January 2020 1st Issue

Vol 17 Issue 1

Mary kept all these things in her heart

Lk 2:19

 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

New Year's Day is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Thus, we wish to commence the 2020 series of Letters of Aquila and Priscilla with a Bible verse on the Blessed Mother. Since the early 1990s, we have been promoting the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in particular to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It was a special blessing from God to enable us to renew our marriage vows on the occasion of our 50th wedding anniversary at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City in September 2018. We attribute the miraculous disappearance of Jun's vertigo on the day we were flying back to Manila from Singapore after spending our New Year holidays with our son, Joubert, who lives and works there, to the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Virgin of Evangelization as well as the Virgin of Healing. During her fourth appearance to Juan Diego on 12 Dec 1531, she said, "Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health?"  May you all also experience the healing love of the Blessed Mother.

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

March 2020 2nd Issue

Vol 17 Issue 5

Rise, and do not be afraid

Mt 17:7

Dear brothers and sisters,

During this period of Covid-19, we thought it appropriate to reflect on this subject since despite the long-held tradition for the Pope to lead the Angelus from the balcony of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square, the Angelus prayer on Sunday, 8 March 2020, was held at the Library of the Apostolic Palace and streamed live by Vatican News to avoid the possible spread of Covid-19. Reflecting on Sunday's Gospel on the Transfiguration of Jesus, Pope Francis exhorted the faithful to: "Rise, and be not afraid" (Mt 17:7). He encouraged the faithful to live this difficult moment with the strength of faith, the certainty of hope and the fervor of charity. The appearance of Covid-19 should not be linked to God's specific judgement of sin or associated with the end times. Instead, it is a call to prayer, a call to deeper faith, a call to "rise, and be not afraid."

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

April 2020 2nd Issue

Vol 17 Issue 9

Fearful yet overjoyed

Mt 28:8

 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

We hope that these reflections can somehow help lift your spirits during this difficult time. We fully appreciate the email responses of many brothers and sisters who continue to read these reflections. We pray that the Holy Spirit may continue to descend upon you as you read these reflections thus bringing you ever closer to Jesus, our Lord, as you glorify the Father with your life, thoughts and deeds. May the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, cover you with her mantle of protection during this pandemic and keep you healthy and well. 

Stay safe, keep healthy, and pray unceasingly.

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

July 2020 2nd Issue

Vol 17 Issue 13

You will not always have me

Mk 14:7

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

Let us reflect on the anointing of Jesus as reported in all four Gospels: Mk 14:3-9, Mt 26:6-13, Lk 7:36-50, Jn 12:1-11.

A few days before Passover, our Lord Jesus is seeking for some consolation and company as he anticipates his suffering and death. He thus welcomes Mary's anointing in anticipation of his burial over the indignant objections of the onlookers for the "waste" of the expensive perfumed oil. Such is his need for consolation that he stresses that Mary's loving gesture takes precedence over helping the poor for "the poor you will always have with you." 

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage, we find ourselves increasingly apprehensive, and even fearful, that soon the virus will enter our homes infecting us and members of our family. We thus try to find consolation through prayers, asking the Blessed Mother to keep our company and to intercede for us, pleading for some kind of "anointing" that we may continue to be healthy to be able to serve the Lord through our community, and to continue to be able to earn a living to support our ourselves and our family as well as the church, the community, and the poor.

May the lesson of Jesus' anointing in Bethany give us the consolation and peace of mind that we seek during this time of Covid-19.

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

November 2020 1st Issue

Vol 17 Issue 17

So that they may be one

Jn 17:11

 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

For the past two meetings, our household has been reflecting on and discussing Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli Tutti. We believe that the core message of this encyclical is found in John 17:11 - oneness, as Jesus had prayed before his arrest. But the anchor of the encyclical is found in the Gospel of Luke, in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:29-37). A profound reflection on this parable will reveal to us that the proper question is not what the scholar of the law asked, "Who is my neighbor?" What we should ask ourselves is, "Am I a neighbor to others?" 

Fratelli Tutti is a deeply thoughtful encyclical. Do not just read it. Pray it. It can be the answer to Jesus' prayer that we may all be one.

