CFCA Theme for 2022
Scriptural Theme: (Philippians 4:4-7)
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Slogan:
Rejoice in the Lord always!
Rationale:
“Rejoice!” What a surprising message, such a tall order from God for us during this time of unprecedented struggle and suffering. Upon hearing the word “rejoice”, some of us may react immediately, “What is there to rejoice for during this time of pandemic, when everyone is somehow negatively affected?” Others may say, “How can we rejoice when there is so much loss of lives and livelihood? How can we celebrate when there is so much restriction and isolation? How can we find joy in sickness and anxiety?” If we think of “rejoicing always” as being in a state of constant happiness and celebrating every moment of our lives with unending exuberance, it will really be difficult for us to rejoice at this time. Yet, through the letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians, the Lord is urging us to rejoice in Him always. Saint Paul, while he himself was in prison, has mentioned the word “rejoice” in this short letter at least seven times.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4) How profound is this advice from Saint Paul who himself has endured severe persecution for his belief in Jesus Christ and his call to ministry. As Saint Paul was encouraging the Philippians to live out their faith in Christ and to stand strong when struggles and persecution might occur, our Lord God is encouraging us to rejoice in Him always, even during this most challenging time. We should rejoice at all times, whether we are happy, sad, tired, frustrated, angry or confused. What if we do not feel like rejoicing in the Lord, especially in our present circumstances? It is hard to rejoice in the Lord when there is pain, struggle and sadness all around us.
Rejoice in the Lord always! How do we do this? Remember that feeling when we think of someone whose presence brings us joy and happiness? The mere thought builds up a feeling of rejoicing or delight! Let us remember that God whom we love and who loves us so much is always near, ready to help us in all our needs. Remember when God has answered our prayers in the past, the blessings that we have received, the things we thought were impossible but were made possible by God’s grace. As we remember, we will be filled with joy and gratitude. When we believe that God is always near, so close to us, we feel His presence and so we feel calm in the midst of chaos, joy in the midst of sadness, confidence in the midst of uncertainty and peace instead of anxiety. We rejoice in the Lord always because we know that God is always with us, strengthening us when we are weak, encouraging us when we feel like giving up and providing us with all that we need.
“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Slogan:
Rejoice in the Lord always!
Rationale:
“Rejoice!” What a surprising message, such a tall order from God for us during this time of unprecedented struggle and suffering. Upon hearing the word “rejoice”, some of us may react immediately, “What is there to rejoice for during this time of pandemic, when everyone is somehow negatively affected?” Others may say, “How can we rejoice when there is so much loss of lives and livelihood? How can we celebrate when there is so much restriction and isolation? How can we find joy in sickness and anxiety?” If we think of “rejoicing always” as being in a state of constant happiness and celebrating every moment of our lives with unending exuberance, it will really be difficult for us to rejoice at this time. Yet, through the letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians, the Lord is urging us to rejoice in Him always. Saint Paul, while he himself was in prison, has mentioned the word “rejoice” in this short letter at least seven times.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4) How profound is this advice from Saint Paul who himself has endured severe persecution for his belief in Jesus Christ and his call to ministry. As Saint Paul was encouraging the Philippians to live out their faith in Christ and to stand strong when struggles and persecution might occur, our Lord God is encouraging us to rejoice in Him always, even during this most challenging time. We should rejoice at all times, whether we are happy, sad, tired, frustrated, angry or confused. What if we do not feel like rejoicing in the Lord, especially in our present circumstances? It is hard to rejoice in the Lord when there is pain, struggle and sadness all around us.
Rejoice in the Lord always! How do we do this? Remember that feeling when we think of someone whose presence brings us joy and happiness? The mere thought builds up a feeling of rejoicing or delight! Let us remember that God whom we love and who loves us so much is always near, ready to help us in all our needs. Remember when God has answered our prayers in the past, the blessings that we have received, the things we thought were impossible but were made possible by God’s grace. As we remember, we will be filled with joy and gratitude. When we believe that God is always near, so close to us, we feel His presence and so we feel calm in the midst of chaos, joy in the midst of sadness, confidence in the midst of uncertainty and peace instead of anxiety. We rejoice in the Lord always because we know that God is always with us, strengthening us when we are weak, encouraging us when we feel like giving up and providing us with all that we need.
“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)