01.20.19 | Sunday | 9:00AM | Cinema 3, Robinsons Place Manila
God’s Love
Too Good To Be True
Exactly 25 days from now, we will be celebrating heart’s day, or more popularly known as Valentine’s day — a special day for couples, lovers and MU’s (Mag-isang Umaasa) as well.
Are you familiar with TV shopping channels?
But, kidding aside, you can feel that love is in the air. Everybody seems to be feeling romantic. Dinner dates, candlelight, flowers, and chocolates are best sellers, and of course traffic is everywhere too. But what you are missing is the One who loves you best. He knows you even before you are conceived and even the hairs on your head are numbered. Your name is written in the palm of His hand. You are heirs to His kingdom. He even gave his only begotten Son for you, to suffer and die for you.
Friend, God loves you. Need I say more?
I really love them though I never buy products from them. What I really enjoy is watching their creativity in selling each merchandise. It’s so enticing that sometimes I tell myself that this product is too good to be true. This is the world we live in today. Sometimes we struggle because from experience we know that all things come with a cost. Yes, even with love. That is why some people doubt the unconditional love of God. Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” I can go on explaining and still you will not understand until you experience it. Similar to saying that you don’t believe in gravity, but it affects you anyway, the same goes with God’s love.
Be Blessed,
I pray that today you may experience His unmeasurable love.
ADRIAN PANGANIBAN
Have a blessed Feast today. In Christ, JOHN BEN RODRIGUEZ
TALK 3: COURAGEOUS LOVE “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” —Ephesians 3:17-19
TODAY’S READINGS First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-6 Psalms: Psalm 98:1-9 Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18 Gospel: Luke 2:41-52
BLESSING BLOG My NewFound Joy Justin, a 23-year-old seafarer accidentally finds The Feast while seeking for something fun to relieve his boredom. He shares his story. I started working at sea when I was 18 years old. I could still remember the first time I flew in an airplane. I couldn’t hide my excitement to the old man beside me. I fastened my seatbelt and looked at the window. It was a bright day indeed. After three hours, I’d be in Singapore. Then another three hours and I’d board my first ship. Going with the Flow To tell you the truth, I didn’t choose my college course. Being at sea was never my dream. I just rolled with it when my Dad told me that I should go study in the academy and take up a Marine Engineering course. I wasn’t really happy about taking a course for my parent’s sake. But, eventually, I learned to love the math and technicalities of an engineering course. After I graduated from the academy, I didn’t even know what to do. I had to go through lots of trainings before boarding another vessel. I took those dreary trainings one by one. It wasn’t so fun going to trainings. It felt like being a student trapped from an 8am-5pm in a classroom. Finding My Joy Sigh. What would the future hold if I couldn’t enjoy the present? It felt like life was giving me a hard time. Out of boredom, I browsed Facebook and saw a picture of my high school friend attending what seemed like a Catholic church gathering. The Feast! I had read about The Feast prayer community when I was in college. I was curious because they dubbed the gathering as the happiest place on Earth. It seemed to me that people were really happy just by attending it. I yearned to attend the said gathering. I didn’t have anything to do on Sundays, so why not? I immediately contacted her and she said I could come with them when they go. The Feast experience is really breathtaking. There is no doubt it’s one of the happiest places on Earth. I could have been anywhere that Sunday afternoon but thanked God He directed me to His feast. People are hugging and greeting each other with an enormous smile. It feels like home. It feels like a place where you can just let it go of whatever burdens your heart. From that day, I want all my friends and all the people around me to experience my newfound joy. They deserved to be happy and be loved. It has been my personal mission to make this world a better place by sharing the Feast. Joining the Community God has guided me all throughout my journey. I can’t thank Him enough for what He did for me. One thing God instilled in me over the tumultuous waves of life is courage. The courage to go on amidst the challenges and trials before me and the courage to spread His word to the world. After I have disembarked my third ship, I decided to serve at the Feast Ermita. I am now part of a big family that rejoices in Christ. And I can say is that there is no better feeling other than being a part of this family.
BLESSED BY THE FEAST?
Share your story and inspire our community.
Email to a1media.feastbayarea@gmail.com
SCENES FROM LAST SUNDAY “God is setting you free.” RECAP TALK 2: Courageous Faith
God tests our faith by allowing us to go through hard times to prove that our faith is real. Not for Him, but for us.
The Lord provides when you have faith in Him.
