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| [ Why Yesterday's Friday was Good ]It was indeed a Good Friday yesterday.
Not only was the weather nice, but we were together as a complete family unit (all 5 of us) at the Good Friday service for the first time since my sister moved out. To top it off, God spoke volumes through one of my favourite clergymen, Fr. Roy Roberts. I'll try to paraphrase, so that I can have some sort of reminder of his uplifting sermon.
He differentiated between the "cross" and the "crucifix". The crucifix leads one to think more of the savage nature of the (undeserved) punishment Jesus endured in order to fulfill the prophecies of his brutally human death. Extreme as it was at the time, God did not take human form through Jesus specifically to be crucified. If Jesus had been boiled to death in hot oil, we would be seeing symbols as such. If Jesus had been hung via a noose off of a fig tree, maybe we'd be wearing commemorative noose pendants around our necks. In actuality, the cross was but a means of communicating a rather simple message:
God LOVEs us unconditionally.
Therefore, our purpose -- being made in God's image and likeness -- is to love.
The cross was, is, and will continue to be a reminder of love. It was Jesus' selfless one-time sacrifice (which just happened to be death via crucifixion) that shows us what we were truly created to be. We are beings of love. No, not that trite expression that is associated with sex and materialistic gratification in today's society. REAL love, as communicated in 1 Corinthians 13... Agape.
It is this love that leads me to continue believing in an almighty God. It is this love that is, in essence, my purpose. Though my life's calling has yet to become clear to me, this sermon was a reminder that the Lord made me to spread love to those around me. I may not be perfect in doing so, but I'll spend my life with His love as my foundation and example. It's a beautiful struggle, but why else did He make me, right?
Fr. Roy had much more punch packed in his sermon, but this was just my attempt at archiving what God spoke through him to me. May God forever be praised. | | |
| [ 2008 Highlight Reel ]>> this time, definitely NOT in chronological order :p
>> oh, and not enough tag space for everyone, so sorry i guess?
- GRADUATING from GBC (SSW, baby)!
- non-stop September FamJams!!! (incl. Mommy Lola's surprise 85th!)
- everyone laying down pride for one night to honour Tito Manny Aquino, one of God's most hardworking servants
- family trip to PA (Philly cheese steaks + Rocky statue, steps, etc.)
- SFC/YFC Conference @ U of Guelph
- SFC Band SHouT @ my house!!
- Luigi & Kimi's wedding
- Brooke Fraser concerts... yes, TWICE, baby!
- MEETING BROOKE Fraser personally @ Chapters prior to her El Mo concert
- meeting Michael Chaves after Brooke's 2nd concert @ Mod Club Theatre
- Brownout Sessions @ M Studio
- "You Are the Light of the World" Youth Rally
- Hillsong United Conference @ Metro Toronto Convention Centre
- OCY's WYD Rally @ Martyrs' Shrine in Midland
- John Mayer @ Molson Amp
- Jersey Boys @ T.O. Centre for the Arts
- HOUSEHOLDS... too bad Weege had to go get hitched! haha.. j/k
- Eman & Noelle's wedding
- various YUKA shows!!
- The Beaches Jazz Festival
- Dr. Payne & the Disease: CD release party
- Migo & Pam's 2nd wedding reception
- CFC GTA Christmas Party @ Grand Baccus
- SFC East Christmas Party @ Casa Manila
- some retreats @ St. Jude's
- St. Jude's Christmas celebrations (esp. the Snowstorm Day)
- CFC Pastoral Congress @ Kalayaan
- CFC mid-yr thing (Caroline, Jonie, Renee, and I played); Krispy Kreme =)
- Ascension @ CCS Relay for Life
- TNA Wrestling's "No Surrender" PPV @ GM Centre
- WWE Supershow @ ACC (Trish Stratus' surprise return!)
- my pre-birthday dinner (Yueh Tung!!)
- Singles Weekend 1 @ Edgewood
- Singles Leaders Retreat @ Shadow Lake
- basketball
- working out
- Camp Olympia
(i'm sure i'm missing some stuff)
[ movies of the year ]
1) The Dark Knight (was there any doubt as to which one was the best?)
