January 2019
Vol 16 Issue 1
Live as children of light
Eph 5:8
Dear brothers and sisters,
During a recent meeting of our household, our members expressed the view that one of the practices that needs rekindling is Bible study - not just Bible sharing but honest-to-goodness study of the Bible. Thus, taking off from the community's theme for this year, we reflect on the two stories of creation as related in the Book of Genesis and share with you the core teachings of these two imaginative and divinely inspired narratives. We all know that the Bible is not a history book but rather a collection of books of different literary forms. Thus an important step in Bible study is to know the literary form of the particular book of the Bible. We hope that this issue may somehow inspire you to embark on a serious and continuing study of the Bible while always invoking the help of the Holy Spirit.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
September 2019
Vol 16 Issue 5
Be holy yourselves
1 Pet 1:15
Dear brothers and sisters,
We continue our reflection on holiness. Pope Benedict XVI declares that "the Virgin Mary is the star that guides" us in every "area of holiness." Pope Francis in Gaudete et Exsultate tells us that Mary "teaches us the way of holiness and she walks ever at our side." And Pope Paul VI in Lumen Gentium tells us that we should turn our "eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues."
We are thus compelled to dream once again of visiting another Marian shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of La Salette in France. But we are aware that holiness cannot be attained by mere devotions and pilgrimages. Holiness is God's gift. It entails following God's will. It requires finding Christ in the poor and marginalized. It involves going to the peripheries to share God's blessings. We pray that all of us may be guided by the Blessed Mother to the path of holiness.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
2019
February 2019
Vol 16 Issue 2
Awake, O sleeper
Eph 5:14
Dear brothers and sisters,
We continue our reflections on this year's theme, while also incorporating a bit more of Bible study, as requested by some community members. This year's theme exhorts us to stay awake and thus we look at two Old Testament characters, Jonah and Samsom, who were found asleep during critical times of their lives. We hope that this reflection may lead us to recognize the presence of some traits of Jonah and Samson in the community as a whole so that we may positively respond to the call of St. Paul, "Awake, O sleeper", and thus receive the light of Christ.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
October 2019
Vol 16 Issue 6
He called us to a holy life
2 Tim 1:9
Dear brothers and sisters,
The Vatican Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life announced on 17 May 2019 that the next World Meeting of Families will be held in Rome on 23-27 June 2021 with official theme selected by Pope Francis, Family Love: A Vocation and a Path to Holiness. The meeting will mark the 5th anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation on love in the family, and will seek to examine family life through the lens of holiness as elaborated in Gaudete et Exsultate. The aim of the global meeting is "to emphasize family love as a vocation and a way to holiness, and to understand and share the profound and redeeming significance of family relationships in daily family life." We pray that this reflection may inspire us to endeavor with God's grace to make our families truly our path to holiness.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
April 2019
Vol 16 Issue 3
Why Good Friday is good
Dear brothers and sisters,
This Good Friday and Holy Saturday, we wish to share with you our reflections on the passion narratives in the Gospels of Mark/Matthew, Luke and John. In Mark/Matthew, Jesus appears to be a victor only in the eyes of God. In Luke, he seems to be a victor only in the eyes of his believing followers. But in John, Jesus is clearly a victor for all of mankind to see. Jesus’ victory over sin and death is the narrative that tells us the identity of Jesus. Being truly human we can relate to him. Being truly divine, we can go to him for help. It is the narrative that gives courage to all those who are persecuted or abused by the rich and the powerful. It is the narrative that gives hope to the poor, the marginalized, and those who live in the fringes of society. It is the narrative that makes Good Friday good.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
November 2019
Vol 16 Issue 7
Make holiness perfect
2 Cor 7:1
Dear brothers and sisters,
As we commemorate the saints and the souls of our departed loved ones this month of November, and as we continue to reflect on our theme for next year, we are pleased to share with you our reflections on St. Paul's call to "cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God" (2 Cor 7:1). While the call to holiness is more difficult for married couples, yet we cite a few examples. We recall Pope Francis' words that growth in holiness is a journey in community, side by side with others. The community helps us develop love for the Eucharist and devotion to the Blessed Mother. And if we remain faithful to our covenant, dedicated to prayer and study of Scriptures, and committed to help the poor and vulnerable, we may yet, with God's mercy and grace, be on the way to making holiness perfect. May our community raise more saints.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
August 2019
Vol 16 Issue 4
Strive for holiness
Heb 12:14
Dear brothers and sisters,
After a lacuna of three months, we finally have been able to write our reflections. As you must be aware, writing down reflections on God's word does not come out like a regular monthly office memo. We believe that it is always the Holy Spirit who prompts us, who tells us, who leads us to write down these reflections. Many times,[GU1] we write down something just to meet the regular monthly schedule of Letters of Aquila and Priscilla, but these remain unsent and unpublished because we feel that they contain just our thoughts and feelings and not that of the Holy Spirit. And thus, the lacuna. We hope that through this Letter you will find an opportunity to ponder profoundly on God's call to holiness, that holiness that will make us see God.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
December 2019
Vol 16 Issue 8
Who may go up the mountain of the Lord?
Ps 24:3
Dear brothers and sisters,
In this month's reflection, we focus on Pope Benedict XVI's thoughts on personal holiness. In his book, Holiness is Always in Season, Pope Benedict XVI emphasizes that: "Holiness never goes out of fashion; on the contrary, with the passage of time it shines out ever more brightly, expressing man's perennial effort to reach God." In his April 2011 General Audience, he said: "It seems to me that this is the true simplicity and greatness of a life of holiness: the encounter with the Risen One on Sunday; contact with God at the beginning and at the end of the day; following, in decisions, the 'signposts' that God has communicated to us, which are but forms of charity." Then in his Lenten Message 2012, he said: "Our hearts should never be wrapped up in our affairs and problems that they fail to hear the cry of the poor. Reaching out to others and opening our hearts to their needs can become an opportunity for salvation and blessedness." It is the Holy Spirit who will give us clean hands and pure hearts that will enable us to reach out to the poor and go up the mountain of the Lord. (Ps 24:3).
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN