December 3, 2014 - Annual Advent Recollection
A day of rest, A day of contemplation, A day with Lord. Every year we look forward to this recollection for this is a nice opportunity to listen to our inner self, an opportunity to reconcile and ask for forgiveness of sins. A day to refresh and be back to the source and recover the original freshness a way to prepare our selves for the season of Advent.
It was indeed a fruitful day, a day of blessing - truly a Flame from God.
We were welcomed by Rev. Fr. Al Botero.
He welcomed us with a warm smile and he was so generous, he was truly a gift of person. And their place was very nice and very conducive for the activity.
This year we are blessed with another gift of person, Rev. Fr. Ritchie Gamaya, The Editor-in-chief of the Catholic Herald, who gave us a very substantial and meaningful recollection. He helped us prepare for advent. He help untangled the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis. The Evangelii Gaudium.
Fr. Ritchie simplified what the message of the said document by giving examples of everyday real life experiences. As he presented his talk entitled:
FAITH and LIFE
Anguish and Joy
A reflection from Evangelii Gaudium
He started it by enumerating the dangers of today's world...
A. Desolation and Anguish - The danger in today's world pervaded by consumerism
1.) Complacent yet Covetous Heart - that people of today have a great tendency to only see self.
2.) Feverish pursuit of Frivolous pleasure - the pursuit of earthly pleasures and because of this no one seems to see others anymore. NO more sense for the POOR.
3.) Blunted conscience - That people now have no conscience, blunted meaning not functioning conscience. The voice of God is never heard anymore. And that the desire to do good is lost. The lost of feeling the joy of life, the joy of God's love is never felt.
These pose a great danger and that it was a good reminder that we need to check ourselves are we in the state of Desolation? Are we in a state of Anguish?
Fr. Ritchie then explained the second part..
B. Living the Gospel: Delight and Comforting Joy
every individual must be in this state..
1. Reach out to others and seek their good.
We should always refresh our selves by...
2. Returning to the source and recover the original freshness of the Gospel.
"Life is attained and matured if given to others."
Fr. Ritchie quoted from the words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta
"Priest of God,
Celebrate this Mass as if it is your first Mass,Your last Mass and your only Mass."
each mass should be celebrated with devotion, freshness, contemplation and enthusiasm. He then relate to teaching, that us in the basic education department should do our task with devotion, freshness, contemplation and enthusiasm. he then said
"All you teachers,
Every time we teach, think as if it is your first time to teach,
your last time to teach
and the only time to teach."
3. Be convinced of God's initiative - listen to God's will. Take God's initiative.
4. Gratefully remember the living history which carries us forward. - that each and everyone of us should never cease to be grateful to God. for the Love of God. For the Many Blessings we receive each day.
in the end, Fr. Ritchie left us with two points for reflection.
1.) How do I live the Gospel today?
2.) In the face of this world, how do I practice my faith?
Do you now have the answer to these questions?
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Eucharistic Celebration:
We ended our Recollection with a Eucharistic Celebration with Rev. Fr. Al Botero presiding.
# BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF
It was a fruitful day for everyone.
Of course, the day did not end without the Selfies, the Groufies and
the fun field bonding in between sessions or breaktime.
The Before, the in-between and the after pictorial sessions:
