the feast - june 17, 2012 issue

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AT THE PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER A Catholic Prayer Meeting of the LIGHT OF JESUS FAMILY June 17, 2012 Today, I receive all of God’s love for me. Today, I open myself to the unbounded, limitless, overflowing abundance of God’s universe. Today, I open myself to God’s blessings, healing, and miracles. Today, I open myself to God’s Word So I would become More like Jesus every day. Today, I proclaim that I am God’s beloved, I am God’s servant, I am God’s powerful champion. And because I am blessed, I am blessing the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen. RECEIVE INSPIRING MESSAGES FROM BRO. BO! BRO. Bo Sanchez is sending inspiring messages and announcements to Feast attendees via text or short messaging services (SMS) from his mobile phone and through email. Want to receive messages? Just text your mobile phone number and email address to these numbers... FOR GLOBE SUBSCRIBERS: 09178494444 FOR SMART SUBSCRIBERS: 09088949999 FOR SUN SUBSCRIBERS: 09228945555 WHEN you read the Bible, it seems that God has changed. In the Old Testament, He seemed to be the “God of Wrath”. He seemed Cruel. Vindictive. Judgmental. Racist. For example, in the book of Joshua, God ordered the mass slaughter of tribes—men, women, and children--that were living in Canaan. These Canaanite tribes were living there for thousands of years—but according to Israel, God wanted them to be massacred so that they, God’s chosen people, could live in their promised land. In the New Testament, all of a sudden, He transformed to the “God of Love”. Instead of a Warrior God, He becomes the helpless baby in a manger. Instead of a Death Judge, He becomes the Good Shepherd willing to die for His sheep. So has God really changed? No, He doesn’t change. Instead, it’s our understanding of God that has changed. We change. We mature. We develop. We transform. When you read the Bible, remember that the human writers’ understanding of God is always limited by the weaknesses of their culture, psychology, language, and history. That’s why you can’t get one verse from the Bible and say that’s the entire truth. That’s crazy. When you read the Bible, you’re entering into a 3000-year long Journey. So take the Journey! Don’t be fixated with this or that solitary verse. Where does this Journey take us? That God is Love indeed. These three words—God is Love— summarize this long Journey of the Bible. Today, you’ll experience the power of these three simple words—and how they will never change. Have a power-packed Feast today! May your dreams come true, BO SANCHEZ 3 THINGS GOD CANNOT DO TALK ONE: GOD CANNOT LIE TALK TWO: GOD CANNOT CHANGE TALK THREE: GOD CANNOT FAIL Happy Fathers’ Day!

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Page 1: The Feast - June 17, 2012 Issue

AT THE PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTERA Catholic Prayer Meeting of the LIGHT OF JESUS FAMILYJune 17, 2012

Today, I receive all of God’s love for me.Today, I open myself to the unbounded, limitless, overflowing abundance of God’s universe.Today, I open myself to God’s blessings, healing, and miracles.Today, I open myself to God’s WordSo I would becomeMore like Jesus every day.Today, I proclaim that I am God’s beloved, I am God’s servant, I am God’s powerful champion.And because I am blessed,I am blessing the world.In Jesus’ name. Amen.

RECEIVE INSPIRING MESSAGES FROM BRO. BO!

BRO. Bo Sanchez is sending inspiring messages and announcements to Feast attendees via text or short messaging services (SMS) from his mobile phone and through email.

Want to receive messages? Just text your mobile phone number and email address to these numbers...

FOR GLOBE SUBSCRIBERS: 09178494444

FOR SMART SUBSCRIBERS: 09088949999

FOR SUN SUBSCRIBERS: 09228945555

WHEN you read the Bible, it seems that God has changed.In the Old Testament, He seemed to be the “God of Wrath”. He seemed

Cruel. Vindictive. Judgmental. Racist. For example, in the book of Joshua, God ordered the mass slaughter of tribes—men, women, and children--that were living in Canaan. These Canaanite tribes were living there for thousands of years—but according to Israel, God wanted them to be massacred so that they, God’s chosen people, could live in their promised land.

