Metanoia

Come Home With Me Brian J. Payot   Come to me my dea--r, come.. and rest.. with me. I know...you’ve been tired..I come to you. Come to me..come to me.. Oh dear.. Come to me..and I will give you rest.   Oh.. there were times when you’re down There were times you feel alone There were times that I’m here But you still feel so low.   There were times you’re afraid There were times you feel brave Oh dear just come and I’ll give you rest   Oh dear, oh dear just co..me to me I know, I know it’s never been so easy Just come, just come I’ll give you rest Just be..with me my friend and I will give you rest.   There were times you feel down There were times you feel alone I know it’s hard but just keep holding on I am here, i am here just come back my dear Come here, come here with me.   Refrain Let me hold you, let me guide you let me be with you darling Dont be afraid, dont be sad just come home with me Dont be afraid, dont be afraid, dont be sad my friend Come here, come closely and i will gi

Have you ever thought about how much God loves us?   The love of God for us is beyond our imagination. His love is transformative, changing His beloved into a new creation. His greatest love was bestowed upon us by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and save us from sin, despite our unworthiness. God chose to love us unconditionally, taking a risk, knowing that we may or may not reciprocate the love He offers us. Today, the entire Catholic Church celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday, remembering how Jesus' love saved us and washed away our sins through the water and blood of His love for us. How much do you love Jesus? Are you willing to choose and follow Him? [Image citation: Please note that the image of the Divine Mercy used in this text is for illustrative purposes only and does not imply ownership or endorsement. Image source: (credit to Reg Silva Art)]

As I have reflected over the past few weeks on whom I can deeply resonate with in the Bible, I was struck by the life story of Peter, with whom I can associate/relate certain parts of my own experiences. 1. His career as a fisherman:  Throughout his life, Peter must have been familiar and comfortable with his profession of fishing. However, there came a moment when, despite his efforts, he caught nothing, leading to frustrations and insecurities.  Similarly, there was a time in my life when I was consumed by work, forgetting what truly brought me happiness. I felt burdened and helpless, lacking control over my life's direction. 2. His feeling of unworthiness in front of Jesus:  When Jesus entered Peter's life, he was overwhelmed by His kindness, feeling unworthy and small in His presence.  I, too, struggle to comprehend why God shows me such kindness despite my sinfulness. I feel undeserving and overwhelmed by His constant presence in my life. 3. His shortcomings, denying Jesus

As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, let us proclaim and tell the world how wonderful His works are, showing that even death has no power.  On this day, we are transformed into a new creation with hope for everlasting life. Like Martha and the other women, let us spread the good news that Christ is Lord.  May the Holy Spirit vivify us to commit our lives to God in the mission of becoming the salt and light of the world. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! He is risen. Happy Easter!

The triumph of Jesus over death through resurrection gives us concrete hope to look forward to eternal life.  On the third day, Jesus rose victoriously, and this is the time for us to rejoice. The Easter Vigil commemorates our renewal of baptismal promises and invites us to become fully committed disciples of Jesus.  It anticipates his resurrection, and as we take a moment of silence and deep reflection in the darkness, the priests bless the fire and water to remind us of the salvific works of God.  Let us celebrate and be glad, for the Lord has risen. Alleluia!"

On this Good Friday, the entire Catholic Church celebrates the most beautiful image of love shown by Jesus - dying on the cross to redeem us from sin. He gave up His life for us to see how much He loved us more than we can imagine.  The cross reminds us of how wonderfully made we are and how precious our life is to God. Let us draw ourselves to the cross and start to "look unto it intently and do likewise."

