Feast Bay Area Morning Bulletin for Dec 22, 2019

Your Family Needs Jesus
PICC AM
Matthew
Birth of a Nation
Talk 4
“At that time the Roman emperor,
Augustus, decreed that a census
should be taken throughout the
Roman Empire. (This was the first
census taken when Quirinius was
governor of Syria.) All returned to
their own ancestral towns to register
for this census. And because Joseph
was a descendant of King David, he
had to go to Bethlehem in Judea,
David’s ancient home. He traveled
there from the village of Nazareth in
Galilee. He took with him Mary, to
whom he was engaged, who was now
expecting a child. And while they
were there, the time came for her
baby to be born. She gave birth to
her firstborn son. She wrapped him
snugly in strips of cloth and laid him
in a manger, because there was no
lodging available for them.”
—Luke 2:1-7 NLT
Jesus was born with some smelly goats and sheep
around Him.
You may not have goats, sheep or donkeys in
your family, but you may have an annoying uncle,
a selfish mother-in-law or a greedy sister. And your
family sometimes acts like a bunch of wild animals.
Your family is not perfect. But that’s exactly
where Jesus was born. Because this Jewish family
was not-so-perfect.
Let me speak God’s Word to your situation:
Jesus can be born in your imperfect, messy, sometimes
dysfunctional family too.
I don’t know about you, but I’m desperate for Jesus to be born, not in one of the
guest rooms, but in the heart of our home.
Today, I pray that you’ll have the best Christmas ever.
Because Jesus is at the center.
May your dreams come true,
BO SANCHEZ
The Feast, Founder
What’s your gift
to Jesus?
Our son is now inquisitive. This will be
one of the most important (and most
challenging) stages of parenthood. My
son is about to find out that Daddy and
Mommy don’t know everything.
With Christmas just around the
corner, it’s not hard for him to point
and ask who the chubby, big-belted,
bearded old man in red and white is. My
continued on page 2
wife and I have decided that we will teach him the real truth about Santa Claus (that there is
no toy factory in the North Pole, no elves working in sweatshops and that there are no flying
reindeers). Yes, he might not have the same childhood memories that most of us had, but we
believe it won’t take away the real joy of Christmas.
Christmas is a beautiful season, but it can get confusing sometimes. It feels like a crime when you forget to give a
gift to someone. And yet, more often than not, we forget to give a gift to the real celebrant.
Make this your Christmas reflection: what gift can I offer to Jesus for His birthday?
From my family to yours, may you understand and receive the gift of God’s peace and have a meaningful
Christmas with Jesus at the center of your celebration.
In Him,
AUDEE VILLARAZA
The Feast PICC AM, Builder
22 DEC 2019 | SUNDAY
Philippine International Convention Center
Pasay City
BIRTH OF A KING
Lessons and Inspiration
From the Book of Matthew

This Is My Story
Why I Love AKM!
Eight-year-old Carl Johann “Hansi” Castro, Grade 3
student at the CFA Homeschool of Bro. Bo Sanchez, is
a member of the Awesome Kids Ministry (AKM), the
Feast ministry for children 12 years old and younger.
With his mom, Honey, Hansi tells Jerica Severino how
“Awesome Kids is a big part of me.”
My mom and dad knew about The Feast even before I was born. But my Ate Lia
was already born because she’s older. Tito Jake told them about The Feast. He
is my dad’s high school friend from Mindanao. My parents are from Mindanao,
they speak Visayan. My Ate and I know how to speak Visayan too.
Later, Mom and Dad found out about the Grand Easter Feast through the
internet. From our home in Quezon City, they went to SMX Convention Center
because they were curious about it. I think they liked it because when I was born
and until now, we are still going every Sunday with my big sister Lia. She’s my
only sister and I’m her only brother.
My family told me that when I was one year old, we lived in Singapore for
my Dad’s project. Mom and Dad searched for a Feast in Singapore and found
one. We attended the Feast Singapore regularly. When I turned three, I joined the
Awesome Kids Ministry Singapore. I was so happy! Mom told me that I enjoyed
running around and playing with other kids. I also learned a lot about God. I had
so much fun!
After two years, we came back to the Philippines to live here. We went to
PICC to attend The Feast and Ate Lia and I joined Awesome Kids right away.
I love going to AKM because I have many friends there. I also like my
teachers. They teach us about Jesus and how much He loves us. At AKM, I
learned to pray the Rosary, read the Bible and pray wherever I am. I always pray
to God for good health for me and my family, including my cousins, titos, titas, lolos
and lolas.
▲ Hansi with his family —Daddy
Roice, Mommy Honey and Ate Lia
At AKM, I also learned how to be a good boy, how to make friends, how
to make my mom and dad happy, how to save money and a lot more. Mom and
Dad like sending me there because, at an early age, I am surrounded by many
God-loving people so I will also grow up God-loving like Mom and Dad.
My Ate Lia is now joining Youth Home because she’s already 13. She
likes to sing and wants to join the Music Ministry. Even if I’m only 8, my Mom
and Dad allow me to join my sister whenever she goes to Youth Home on
Wednesdays. I love it, too. I just love singing and meeting new people.
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Like Hansi, come and learn while having fun at AKM!
The Awesome Kids Ministry is open to children from 4 to
12 years old. Located at the Delegation Room D306 at the
PICC Main Building. See you there!
PERSONAL REFLECTION AND GROUP DISCUSSION:
What gift can you offer Jesus for His brithday?
To all Feasters!
- FROM YOUR FEAST FAMILY -

