St. the Parish Church John Beloved

W NEEKLY BULLETI15 April 2012

This day was created by God to remind His people of His love and His commitment – reminding us

that He does not fail and He does not forsake. The beauty of the resurrection is seen in our lives. He

nailed the curse to the cross, destroying its power, and taking away its ability to hold us in its grasp. It

does not mean that there are no problems; it doesn’t mean that there are no difficulties. It means

that they have no power to really hold us. Knowing what God has done, we stand firm in the free-

dom that He has given us.

The height of this day is the day filled with joy, with praise, and with thanksgiving. It brings into our

lives hope. I like what Peter says, “He opened his mouth and said that God does not show partial-

ity.” He does not treat one better than another. He does not condemn one and not condemn an-

other. Equality is how God deals with us. Yes, personality has a play in what He does, and yet the

beauty of His life is that He Himself is with us.

Peter reminds us of the fact that God is with

us. He is Lord of all. There is nothing out of

His power and control. There is nothing

greater than He is. There is nothing even

equal to what He is – far above all princi-

palities and power. If only in our own

minds and our hearts, we would renew our

minds which Romans 12 tells us, we will

find out that there are not problems that

are greater than what God has given us for

the ability to conquer. There are not situa-

tions that will bring great pain and sorrow

to us because God has given us the ability

to bring healing, to bring restoration to

Easter Message of our Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines, D. D.

Abp. Hines delivering his homily last April 8, 2012

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every situation. That which He has given to us is awesome.

Colossian3:2 says, “Set your mind on the things above.” Seek those things which He has given us. Look

for those things. Meditate on them and see them as the very source of your life. Scriptures remind us

that as a man thicket in his heart, so is he. Do we think we are worthless? Do we think that we are of

no value? Do we think that we are weak and sickly? Do we think that no one loves us? Do we think

that we are the only ones that have problems? If that is our thoughts, this is exactly what will be in our

lives.

When God has given us new life, when He has destroyed the curse and nailing it to the cross, when He

has conquered sin, hell, death and the grave, when He has destroyed the power of the enemy, should it

not be that on our minds are set on something even greater? Scriptures says that we are seated to-

gether with Him in heavenly places far above all principalities and power. Can we not see in our own

lives, can we not begin to set in our hearts that we are above these things? They may come our way,

but they will not pull us down. They will not override us and they will not conquer us because He has

given to us that which causes us to conquer. Because God was with Him, Christ was able to heal all

those who were oppressed by the devil. The Lord was with Him!

How many times do we remind you that, “The Lord is with you.” The very principle, the very thought,

the very presence of God with us should give us courage to see that if these things do come our way,

they are not there to destroy us . They are there for us to prove how great God is in our lives. There is

nothing greater than the power that God has bestowed upon us. There is no enemy greater than that

which He has given to us. We are sited together with Him in heavenly places far above principalities and

power. If only we would begin to believe. If only we would begin to set the course and the direction and

we would live out our baptism, that freedom, that new life that He has given to us.

As I look at this day, during the week, this thought kept ringing

through my mind. I began to meditate upon it and look through

the Scriptures regarding it: it is like a marriage of heaven and on

earth. A marriage of God and man; a marriage of humanity and

divinity. It is that which God has set to come to our aid, to come to

our assistance. Not to leave us alone and not to fail us, but coming

to our lives in order that He can provide what we need. He can

bring into our lives the security and the peace, the provision that

comes in knowing Him, the wisdom that can come only from Him.

Today, we have lost what marriage was meant to be in the begin-

ning. How that the groom was ordained by God to provide provi-

sion, protection, and even provide personality because of the secu-

rity that the relationship brought into existence. How that its pro-

vision brought to the bride the security she needed. Brought per-

haps from poverty or from sin, it gave to her the strength knowing

that she could depend and lean upon the groom. Given new life, if

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you please, purpose and meaning and direction; granted everything giving everything pertaining to

life.

This is what a relationship is supposed to be. This is what God has done through Christ for us. He has

restored our relationship with Him. In this restoration, the two had become one. He comes now and

He lives with us. He resides with us. He says, “I will never leave you. I will never forsake us.” It shares

that how we can walk through the darkest valleys and yet have no fear

and have no anxiety because He is with us.