 As we celebrate Palm Sunday, we catch a glimpse of the forthcoming events in Jesus' life throughout Holy Week. Jesus foretold that the hour had come and reminded us of the following: 1. Pray unceasingly - He informed His disciples to earnestly pray, overcoming temptations by saying, "for the spirit is willing but the body is weak." 2. In times of trouble, you either accept or disown me - He reminded His disciples to be courageous in following Him, knowing that there would come a time when they might deny Him out of fear. 3. Look at Me, Did you betray the Lord? - He asked Judas after he led the guards to arrest Him. 4. It is you who say it - He replied to Pilate during the interrogations regarding punishment or setting Him free, indicating that only those who are in the Lord can truly see and recognize Him. 5. Crucify Him - the loud voice that the people shouted at Jesus, echoing our sinfulness like a loud voice crucifying Him with our sins. 6. My God, My God, why have yo

The Canali program has deepened my faith and taught me to entrust my life to God, discerning where He is leading me. It also offers various spiritual events, such as the Chrism Mass, where I'm inspired by how people gather as one community to witness the renewal of commitment to ministry and the blessing of sacred oils given through Holy Orders.

As I progress in my Canali Program, the month of February has offered me various spiritual events that have helped me deepen my discernment. I had the chance to attend to the following: Seminary Opening Mass for incoming seminarians, the Decere (a one-day Retreat at Marian Valley organized by Vocation Brisbane), and the Three Pillars of Lent (a three-day Retreat organized by OLOL Parish). These experiences provided me with reflective moments where I could deepen my longings and clarify my intentions. As I discern of offering myself unto Him, the aforementioned spiritual engagements have helped me realize the following graces/providence I have gained: 1. Created a special bond/relationship with God through daily prayer and silence. 2. Met and connected with new people who are actively involved in serving the Church and others. 3. Understood the multicultural spiritual perspective on how God's presence can be seen and felt in all walks of life. 4. Developed a heart for serving the Ch

My stay in Australia is proof of God's loving providence. I faced numerous struggles and fears that even led me to the point of giving up.  Life can be challenging away from your family; however, His infinite love embraces all my imperfections.  Despite my many insecurities, He has given me more than I deserve, showing numerous signs that are enough for me to accept and let go of all the unessential things in my life.  I thank you, Lord, even though I am unworthy; you made me significant and whole again.

  To begin the day, there are moments in our lives that seem uncertain. These are the times we feel doubtful about where life is leading us and feel dry, struggling to understand what's happening.  We long for the things we are sure of, but then we are left unaware and out of control.. We keep searching for what can truly satisfy and make us happy. However, life gives us no guarantee, no assurance that everything will succeed. This makes us restless and insecure; we start questioning, 'Is this the life I am destined to live? How can I be sure of my plans? What can truly make me free and happy?' In silence, we then realize that it's not about us; it's about Him. Knowing what we can truly be can only be understood through His mercy and divine providence.  We can encounter Him through: 1. Allowing Him to speak in our hearts today. 2. Allowing ourselves to listen and see/understand, even when we don't. 3. Trusting and surrendering ourselves to Him despite the uncert

Heavenly Father, our creator and source of life and love, we unite ourselves unto you in silence and prayer. We acknowledge our sins and beg for your grace and mercy to renew us. As we celebrate the Feast day of the conversion of Saint Paul, instill in our hearts and minds the openness to recognize your plan for us and teach us to develop an unwavering faith to trust even in the most difficult times. Grant us courage and dedication as we continue to spread the good news to all. Grant us hope as we journey throu gh life full of uncertainty and grant us love as we offer ourselves in the mission and service for the Church. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord, with the intercession of the Blessed Mother Mary. Amen.

As I formally begin my Canali program, I am blessed by how God works in my life, sending good people for me to deeply understand my vocation. I am thrilled to share my experience from the first month working in the different communities to which I am  assigned:  Our Lady of Lourdes Sunnybank  and  Emmanuel City Mission . In OLOL Parish, I have met great people such as Fr Enoch (Parish Priest) Fr. Francisco (Assistant Parish Priest), Miss Pam (Parish Coordinator) and Miss Felicity (Saturday Mass Coordinator). They have supported me with my desire to be part of the different roles in the parish such as Eucharistic Minister, Reader and Mass collector. The parishioners were also welcoming and vibrant, coming from diverse multi-cultural backgrounds. Before I started my participation, Miss Pam asked me first to go through the safeguarding protocols set by the Parish and Archdiocese of Brisbane. I also had an orientation with Miss Felicity regarding the various roles in the parish. She asked