This year, 2025, is a Year of Jubilee; a year of special grace, a celebration of God’s love, providence, mercy and forgiveness, a year of God’s universal call to reconcile all of His creation to Himself through Jesus Christ. It is a year of conversion, restoration and renewal of lives and relationships. It is a resetting of all God’s creation --- a dawn of a New Life in Christ.
In this Jubilee Year, God’s message to us in CFCA is two-fold. First, God has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ. What a great gift of love and blessing! Second, God has given us the ministry of reconciliation, being ambassadors for Christ, entrusting His message of reconciliation with the whole world to us. Such an enormous task! This is why we are all CALLED TO A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST.
A new life in Christ promises abundance, love, peace and joy. But this can happen only when we become “a new creation”. Everything old has to pass away; everything has to become new. In terms of a building construction project, our transformation is not merely a “patch up repair”, a “restoration”, an “extension”, nor a “renovation”. Our transformation must be a complete “knock down and rebuild” of our whole being --- a conversion from a life attuned to our “worldly desires” to a life centred on Jesus Christ. As declared by Saint Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20, NRSVCE) This is made possible only by the grace and love of God, the Source of All, through Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit.
When we joined CFCA, we dedicated ourselves to a mission of evangelisation, committing to the role of proclaiming God’s CALL TO A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST to the whole world. So, as we strive to walk in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are urged to summon others --- our spouse, family, household, relatives, friends, and even those unknown to us --- to join us on our way to a new life of grace. While this is a daunting task, we believe that the Holy Spirit will always be with us to equip, empower and enable us to do God’s will and plan for everyone and everything that he has lovingly created.
CFCA’s strategic vision is a tangible expression of the ministry of reconciliation, that is bringing the gospel, the message of reconciliation with God, to as many people as possible. By setting a goal to double its membership within 5 years, our family renewal movement is committing to inviting more people to experience the NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. With the accelerating regressive changes in the post-modern world and society at the background --- misuse of rapidly developing technology, spiritual apathy, broken relationships, disunity, and insatiable desires --- there is the urgency to carry out the strategic vision. We double not only our membership but also our courage, conviction and effort to draw more people to a personal and transformative relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us to “read the signs of the times”; to observe, listen, study, and discern what are the most authentic paths for Catholic Christian living in the current circumstances, in the light of Jesus Christ’s way of life and teachings. Above all, let us act and celebrate in love, solidarity and joy.