His presence when i'm asking for his mercy and relief from struggles in life, i am now more able to feel Him at the best times in my life.

for me, the formula is simple. step out of the situation, take a good look at the people i love around me, and it is clear that it can only be God who has brought such gifts to me.

i spent this weekend with some good friends. the after-effects are still lingering with me and i am quite enjoying myself savouring them. i haven't known these friends for very long but it hasn't ceased to amaze me when i wonder at the bonds that have grown. i don't know how but i know God did this. there was no way that i can feel so safe, and so secure, and so very comfortable with these friends otherwise.

if i had a choice of how i wanted to spend this weekend, it would have been exactly (right down to the last detail) the way it turned out.

so i just wanted to share how i am feeling now (despite my stubborn eyelids that are refusing to stay open) ... because i am so, so touched and thankful by what God has given me. Really.

joyce

RCIA

We are blessed to have this blog, for us to express our views - feelings & all - connected with RCIA. I would like to say a few words.

It is my opinion, that rcia, which is the work of so many people, really provides the enquirers & catechumens with a great foundation for our journey of faith. Along the way, sponsors learn to renew their faith lessons, as much as catechumens are learning theirs.

And on this faith journey we discover God's bountiful & merciful Love and develop a loving relationship with God, through Jesus Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. Unlike our relationship with our fellow human beings (in the course of our mundane lives), there is little or no misunderstandings in our relations with God. And our prayers are there for us to speak to Him.

God bless.


peter.

Family Friends

on wednesday night, i stepped out of the office to make a personal call and walked straight into anthony and stanley. for those who don't know him, stanley was one of our sponsors on Journey 2003/04. he makes good pasta! eh, i also dunno him well... [reference to Anthony and Bert].

anyway! they were there for a course by Fr. Henry Siew on Confucianism and something... [reference to Anthony and Stanley].

anyway! i was chatting away with them and i felt so completely at ease. and i felt it distinctly because i just stepped out of the office and was still on office 'grounds' but there i was, so extremely comfortable talking with them.

it made me feel, all over again, just how much of a family we have grown into, given that we haven't known one another for a long time. well, there are good friends and there are good friends. and all good friendships are born from journeys. maybe the RCIA process just provides the extra 'ingredient' to help us experience the journey on a deeper level! and since we are Brudders and Sistas in Christ, that makes us family friends!

Thank you, GOD!!!

RCIA - The Process

Just the other day, Angie was agitated after she put down the house phone. Before that I overheard her asking "where in the Bible say so?"

She was sort of half complaining out loud about the caller insisting that Mary has other child besides Jesus...

On probing I realised that the caller was her former school mate who is a Protestant. Angie was not prepared to take such utterance lying down and became quite hot under the collar. She related to me that her Protestant friend had isisted about Mary's other children but could not quote her source of this "information" other than "my pastor said so".

Initially I was a wee bit concern by Angie's strong reaction but on hindsight I should have been proud of her conviction to so strongly stated her stand on this matter.

I believe the RCIA journey have lay the foundation of our faith and through the process help strenghten it.

If our RCIA journey was a "six one-on-one sessions", devoid of OJT, sharing and the breaking of the word, I am afraid the end result would be similar to Angie's Protestant friend type of product i.e. misinformed and clueless.

I pray that God be with us through the journey and that we be further enlighten by His words.

God Bless.

Bert