the feast - september 9, 2012 issue

AT THE PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTERA Catholic Prayer Meeting of the LIGHT OF JESUS FAMILY

September 9, 2012

NEW SERIESTODAY

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.

ELS

Are They Superiors or Servants?YES, we’re actually about these taboo topics!

In this month’s exciting series, we’ll talk about Money, Sex, and Power. This is a hard-hitting, honest, and unabashed discussion about the three most dangerous, deadliest, and darkest driving forces of society today. They’re the ugly reasons people murder, steal, and destroy. They’re the ugly reasons tyrants have massacred millions, children have been abandoned, marriages torn apart, and souls condemned.

But here’s my big “shocking” message for you this month: All of these three may be very bad superiors—but they can become wonderful servants! As tyrants, they’re monstrous. But as tools, they multiply the good we want to do.

Sadly, many people have made them their taskmasters, not their task workers.

In the next four weeks, we’ll pray together that God liberate us from the shackles of money, sex, and power. Instead, we want to use them for the glory of God. Yes, as crazy as this may sound, there is such a thing as holy money, holy sex, and holy power.

And you’ll discover that in the next four weeks.I know you’ll be very blessed in this coming month.Enjoy the Feast!

May your dreams come true,

BO SANCHEZ

BREAKFEAST SPECIAL. Feast Builders graced our BreakFeast last Sunday, joining Bro. Bo Sanchez in capping our Younique series. Our special guests, from top: Bro. Adrian Panganiban, sharing on Past; Bro. George Gabriel, on Pain; and Bro. Alvin Barcelona on Passion. Details on pages 2-3.

LAST WEEK

What Defiles UsREV. FR. FROILAN BRIONES, SSS, explained the Sunday Gospel, according to Mark 7:1-23: The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. Now, the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law see the disciples of Jesus eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. So the Pharisees and the teachers chide Jesus for allowing his disciples to go against the tradition of the elders.

Jesus says, “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body…What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Fr. Froilan said there are two conflicting spiritualites: spirituality of avoidance and spirituality of involvement. The first one is the fulfilment of pious religious obligations while shunning away from sinners for fear of being contaminated by them. The second one is an active solidarity with those considered as sinners in the belief that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

Today, the Lord is giving us an opportunity to take a second look at our spiritual orientation. Do we cultivate a spirituality of avoidance? The Gospel challenges us to reach out. Unless we already carry the defilement in our heart, nothing from outside of us can defile us.

-- Bella Estrella

Past, Pain, Passion, and PurposeFeast Builders Adrian Panganiban, George Gabriel, and Alvin Barcelona joined Bro. Bo Sanchez in capping the Younique series.

PastBro. Adrian talked about

his past and how it has shaped him in the unique person that he is.

Bro. Adrian said he experienced material success as early as when he was a teenager. He was a singer and a dancer, and his talents paved the way to various stints in show business where he became a teen sensation in the ‘70s. Cash so kept coming in that he was able to buy a brand new car at the age of 19 and establish a business in his early 20s.

“That was all that mattered to me in those days – to earn money to make my dreams come true,” he said.

Soon enough, he began to aim for another goal: his own house and lot.

Bro. Adrian did get a house by the time he celebrated his 30th birthday, but, he said, it was different from what he had planned. He attended a Light in the Spirit seminar and, he said, “I entered a Palace…and the owner is our Lord Jesus Christ.” Suddenly, all the material things he aimed for in the past became of little importance for him-- compared to love, care, and service for others.

He added, “My past does not really define my future. My mess has been turned into a message. And all these tests have been turned into a testimony.”

PainBro. George enumerated

three lessons he learned from experiencing Pain – one becomes wiser, stronger, and freer.

He recalled that in his teen years, he took up piano lessons, beginning each session with a prayer. Impressed by his piety, his teacher asked Bro. George to pray over her brother-in-law, a 60-year-old man who was dying of cancer.

Bro. George said he prayed over the man, and sang worship songs for him. The old man, in tears, sang along with him. Two weeks after, the man passed away. “I believe that amid his pain, the man left

the world wiser and in peace,” Bro. George said.

Bro. George then illustrated how pain makes one stronger with the story of his cousin, Joseph Tolentino, a basketball player for the De La Salle–College of St. Benilde. The team relied on Joseph to garner the winning three-point shots. In one game, however, he fell and broke his arm. He had to opt out of the game for the whole season.

But in time, Joseph was back on the court, playing even better than before.

Bro. George said that everyone has experienced pain. “But your pain makes you stronger,” he said.

2 THE FEAST September 9, 2012

TODAYTalk 1: Holy MoneyMoney Is a Terrific Servant or a Terrible SuperiorLuke 16:9I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

Deuteronomy 8:18Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Proverbs 3:9-10Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Hebrews 13:5Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.

