LEAD SOMEONE TO GOD TODAY

When was the last time you led someone to Jesus?

I know a couple who first attended Pathways at the COJ site located in Quezon City. They live in Las Pinas so the traffic and travel time was becoming a concern. They were led to move to Pathways Southside after consulting their leaders at the site. This couple has been actively serving the site since their transfer.  The husband serves as the Music Ministry head and the wife serves as an action group leader & music min vocalist. 

There is a couple from the north of Manila who wanted to bring some of their relatives to a prayer gathering. However, these relatives live in the southern part of Manila. Inviting them to any of the Pathways in the North would not be appealing and practical. Last October, this couple brought their three relatives to Pathways Southside. They travelled all the way to Alabang so they can personally accompany them. That's at least 30 kilometers and several hours of traffic. They stayed till the end of the prayer meeting not minding the long travel going back to Quezon City. Their relatives have been regular attendees since then.

A young couple attended the CHOICES seminar given by Pathways Miriam College (MC) two months ago. They heard about the other Pathways sites and immediately thought of a friend. They asked their friend which of the sites would be better for her. Last Wednesday, this couple left their residence somewhere in Q.C. at 3PM so they can bring and join their friend in the 7PM prayer meeting of Southside. I pray that their friend continues to attend our weekly gatherings.

I honor the effort of these individuals for leading and bringing their friends to Pathways Southside. I thank their friends & relatives for having an open mind to attend Pathways.

You might have witnessed or heard of similar stories. In the prayer group Pathways our tagline goes "God meets you where you are". And GOD truly does. However, as Jesus followers, it is also our role to lead people to where they can meet God. That place maybe Pathways, another prayer group or simply encouraging them to attend mass again.

Have a blessed day!

alvinfabella@yahoo.com

#ShareAboutJesus

#PathwaysSouthside

BE THE LIGHT

Did you ever feel like the odd person in a group?

I felt that way when I had a discussion with some friends about same sex marriage. I was surprised that most of them found nothing wrong about it. Maybe you were like me and the topic made you sad. Some of us became angry. Then you asked yourself - "what is happening to the world?". Maybe you even started to judge others.

The easy way out is to insulate ourselves from those who don't share our principles. You might prefer to isolate yourself and insulate from them because you don't want to be part of this world anymore. You begin to feel awkward about the situation because you became the odd one.

We forget the truth that Jesus said that His "kingship is not from the world." (John 18:36). As His followers, we should also believed that this is not our world. Yet we are called not to isolate, but to continue to relate especially to those who oppose our views.  It may feel awkward or uncomfortable. We may feel that we are the minority or the odd person in the group. We may convince them to change their mind and agree with us. Or we may fail. But what's important is we standby the truth. Jesus wants us to "carry our cross" (Matthew 16:24) daily, and facing difficult issues like this is part of our cross.
 
All we can do is have faith in God because He is always in control even if we don't see it. May we continue to stand for what is right & "be the light in this world" (Matthew 5:14).

Remember, God is always in control!

#ShareAboutJesus

JESUS, TAKE ME OUT OF THE STORM

Dave and Jackie looked like an ordinary married couple when you first meet them. But, their story is a good example of how God brings us out of the storms in our life.

Dave used to live a double life. He projected the image of a regular guy with no major problems. This was also the impression he gave his family and friends. But, the truth was he was living a dark life. He was addicted to illegal substance and was in deep financial debts because of gambling. He kept this a secret even from his wife Jackie.

Jackie was clueless about Dave’s secret life. She had her own personal problems. She had to undergo a procedure called angioplastly to treat her heart problem in August 2013. This gave her emotional stress and financial difficulty. She also had to borrow money from her employer to payoff Dave’s financial debt. She did not know that the huge debt caused by his gambling and addiction.

We all experience storms in our life. Dave and Jackie experienced individual storms in the lives. Dave’s storm was in the form of gambling and substance addiction while Jackie’s storm was her health concern.