In the New Testament, all of a sudden, He transformed to the “God of Love”. Instead of a Warrior God, He becomes the helpless baby in a manger. Instead of a Death Judge, He becomes the Good Shepherd willing to die for His sheep.

So has God really changed?No, He doesn’t change.Instead, it’s our understanding of God that has changed.

We change. We mature. We develop. We transform.

When you read the Bible, remember that the human writers’ understanding of God is always limited by the weaknesses of their culture, psychology, language, and history.

That’s why you can’t get one verse from the Bible and say that’s the entire truth. That’s crazy. When you read the Bible, you’re entering into a 3000-year long Journey. So take the Journey! Don’t be fixated with this or that solitary verse.

Where does this Journey take us?That God is Love indeed.These three words—God is Love—

summarize this long Journey of the Bible.Today, you’ll experience the power of

these three simple words—and how they will never change.

Have a power-packed Feast today!

May your dreams come true,

BO SANCHEZ

3 THINGS GOD CANNOT DO

TALK ONE: GOD CANNOT LIE

TALK TWO: GOD CANNOT CHANGE

TALK THREE: GOD CANNOT FAIL

Happy

Fathers’

Day!

Page 2: The Feast - June 17, 2012 Issue

LAST WEEK

LAST Sunday, we commemorated the solemnity of Corpus Christi which means the Body and Blood of Christ.

For us to fully understand the Body of Christ, Fr. Glen Gomez made us appreciate the human body first. The human body is a tangible human blessing. It has high market value and the trillion cells in our body make us truly rich! Our body alone is a physical representation of how amazing our God is-- our pumping heart, our blood vessels which measure 60,000 miles long and the non-matter aspects of our body such as emotions, mentality, and spirituality.

The Body of Christ is the proof of how an invisible God became visible. Fr. Glen emphasized that it is during the Eucharist when Jesus gives His Body to us and that when we are filled with God’s Spirit. But Christ also has a spiritual body, which is the body of believers--us. The Body of Christ brings total healing in our mind, body, and spirit. Fr. Glen added that the Body saves. Corpus Christi brings us to everlasting life. Thus, the Eucharist is a way to be grateful and give thanks because we receive Jesus, specifically in the Holy Communion. The Eucharist makes us inspired and enthusiastic as we are one with the Spirit. We become Emmanuel--God is with us.

The Body of Christ

SHARING

God Cannot LieWE all know God can do anything. But surprisingly, Bro. Bo Sanchez is revealing three things God cannot do for us in our series Impossible. The series teaches us how to trust God in a deeper way so we can have less stress or worries, avoid sickness, and have peace!

First of all the things God cannot do: God cannot lie. Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act?Does he promise and not fulfill?”

We don’t like being with liars. It would be chaotic if many people always lied. But thankfully, our God cannot lie and we can always depend on His word. Bro. Bo said our miracles are on their way via DHL- Delivery by Heaven’s Love. No matter what, it is always God’s promises which we can count on.

Bro. Bo presented the prophet Elisha, a disciple of Elijah, as an example. When Elijah was about to go to heaven, he asked Elisha what he wished Elijah would give him. Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s anointing. And God granted it! And so it happened. While Elijah had

10% for a 6-Digit IncomeGIGI DE JESUS, Feast PICC Worship Cluster head, shared how tithing has blessed her abundantly. She said she has been serving God for 24 years and tithing has been her way of worshipping God.

At first, she said, she treated tithing as simply one of the bills she had to pay. But teachings on tithings at the Feast

made her realize that tithing is a way to manifest one’s faith in God—that He will fulfil His promise that if we give, we will receive a hundredfold of what we had given.

Last December 2011, Gigi made a decision to first put aside a portion of her income for her tithe, before paying for her other obligations. “It wasn’t easy,”

she said, “because I support my family.”

Shortly after, she began to receive blessings more than she expected. Last January, she was able to join a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Then, she received her desired 6-digit salary.

“It’s liberating when we give to God because we love Him. But when you give, be ready for the avalanche of blessings!” Gigi happily said.

seven miracles in his lifetime, Elisha had 14.