We are His body, He is our Lord. In His death, we died with Him. In His

resurrection, we are brought back to life and we arose with Him. We are

given new life – conquering hell, death and the grave; conquering sin,

temptations, our feelings and our emotions because He has given to us

new life, His life.

Scriptures says that in Him, all things hold together. It is the covenant, a

new name, a new environment, a new identity. Matthew says that what

God has put together, let no man pull apart or separate. Here is this

relationship that God has for us. He says, “I will never leave you, I will

never forsake you.”

I looked back at the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden. When they failed, they were removed from

the Garden and they were sent out without the presence of God walking with them in the cool of the

evening. They lost the peace, that fulfillment. They lost that confidence that comes, the security that

comes being with God. Christ restores this to us. Today, we celebrate that restoration – no longer

alone, no longer put down, and no longer in darkness. He has set us free from the fears and the anxie-

ties, the sin, the rebellion, and those things that have pulled us down. He has lifted us up out of the

mire and set our feet on the solid rock.

This is the hope we have in Him, the provision we have in Him. The things we need He has

given. 1Corinthians1:7 says, “You lack in no good gift.” Ephesians1:3 “Blessed us with every spiritual

blessing in heavenly places.1Peter1:3 say, “Born again to a living hope.” 1Peter 2:24says, “By His

wounds, you were healed.” 2Peter1:3 “Granted to us everything pertaining to life and godli-

ness.” 2Peters1:4, “Partakers of the divine nature.” John 10:10, “That you may have life and have it

more abundantly.” John 1:16 “For of His fullness, we have all received and grace upon

grace.” Ephesians1:23, “His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 3:19, “To know the

love of Christ which surpasses knowledge that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”

Here are just few of the things that He brings to us in this relationship. We lack in nothing. We have

nothing that we can complain about. We have nothing that can overcome us. We have nothing that

can’t take away our joy. We have nothing that can destroy our confidence in Him because He has given

to us everything that we need – all the power and all the strength and all the presence of His very being

with us.

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Last April 13 the Life Formation Mission held their Com-

mencement Program at St. John the Beloved’s Sanctuary.

The day was started with a Baccalaureate Mass celebrated

by His Grace, the Most Reverend Paulino Villavicencio.

Bishop Paul remind the graduates especially those who

are graduating from High School not to forget what they

learned from LFM. That the character of Christ should be

the foundation of all learning and to make themselves as

the light of Christ whenever they go.

During the Commencement ceremony, Father Oliver also

recognized the students that expressed honorable charac-

ter such as helping the elderly, learning from their mis-

takes, and forgiving others. The graduates are :

Preschool

1) Maria Johana Alcaraz

2) Irish Anne Algabre

3) Pauline Anne Aragon

4) Bianca Cardeño

5) Michael Angelo Dela Cruz

Elementary

1) John Rommel Amarante

2) 2) Ian Marcus Ibeas

3) Jesse Claire Paulin

High School

1) Jemimah Abigail Adia

2) Pamela Adia

3) Christine Joyce Ibease

4) John Carlo San Pedro

5) Thomas Oliver David Daniel Senia

6) Truce Jasper Teodoro

Last Sunday, April 8, 2012 the kids of our parish celebrated Easter Sunday at the Librojo’s garden for

their annual Children’s Easter Party. It was last year when Sis. Guia organized SJB’s first Children’s

Easter Party with her daughters so that the kids of our parish would be able to joyfully celebrate Easter

Sunday.

This year, the Ladies Ministry along with the Youth joined forces to make this pleasant event happen

again. The kids enjoyed an afternoon of Egg Hunting, Egg games, Easter Card Making and Easter Egg

Painting. They had a delicious meal prepared by the ladies and enjoyed an unlimited supply of choco-

late at the chocolate fountain. At the end of the event the best in card making, egg painting and best in

costume was awarded, they were Chie Chie Navea for Best Costume, Jilian Papa for Best in Card Mak-

ing, and Jomari Bautista for Best in Egg Painting. The kids went home not only with their Easter baskets

and Easter treats but also with new friends, and precious memories to keep.

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by Isabella Senia

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This is what Easter is all about. This is why it is filled with such excitement. This is why we have the bells,

the incense, the joy, the upbeat of music because our God has not forsaken us. He has not turned His

back on us. He will not leave us. We were down; we were out; we were the worst of sinners. We were

in the worst condition, but He redeemed us and He restored us to life. What hope, what joy, and what

peace. Christ in you the hope of glory.

