In God's Time

After spring comes summer, later autumn and then winter... and so the cycle goes on.

The Advent signifies the start of a new liturgical year. In coincidence with our retreat. We look forward to our confirmation and the celebration of the birth of Christ.

There are seasons in our lives... as with the Apostles who were told to wait for the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Patiently waiting in faith, they were oblivious of the time of arrival.

We need to exercise this faith as well when dealing with our fellow brothers and sisters. God has given us so much that we need to take care in every tasks that we are entrusted. The balance is important as we are not only entrusted with one talent. Yes, to those that received more, more is expected of them.

Life has its ups and downs. We need to keep working and praying for the Lord's blessing...yet remembering that things have to happen according to God's will and in His Time.

God Bless.

Advent? Lost thoughts!

Advent is at hand, Christmas draws near... many things to do and they're all happening just around the corner. only half of our RCIA is truly active and serving God and out of these, half of them are confirmands which means we are only a 1/4-strong team.

fellow journeyers around me are getting discouraged and i'm one of them as well. been a few weeks of sliding under but the wake-up call came when i witnessed the people i thought were strong, slipping too. nothing dramatic about it, all these are the reasons why they call life a roller-coaster ride.

so let's take stock for a while on what's been happening so far.

Candidate Jason, given last rites, pulled through and doing very well... Judy experiencing much pain after her surgery and also doing well now... David anxious and scared for a surgery that didn't seem to be happening anytime, now well on the road to recovery... Ray's child, Xavier, in and out of hospital, in and now out again... these are only the few i know of... i'm sure there are many more stories.

neophytes' conversion... some neophytes are "on fire", a favourite term of a few of us... old sponsors straying and returning... learning that Lawrence Estrop is.. how old? 89? and serving God as humbly as if he was a young Catholic... we have much to learn. MM growing from strength to strength... more and more people coming up to serve... catechumens volunteering their time and energy... sponsors trying to catch up. is that a miracle in itself? that this journey, it's the sponsors learning from catechumens more than the other way around?

the same people doing the same jobs... jobs that look simple and effortless. i challenge those who haven't done these jobs to take it up for 1 month, that's just 4 sessions... we will all soon learn that they are not easy and we have faithful servers who do it day in and day out...
the same sponsors being burnt out... these are not people who are dead certain that they can do a good job. everyone feels insecure of their own abilities and worry about not being able to deliver a good gift. they are also the ones who are tired and don't get much chance for a rest. RCIA activities are ongoing... there's never a pause and they jump from one project to another... no complaints so far...

so is the journey working? not for everyone. but for the few tireless ones who try to make things work despite the inadequacies they feel, i personally feel God is near at hand. and i like to take this opportunity to salute each and every one of them. we don't need leaders, we need servants. we don't need people who can do something perfectly. but we need people who are perfectly willing to serve. lastly, we don't need people to be able to coordinate a project flawlessly but to be there to smile, laugh and pull others onwards.

we need people to keep one another faithful on the journey. you, who are reading this... you are the ones we need. and i don't mean to say "we" like, i'm here and you're there. i say "we" cos i've worked with some of you... and i never fail to be touched each and every time by how much our little efforts together can create something BIG.

don't give up. let's share. healthy reflections and sharings... and be there for one another still. the journey never ends. we never stop taking the little miracles that God hands to us daily. so there's no need to stop taking the tasks He asks of us either. i need you guys to keep me going. not so much the physical work... but the companionship of being a fellow traveler and the attitude that you guys show to me of being on fire.

just another late night rambling... joyce

Ungrateful

THANK YOU LORD for this day
These words of praise I never say
Grumpy grouchy at the morning rain
In my mind only words of complain

THANK YOU LORD for every breath I take
These grateful words I never make
Curse at why today is so hot
Is the only comment I ever got

THANK YOU LORD for the creation around me
Unappreciative, these eyes of mine never see
Doing nothing to defend this Motherearth
Even though you have given me this birth

THANK YOU LORD for this path I walk
These feelings to you I never mock
May this life of mine you give
To the fullest I will learn to live


Joanne

To Serve

I was a server at our last RCIA canteen duty.

A former RCIA sponsor and I contributed a dish that was sold out after the 9am mass.

Though small gesture, we took it 'seriously' when we committed ourselves with the dish. We went shopping for all necessecities, deliver the dish on time and do the actual selling as well. All this was at own costs and time.

I thank the Lord for the opportunity to serve...

I make no apology for raising funds during canteen service. This is especially so when the funds raised are for church activities i.e. RCIA retreat.

I believe current fundings for RCIA are mostly self-generating through well wishers and participants. The raised funds from canteen service form only a very small part of the total costs required for the retreat.

A Feast Day type of service is best done on a "whole church" basis. This is because individual minstry do not have the capacity nor the means to 'serve' the whole parish.

Joyce is correct to remind us not to loose the smile and passion when we serve regardless of whether it is for free or to raise funds.

However, fundings is central to all activities. It is only a question where it comes from. We are sometime blessed with well-wishers but most times we have to raise it ourselves....the RCIA way.

I look forward to serve in future fund raising activities.

Bert