RECAP
Homily
The Gospel According to Matthew 11:2-11//
Messengers from John the Baptist
“Don’t let the
world take Christ
out of Christmas.”
-Fr. Steve Tynan
Our lives are meant to reflect that we are disciples of Jesus. Stand before
the world and say, I follow Christ, and show it in the way you live, such as
celebrating Christmas that is centered on the coming of the Lord.
Talk
MATTHEW
Talk 3
Big Message:
“You are worth it.”
Making Sacrifices. Life is about making sacrifices — exchanging
something of lower value for something of higher value.
For us, Jesus, Mary and Joseph sacrificed and were selfless.
• Mary. When she accepted her role to be the mother of the
Messiah, Mary gave up her normal life to do God’s will. Engaged
to be married, she didn’t worry about what people would think
of her becoming pregnant before her wedding.
Message: Don’t conform to the world. Where there is greed and
selfishness, be selfless. Where everybody wants to be the boss, be
a servant.
• Joseph. Learning about Mary’s situation, Joseph considered
breaking off with her to save her from shame and possible
persecution and was willing to bear the brunt of negative public
opinion.
Message: We need more Josephs in this world —fathers who are
selfless — to eradicate problems like wars, drugs, rape, violence
and other crimes. We need more fathers who are willing to
sacrifice for their wives and their children.
“God comforts the
disturbed but disturbs
the comfortable.”
—Bro. Bo Sanchez
• Jesus. The Lord gave up His throne, left Heaven and became
a baby to be with us, to save us from our sins.
He did this willingly because in His eyes — we are worth it.
Miss the Mark. The Greek word for sin is hamartia which means to miss
the mark. Because the mark of God — as we are created in His image and
likeness, or imago dei — is to be loving, selfless, generous, merciful, chaste,
patient and so on.
Sin is anything that makes you less than whom the Father made
you to be. Our goal is to be just like our Creator.
▼ Mothers from Grace to be Born sing some Christmas tunes
as their way of thanking the Feasters for their tithes and love
offerings. Ester Palacio, the center’s executive director says,
“Your giving saves babies.” Grace to be Born, one of the mercy
ministries of The Feast, a temporary shelter for pregnant women,
saved 264 babies from abortion and helped 321 women in crisis
this year alone.
What is Incarnation? It means God becoming flesh literally. Or simply,
sinundo ka ng Diyos or the Lord coming down to our level.
When we fall into sin, Jesus embraces us even if we turn our back
on Him or disobey Him.
Receive His Love. Christ exchanged Heaven for Earth to be with
us. He knows we are meant for bigger things and so He sacrificed and
came to save us.
Jesus didn’t have any regrets doing it because we are worth it. All
we have to do now is receive the Father’s immense love for us.
▲ Towpy Tejano aka Bart the Broken with his
bandaged leg represents every child of God who
has sinned; his crutch represents our best effort to
overcome sin. Unable to do so, God comes down to
our level, exchanges His throne to bring us to where
He is. All because we are worth it.

ENHANCE YOUR
FEAST PICC AM EXPERIENCE
THE FEAST BAY AREA LEADERS
Builders: Bo Sanchez, Alvin Barcelona
and Audee Villaraza
Council Heads: Loie Alaba, Tine Duran,
Jhay and Lhei Jatap, Edwin and Rezza Soriano
THE FEAST BULLETIN STAFF
Media Head: Anne Sanchez
Editor in Chief: Rhoda Osalvo
Managing Editors: Zelle Flora, Meg Gonzales
Associate Editor: Timothy Quintos
Editorial Assistant: Jaye Jaymalin
Writers: Bimbo Jaymalin, Lina Nacionales
Chief Photographer: Jayr Purisima
Asst. Chief Photographer: Cherrie Bansale
Photographers: Louise Bagatsing, Trey Bagatsing
Djoanna Decena, Charl Joseph Mangente,
Hugh Panopio, Rj Rosario
Layout Artist: COL