Personal Reflection and Group Discussion:Do you own money or does money own you?_____________________________________________________

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the two men in the audience. The next day, royal guards escorted the actor to the Duke of England who turned out to be the man impressed with his act. The Duke knighted the actor.

Bro Alvin concluded, “Today, I give my best--because the one watching me is not my mother principal, nor Freddie Aguilar, nor the Duke of England. I am performing before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.”

PurposeBro. Bo talked about

Purpose and likened it to good tension. Life without tension is like doing nothing at the beach, he said. A year of doing it and one becomes miserable.

He shared a story that happened in World War II, where the Nazis attempted to crush the spirit of their prisoners. The guards ordered the prisoners to dig holes and cover them up day after day. In no time, the people died one by one. Bro. Bo pointed out that the Nazis succeeded in crushing their spirit because they removed the people’s vision and purpose.

Bro. Bo said, “If you want to be happy, you need tension in your life...Tension comes from vision.”

He illustrated Purpose by stretching a piece of cloth (below). He said, “The bigger the purpose, the bigger the pull; the farther the target, the stronger the tension.”

As 1 John 3:2 puts it: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

“This is our greatest vision: that we become the light of Jesus,” Bro. Bo said.

-- Cessna M. PapasPhotos by ELS

PassionBro. Alvin related that

when he was a teacher, the principal now and then visited the classrooms to observe how teachers were doing their job.

“Everyone dreaded the principal’s visit,” Bro. Alvin said. “Everyone except me-- because the principal is my mother.”

Even on days when the principal didn’t observe him, Bro. Alvin said he nevertheless gave his best in teaching-- for teaching was his passion.

When he became a professional musician, he and his band had the opportunity to perform with Freddie Aguilar in the latter’s restaurant in Tagaytay. But even without Freddie, they gave their best.

Then there was the story of a theater actor. On the day of his performance there were only two persons in the audience. Undaunted, the lead actor told everyone that they are performing for the Duke of England. And so everyone gave their best, drawing a standing ovation from one of

THE FEAST September 9, 2012 3

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MINISTRIES

Stewards of God’s GraceBy MARTHINA SALOME Photos by BLAISE GOMEZ

DURING the Holy Mass last Sunday, Fr. Froilan Briones introduced the 19 new lay ministers or extra ordinary ministers of communion and new lectors and commentators.

The Lay Ministers for the FeastLay ministers are not ordained

but are commissioned to help in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Called stewards of God’s Grace and co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord, lay ministers go through an intensive preparation for their task.

The applicants first attended a basic formation seminar through the Diocese of Cubao for one day. The seminar focused on the love of the Eucharist. They also need to undergo training quarterly under their Liturgy Ministry heads, Sis. Vita Monforte and Bro. Danny Pasa.

The Lector at MassGod speaks to us through the

Scriptures read by the lectors during the Holy Mass. Thus lectors and commentators are carefully chosen so that the Scriptures are read clearly

and accurately. When they do not hear clearly what is being read, people will not listen and thus will not get the message of the liturgy. The people understand the readings first, through the introduction read by the commentator, and later through the explanation of the priest during his homily.

Since they are delivering God’s message, lectors read the Scriptures with reverence and the people must listen with reverence too. Though they must deliver the readings loud and clear, the tone should encourage


COMMISSIONING, clockwise, from top: Fr. Froilan Briones blessing the new lay ministers and lectors with holy water; the pray over; Bro. Abel Victoria and Bro. Jun Macapagal presenting the stole. On opposite page, the lectors.

Introducing: The Y2 SessionBy CHICHI BARBA

WHILE the Feast rolled at the Plenary hall and Overflow room at the Forum last August 26, the Youth Ministry of Feast PICC, under the Family Cluster, held its first Y2 session. It was a “test run” in preparation of the official launch of the Y2 session this September 9.

What is Y2? Y2 stands for Young Youth and refers to high school students between ages 12 to 16 years old who want to worship the Lord, share their problems and concerns with like-minded people, while striving to love God in their own simple way.

Bro. Tom Yokingco, head of the Feast PICC Family Cluster, shares that most of the first attendees and servants of

the Y2 sessions have been members of the Awesome Kids or are members of the Feast PICC Youth.

“The high school kids have different concerns compared to the college-level ones,” Bro. Tom said. “That’s why we felt the need to have another gathering for kids aged 12 to 16 to help them become strong, God-centered young people as they face different kinds of challenges in high school.”

The Y2 session officially starts today, September 9, after the 2nd session Mass. It will be held every Sunday at Rm. D216, Secretariat Building (by the Awesome Kids area).

meditation on God’s word. The lectors avoid reading the Scriptures in haste which will interfere with the reflection. At the end of the readings, the lectors stop for a moment of silence to allow the word of God to pierce through even the hardened of heart.

The lectors call on the Holy Spirit to inspire and empower them, for indeed, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can truly fathom God’s specific message for each one of us.

Sis. Vita said the Ministry hopes to hold an Inter-Feast, where Liturgy Ministry from the other Feasts will have a fellowship meeting at least quarterly.

During their commissioning, the new servants promised to use the knowledge they learned from the basic seminar for God’s greater glory, following God’s mandate as expressed in 1 Peter 10-11: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.


Y2 LAUNCH. Bro. Tom Yokingco (top), head of the Family Cluster, ham it up with the first

Y2 batch. Above, the happy ‘tweens with leader Bro. Aezar Cajegas.

BLESSINGLOGS

AND THE WINNERS ARE...Ushers line

up on the red carpet to welcome

the stars-- the Feast attendees.

At the Awards Night, Bro. Randy

Borromeo, presenting a trophy to Bro. Bo Sanchez;

Bro. George Gabriel and Rissa

Kawpeng, speakers during the Singles

stream receive trophies too. On

opposite page, the celebrities worship the Superstar, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Red Carpet BallBy KRISTINE MUTUC Photos by APPLE CHICO

I ENTERED the venue and there they were, ready for my grand entrance. As I stepped on the red carpet, photographers immediately flashed their cameras to capture my every angle. Ushers warmly welcomed me and reporters swarmed up to interview me.

No, I’m not a Hollywood celebrity. I stepped into an A-list Awards Night event titled Go for Glory, the Kerygma Conference 2011 Singles stream held at the Aliw Theater on November 19, 2011.

Kerygma Conference is today the leading Catholic learning event in the country, which includes Holy Mass, lively worship, and powerful talks.

Kerygma, a Greek word that means proclamation of the Gospel, is the name chosen by Bro. Bo Sanchez for the publication that is now the leading inspirational magazine in the Philippines. Through the years, Kerygma has been blessed with hundreds of readers, and Bro. Bo met with the readers in rallies throughout the country. Such rallies turned into the Kerygma Conference which started at the Philsports Arena on November 24-25, 2007. Last year, Kerygma Conference 2011 focused on the theme Glory to Glory, based on the Holy Bible passage in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all... are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.”

Yes, we are all children of God, created by Him in His image and likeness. As children of God, we are


Editor’s Note: Have you a similar story how you have received blessings from God? Share! and let the world know miracles still do happen today to give hope especially to the lost. For details, email [email protected], or call 09399044065.

celebrities! And that’s what I felt in the Singles conference, one of the streams of Kerygma Conference 2011.

The Singles Ministry glammed up the Aliw Theater for the arrival of the stars--with a red carpet entrance, photo walls to pose for the paparazzi, and flashing lights to show their beautiful faces. And who were the much awaited special guests? Who else, but the Singles stream attendees! Yes, they were celebs, and so they were given a welcome worthy of a movie star.

I felt so blessed in the Holy Mass. The worship was so moving, I felt spiritually renewed. And the talks gave me new insights about love and career. I heard words of wisdom about relationships and finding the “one”. Aside from love life, a single person also undergoes the struggle of walking the right career path. In the conference, I learned directions to take to find out what career God wanted me to pursue, and just how I’d reach my goal.

Overall, the message was we are all celebrities because we are all children of God. We are also lookalikes of a famous personality, who is no less than God who created us in His image and likeness. We are all glorious just the way we are.

Kerygma Conference 2012 centers on the theme Champions, Arise. Hmmm, I am not only a celebrity ... but a champion as well? I am definitely attending.

Feast HopperBy AILEEN MARISTANEZ

ONE Sunday, my sister came home from what I thought was one of the parties she usually attended. She gushed about how much fun she had, and as she yakked and yakked, I finally deciphered that she attended not a party, but a Sunday prayer gathering. She invited me to attend with her.

And I was like, “I already know my God... as long as I’m following His rules, I’ve done enough.”

“Maybe next time,” I just told her, to end our conversation.

But for a couple of Sundays, my sister kept on inviting me, until I dropped my guard and told her. “Okay! I will attend!”

We attended the Feast Alabang held at Cinema 10 of the Festival Mall. And the Feast got me at first hello--from the smiling ushers who said, “Welcome to the Feast,” handing me

Bro. Arun Gogna, and that there are other Feasts throughout the metropolis and neighboring provinces. And so I have become a Feast hopper.

My school is in Manila so during school days I attend Feast Manila, led by Bro. Obet Cabrillas. From time to time, I also attend Feast Pasig which Bro. Obet also leads. I spend my summer vacation in my hometown in Laguna, so I attend Feast Laguna led by Bro. Jon Escoto.

I’ve never felt happier than when I am in the Feast. I used to be a lost soul, like a fish out of the water. I felt unloved...ugly.... I knew God was there. He was friend...but I still felt left out.