2) Iron Man
3) Hancock
4) Step Brothers
5) Kung Fu Panda
6) You Don't Mess with the Zohan
7) Cloverfield
8) Wanted
9) Get Smart
10) The Incredible Hulk
[ movies: honourable mention ]
- Quantum of Solace
- Hellboy II: The Golden Army
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall
- Rambo
- The Forbidden Kingdom
- Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay
- Tropic Thunder
[ i'm gonna miss... ]
... Tito Manny Aquino.
... George Brown College.
... Mitchell Family Books.
... YFC. | | |
| [ Hope for Peace ]Wakes and funerals are not ideal ways to reunite with old acquaintances and long-lost friends, but the past few days have been filled with just that: reunions. Brothers and sisters in Christ reconnecting with one another, laying down the pride that has divided them in order to let love, joy, and peace ebb and flow between them once more.
As family, friends, and the community at large gathered to celebrate the life of my uncle, Manny Aquino, it was as if I was lost in some sort of time warp. People from one side of conflict set aside personal grudges against another side in order to honour their fallen comrade. Despite my feelings of sadness that I will not be seeing my Dad's brother-in-law at our family Thanksgiving parties using his electric knife to carve a large turkey (among a myriad of other memories), I could not help but feel this tremendous happiness in watching fellow servants in Christ return to the realization that they still (and will ALWAYS) have so much in common! It was almost as if I had fallen into a dreamlike utopia. But then I realized that it was not a dream. This was very real. This was a very real sign that there is hope. Hope for what? Well, to be completely forthright with you, I now have hope for peace. Someday, we will all be together again. Whether it's in this life or the life to come, we will all praise God with hearts truly being one again.
Though it was brief, it was all very beautiful. What a way to send off one of Christ's greatest soldiers: my Tito Manny. Thank you to all who were present. God loves you... ALL of you.
Father God, thank You for speaking to my heart once again. I have been jaded by so many circumstances in my life as of late, but I realize now that I must never lose hope. No matter how dire the situation, Your divine providence and perfect timing and will are not to be doubted. And so I continue to wait upon You, Lord. In You, I trust. AMEN.
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| [ rest in peace, Tito Manny ]Yesterday, at about 4:50PM, Manuel Aquino (affectionately known as "Tito Manny") passed away at The Scarborough Hospital (General Division) among family and friends.
Tito Manny lived to serve. Serve what or whom, you may ask. The answer is -- and has always been -- GOD. Since coming to know His Lord and Saviour, Tito Manny served God any way possible, be it through his family, his friends, or his community.
Being related to him, I know for a fact that we are feeling this very deeply in our local family tree. It's almost like losing one of the tree's most firmly entrenched roots. My heart goes out to Tita Chit, Christine, Jessie, and Noel. This is undoubtedly a difficult time for us all, especially the four of you. Nevertheless, we are always here for you.
Being in the same community as him and many of his friends, I also know that this will have tremendous ramifications (whether or not you will be able to see it) within CFC (Couples for Christ) Canada. This is because Tito Manny always pushed it to the limit (and beyond) when it came to service. Since its inception in 1993, one of CFC Toronto's hardest working soldiers has always been Tito Manny Aquino. Whether it's a Household or a Conference, you could be sure that Tito Manny was somewhere in the background looking out for logistics, transportation, or anything he could help with. Whether in a big or small way, he contributed to virtually every major event he could get to! Moreover, he was always a stalwart supporter of God's real love and truth! He will surely be missed.
So, rest easy now, Tito Manny. May God send angels to escort you (in a minivan, no less) into His heavenly kingdom, where he can embrace you and tell you...
"Well done, good and faithful servant."
(Matthew 25:23)
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| [ Been a while... ]... since I've blogged.
... since I went to a nice, intimately prayerful retreat. Hooray for SFC Discovery Weekend!
... since I've been to a concert, which is why I'm pumped for Brooke Fraser's show tomorrow!
... since John Mayer has released an album, but now there's "Where the Light Is"!!!
... since CFC has been whole. Gotta keep praying for that mess.
... since WWE has felt this fresh and exciting! Hooray for the Draft! CM Punk is World Champ!
... since I've had regular income. Praise God for my "job"!!
... since we immigrated to Canada. Today marks 14 years for us. HAPPY CANADA DAY!!
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