Bro. Bo shared three lessons from Elisha’s story:

1. Be firm with your dream. There are times that we’ll have to choose between our feelings and our faith. When our dreams seem so far away and we feel down, we can think, “Maybe I heard wrongly from God or maybe He changed His mind about my dream.” Our feelings might tell us to give up. But we should listen to our faith and hold on to it. God’s abundance will come! Bro. Bo shared his dream of becoming a preacher when he was 12 years old. His first talk in a formal seminar when he was 14 was unsuccessful. Frustrated, he could have given up right then and there. But he held on to his faith and he has been preaching for 34 years now.

2. Be flexible with your deadlines. Deadlines are important for our dreams because they push us to action. But then, we should be flexible with our deadlines because sometimes our dreams are bigger than us. We should learn to acknowledge God’s perfect timing because His priority is not the dream but the dreamer; not the destination but the journey. Let’s just enjoy every

day that we make the dream come true.

3. Be free from your details. Details make our dreams more vivid so they fuel our dream more. But trust that God will give us the best. He presented the experience of Bro. Rolly Espana, Feast PICC Council head, and his wife Donna. The couple never had a child. But serving in the Feast, they found dozens of children—the men and women who serve with them in the various Feast ministries. “In God, we are always complete,” Bro. Rolly said.

Bro. Bo shared that the Light of Jesus once wanted to buy a 500-square meter property for ministry work. Alas, the property was bought by someone else. But after ten long years, LOJ was able to acquire not 500 but a 50,000 square-meter property where the Anawim Home for Abandoned Elderly, one of the Feast partner beneficiaries, is now located.

Bro. Bo pointed out that human beings think small and think fast. God, on the other hand, thinks big and slow. We may be in a hurry. But God is saying enjoy the process and trust in His perfect timing and His promises to you.

--Kristine MutucPhotos by Cris Legaspi

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TODAYREFLECTIONSTalk 2: God Cannot ChangeHebrews 13:8Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Malachi 3:6I am the Lord and I change not.

1 John 4:16God is Love.

Personal Reflection and Group Discussion:Share your old beliefs about God and how those beliefs have changed through the years._____________________________________________________

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Deadlines and DetailsBy BETHANY ANNE P. DECHAVEZ

I CAME to the Feast last Sunday with a heavy heart. A part of me was hesitant to go because of the issues, doubts, and questions that had been battling within me in the past two weeks. But a bigger part of me wanted to go and have the courage to accept everything that was happening to me, including the things that did not really make sense for me.

Wondering what the new series would be, I immediately scanned the pages of The Feast bulletin. And there I found out that the series would be Impossible.

Impossible? Hmmm. I wondered what the talk would be about. So my eyes darted to the next line which said, God Cannot Lie.

From those three words, a scene immediately appeared in my mind. That scene happened two weeks ago. I was on the floor, hitting my bed, and with tears in my eyes, I said, “Lord, paasa ka! Why did you let this happen to me? What about my dreams? They are not going to happen anymore.”

That was my response when I found out that I failed a three-unit review subject, and because of that, I would not be able to graduate and take the Board Exam that would make me a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

And then I listened to the talk, and began realizing that I was exactly where God wanted me to be.

Bro. Bo Sanchez said there are three lessons from Elisha’s story (see page 2).

Be firm with your dream. Maybe, this isn’t for me. Maybe, God did not want me to become a CPA. Maybe, I should just give up now. Those thoughts attacked me from every corner, and even though I tried so hard to remain positive, those thoughts still found their way into my mind. And more than that, I was sad, angry, and confused all at the same time. It was very hard for me to be faithful to God. I even felt guilty that I was experiencing those negative emotions because I thought I should allow myself to feel that way.

But then Bro. Bo said, “Don’t deny your feelings. Acknowledge your feelings. But at the end of the day, follow

your faith.” Those words put a smile on my face as I understood that what I was going through with my feelings and faith were normal.

And then when he shared the story about how an experience made him doubt about his calling as a preacher, I thought, “Wow! This happens to everyone. This happens to great people.”

