More About Faith and Breakthrough with bro Ashley..

This week, CUS invited bro Ashley to give us a talk on "Faith and Breakthrough" and there were many members who turned up. :) Total of people present? 21, hooray! It was the best so far though still less compared to the 24th July gathering (total of 24 people present), but this is an improvement compared to the other attendance lately after the midsemester holiday.

Those who were present. Picture was captured during the opening hymn. ;)

Brother Ashley started his talk with a question, "What is faith to you?" After listening to some of the feedback from the CUS members, brother Ashley told us what faith is, from his conclusion of several studies, where faith is about putting our trust in God, and taking a risk at the same time. Why is it a risk? It is because we do not have any concrete proof about it, and yet we put our full trust in God.

Then, he also stressed about what faith is NOT:

1) Knowledge (or intellectual assent or something that you subscribe to) of the existence of God. (James 2:19)
2) Professing Jesus Christ as Lord and believing that that is enough. This is called the faith alone principle.

Then, he mentioned about what faith is to a Catholic with the quote from the Bible:

1) Jesus said "If anyone would come after me, he must DENY himself, TAKE up his cross and FOLLOW me" (Matt. 16:24)
2) According to St Peter: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. (Acts. 2:38)
3) Chronology would be "Believe (Mk. 16:16), repent (Acts. 2:38), and be baptized.
(He mentioned again it is not appropriate to be baptized first and then believe later. Remember Jesus's quote about happy are those who haven't seen and yet believed? Yes, that's why it is better to believe before you be baptized.

[Reference: from brother Ashley's handout]

Then, he showed us a short video about the inspiring story of Nick Vujicic, a man born without limbs yet he could make the best out of himself and inspired people from around the world though being physically disabled. Thus, brother Ashley conclude how great the power of faith is by stating the quote from the Bible:

"If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you."
Matthew 17:20

Besides, brother Ashley asked us to pray with our full trust in God when we are really in need of something, where we put our full trust in God in our heart and practice it with our lips by saying out our prayer to show that we really mean it, and thus, your need and desire will be fulfilled.

Then, we listened to a song "When you believe" by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston and tried to reflect our faith in Him through this song.

Finally, there were question and answer (Q & A) session, and there was this question about suffering which was asked by Sophie Weisser to brother Ashley about why her friend who had lost her father, and now she lost her mother, had to endure so much suffering, one after another?

Thus, brother Ashley answered that the suffering is the Cross, and God possibly had a plan for her, and all she has to do is to put her trust in God, carry her cross and follow Him.

The talk ended with question and answer session.

CUS president, Arthur James, presenting brother Ashley with a token of appreciation from CUS for sharing his knowledge with us. :)

Announcement this week:

1) EXAM MASS
The CUS exam Mass will be held at 16th October 2009 and not on 23rd October, and all are invited to come. The time will be at 1pm, so please be punctual.

2) CUS CAMP
The CUS camp will be held from 15th to 16th January 2010, all CUS members are welcome. The venue of the camp will be either at Stella Maris or College General and has yet to be determined.

3) HELP THE TYPHOON VICTIMS IN THE PHILLIPINES
Sarah Lee is encouraging all CUS members to help the typhoon victim in the Phillipines and they basically need clothes, blanket, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, cooking utensils, plates, spoons, forks, cups, medic for flu, cough, cold, diarrhea, antibacterial, antifungal, bandage, toothpaste, soap, toothbrush, laundry soap, food, and water. You can donate these things or whatever things that you feel suitable. Label them with "TO SISTER LILY FOR THE TYPHOON VICTIMS" and leave them at the Our Lady of Sorrows Church secretariat. Thank you and God bless!! So everybody, what are you waiting for? This is the time where we should walk the talk and practice what we preached. Amen.

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