With our love and prayers, 

JUN and JEAN 

2020

January 2020 2nd Issue

Vol 17 Issue 2

My co-workers in Christ Jesus

Rom 16:3

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

This reflection is prompted by our community’s theme this year on holiness and inspired by Pope Francis’ recent message to the Apostolic Tribunal on the Roman Rota on 25 January 2020, which repeatedly refers to Aquila and Priscilla as model for all married couples striving for holiness. Pope Francis affirms that "the Church has need ubicunque terrarum of married couples like Aquila and Priscilla, who speak and live with the authority of Baptism, which doesn’t consist of commanding and making oneself understood, but of being coherent, of being witness and, for that, of being fellow travelers on the way of the Lord.” Since we started reading the Bible regularly in 1992 after joining Couples for Christ, we have been fascinated by the life of Aquila and Priscilla. Our very first Letters of Aquila and Priscilla was written in May 1995 in the first issue of the monthly bulletin of Couples for Christ in Jakarta, Indonesia, which we initiated. Aquila and Priscilla are alive today in the thousands of married couples in the community of Couples for Christ, couples who, like Aquila and Priscilla, witness to the love of Christ by caring for their families and those in need. They indeed are co-workers in Christ Jesus.  

With our love and prayers, 

JUN and JEAN

March 2020 3rd Issue

Vol 17 Issue 6

If my people humble themselves and pray

2 Chr 7:14

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

Last Sunday, Pope Francis engaged in two intense moments of prayer in connection with the current coronavirus pandemic, first before an ancient Marian icon in the Basilica of St. Mary Major and then before a 15th century crucifix in the church of St. Marcello. In 593 Pope St. Gregory the Great carried the Marian icon in procession to stop a plague, and in 1837 Pope Gregory XVI invoked her to put an end to a cholera epidemic. In 1522, during the Great Plague, the crucifix was carried in a 16-day procession in Rome from St. Marcello church to St. Peter's Basilica and back. As the procession moved forward, the plague began to ease, and as it re-entered St. Marcello, the plague ceased.

These days we hear and read about the rapid spread of the pandemic, about someone we know who has been infected or has died from the virus, about the daily struggles of people to purchase food and medicine and to reach their destinations. These days we feel the boredom of staying home every day, while we fear that the virus may soon infect our community, our family, our own self. But these days, more than ever, offer an opportunity for personal and family prayer time, for participation in daily Masses through TV or YouTube, for daily Rosary prayer and reflection, for Scripture reading. Let us, therefore, use these times to seek the presence of Jesus and spend some moments with Mary. And before the Lord, let us humble ourselves and pray.

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

May 2020

Vol 17 Issue 10

Behold, your mother

Jn 19:27

Dear brothers and sisters,

In May 1908, Anna Jarvis organized the first official Mother's Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. By 1912 she had established the Mother's Day International Association and many areas in the U.S. had adopted Mother's Day as an annual holiday. In 1914 U.S. President Woodrow Wilson officially established the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. On this day, we honor all mothers for their sacrifices for home and children. The Blessed Mother whom Jesus gave us as our mother at the Cross is the epitome of true motherhood. We hope that this sharing would remind you to greet and honor, next to the Blessed Mother, your respective mothers and the mothers of your children this Mother's Day. We wish all mothers a happy and blessed Mother's Day.

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

August 2020

Vol 17 Issue 14

Hosanna in the highest

Mk 11:10

Dear brothers and sisters,

The word "hosanna" occurs only six times in the Bible and all in connection with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This event is one of only ten events in the life of Jesus that are reported by all four Gospel writers. We have earlier reflected on two other events that are also reported in all four Gospels, namely, the anointing of Jesus, and the multiplication of bread and fish. During this time of pandemic, let us continue to cry to the Lord, "Hosanna!", which in its original meaning is translated, "Save us, we pray!" so that soon we may be able to shout "Hosanna!", which in its current meaning is translated, "Praise! Glory!", in thanksgiving for God's merciful and loving action. 

With our love and prayers, 

JUN and JEAN

November 2020 2nd Issue

Vol 17 Issue 18

Come, you who are blessed by my Father

Mt 25:34

 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

If you have visited the Vatican, you must have noticed the obelisk that stands in the middle of St. Peter's Square. The obelisk symbolizes the triumph of the Cross and the kingship of Christ. And today, the final Sunday of Ordinary Time, the conclusion of the Church's liturgical year, the Sunday before Advent, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. In this letter, we reflect on the Gospel reading for this Solemnity, taken from Mt. 25:31-46, the Judgment of the Nations. The central message of the Gospel is the criterion of final judgment, which is to recognize the Son of Man in those in need, love the Son of Man in those people in need, and translate this love in concrete deeds of mercy for those in need.