So I promised myself that I would be firm with my dream.

Be flexible with your deadline. When I realized that I was not graduating this year, I cried so hard because it seemed I would not fulfill my dreams anymore. I wrote those dreams on my copy of the Novena to God’s Love which I claimed would be fulfilled this year. Alas, failing that one measly subject blew my chance of my dreams coming true. Or so I thought.

But when Bro. Bo said that we should be flexible with our deadline, I felt God was telling me that my dreams can still come true -- not according to my time frame, but according to His schedule. Also, the talk made me realize that we should enjoy the journey towards achieving our dreams because this is the time when we are being prepared to receive the best blessings.

Be free from the details. I had always imagined myself graduating together with my friends. So when I found out that it was not happening, it was very difficult for me. Also, there were other little things that I cried about because I wanted those details to be present in my dreams.

So when Bro. Bo said that we should be free from the details, I realized that it was about time to let go of my version of my dream that was very close to my heart, and just let God to go on with His version, which would be way better than mine.

When I came to the Feast, I was weighed down by my issues, doubts, and questions. But when I left the Feast, I felt the heaviness lifted off my chest as I remembered that God would help me achieve my dreams.

Yes, He will fulfill His promise to me, because He cannot lie.

THE FEAST June 17, 2012 3

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MINISTRIES

Where the SINGLE MEN AreBy RHODA OSALVO

Photos by DAVE APALLA and RAMON CARDEL

SENTIMENTAL singer Connie Francis sang the song Where the Boys Are in the 1950s, the decade right after World War II when there was a dearth of men— because they died in the war, were missing in action, or they were so traumatized by their tour of military duty, they simply stayed away from the rest of humanity—leaving the women without a father, brother, husband, or boyfriend.

Today, not a few women still sing the song because we still have a dearth of men,

Where the boys are, someone waits for meA smilin’ face, a warm embrace, two arms to hold me tenderlyWhere the boys are, my true love will beHe’s walkin’ down some street in town and I know he’s lookin’ there for me

In the crowd of a million people I’ll find my valentineAnd then I’ll climb to the highest steeple and tell the world he’s mine

Till he holds me I’ll wait impatientlyWhere the boys are, where the boys areWhere the boys are, someone waits for me

Till he holds me I wait impatientlyWhere the boys are, where the boys areWhere the boys are, someone waits for me

especially as husband material— because either the men in our midst are already taken, a lot of wars are still going on claiming our men, or life in this Third Millennium is so complicated they simply are just avoiding the Big C. Not Cancer, silly. It’s something worse called Commitment.

If it’s difficult to find a boyfriend, again, because life’s difficult nowadays, it’s much more difficult to find men for the Lord. So God must be singing Connie’s song, too.

We Found Them!For awhile now, Feast PICC has also

been asking: Where are the single men? The Good News is we have found a few good, not-yet-taken men!

About 30 single men responded to the call to bond in the service of God, attending the first Single Men’s Ministry at the PICC Plenary Hall 2nd floor lobby last May 20, 2012.

Bro. Rolly Espana, Feast PICC Council head, his wife Donna, and Council members Beckie Sanchez and Vita Monforte graced the assembly with Bro. Tom Yokingco, head of the Family Cluster, which includes the Singles Ministry. Pat Morales, Singles Ministry head, and Beng Umbalin, Single Women’s coordinator, also dropped by to show support to the new Ministry.

The place was abuzz as men yuppies in their 20s to 40s eagerly came to check out the Single Men’s Ministry.

God’s Gentlemen, a Caring Group of 15 male professionals attending the Feast, organized the first-ever gathering meant to bring together unmarried men for an afternoon of fellowship and eventually encourage them to join the Single Men’s Ministry.

Migs Ramirez and JC Libiran, heads of the Single Men’s Ministry, and leaders of God’s Gentlemen, warmly welcomed the single brothers.