But now, people say I’ve changed. They are correct. Lots of changes have happened in me since I’ve attended the Feast. Let me enumerate some:

a copy of The Feast bulletin, on to the Worship with the awesome songs, so new to my ears...and people raising their hands and swaying to the lively beat.

But me, I kept quiet as the songs sent goose bumps crawling down my spine, and an inexplicable joy engulfed me. In my mind, I talked to God, asking Him, “Is this your plan for me?”

Then, the preacher came onstage and, as if on cue, his first words were: “You are here because God planned it for you to be here!”

I felt supper blessed that I attended the next Sunday. I would learn that the Feast Alabang preacher is

The lost me has been found by my Heavenly Father, and now as a loving daughter I have resolved to help in the Feast that we may continue fulfilling the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost.

The old, ugly unloved me is now counselling some of the Feast attendees who feel ugly and unloved, making sure they will feel that they are loved, and that they are beautiful.

The fish out of the water is now making sure that no one feels left-out. Because we will never be alone for He is always there in our sorrow and pain, as well as in our victory.


FROM ONE FEAST TO ANOTHER. Aileen with Feast Builders, from left: Bro. Obet Cabrillas, Bro. Jon Escoto, Bro. Arun Gogna, Bro. Adrian Panganiban, and Bro. Alvin Barcelona.

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 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 Managing Editor

KRISTINE MUTUCAPPLE CHICO Associate Editors

EDMUNDO SANTIAGOChief Photographer

CRIS LEGASPIAssistant Chief Photographer

ALEX UY YCOGERALD GONZALESROSALYN ALBERTOCES ARCILLAMIA FRANZ CATANSHOJI MERISJAMES MORRISONJEJETTE NOCUMPhotographers

MARTHINA SALOMEBETHANY DECHAVEZIMELDA CARAVACA FERRERMARIZ CASAJEKAREN LEGIONLORIE SAMBILEReporters

JOEL ESTRELLAChief Artist

JANELLA IBAYDON FRONDOSOAssistant Artists

MEMBERSHIP:KIM PAMPLONAHead

ARLENE BATISLAONGAssistant Head

FINANCE:JANE IBAYHead

CHICHI BARBAAssistant Head

PUBLIC RELATIONS:RHODA OSALVO

Head

JOY NACURAYAssistant Head

Experience the Power of God In Your Life

The POWER OF INTERCESSION

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September 15, 2012 Saturday, 8:00am - 6:00 pm Pasig City (beside ULTRA)

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ONE MORE MIRACLE

Got One More Miracle? A mysterious, inexplicable experience—a miracle God has allowed to happen to let you know He loves you? Share! Email your article with your picture to [email protected].

Dial-a-GoodbyeBy ANDREA MARIEL U. UNGSON Illustration by MARTHINA SALOME

WHEN I was growing up, my parents made sure I would get close to my extended family -- lolos, lolas, titos, titas, cousins, second cousins. We spent as much time as possible with them.

My Lolo from my father’s side resided in Dagupan, Pangasinan. He was a jolly bachelor who loved to crack jokes. I couldn’t wait for that time of the week that he’d come over and stay with my family at our home in Manila. He always brought all sorts of pasalubong.But whenever he was with us, it was inevitable that there’d be an argument between him and my Dad which usually had to do with my Lolo’s smoking.

Lolo started smoking when he was 17, until he suffered lung problems. He never really liked going to the doctor and he did whatever he could do to stay away from the vicinity of a

hospital. That’s how it went and as my Lolo grew older, with salt and pepper hair and a potbelly, he still went on smoking. It was a proud moment for us when a few years back he said he’d quit smoking just for us, his only apos.

Alas, around last year, my Lolo went back to smoking and from then on, he often fell ill. Occasionally, when we caught him in the right mood, we were able to persuade him to visit the doctor.

Then this year, for a month or so, we noticed he stopped coming over for his weekly visits with us. We found out Lolo was seriously ill.

One time, on my way home, I received a call from my Mom.

Lolo had gone into coma. Then Dad called up too, and said he’d put the phone on Lolo’s ears so we could say our goodbyes to him-- even if he couldn’t reply anymore.

In between tears, I told Lolo, “I love you. You will be okay.”

The next second it was already Mom at the end of the line.

“God could be taking him any moment now,” she told me.

“No,” I sobbed. “Tell him I’d like to see him.”

But Mom said Lolo was already gone. During the wake, Dad told me that the

machine monitoring Lolo’s heartbeat flat lined for a minute-- but the line zigzagged again when the phone was placed on his ear as I was saying, “I love you.”

“He waited for you to say goodbye,” Dad said.

I consider that nothing short of a miracle because after that, I know my life’s changed for good.


the feast - september 9, 2012 issue

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