Life is a journey of letting go of our “Isaacs”, our attachments that give us fragile peace. Each trial is an invitation for us to replace our fragile peace with forever peace. Our ultimate goal in life is spiritual growth. One of the keys to making that happen is to let go of our attachments. There are two ways to do that: By choice. It is a personal decision to let go of our attachments, thus, we can prepare for it. By circumstance. These are the events, conditions or situations that invite us to let go of our fragile peace and replace it with forever peace which only God can give. Some circumstances happen unplanned. The key is to appreciate the material possessions without being attached to them. When we lose our properties, the people we love, and the positions we hold on to, remember that God is calling us to grow spiritually.
HOMILY Gospel Reading according to Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
Father Soy Hernando explained the Gospel through these three points: “Even if we did not obey, provision will be there because God is the ultimate provider. But because we obeyed, we see His provision.” - Bro JB
1. The Baptism of Jesus is God’s revelation of the Holy Trinity. The same revelation happened during the Transfiguration. 2. The Sacrament of Baptism is an initiation. Its purpose is for us to go through pain to test our faith because we need that. 3. The Sacrament of Baptism is the start of a mission. It allows us to fulfill our missions as Christians. If we don’t have a sense of mission, we do not have any direction. We need to control our desires and not let it control us. Our Lord’s mission is to be a priest, a prophet, and a king. We are also called to do the same. God sends us to a certain place or family to fulfill His mission. May we be like a priest who prays for others; a prophet who teaches what is true, right good and proper; and a king who serves. We need to have the courage to stand up for the faith of our baptism.
ANSWERED PRAYERS For the love of God, kindness, grace, mercy and provisions. I don’t deserve it at all but because Your love is never ending and I’m still grateful. I offer you back my love. It is not enough but it comes from the deepest part of my best. I praise and worship you Father, in Jesus name. - Butch Naraindas Thank you for 2018 and positive opening of 2019 for me. I thank you in advance because I know in my heart that all my prayers will be answered this year. - Iris For always reminding me to stay strong inspite of all the struggles that I am facing Lord. - Julie Escofe
For a wonderful Christmas and New Year vacation in the Visayas. For reuniting me with my long lost and broken family. For all the blessings. - Anonymous For blessing me and my family. For keeping us safe and healthy. For providing us what we need. Thank you despite my limited money I can still give part of it to you. Thank you for my transportation and for giving me and my family peace and love. - Allana Valdemor For adding another year to my existence. For the gift of life, continuous healing of acid reflux and allergic rhinitis. Approval of US green card of my niece and petition of Yna and Rechel. - Alma Binsol
MESSAGE FROM OUR FOUNDER Embrace the Uncomfortable Life IF you’re a leader, you need courage. And I believe everyone is a leader. Whether we like it or not, we lead (impact) people around us. And I believe it’s impossible to lead without courage. I should know. I’ve been a leader for 40 years. I started as a 13-year-old kid leading the Light of Jesus prayer group in our garage. And I never stopped. I went on to lead other ministries, organizations, and businesses. Do you know what I realized? In those 40 years of leadership, there was never a time I could remember when it was easy. Or comfortable. Every year was tough. And sometimes, it was so bloody, all I wanted to do was say, “I quit!” But by grace, I didn’t. And at a certain point, I realized that I had to embrace the uncomfortable life as my life. The earlier you get this, the better. Why? Leaders are lovers. And love requires death. Have a beautiful Feast today!
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez
Come Serve With Us And Be Blessed! •WRITERS •COPY EDITORS •PHOTOGRAPHERS •LAYOUT ARTISTS •VISUAL MANAGERS •TELEPROMPTER MANAGERS •VIRTUAL TEAM FOR ONLINE BULLETIN
PLEASE CONTACT: RYAN ALEJANDRO 0917 844 0790 A1MEDIA.FEASTBAYAREA@GMAIL.COM
THE BUILDERS: Adrian Panganiban | John Ben Rodriguez Council Heads: Mayvin Alejandro, Gigi Alvarez, Mon Bumatay Feast Ermita Bulletin Staff: Media Heads: Ryan Alejandro, Joemer Ernn Embernate Editor in Chief: Judee Quiazon | Editorial Assistant: Krystel Ramos-Tobias Associate Editor: Naddy Sanchez | Copy Editors: Juliann Silva, Jerome Tobias Writer: Robby de Guzman Chief Photographer: Ryan Carlo Mahinay Photographer: Mike Belleza, Mark Earnswell Dimailig, Johnniel Manlangit Layout Artist: Robert Quiazon, Wilma Cosme Contributing Photographer: Dahlia Bagatsing FOLLOW US @THEFEASTERMITA