Dave’s secret life went on until that faithful dawn of October 2013. He was with friends for a pot session. He unintentionally called Jackie’s number while his mobile phone was inside his pocket. Jackie heard his conversations with his friends. She heard how Dave told his friends to lie to Jackie about his whereabouts. She overheard a lot more and learned about his addiction. She packed her bags, got their child and decided to leave their house. Dave realized the accident later and immediately went home. He caught Jackie at their house and profusely begged her to stay. She did not give in. She left their place and vowed to legally separate with him.

Storms in our life arrive at unforeseen moments. We feel lost in the midst of the dark storm and don't know what to do. Like the apostles, we asked Jesus - “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). The blessing that a storm brings is that it allows us to reflect individually and call on Jesus.

Their separation brought extreme emotional pain to both Dave and Jackie. They called friends to help them but most of the time they found themselves alone. They felt like being in the eye of the storm and isolated from the rest of the world. It was in their isolation that they found time for Jesus. Dave started to pray again. He asked Jesus to forgive him. Dave was moved to repent to both God and his wife. Jackie prayed the rosary to ask for guidance. She was angry and felt betrayed but God was leading her to forgive. She strongly felt that God wanted her to go back home and forgive Dave.

Jackie went back home after a couple of days to forgive him. Dave repented from his sins. He left his “old” friends and changed his life for the better. The storm was still ongoing but they had faith that God will see them through.

The fourth chapter of Mark gives us three points on how we should handle storms in our life. 

• First, we should allow Jesus to lead us. Jesus said to the apostles - “Let us cross to the other side.” (Mark 4:35). God will always lead us into the right path. God led the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land. God inspired the prophets in the Old Testament to show HIS chosen people the right way of life. God sent His Son to lead us into salvation. God wants to lead us today in our life but will you allow HIM to lead your life? Dave allowed Jesus to lead him to repentance. Jackie allowed Jesus to lead her to forgive. What is God leading you to do now? 
• Secondly, we should allow God to work out a miracle. Jesus in the midst of the storm “woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39). Sometimes we tend to rely too much on ourselves and too less of God. We want everything solved at our pace and in our ways. Jesus Christ ordered the wind and the wind followed. This shows that HE can control anything. Jesus can take care of us as we meet the biggest storms in our life. Jackie was considering separation as the solution to their problem. Instead of solving it she allowed Jesus to work out a miracle. By God’s grace, Dave & Jackie found themselves reconciling. A miracle happened because they decided to rely more on Jesus than themselves. 
• Lastly, we need to increase our faith. Jesus “asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Mark 4:40). Faith in God is like entering a dark room despite of a possible danger inside. A faith-filled person is willing to enter the dark room because he puts his trust to someone who is familiar with the dark room. The dark room is like the problems in our life. The one who is familiar with it is Jesus. John 1:5 says “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Jesus is the true light who will always overcome the darkness. Let us remain connected to him.

We all face storms but with Jesus we will overcome them. Dave and Jackie now live happily with their two sons. They still face storms from time to time. But now they are stronger in facing them. 

Are you facing storms in your life? Follow these three points and put your faith in Jesus Christ

1.   Allow Jesus to lead you out the storm

2.   Allow Jesus to work out a miracle

3.   Build your faith in HIM

Have a blessed week!

alvinfabella@yahoo.com

BEFORE YOU COMPLAIN

The people complained against God and Moses... – Numbers 21:5 

Our prayer group provides financial assistance to 15 poor high school students. We meet them every month for worship, activities and to share a meal. On our first meeting for the year, I asked them to write down five blessings they received the previous year. They cried out in unison, “Ang dami naman!” (That’s too much!)  

I think, to a certain degree, our prayer group contributed to why they reacted that way. Our sharings last year revolved around a common theme. Their financial struggles or the sick member in the family. The subjects in school where they failed or struggled. Their bleak future after graduating from high school. 

Yes, these were prayer concerns, but we forgot to focus on the blessings. I smiled and told them, “Just try to recall last year and list down the good things you received, whether big or small blessings.” After 10 minutes, they listed more than 10 blessings. 