Hosted by Albert Zabala, a member of God’s Gentlemen, the program started with an ice breaker where the brothers wrote down their first impressions of each other on a piece of paper taped on their shirts. Prayer and worship led by Bro. JC followed with John Ben Rodriguez on the guitar and Aezer Cajegas on beatbox.

Men Power!Bro. Tom welcomed the Single

Men’s Ministry into the Feast PICC Family Cluster, exhorting the men to live the happy, godly life as expressed by St. Paul in Ephesians 3:16-17: I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home

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Page 5: The Feast - June 17, 2012 Issue

in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

Bro. Tom said Christian men ought to be strengthened not only physically but more so, spiritually to grasp God’s love for them and serve Him well. He said they ought to develop their spiritual muscle through the four pillars of successful Christian living: Prayer, Scripture, Community, and Service. The Single Men’s Ministry, he added, will serve as the platform for them to attain strength of spirit.

Bro. Migs in his talk said that Jesus is the best single man and the best example to follow. He explained the 3Ms of the ministry: Mentoring, Mission Field, and Meeting Place. Under Mentoring, this brotherhood will provide a venue for talks on topics that respond to the men’s needs such as core gift enhancement and financial literacy to name a few. In Mission Field, the men would know about the Feast Mercy missions and eventually visit Mercy homes such as orphanages and homes for street children as part of their mission to reach out to God’s poor. Under Meeting, the men will come together regularly to discuss common concerns such as getting to know one’s self, getiing to know more about women, relationships with family and friends, career, and savoring life.

Getting to Know the Men!After the short talk, facilitators

divided the assembly into five groups for the men to get to know each other. Questions they answered in the group discussion: Who are you? What are your dreams?

The session bared that no matter their differences in age, profession or stature in life, these men share the same dreams of improving themselves, discerning their calling and status in life.

Sharer James Bardos, a member of God’s Gentlemen, echoed the dreams of the attendees: “I’d like to have my own family and continue serving God as well.”

Migs announced that the meet up will now be a regular thing. Every third Sunday of the month, the men will listen to various talks on living the single life, the Christian way—from fighting inner battles, to finding one’s true love, to various adventures for single men.

Happy with the turn-out, Migs and JC hope to engage more and more brothers to this fellowship in the succeeding meetings.

The men meet today with Bro. Bo Sanchez as guest speaker.

Next in their activity schedule: a bowling session with the Single Women’s group at Starmall in Mandaluyong. Hmmm…

Where the men are? For details call Bro. Migs 0917-5006447, Bro. JC Libiran 0917-5057900.

Here they are, 1st row: Bro. Rolly Espana, and Council members Donna Espana, Beckie

Sanchez and Vita Monforte grace the assembly; Bro. Tom

Yokingco explains Single Men’s vision; 2nd row:

JC Libiran (left) and Migs Ramirez outline

Ministry mission; JC and Migs lead Worship with Aezer Cajegas and John

Ben Rodriguez;3rd row: Albert Zabala

(extreme left) facilitates ice breaker; Don

Frondoso and Aezer Cajegas share their

happy experience as Feast servants; At right,

God’s Gentlemen in waiter’s getup, from

left: Roel Castro, Melvyn Yee, and Bernie Castro

ready to serve a new member.

THE FEAST June 17, 2012 5

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Two at the DoorBy MARTHINA and PAOLINA SALOME Photos by APPLE CHICO

IF you’re asking where the men are, one answer is look at the door. That is, the door leading to the Plenary Hall where the Feast happens every Sunday.

We’re talking about the handsome male ushers with the warmest smiles who help you find good seats.

Meet Lark Guillermo Tejano, 20 years old, and Emmanuel Encarnacion, 53.

Lark is a Behavioral Science student at the University of Sto. Tomas graduating in 2013. He’s been serving as Feast usher with Emmanuel, or Emer, as everyone calls him, for some time now, but it was only during the interview with The Feast that he found out Emer also graduated from UST. Emer himself had just been so busy with his ushering duties he hardly had time to chit chat with Lark. So he didn’t know either that Lark is a Thomasian.

