United in the Bond of Love
By Luvelyn Gallato
On 29 September 2024, the Filipino Fellowship went on a spiritual retreat at the San Damiano Franciscan Centre. The theme was "One in the Bond of Love". Spiritual Director Lai Mui Fong, assisted by our sister Sarah Gan, led us to reflect on Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-19, which urges us to be "rooted and grounded in God's love," emphasizing the importance of building a strong foundation of faith through the Holy Spirit.
During the retreat, we engaged in a series of very interesting and creative sharing sessions which touched our hearts and taught us meaningful lessons:-
One activity got us to reflect on our current life situations, and reminded us to remain steadfast, focusing our eyes only on Jesus through the ups and downs in life.
“God is amazing! He spoke to me about showing kindness and respect, having a forgiving heart, preparing me to restore some of my relationships.”
- Rovelyn
“I learnt that I should not worry even though my life is tough now. One day, in eternity, my life will be wonderful.”
- Johanna
Mui Fong also shared on the three Graces of God:
The first Grace, "To know the Assurance of God’s Love" (Psalm 100) emphasizes the importance of thanksgiving, as a reminder of God's constant goodness and faithfulness in our lives.
“I learnt to be grateful to God. Despite my pain, sadness and disappointment, I can still hold on to His promises.”
- Jennelyn
“I learned that every day is a chance to give thanks because every day in my life is a miracle from God!”
- Florence
The second Grace, "To know the Convicting and Liberating Ministry of the Holy Spirit" (Psalm 32) teaches that confessing our sins, transgressions, and iniquities to God, helps us take responsibility and seek forgiveness for a holy life. We learned that confession involves several key steps:
Acknowledging that our actions are inconsistent with God's character and will.
Accepting responsibility without blaming others, or making excuses.
Asking for mercy: "Christ have mercy."
Receiving God’s forgiveness, confident that He will forgive us.
We then wrote our personal Prayers of Confession.
"It was a powerful experience. I realized the pain and bitterness I had been holding on to and knew I needed to confess. I cried out to God in silence, acknowledged my sins, and trusted in His forgiveness."
- Mahalani
“Psalm 32 reminded me that I have a role in seeking forgiveness from God, remembering His love through the sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ to redeem my sins. My goal now is to strive towards a life of holiness and I look forward to eternal life with Him.”
- Wilflorence
“Often, finding a moment of peace can be challenging. The prayer of confession gave me the opportunity to focus on the things that really matter in my life. I returned home feeling rested, at peace, refreshed and forgiven.”
- Maricar
The third Grace, “To know the Illuminating Power of Truth” (Psalm 119:1-16), led us to engage in imaginative contemplation of Mark 4:35-41, where Jesus calms the storm, and Luke 8:43-48, where Jesus heals the bleeding woman. We stepped into the story, visualized the events, noticed the feelings of the different characters, and most importantly, encountered Jesus in those moments.
“I know that I will face challenges in life but my spiritual encounter with Him taught me to always abide in Him. I pray that God will grow my faith, so that I can be a blessing to others because “the prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
- Alpha Grace
“My heart is full of gratitude. I realized my uncertainties in life, but now I am focused on the positive, knowing that God will not abandon me.”
- Luvelyn
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to encounter His presence in my life. My faith must grow deeper and stronger, as His goodness allows me to live a life that reflects His unconditional love and unwavering faithfulness!”
- Mercidita
At the end of the retreat, it was truly encouraging to see everyone excited to share what the Holy Spirit revealed to them through their personal encounters with Jesus. We look forward to another opportunity for a fruitful encounter with Jesus, filled with joy, love and hope.
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