Charism in a Year

The Catholic Church is one, holy and apostolic. Unfortunately, there are too many divisions within the body, many of her members are far from holy, and most are not going forth to do the work of evangelization and mission.But mission is crucial, given the darkness in the world today, which is being overwhelmed by a tsunami of evil, with the Church herself buffeted from all sides, and even from within. God intends His Church to be His light in the world and the salt of the earth. For that to happen, her members must be united, and grow in holiness and apostolic zeal.This is the great challenge, to be one in Christ and one in mission.

The Son of God came into the world through Mary.Jesus redeemed the world and allows us entry into heaven.We return to the Father in Jesus through Mary.The devil caused us the loss of paradise.The Son of Mary is victorious over the devil.Paradise for us is restored in Mary through her Son.Meet the most unique and most extraordinary woman in the world.Meet the disciple of Jesus par excellence.Begin to understand her role as Mediatrix and Co-Redemptrix.You are most graciously invitedto another 40-day pilgrimage with Mary.

The most extraordinary woman in the whole world is Mary.She was conceived without original sin.She is full of grace.She gave birth to a Son but is ever virgin.She is the mother of God.She is the mother of the One who is the Savior of the world.She was assumed body and soul into heaven.She is the Queen of heaven and earth.God has done great things for Mary, and all ages will call her blessed.Get to know this most extraordinary woman. And know that she is your mother too.

On February 13, 2007, something happened that sent shock waves throughout the whole global CFC family. Three top elders resigned from the CFC Council, the top governing body in CFC.Shock, disbelief, confusion, sorrow. Speculations abounded. What was happening? CFC had just celebrated its 25th year, basking in the wonderful and awesome work of God that CFC was privileged to do. What was wrong?God once again was at work. God loves CFC so much and wants to use CFC in greater ways that He, at the start of CFC’s next 25 years, was causing a divine upheaval in order to purify CFC and prepare us for the greater work ahead.But the enemy is also at work. The enemy is aware of God’s intent. The enemy will do anything to thwart God’s plan. And so an intense spiritual battle is raging for the mind and heart of CFC.Now CFC is at the crossroad. Will there be a continuing slide into greater infidelity to God’s call to us, or will CFC move on to greater empowerment of the Spirit?The key lies in learning the lessons of Lamentations. 

There is tremendous dynamism in the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass. But as with everything God offers us, what we actually experience depends on our understanding, on our openness to receive, and on our response. The Mass is an encounter with Jesus. It is a life-changing encounter. It is intended to bring us ever deeper in our personal relationship with Jesus, in responding to the call to holiness, in becoming a true disciple. It empowers us to reach out and build his Church and society. Every aspect of the Mass is meaningful. But there are certain portions that provide great opportunities for continuing conversion and pastoral formation for laypeople. Every Eucharistic celebration in fact should challenge us to live our faith in an ever-deeper way. If we understand what God wants to teach us at Mass, if we humbly accept what God wants us to learn and to live out, then the Eucharist becomes the greatest way by which God brings His people to become what He intends them to become. Jesus tells us what that is: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:48). The Eucharist is our path to holiness and Christian perfection.

How is your life today? Perhaps you feel it is good, or perhaps not. Perhaps you go around with a smile on your face, or perhaps you often wear a frown. Perhaps you look forward to what lies ahead, or perhaps you dread the future. Or most probably you experience these contrasting feelings now and then, in their turn. You go around life with either positive or negative feelings determined by the circumstances of your life. But this is not the way God designed your life to be. Yes certainly there will be ups and downs, as there will be joys and sorrows. But God intends that you go through life with confidence, with a smile in your heart if not on your face. You must know that you are not just to be directed or tossed about by the varying circumstances of your life as influenced by a disordered world. You may not know it, but there are certain truths that can radically change your life. For the better of course! With knowledge of such truths, and living out their implications, you can go through life consistently with profound peace and a song of joy in your heart.

Our relationship with God as Christians is covered by a covenant. What is a covenant? It is not just an agreement. It is much more of a solemn promise, involving one’s very being. But in relation to the covenant between God and us, it is even more. A covenant is a deep intimate personal relationship, where God promises to be our God and accept us as His people. Throughout the Old Testament, we see that God initiated covenants with man. With Noah (Gn 9:9)With Abram (Gn 17:7)With Isaac (Gn 17:19)With Israel (Ex 19:5-6) God’s original intent in creating man was to share His life and His love. God created Adam and Eve, and gave them dominion over the rest of His creation (Gn 1:28). However, they failed God and paradise was lost. God now sought to continue with His original intent, to share His life and love with humanity. This time, God would impress upon man the importance of His relationship with them. In calling Noah in preparation for a new humanity, God told him of what was to come, that He was starting over, and that He would establish His covenant with him (Gn 6:18). After the flood, God gave Noah and his sons the same commission He gave to Adam and Eve. “Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth.” (Gn 9:1b). “Be fertile, then, and multiply; abound on earth and subdue it.” (Gn 9:7). Then God established His covenant with Noah and his descendants after him. Covenant is all about God’s original plan and intent for the world!

Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI have sounded the call to the New Evangelization. It is a very urgent call. It is a call that recognizes the massive assaults on the faith during these times, and the onslaught of the tsunami of evil that is overwhelming the whole world. Now evangelization is not new. It is 2,000 years old. The Holy Spirit came down on Pentecost and the disciples of Jesus went on to evangelize the world. But after 2,000 years, the world is once again in darkness. What happened? Many Christians and Christian nations have succumbed to the deadly isms of the times—modernism, relativism, secular hedonism, materialism, consumerism, cultural Marxism. They have lost sight of the authentic Christian life. They are no longer witnesses to Christ in the power of the Spirit. The situation in the world has become critical. Faith has grown cold. The whole Church needs to rediscover the true meaning of evangelization, according to God’s principles. The way forward is the way of Pentecost, and the missionary spirit we see in the history of the early Church. Unless we put on the mind and heart of God in this work, we will end up just doing more of the same, and continue to lose territory to the enemy. We are in the end times, and how we respond will be crucial to preparing the bride of Christ for the coming of the Bridegroom. So now we go on an exciting journey, discovering the riches of the Spirit’s prophetic call to the New Evangelization. Let us be on our way.

Jesus calls us to become his disciples. This is a very profound call that many Christians fail to understand and properly respond to. As such, there are many who are Christian in name but not in actual living out of the fullness of their faith in Christ.To be a disciple is to have a profound relationship with the Triune God.As a child of the FatherAs a servant of the SonAs a soldier of the SpiritFollowing from the above, to be a disciple is to have an intimate relationship with other Christians.As brothers and sisters in the family of GodAs co-workers in the Kingdom of GodAs comrades-in-arms in the army of GodThe disciples of Jesus are crucial to the work of proclaiming the good news of salvation to the whole world. As Christians we are privileged to be called. But it is a great responsibility. Jesus has entrusted to his workers the harvest that has already been prepared. It is crucial that we learn what it really means to follow Christ.

The Christian family is struggling for survival, beset by powerful forces all around it. There is the secular and materialistic world, seeking to impose its increasingly pagan values and lifestyles. There is the fallen and sinful flesh in humanity, seeking to be free of all moral restraints. And there is Satan, seeking to thwart God’s plan and dominion. Amidst all these, Christians are confused, discouraged, badly bruised. The future looks bleak. But there is hope! God is committed to defending and strengthening the family. For the family is His very own creation. And the family is at the very center of His plan for humanity. God has a plan and design for marriage and family life that is unchanging and eternal. And His plan is the key not just to the survival of the family, but to God’s ultimate triumph in the world.

The world is in a sorry mess. It is steeped in darkness and sin.What does the future hold? It seems we can only look forward to more of the same—poverty, social injustice, the culture of death, war, terrorism, ecological disaster. Many in their helplessness have resigned themselves to hopelessness.But is this the proper posture? Is there really no hope? Is there really nothing we can do? For many, it seems that the tragic answer is yes.This book begs to disagree.Because there is God, then we have hope. God has provided everything needed to restore us to the fullness of life He originally intended. Once again, we can look to being in paradise with Him.But we need to do our part. This is what this book is all about.If we do our part, according to the revelation of God, then we face a future full of hope.

(Related to CFC but with spiritual principles relevant to MFC)Today we are at the threshold of the third millennium. And the people of God face a momentous challenge.It has been 2,000 years of Christianity, but the commission of the Lord Jesus Christ to bring the gospel to the whole world has not been accomplished. In fact, the Church itself is being buffeted by dark winds and sinister forces, both from without and within. Spiritual warfare continues to rage in the heavens and on earth. At stake are the billions of souls on the face of the earth.In June of 1981, God raised up a new army to participate in the war. God raised up a movement to work for global evangelization and renewal. That movement is Couples for Christ. Now, 17 years later, Couples for Christ has made and continues to make a tremendous impact throughout the world. But all is not well.Now, towards the end of the second millennium and at the threshold of the third, Couples for Christ has come to a crossroad. Its future usefulness to God and his work is threatened. The dangers are very real, but the opportunities also continue to be tremendous and exciting.

To those whom Jesus calls to be his disciples, he issues the invitation, “Come follow me.” And we know that if we persevere and live out this call, Jesus will lead us all the way to heaven.But for Christians today, living in the midst of a world environment hostile to Christian ideals and values, it is not that hard to get lost or sidetracked. It is not that hard to lose sight of Jesus. And some ultimately miss out on their intended final destination.How can we respond faithfully to Jesus’ call and receive the fullness of his life? How can we persevere in our faith and make it to our eternal reward?The key is in “keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.”

Jesus has said, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Lk 10:2)Today the fields are ripe for harvest. God has prepared a massive harvest that can compare with the heady missionary days after Pentecost.God today is sounding a call to all His people to participate in bringing in this harvest. It is a call of the utmost importance and urgency.And God looks to you to respond.