Emmanuel is an Economics graduate, Batch 1978, from the same school. Within the gaps of time and age that these two brothers and servants have—they have one similarity, aside from being Thomasians: they are deeply in love with God.

Lark said, “There is heaven and I found Him here in my heart.”

Emer added, “I’ll never stop loving God.”

Lark joined the Feast in 2006 when it was still being held in Camp Aguinaldo. He attended regularly with his family. But sometime on the fourth year that he’d been attending, he missed a number of Feasts, until he stopped attending altogether.

“During those years of absence, I felt empty deep in my heart,” Lark said. “I felt my life had no more purpose.”

So he went back to the Feast last year, which by that time was already being held at PICC.

He heard the call for servants and promptly he joined the Warmth Cluster, choosing particularly to serve in its Ushers Ministry. He said, “The warmth and openness of servants in the Ministry inspired me to serve more.”

He is happy meeting new friends in the Ministry who have accepted him and thus have helped him in his spiritual growth. “I am still a work in progress,” he said, “but I learn from my friends how to greet Feasters and make them feel welcomed –as I felt accepted here.”

He added, “Now, I wake up every morning with a purpose. I know that what I do at the Feast is part of something big. My service will make a big difference because I know that it’ll transform me into doing big things for God.”

Something big like building a Feast. “I want to contribute in building the UST Campus Feast,” he breaks into that smile that ushers in hundreds of Feasters every Sunday.

Before, Lark admitted he got easily irritated and was unforgiving. Oftentimes, he argued with his parents. But now, he’s learning to control his emotions or he finds ways on how to deal with his impatience, like walking, or playing computer games.

Once, Emer thought life had no meaning that it was better to die. But sometime in 2005, he found a little book lying in a corner of his house. He didn’t know who brought in the book, but he opened it, and found out it’s the daily Bible guide titled Our Daily Bread. Reading its contents, he realized he needed to know more about God, and thus he desired to join a prayer community.

Then in 2011, a friend who’s a member of the Light of Jesus Family invited him to the Feast. He attended on May 2, 2011. Inpired by the talks of Bro. Bo Sanchez, he answered the call to join a

Caring Group. Then, he attended the Jesus Encounter seminar, where he experienced a spiritual renewal so intense that after the seminar, he signed up to serve in the Warmth Cluster.

“I keep on serving the Lord because I believe that everything in my life will fall into its proper place in God’s perfect time.”

He added, “Now I feel life is exciting, so abundant with blessings. I always look forward to Sunday. I do not accept invitations for activities scheduled on a Sunday because my Sunday is reserved for the Feast and for the Lord. Serving the Lord is a reward in itself.”

Men Power, from top: Lark Tejano (left) and Emer Encarnacion check out the seats they offer to attendees; Emer at the door of the Plenary Hall distributing copies of The Feast.

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Page 7: The Feast - June 17, 2012 Issue

BO AT CHARISMATIC CONFERENCE‘Bring the Church Where the Unchurched Are’

“Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”

Quoting the passage from Matthew 9: 12, Bro. Bo Sanchez called for radical steps to reach out to the unchurched during the 6th National Catholic Charismatic Conference held at the SMX Convention Center last June 1.

Speaking before representatives from various Catholic Charismatic Communities from all over the Philippines, Bro. Bo said the unchurched or those who are no longer going to church on Sundays are the “sick” mentioned in Matthew 9:12 who need the attention of the Church.

Bro. Bo pointed out that 85% of people no longer attend church regularly on Sundays but all our energy, time, and resources are focused on the 15% that attend church.

But God would not abandon His people, Bro. Bo said. He presented the example of Hosea, a prophet in Israel in the 8th century BC and author of the book of prophecies bearing his name. Hosea’s wife Gomer left him to go with other men. Still Hosea looked for her and accepted her back into his home. Hosea’s experience is like the relationship of God and Israel. God --as the husband-- does not abandon Israel-- the wife-- even as she is unfaithful to Him.

In the same manner, Bro. Bo said we should not abandon those who have gone astray from the Church. Just as Hosea looked for his wife and brought her back home, we should look for the unchurched and bring them back unto the Church.

Bro. Bo thus called on the various Charismatic Communities gathered at the conference to make extra effort to bring the Church to where the unchurched are -- to offices or to shopping malls for example, by holding prayer gatherings in these places and welcoming everyone to the gathering -- even those who are wounded or rejected by society.

Bro. Bo stressed on the need to give practical talks on happy Christian living in gatherings with lively modern music so that more people, especially the younger ones, are encouraged to attend and, eventually, serve God. Bro. Bo also said that offering non-judgmental small groups where members may share concerns as well as blessings will encourage people to come back, and bring back others, too, unto the fold of the Catholic Church.

FLASH!

Renewing the Church, from top: Most Reverend Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, D.D., of the Archdiocese of Lipa presides over Holy Mass; Bro. Bo Sanchez talks on evangelizing the unchurched; members of various Charismatic communities attend the conference; the Congress poster.

By CHICHI BARBA Photos by ALEX UY YCO

THE FEAST June 17, 2012 7

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BE RENEWED.A priest will hear your confession

at the second floor lobby, Reception Hall side.

LOST and FOUND If you lost or found an item, please approach any of the ushers who will guide you to our Lost and Found section.

The FEAST, published by the Light of Jesus Family, is distributed during The Feast by the Manila Bay, a weekly prayer gathering of the Light of Jesus held at the Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, every Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.,10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 3:45 PM p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

The FEAST holds office at The Lighthouse, 60 Chicago St., Quezon City, with telephone numbers 725-9999, and email address [email protected].

BO SANCHEZFounder

CYNTHIA U. SANTIAGOEditor-in-Chief BELLA ESTRELLA (PICC1) APPLE CRUDA (PICC3) Managing Editors

KIM PAMPLONACHICHI BARBADANIEL L. SANTOSAssociate Editors

EDMUNDO SANTIAGOMARK DOMINGODAVE APALLAAPPLE CHICOARLENE BATISLAONGCRIS LEGASPISHEM OCHOCOPhotographers

NAYSAN ALBAYTARKRISTINE MUTUCJOY NACURAYMARTHINA SALOME FERDY R. VALDIVIA JAY STA. ANAWriters

GERALD GONZALESCEZ GONZALES LOUIE RAMOSIRISH RAMOSPAOLINA SALOMEDIANA LORRAINE HIDALGO MACKY S. CASAMORINJANELLA IBAYCHANTAL CRISOSTOMOReporters

JOEL ESTRELLAREYMUND UNTAL Artists FEAST MEDIA MINISTRYMARK DOMINGOAMOR MELITANTECo-Assistant Heads

JANE IBAYFinance

RHODA OSALVOJOHN PANGANPublic Relations

I Changed My ReligionBy REGIELE ANNE CRUZ Illustration by DON FRONDOSO

...but God did not let go of me

SHARING

SERVING God since I was a child and joining a religious group in my teenage years implanted a very close relationship with God in my heart. I always prayed wherever I was and whatever I did. My trust in Him was deep and steadfast.

But there came a time when serious struggles hit me, so hard, my faith was shaken. I joined a different religion trying to seek what I could not get from my Catholic faith and even reached a point when I did not believe in God anymore. I started questioning religions, faith, and His very existence.

I remember the time when I asked God to hold me in His arms and to never let me go that even if I walk astray I would still end up running back to Him. I thought I had to ask that since there were many times I felt close to Him and many times I felt so detached. My spiritual mother once told me, “You do not even need to ask that because God is already holding your hand. Even if you let go of Him, He will never let you go; that’s how He loves us.”

God promised, “I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” --Isaiah 43:2 Looking back at all the numerous heart-breaking difficulties I had to face. I realized that I got through all of them because the mighty hands of our Father have always been holding me. For the times I could not walk, He carried me. He has never given up on me. It seems that He owns the key to my heart even when I thought I had thrown it away. Now, I am back to serving Him as I live my life while enjoying His promises and gift of grace.

We just have to trust Him when He says He loves us because He will always be true to His promises even in our most trying times.

8 THE FEAST June 17, 2012