Hello STAY peeps! :)
What a day. =)
P.S.
To all STAY members, if you'd like to share your thoughts on this blog too, please let us know through emailing stayministry@gmail.com
God bless all,
Jean
This is my first blog post, just thought it was necessary to write something before it quickly becomes Jack's diary. :P
I just got back from St Augustine's Feast Day BBQ. I must say today is actually quite an "ordinary" day... I woke up late, setting my alarm clock without pressing the "ON" button. I circulated the church vicinity for 50 minutes, looking for a car park, and telling God to be God (and therefore generous and kind to a girl like me). And then I arrived at Church and was pretty overwhelmed.
There were so many people there! Deserts (Chai Yin's brownie screaming at me), so many salads laid out, BBQ was on, and meats (I write in order of personal food preferences). The sun was out, people were smiling, hellos and hugs were being exchanged, and everyone was just standing around... suddenly, I felt like I was back in the old St Augustine's days.... where the church has always been known for its community spirit. And today, I am just so humbled and grateful to those individuals who have kept this church going, praying for a revival in the life and community spirit during our desert period (esp when St Augs appeared to not have a future at one point) - like those from the Legion of Mary's group, Paul, Emelda and Priscilla, the altar servers, Stay, Cell group members of the parish, etc. With the news that Father Victor is soon returning to be our Parish Priest again, it's really a testimony to me that God is FAITHFUL to His people. And during these dark days, He has asked for a number of church members to carry His cross with Him, to be like Simon of Cyrene, as He couldn't do it alone. Because these individuals (and many others whom I haven't listed down) responded in times of hardship, we can now start to see the beginnings of Spring, and new life. How timely it is that Spring is literally approaching too.
Coming home from the BBQ, I feel like today was an "ordinary" day. There was no particular spiritual fanfare or sky splitting moments. Yet, it is precisely because it is ordinary and simple, that I am all the more grateful, because I have tasted the beauty of Heaven in the people who showed up today, in the generosity of hearts, in the laughter, the sun, the smell of BBQ.
P.S.
To all STAY members, if you'd like to share your thoughts on this blog too, please let us know through emailing stayministry@gmail.com
God bless all,
Jean
You conveniently left out mentioning the music ministries and their part in keeping things going...
ReplyDeleteI think we kind of need these 'dark periods' at times. Its like faith - it can only be seen when its tested under stress.
For me, I didn't see it as such a dark period because I wasn't really concerned about the highs and lows - just the job at hand. We've been with various priests since Father Vic left that I've grown not to rely on our priest so much any more.
Father Vic mentioned to me that he was overjoyed to hear that some things are still thriving without him being there - that we didn't have to function with a priest there. The priest can't be there to do everything and so the lay people have to help out.
Always nice to have a bit of guidance and support from a priest though =D