On Easter morning, when the women went to the tomb, they were wondering how they are going to roll

away the stone. “How are we going to be able to take care of His body? To treat it? The tomb was

sealed but when they arrived, the stone had been rolled away, but He was not there. The angel said,

“He is not here. He has risen.” Should it surprise us? I call to your attention His becoming flesh. He be-

came flesh. The womb of Mary was close; she was a virgin and yet He came forth into flesh – our life in

that close womb. In that sealed tomb, He was not bound and He was not limited. While everyone

thought He was there sleeping, instead He had gone down to the center of the earth to release the cap-

tives and to destroy the power of the kingdom of the enemy and to bring to life those who had been

there.

When the stone had been rolled away, He was not there. He had risen! He was not confined! He could

not be held back! He could not be restricted! In your life and mine, it doesn’t matter how serious the

situations may be. It doesn’t matter how difficult the time may see. It does not matter what the pain

might be. It is in those impossible situations, those situations sealed for destruction, sealed for failure,

sealed for embarrassment, sealed yet in the midst of that, new life comes forth. New ability is ours.

This is what Easter is all about. All around us there are difficulties and struggles and battles. But in the

midst of the darkest moments of time, Christ will arise in our presence. All those things that were

against us will fade away. The symbolism of Scripture – the mountains will melt like wax in the presence

of the Lord.

This is the hope of Easter. This is the assurance that we have

today that we celebrate. There is a lot of incense, a lot noise,

and a lot of joy because we are celebrating the greatness of our

God. We are celebrating His kingdom and we are celebrating His

covenant with man. It is a covenant that cannot be broken. God

is the One who wrote the Scriptures. He is the One who spoke

and said, “What God has put together, let no man sepa-

rate.” God put man together. He put us together with Him. He

breathed His breath into us and no one can take that breath

away. That life is eternal and greater than death. That life will

continue forever.

This is the greatness of our God. It is time for us to erase our

sadness. It is time for us to erase our heaviness and let Him take

it. Scriptures says, “Cast your burdens on Him for He cares for

you.” He is the One who has set us free. He is the One that has

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For your comments and suggestions: E-mail: word_studio@yahoo.com ▪ Phone: SJTB (049) 8322310

The SJTB Weekly Bulletin is a publication of the Word Studio, the media ministry of the SJTB composed of the following staff :

Managing Editor: Chelle Gonzaga Marketing Staff: Rose Gamban

Artist: Chris Paulin

Writers/Contributors/Staff: Ranz Gonzaga, Cecil Gonzaga, Bea Senia,

Joy Paulin, Malou Grasparil, Mizle Bautista &

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brought new joy and new hope to us. We shall not fail. We shall overcome and conquer because He is

with us and He will not fail us.

On this Easter, be reminded, more than just a memory, let it be real to you: those things that seem-

ingly held you in bondage and slavery break the chains with God’s help. Break the chains through the

power of the Holy Spirit and go free. Set aside those things that have held us back – the impossibilities

and the things that have been told to us that we cannot conquer and overcome. Do not be-

lieve. Greater is He who is with us than he who is against us.

This is the greatness of God. He can conquer sickness; He can conquer disease. He can conquer prob-

lems, individualities, and all of those because He is the One who brought unity to us. The Father, re-

storing that, will restore all areas of life.

This is the beauty of Easter, the greatness of our life. This is why we celebrate and we give glory and

thanks unto Him. For you, Happy Easter! Joyous Easter! Gracious Easter! May it be everyday of your

life. From now on, let it be the first thing in the morning of thanking God for Easter. Thanking God for

the new life that He has given to you. Thanking God for the fact that the Holy Spirit is with you. Thank-

ing God that Christ dwells with you, and He will not leave you or forsake you. It doesn’t matter what

the problems are. Those problems, we can turn in to victories. Those problems, we can turn into joy if

we walk with God. There is nothing that is greater than the greatness of our God and His commitment

to us.

Happy Easter and May the joy of Easter fill your lives everyday!

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April 28, 7:00 PM

Ladies Ministry Meeting

Join us Today! 2pm @ the Rectory See you there...