I Believe Talk 3

October 26, 2018
One day in our prayer
gathering, the appointed
person who was assigned
to lead us into the opening
prayer was unable to make it
on time so our leader decided
just to volunteer somebody
to lead us into prayer. At that
moment he called my name.
“Lep, please lead our opening
prayer.” My heartbeat went
fast, my hands got cold, my
body was shaking and i just
replied, “Ba’t ako?”
I ended up doing the opening
prayer. After the prayer, I was
being overly critical of myself.
I was telling myself, “Ba’t kasi
ako eh! Ba’t kasi hindi na lang
yung iba! Ba’t kelangan ako!”
At the end of the prayer
gathering, one lady
approached me. With tears in
her eyes and a smile that is
filled with hope she told me,
“Anak, ang favorite part ko sa
prayer gathering ngayon ay
ang dasal mo. Thank you for
your prayer. I needed that.”
She then pat my back and left.
I thank God that He did not
listen to me whenever I would
say, “Ba’t ako?” He believed in
me even though I have doubts
in myself. He has already
equipped me with the Holy
Spirit to be my aide and guide
to whatever, whenever and
wherever He would use me.
Be mightily blessed,
KUYA LEP SUMERA
The Feast SM Manila, LOUD
“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’
except by the Holy Spirit.” “God
has sent the Spirit of his Son
into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba!
Father!”’ This knowledge of
faith is possible only in the Holy
Spirit: to be in touch with Christ,
we must first have been touched
by the Holy Spirit. He comes
to meet us and kindles faith in
us. By virtue of our Baptism,
the first sacrament of the faith,
the Holy Spirit in the Church
communicates to us, intimately
and personally, the life that
originates in the Father and is
offered to us in the Son.
The Holy Spirit is at work
with the Father and the Son
from the beginning to the
completion of the plan for our
salvation. But in these “end
times,” ushered in by the Son’s
redeeming Incarnation, the
Spirit is revealed and given,
recognized and welcomed as
a person. Now can this divine
plan, accomplished in Christ,
the firstborn and head of the
new creation, be embodied in
mankind by the outpouring
of the Spirit: as the Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and the
life everlasting. (Catechism of
the Catholic Church 683, 686)
PRAISEcription:
Believe in the HOLY SPIRIT!
Be well and make a difference,
RYAN B. CAPITULO, MD
The Feast SM Manila, MD

TALK 3: EMPOWERED
Acts 2:42
They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they
were like family to each other. They also broke bread and
prayed together.
Galatians 4:6
Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into
our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
ARE you great in fulfilling New Year’s Resolutions?
I suck at it.
I remember when I was in my 20s, I wrote on
January 1, “I’ll jog 45 minutes a day.” I even bought
new rubber shoes, new socks, new shorts, new shirt.
To show how serious I am, I even wanted to buy an
Olivia Newton John “Let’s Get Physical” headband.
(I’m old, okay?)
So I jogged on January 2. Hooray!
The next time I jogged was also on January 2. The
following year.
What’s your NYR? Whether it’s “I shall not shout at
my kids anymore” or “I shall lessen my Telenovela
watching to one hour a day”, we feel like we’re
climbing Mt. Everest. It’s so difficult.
But thankfully, God knows we’re weak.
That’s why He sent us His Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in
one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent
wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where
they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of
fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of
them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Luke 11:13
And if even sinful persons like yourselves give children what
they need, don’t you realize that your heavenly Father will do
at least as much, and give the Holy Spirit to those who ask
for him?
Galatians 5:16
What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will
not satisfy the desires of the human nature.
Acts 1:8
But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled
with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem,
in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
PERSONAL REFLECTION AND GROUP DISCUSSION:
Have you experienced the Holy Spirit as
a real presence in your life? Please recall and share.
That’s what we’re going to talk about today.
Have an awesome Feast!
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez

With one look on the social media,
we often think about ways to
please others, and let us be honest,
it is sometimes exhausting. Sadly,
we often put so much effort, just so
we can fulfill the social pressure,
even when it means we have to let
go of the dignity, of the value our
Father has put upon us. We have the
tendency to forego our true identity
in Him.
Last Friday, Fr. Frank Lucas
reminded us that God has
embedded dignity in our hearts,
which is so valuable that He came
here to save us so we can keep it
within us. That God-given dignity
is something we have to respect
and make sure that others respect
as well. No matter what situation
we are in, or whatever others think
we should do, we have to remain
dignified. As God has wired us in
His love, our dignity signals our
hearts to balance our lives, to love
with full of giving and not just
receiving.
Even if you feel that you lose
yourself from all the pressure from
the past, it is never too late. Our
Father’s mercy is endless. His love
for you doesn’t decrease and it will
never cease.
“The Gospel tells us that you are
all important to God. The number
of your hair is counted by God. God
loves you so much that He saved
you to keep up your dignity even if
you keep on putting garbage onto
it,” Father Lucas emphasized.
We are made worth it of God’s love.
Our Father wants us to know our
value in Him.
Let’s take a breather from the
suffocation of the world and
inhale the truth of our value and
worth more. We are all created
in the image and likeness of God,
therefore, we shall value our dignity
as His children. Pick up the dignity
that you might have thrown away
and remember who you are in God’s
eyes. You are worth it. You arve
valuable. You are precious.
Lord, fill our hearts with the joy and
contentment of Your love that even
in the midst of social and worldly
pressure we may rest in Your truth.
Grant us the grace to hold on to the
value you put upon us. May we love
and live with dignity and respect to
ourselves and others. Love through
us, oh Jesus. Amen.
Ring… ring… The number you are calling
is busy now. Please try again later.
Ring… ring… toooot, toooot….toooot…
Did not answer
Ring… ring… Please leave a message…
Guess I failed in my attempt to talk to
you again…
I saw how you’ve been this week. I was
with you the whole time. You were
happy one morning. One night, you felt
sad and empty. I called you both times,
but you didn’t answer. Nevertheless,
here I am, reaching out, so you can know
Me more.
You’ve heard my story and you’ve read
it in the books. You know that I died for
you and how much I love you. I’m happy
that you know these, but I want you to
know more than the facts you’ve heard
and read.
When I died on the cross, the plan of
My Father to save the humankind from
sin because of His unending love was
fulfilled. I died so you could live life in
full.
My cross reminds you to follow
Me. I want you to spread My love
to everyone, and it will not be
comfortable. In order to fully love like
Me, you must bleed. I am calling you to
carry your cross, to follow My footsteps
to Calvary and to die to yourself in
service to your family, friends, loved
ones, and even your enemies every
single day. It’s difficult, but remember
that you were given the grace to love
and forgive
Understand also that My cross calls
you to obey the will of The Father. It is
how you die to your flesh. Remember
that sacrifice does not come after
“
disobedience. Sacrifice entails love.
Being obedient proves your love for
God.
There are moments when you don’t
understand the mystery of faith
because of your sufferings and pain.
Don’t fail to remember that My cross
is victorious. I am victory and you
are fighting your battles with Victory
Himself.
Maybe now you are in this world to
conquer your battles with love, but
when the time comes and you need to
come with Me, it is because of my cross
that you will have eternal life by the
grace of My Father, through your faith
in Me.
I will be waiting for that day. But now
that you’re here, stay close to me.
Be my best friend. Bleed in love. Do
these in memory of Me. You have been
redeemed. I’ll never stop trying to call
you. I hope this time, you will answer.
Love, Jesus
*Photo Credits: Prince of Peace Portrait of Jesus by Akiane Kramarik

I had been a lost sheep for almost my whole life.
I was shying away my family because of
a grudge against my mother. My sisters
weren’t excluded. All I knew was, I hated their
existence. The only person who I really wanted
to be with was my father. Unfortunately, he died
when I was eight.
Since then, it felt like I had no one anymore.
I still believed in God. I never questioned His
existence. Though, I never felt his presence. I
didn’t go to church and I barely prayed.
Everything has changed when my sister signed
me up for Camp Calye, a youth camp held by
The Light of Jesus Family. I was reluctant at
first, but I had nothing to do for the whole
summer so I decided to go anyway. Imagine
how powerful and great our God is when He
changed a lost sheep’s route in a matter of four
days because of boredom.
God allowed me to meet the amazing people
of the Feast and included me to their family
instantly. His plan in my life was so amazing
that every part of it just left me speechless.
I began to feel Jesus’ presence in the love of
others. He gave me the grace to fight my old
battles. He gave me people after His own heart
to look up to. He never gave up on me, and I
know the He never will. He is very patient.
He’s been working on me all along. He knows
when I need a shoulder to cry on. He tells me
when to man up and forgive those people I hate.
I remember the whole trip back home from the
camp. It made me realize a lot of things. As
soon as I stepped out of the bus I knew, I was a
different person. Jesus became my friend.
I am still imperfect, just like everyone else. But
the guy who used to doubt God’s plan is now
His humble servant. I trust Him now as I lead
other people closer to Jesus as well.
I am proud to say I am redeemed by God,
through Jesus. By grace, through faith.
The FEAST SM Manila Bulletin, published by the Light of Jesus Family, is distributed during The Feast SM Manila, a weekly prayer gathering of the Light of Jesus held at the Cinema 4 of SM City Manila, every Friday, 3:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 8:00 p.m.
The FEAST holds office at The Lighthouse, 60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City, with telephone numbers 725-9999. Contact us thru www.lightfam.com.