Today is also the cremation of the remains of our beloved friend, Baby, who, together with her husband, Dante, belong to our CFC household. A flight of angels took her soul to heaven last Wednesday, 18 Nov 2020. Knowing how kind and prayerful she was, and how devoted she was to Our Lady of Guadalupe, we are certain that Jesus, our King, had already welcomed her to heaven saying, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father." 

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

February 2020

Vol 17 Issue 3

We love because he first loved us

1 Jn 4:19

 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia urges us to explore the potential of using Valentine’s Day to deepen our love for God and for each other, to make us discover a more authentic and enduring love than the mere feeling of romance that current practice fixates on at Valentine’s Day. He invites us to Christianize Valentine’s Day. He challenges us to live the message of the fullness of God’s love in a visible and attractive way no matter how commercialized and secularized Valentine’s Day has become. He dares us to find ways to use Valentine’s Day as an integral part of our pastoral and missionary approaches. The huge crowds in flower shops and in restaurants on Valentine’s Day reveal the vast field that is ripe for harvest. This Valentine's Day, let us all pray that we may respond positively to Pope Francis' exhortation. 

With our love and prayers on Valentine's Day. 

JUN and JEAN

March 2020 4th Issue

Vol 17 Issue 7

Persevere in prayer

Romans 12:12

Dear brothers and sisters,

These are trying times. These are miserable moments. These are perilous periods. Yet, these are also holy hours because the Church has acted to provide the faithful access to spiritual nourishments very much needed during this season of suffering. From the authority of the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, the Vatican's Apostolic Penitentiary has issued two important documents: The Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary on the granting of special indulgences to the faithful in the current pandemic 20.03.2020 and the accompanying Note from the Apostolic Penitentiary on the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the current pandemic 20.03.2020. The Decree draws from the words written by St. Paul to the Church of Rome: Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer (Rom 12:12), while the Note is inspired by the words of Jesus: I am with you always (Mt 28:20).

In all this, we find consolation in family prayer - daily Masses at 12 noon and Sunday Mass at 10 a.m. online; Oratio Imperata at 6 p.m. when we hear the bell ring from our parish church; daily Rosary with Sub Tuum Praesidium, Pope Francis Prayer, and Oratio Imperata at 8 p.m.; and CFC Lord's Day celebration every Saturday at 6 p.m. - and personal supplication and Scripture reading at every opportunity, especially before bedtime, as we persevere in prayer.

May the Lord keep you safe and healthy.

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

 

June 2020

Vol 17 Issue 11

Five barley loaves and two fishes

Jn 2:9

Dear brothers and sisters, 

The multiplication of five loaves and two fish is one of the very few events and the only miracle (other than Jesus' resurrection) reported by all Gospel writers. In fact, both Mark and Matthew have two multiplication stories. There are thus a total of six accounts of multiplication of loaves and fish in the four Gospels. This points to the great importance of the multiplication accounts to the Gospel writers and the early Christian communities. 

This is the subject of our reflection this month. We look at the similarities and differences in the four accounts. We examine the deeper meanings behind the numbers: two fish, five loaves, 12 baskets, and 5 thousand men. And we ponder on Pope Francis' homilies on this event. 

May the Holy Spirit be with us. 

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN 

September 2020

Vol 17 Issue 15

A woman clothed with the sun

Rev 12:1

 

Dear brothers and sisters

On the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 8 September 2020, we wish to share with you this reflection to honor the Blessed Mother and to declare that she is indeed the vision that St. John saw and wrote about in the Book of Revelation, the woman "who gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all nations," the great sign that appeared in the sky, "a woman clothed with the sun."  

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

December 2020 1st Issue

Vol 17 Issue 19

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed

Is 40:5

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

This Christmas may be our worst ever due to the pandemic. But still we need to prepare to make this Christmas merry and meaningful, even just for the sake of our children or grandchildren. We hope that underneath your Christmas tree, nicely wrapped presents are already stacked together. But make sure that the Christmas tree does not dominate your living room but instead gives more focus on the Christmas crib, the real reason for Christmas. Let us use this time of Advent to prepare our hearts to welcome our Lord and Savior. Let us fix our eyes on the newborn child laying on a manger and pray that the glory of the Lord be revealed to us this Christmas. 

