Formation and Retreat in China (2014) - Personal testimony by Cecilia Teo, Verbum Dei missionary7/5/2014
When I left the Philippines, the Word of God that I carry in my heart is the passage of 2 Corinthians 12:9 “my grace is enough for you, for my power is greatest when you are weak.” I came across to this passage when I was reading the encyclical of Pope Francis Evangelii Gaudium as it says in this document …. “While painfully aware of our own frailties, we have to march on without giving in keeping in mind what the Lord said to Saint Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Christian triumph is always a cross….” I carry these words in my heart for I know it will not be an easy mission ahead and yet I am confident that God will always be with me. Happy Easter, Sisters and brothers :) We are still in the Easter season, are we not :) How did you celebrate Easter? We did urban mission during Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday, knocking on doors of houses, entering shops, talking to street vendors and taxi-drivers, to talk to them about Holy Week and the Easter celebrations, including giving them hope and talking about faith in God. An experience of the recollection at Lyceum of Cebu last March 8-9, 2014 - by Samantha Rivera3/14/2014
At home, I didn’t feel so excited about our recollection. So as I went to school, I keep thinking on my mind of how this weekend would be. The moment I arrived at school, I thought that it would be boring, just talking and an ordinary day. They were these new people I have seen, and they look to me like they were strict and very focused but as the day goes on I have learned so many things about them. I understood them and how being with God had change their lives. I have learned that in everything we do, God will always be with us. For me, the strongest moment in my experience was my confession because it felt so overwhelming, alive and I had a peace of mind after I confessed. It felt like my connection with God was stronger. Another experience that I won’t forget was the talk of Kuya Brent. It inspired me to become a better person through the Word of God. That even though you are destroyed and shattered God will always pick up the pieces and build you up again. I’ve learned that God will always accept you in ways you didn’t expect. I never regretted and will never regret that I’ve joined myself in this experience to know God more through Verbum Dei. The next days, weeks, months and even years of my life, I will always carry and treasure my experiences and learning and share it to others. I will carry this experience and will be with God throughout my life. It’s a life changing experience. Before I came and joined in our recollection, I was so set in not joining because I didn't feel like it. Everyone thought that it was my parents' decision for me not to take part in this one in a lifetime event. In truth, it was all me who said that. When my parents found out that it was on the 8th of March, the day of the said event, they scolded me and asked me why I didn't want to join. For that I am thankful to God that my parents did that (even though I cried a lot) because I wouldn't be here today to share with you my experiences. I had a lot of memorable parts in this recollection but the part that struck me most was when we held our bonfire, burned the sins that I had written on paper and the chain that enslaved all of us. It felt so releasing, like a big weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I have learned a lot of things from this experience and gained a lot also. I gained the power of knowledge that life is the greatest treasure of all and must be protected, nurtured and shared wisely. I give to you this letter for me to tell my experiences to you. Put out into the deep water! There are so many reasons not to listen to God’s call and to refuse his invitation, but when God choose you what is impossible becomes possible. I attended a retreat last weekend and it was my first time to attend a silent retreat. I was being taught that for me to encounter Jesus I have to be open, I have to take out my fear, and ask him to teach me and to show me who really is he. And the invitation for me was to go into the deep water, to go deep with my relationship with him. First, allow me to say a warm hello! I am Jovello Gomez Jr., a Verbum Dei disciple. I would like to share my experience with our silent retreat last February 15-16, 2014. The theme was from the passage of Luke 5, “Put out into the deep water...follow me”. It all started with a mind-boggling dynamic in which I was asked to right something about myself which others know, then allow others to write what they see in me that I don’t know. Then I had to write something about myself that others don’t really know. The last thing was to write what I think God says about me. Sounds silly especially that last part. What I think God says about me? I don’t really know. However, as the activity went on during the night, there had been a gradual realization of what’s going on.
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