Our life will always have trials. But the blessings we receive from God will always outweigh them. The challenge is to recognize the trial but not dwell on it. God’s faithfulness is revealed when we count the blessings we receive. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2015-03-24
 

MAKE CHOICES THAT MATTER

If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. – Galatians 5:25

I got excited when I heard that Nick Vujicic was coming to the Philippines. Nick is an Australian motivational speaker born with a rare condition — he does not have any limbs. However, his speaking ability and positive outlook in life totally overshadow his physical limitations. I wanted to see him personally, but more importantly, I wanted my children to learn something from him. 

My excitement turned into sadness when I learned that tickets were already sold out. But by God’s grace, we were able to get tickets through the help of friends. Our next challenge was going to the venue in Quezon City from our place in Parañaque. The event was also on a weekday so we could only leave after school and work. It was a pleasant surprise that we met heavy traffic only on isolated intersections. We arrived on time! 

After the event, I asked my 12-year-old son, Jason, what he learned from Nick. All the effort to see Nick in person was worth it when he said, “To go for your dreams no matter what!” We are given choices each day. We can choose what’s more comfortable but we won’t gain anything. Or we can choose the harder route, pray for God’s guidance and learn something valuable. alvinfabella@yahoo.com

Reflection: Do the choices you make focus on yourself or on Jesus?

http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2015-05-24

PAIN FORMS YOU

I was blessed that day with clear skies, an almost empty highway & good music playing over the car radio. It was truly a relaxed driving experience for me. 

However, the result was not so good. My relaxed experience made me missed the right. :-(


I had to drive another 10 kilometers to the next exit and make a u-turn to go back to my correct destination. I still had the clear sky, zero traffic & good music. But this time I was more focus. I did not want to missed the exit again.

The same principle applies to our life. We forget to focus when life becomes too comfortable and relax. Then we get lost. We missed our destination. We have to review our life and go back. Trials and pain in our life allows us to be stronger and more focus.

If you are experiencing trials now and life seems too hard, do not worry. Simply be alert and be focus to Jesus.

He will lead you in the right destination!

Inspired by James 1:2-3 Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance

STAY CONNECTED

 

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” – John 6:56

 

The nature of my work and ministry in our community requires me to be online all the time. This is why I “love” my mobile phone. Aside from calls and texts, it allows me to organize my schedule, present our company’s mobile applications, check my e-mails, keep in touch with my contacts, and be updated with current events. I also use my phone as a GPS device, Bible, voice recorder for interviews, camera and a lot more. The mobile phone is one powerful device that I need.

One day, during a business trip abroad, I realized that my phone had no roaming partner. So my phone didn’t have any signal! This meant that I couldn’t use any feature of the phone that required online connection. That meant no calls, texts, email, online calendar, social network, GPS, etc. My once powerful phone was reduced to a simple camera.

It’s the same scenario with our Christian life. We need to stay connected to Jesus so we can accomplish the mission that He has given us. One way of remaining with Him is to take His Body and Blood as often as possible.

Truly, without Jesus, we are ordinary. But with Jesus, we are extraordinary!  - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

 

Reflection: “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.” (St. Maximilian Kolbe)

http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2015-04-24

 

FORGIVE..... & DON'T FORGET

Pigeons are known to have good memory. This ability enables them to go back home from anywhere you release them. Are you like me whose memory is starting to fail? :)

Then it is better to remember a few important principles that will make you the person God wants you to be. Here is one those principles that I try to keep in mind - Forgive & don't forget.

In John 20:19 it says that "Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'" 

Jesus calls you to offer the same peace to others. How about the people who hurt you? How about those who don't want your peace? Or how can you offer peace to those who don't want to offer you the same?

The key is to remember what God has done for you. Jesus died for us so that His Spirit may live in us and that we may be saved. 

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.” - Romans 8:1 

You are called to be led by God's Spirit. This is true also in the area of forgiveness. Is there a past sin that you still feel guilty about? 

