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IN
THIS ISSUE:
Cover
Page
by Bro.
Pete Lapid
The
Father Speaks
By Fr.
Binzler, SJ
Our
Faith
By Fr.
KJ Veeger, MSC
Place
of Refuge
By
Philip Yuson
Surabaya
Corner
By
Ramon Martillano
Sharing
By
Pinky Torres
Here's
the Latest
By
Tintin Magbitang
Sharing
By
Jovie Joaquin
God
Answers Prayers
By
Beth Manibog
Saint
for the Month
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- Catholic
Links
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 - PROFILE
OF THE
- GENESIS
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
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- COVER
STORY
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- I
heard these words again about a month ago from a newfound friend and
brother in faith. Sure I have read them before in one of the
encyclicals of the Pope. But it never occurred to me then that they
applied to me. I thought they were meant for other people.
- And
hearing it from someone who has converted into the Catholic faith,
hit me even harder. Why? Because I
realized it is the truth. I was a “sacramentalized but not
evangelized” Christian. I was born a Catholic. My parents were
Catholic. And I was baptized a Catholic. I lived like a Catholic (or
so I thought). I thought that what I knew about God was good enough.
I thought that going to Mass on Sundays and trying to obey the Ten
Commandments was good enough – good enough to bring me to heaven.
I never knew how ignorant I was, how proud I was...until I was
evangelized!
- I
just wonder. How many Catholics are sacramentalized but not
evangelized? How many Catholics are still locked up in their own
faith or definition of faith? How many are like me in the past,
content with just attending Sunday Masses? How many of us prefer to
be ignorant, not making any effort to grow in our faith? Don’t you
too wonder at times?
- Two
weeks ago during my morning prayer I cried very hard. The Lord
instilled a very deep sorrow in my heart. I was feeling His pain for
those who are lost. I was praying His prayer, “Father I pray for
them that not one of those You have given Me will be lost”. There
was so much pain and sadness in my heart which made me really,
really cry so much. And I remembered those whom I love and those
whom I pray for, those who have left our Community, those who have
left the Church. And I started to pray for all people, even for the
Jews. Father I pray that not one of us will be lost. That was my
prayer!
- Brothers
& Sisters, I pray that you too will feel the pain and anguish in
Jesus’ heart every time one of us gets lost. I also pray that this
feeling of pain and sadness will touch you so much and move you to
go out of your way, out of your comfort zones, to seek those who are
lost. To look for the sacramentalized Christians and evangelize
them! To look for the lost sheep and bring them to Jesus.
- Ordinary
people like you, from the Genesis Catholic Community, evangelized
me. And I praise and thank the Lord for them. For if they had not
done so, I would still be a sacramentalized but not evangelized
Catholic. Now I realize that mere knowledge of my faith is not
enough. This faith has to sink deep into my heart and into my life.
And this faith has to bear fruit and be shared with others in order
for it to be alive.
- The
Lord continues to look for those people who would respond to His call
to be His instrument in bringing His salvation to all people. I urge
you, Brothers & Sisters, say YES to His call!
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