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

March 2020 1st Issue

Vol 17 Issue 4

Neither do I condemn you

Jn 8:11

 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

This Lenten season, let us ponder on the story of the woman accused of adultery in the Gospel of John and on Pope Francis' Apostolic Letter Misericordia et misera. St. Augustine first used the phrase misericordia et misera in his reflection on the story of Jesus' meeting the woman accused of adultery. Contemplating on the verse "he was left alone with the woman before him", St. Augustine wrote: "There remained together great misery (misera) and great mercy (misericordia)."  Pope Francis observes that this Gospel account is not an encounter of sin and judgement in the abstract, but of a sinner and her Savior. He encourages us to live our lives differently in order to overcome the inclination to sin. Let us also reflect on the lives of married persons who became saints, like Blessed Elizabeth Mora and St. Monica, because they lived differently by living lives of love and mercy amidst misery. May God's great mercy overcome our sinfulness and misery. 

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

April 2020 1st Issue

Vol 17 Issue 8

Why have you forsaken me?

Mk 15:34

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

This Holy Week let us reflect on Jesus' final words on the cross, which appear in three different forms in the Gospels. We will focus on the final words according to Mark: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mk 15:34).  One thing is worth noting in this pained prayer of Jesus  ̶  he addresses God as "My God" instead of the usual "Abba" or "Father" as he did at the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is not questioning the existence of God or the power of God to do something. Rather, he is questioning the silence of the one who he calls "My God." As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread globally, we are also tempted to cry out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken us?" Then with the faith of a martyr, the humble hope of a servant, and the trusting love of a son/daughter, we hope to see the fulfillment of God's plan at Easter. 

With our love and prayers,

JUN and JEAN

July 2020 1st Issue

Vol 17 Issue 12

Do you not care that we are perishing?

Mk 4:38

 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

This month let us reflect on the miracle story of the calming of the storm. This miracle story is reported in all three Synoptic Gospels (Mk 4:35-41, Mt 8:23-27, Lk 8:22-25), and all three evangelists place them before the healing of the possessed in the territory of the Gerasenes. A deeper reflection on this event recalls the story of Jonah. The Gospel of Matthew, of course, identifies Jesus as "greater than Jonah". 

The story is also used to illustrate the disciples' lack of faith. We believe that the only genuine manifestation of faith on the part of the disciples would have been to trustfully endure the storm to the point of being ready to perish with Jesus.

During this time of Covid-19, we call on God to put a stop to this pandemic. For our faith to be genuine, we must unconditionally trust in God even if he chooses not to act. With this kind of faith, there is no need to ask, "Do you not care that we are perishing?" 

With our love and prayers, 

JUN and JEAN

October 2020

Vol 17 Issue 16

Consider all trials joy

Jas 1:2

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

As we enter the 8th month of our quarantine, we start to imagine what we hope to do once the pandemic is over and travel is freely allowed. If God will provide the financial resources, we hope to go on pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, the first known and earliest recognized apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in year 40. But there is still one more Marian site in our wish list. We wish to go on a three-day retreat at the Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette located in the French Alps. The shrine has 24-hour Eucharistic adoration and if we stay in the shrine's hotel, we can visit the chapel at any time of day or night since it is connected to the basilica. 

Many years ago, we wished to visit Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico but God granted this wish only two years ago. While on prolonged quarantine, we again make our wish. And we pray that some of you, brothers and sisters, could join us in this pilgrimage and retreat. 

With our love and prayers, 

JUN and JEAN

December 2020 2nd Issue

Vol 17 Issue 20

A most holy will be anointed

Dan 9:24

Dear brothers and sisters, 

The vaccine has arrived! This is the announcement that many have been waiting for. But there is another even more important announcement that we are awaiting with even greater anticipation - the announcement of the coming of our Savior. Luke's mention of the "sixth month" in his gospel account of the Annunciation is significant since it establishes the link between the Annunciation and the prophecy of Daniel 9:24. The angel's greeting to Mary is also significant: Hail, favored one! (Lk 1:28) since it makes known to us that even before her acceptance of God's plan, she was already favored by God. 

As we await the coming of Christmas, many look forward to a New Year. Many want to say goodbye to 2020, which has seen so much suffering. We all hope that in 2021 vaccination would be widely available, onsite classes and Masses would be restored, and outside dining and onsite prayer meetings would resume. But in the meantime, we eagerly wait for the coming of Jesus.

A SAFE, BLESSED, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

With our love and prayers, 

JUN and JEAN