God forgets your sins when you repent. The sins are completely removed and you are cleansed. Jesus does not remember the sin after you've asked for forgiveness. You need to have faith in this truth.  

We are called to forgive others as God forgives us. This is a difficult call. But, as we are led by the Spirit, we learn to forgive because we are forgiven by God himself. The Spirit of God within us makes us holier. It gives us humility to forgive.

May we not forget what God has done so we may learn to forgive. May we always remember this truth so that like pigeons we can go back to our real home. We can be home with our Father for eternity.

Jesus Christ, thank You for forgiving me. Thank You washing me clean and making me new again. May I also remember at all times the sacrifice you did for me so that I may be more loving and forgiving to others. Amen. 

Have a blessed day!

alvinfabella@yahoo.com

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

“Give us today our daily bread.” – Matthew 6:11

I vividly remember my short encounter with her during our prayer group’s outreach program at a government hospital. She looked extremely shy when I first saw her. She tried to cover her face with the pillow when I smiled at her. She remained silent when I asked for her name. I handed her a sandwich but she just stared at it. I showed her a book. She pointed to the side of her bed as if to say, “Just leave it there.” 

I learned from a nurse that the young girl attempted suicide a few days ago. She refused to talk to anyone since her confinement. Then our leader announced that our outreach program was ending in a few minutes. I looked at the shy patient again. This time, her pillow covered only half of her face. She looked curious. I approached her bedside, closed my eyes, clasped my hands and said a short vocal prayer for her healing. I took one final glance at her. She smiled back. I realized that this young girl needed not a sandwich, a book or a Christmas carol. She needed a prayer. 

God also knows what we need each moment. This is the reason why He teaches us to pray for our “daily bread.” He does not want us to worry about tomorrow. His love assures us that He will provide whatever we need at the moment we need it. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have you seriously done your part in your faith covenant with God?
 
http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2015-02-24
 

JESUS IS ALWAYS AHEAD OF YOU

Philip was in for a surprise that day.

It happened at the early stage of Jesus' ministry. Jesus was performing great signs and miracles. His actions attracted a big crowd. The crowd was around five thousand and that was counting the men only (John 6:10).

Philip’s surprised came in a form of a question – “when Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?’” (John 6:5) 

That question must have shocked Philip. Maybe he was not ready to give a reply. If I was Philip I would have ask Jesus – “when did I get my assignment as official caterer in our ministry?” or “They followed us. They should bring their own food, right?” 

Philip’s reaction was more logical than my would be reply. He made a mental calculation and replied “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little” (John 6:7). 

Philip’s reply could be summed up in two words – “It’s impossible!”

I agree with Philip. Feeding five thousand right at that very moment would take a miracle. But there is one point that we need to remember. The task was impossible if he was talking to a mere man. But he was not. He was with Jesus. He was with God. And we know “with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27) 

The right reaction is to rely on God. Because verse 6 says that – “He (Jesus) said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.” (John 6:6) 

Jesus knew all along what He had to do. He was miles ahead of Philip.Way way way ahead.

There are times in our life when we also encounter something that catches us by surprise. We questioned God. We try to give our own solution or answer. We worry. We panic. We forget that He is God.

When we faced difficult and shocking situations we are called to trust Jesus. We should have faith that Jesus is way ahead of us all the time. He loves us too much to leave us alone.

Aim to trust Jesus more starting today.

ETERNAL INVESTMENTS

 

He entered once for all into the sanctuary... with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. – Hebrews 9:12

 

 

I was reading the business section of the papers when my then 12-yearold daughter glanced at what I was reading. She asked, “Papa, what’s the stock market?” I answered her simply, “It is a place where you can be a part owner of big companies. Your money grows as the company grows.” 

 

I named a few of big companies. She nodded her head every time I mentioned popular names like fast-food restaurants and malls. Suddenly, she left and ran to her room. She came back and handed me the contents of her wallet— mostly P20 and P50 with a few bigger bills. She proudly said that she had been saving all the money she received as gifts. “Can you buy me Jollibee?” she said, adding, “Then I’ll invite my friends to join me at Jollibee. We can eat all the sundaes we want because I’m a part-owner!” 

 

Investing your money is a good sign of financial stewardship. Jesus calls us to go beyond investing in big companies. He wants us to be part-owners of the Father’s eternal Kingdom. The good news is we don’t have to pay a single cent. He has paid for it with His own blood and His death on the cross. Alvin Fabella (alvinfabella@yahoo.com)

 

originally published in Shepherd's voice Didach Reflection http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2015-01-24

 

HOW TO HANDLE A CATHOLIC BASHER

First, stop calling them "basher", hater or any other similar term.

Now back to my article :)

Many were blessed by the recent Papal visit. I met a lot of people who are more than willing to share their Pope encounter. Countless proclaimed joyfully how they were blessed by the recent event.

But every coin has two sides.

Some people also criticized the Pope’s visit. Some took it as an opportunity to bash the Catholics. They spoke against Catholicism and even the Pope himself. Of course our knee jerk reaction is to fight back by saying:

·      "How can you hate a person like Pope Francis?" Or

·      "You're wrong, we Catholics are right!" Or

·      "Lets have a debate on this!" Or

·      "I will send a nuclear missile to your house so that you and your household may burn, die and go to ...@#*!$%"

That last one is my example of a sarcastic statement. I hope and pray that you did not say that.

None of these fighting words will help. The right reply is to follow what our first Pope told us in 1 Peter 3:15-16 - "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame." 

** (emphasis mine)

We should be ready to DEFEND but first and foremost be GENTLE & RESPECTFUL.

I met a few of them via social networks or thru casual conversations. Their rants have something in common. It’s due to a misunderstanding of our faith. It confirms what one of my favorite preachers, American Cardinal and hopefully future saint Fulton J. Sheen said - “There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate The Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.”

We will continue to encounter people who will criticize our faith. My prayer is that we remember that in this encounters the winner is not the person who says the last word. It’s not the person who scores the most points. The winner should always be Jesus Christ. If our encounter ends up with two angry individuals who want to beat up the other party, then it is a clear sign that Jesus did not win.

Allow me to share this story. I met someone yesterday who raised this comment during our conversation.

"I cannot be Catholic. Why should you give petitions to St. Joseph so he can pray for it? This is what your Pope said, right? Why don't you just go directly to Jesus?"

I smiled and told him - "Before I answer is there a concern now that you want me to pray for?"

"Yes, please pray for …(states a concern). Thanks!"

"Do you think it would be better if I asked another person to join me in praying for your petition?"

"Yes, I think that would be better. The Bible says that God is present when two or more are gathered in His name".

"Is it ok if the person I have in mind is St. Joseph?"

He paused for a moment. He looked hesitant. Then he replied back with "ooooo-k…. but, I still have a few questions. Unfortunately, I have another meeting. Will it be ok to send them later via email?"

I nodded my head to say yes. "Can I send you the different Pathways sites?" (Pathways is an open Catholic prayer meeting where I serve)

"Ok"

"Will you consider visiting one of them?"

"Maybe"

We prayed together and asked for St. Joseph's intercession.

That was the end of our conversation. It ended on a good note. No bickering, fighting words or nuclear missiles necessary.

"Maybe" was good enough for me. I believed Jesus won that day.

Maybe he will accept my invitation. Maybe not. Maybe he will be curious and ask more questions. Maybe not. I leave it up to Jesus.  

Here are three simple steps we can take whenever we have similar encounters.

1. Love them don't label them. Don't call them bashers. As the song says “we are all God’s children”.  Addressing them as brother, sister or friend is the respectful way.
2. Be SILENT and LISTEN. These two words used the same letters but we find it dif and using the both is a powerful tool.
3.  Honesty is the best policy. Give them a sincere answer. If you don't know the Catholic answer then tell them. But promise to get back to them with a right Catholic answer 
4. Lastly, pray for them. If they are comfortable to pray with at that moment then do so. Otherwise, include them in your personal prayer time.

May we love more, understand more and hate less

Have a blessed day!