BLYM Weekly Updates

Hey everyone,

How's life for the past week? Gearing up to face the new challanges ahead for this week? No matter how busy you are, don't forget about the Sacrament of Reconciliation in our parish @ 8pm tomorrow!

1) Lent Cell (6/6) - Last session before Holy Week comes! See you @ 8.30pm in the Lighthouse on Friday!

2) Maundy Thursday Adoration - We invite all young people to join us in prayer as the Youth Ministry answers Jesus' call of staying with Him. 9 April, 10pm in front of the Altar of Repose.

3) Passion play - The Altar Servers are acting! Rare sight to see the Servers acting instead of serving.. This Saturday, 4 April after Sunset Mass. Love offerings proceed to the Lady's Shrine.

4) Tuition classes - If you are interested in joining us for tuition or to teach tuition, please keep us in the loop by calling Joachim@92394826. Secondary and primary on Sunday afternoons.

A toast to those who managed to make it through Lent with all your penance, fasting, prayers and acts of charity.

God bless,
Joachim

Everything Old is Made New Again

When I was younger, I looked at my mother's photos and laughed at them. What big earrings they have, mama! (all the better to look pretty with, my dear..) Nowadays, when I walk down Orchard Road and see gals with big earrings, I can't help thinking to myself: Those children of theirs are going to laugh at them next time (no offense to any ladies).

Fashion comes, goes and return. Each time with a slight variation. In the Old Testaments, God carved the 10 Commandments onto rock. He promised to throw away the old Laws and burn it into our hearts. He did what He promised; he sent the Living Law, His only Son, Jesus.

As Lent draws to a close, let us be reminded that He renews us constantly too. He wants to love us and He also wants to be reconciled with us. Let us then, move forward bravely to accept His love and once again, to renew our trust and faith in Him.

BLYM Weekly Updates

Hey people,

Beautiful morning eh? Ya, for those who are studying, it is disgusting - the holidays are so short... Nvm. Look forward to the weekend and our activities:)

1) Lent Cell (5/6), Every Old is Made New Again - The old is made new. A time to renew ourselves before Reconciliation. Friday - 26 March, The Lighthouse, 8.30pm.

2) Taize 3 - Expect lots of candles, a nice small chapel, an icon of Jesus, chants, music, scripture reading and of course, silence. Invite a friend and join us for the last session on 30 March - Monday, IJ Chapel along Jurong West St 42, 8pm.

3) Tuition classes - If you are interested in joining us for tuition or to teach tuition, please keep us in the loop by calling Joachim@92394826. Secondary and primary on Sunday afternoons.

4) Way of the Cross Unexpected - Tired of the same routine of Way of the Cross? Have a different taste and a whole new experience of Way of the Cross with us at St Joseph's Church. Meet us in church this Saturday, 28 March @ 1pm to move off! Contact Joachim@92394826.

Peace,
Joachim

Lent Cell Session 4 - Learning to Leave the Light On

What are blind spots? Blind spots are places in which we are unable to see things. Eg: You will need to check your blind spots when you are driving a car; When you are playing soccer, you will need to lookout for defenders who will be tackling you on either your left or right. Do you know that we are prompt to spiritual and personal blind spots too?

Eg: My parents just don't understand me or my friends. My colleagues hate me. Some people hate me because I'm simply too good at things. The Church is outdated. All it wants for me is to follow some old traditional lousy rules. The list goes on...

What they fail to see is the big picture. We always look at things from our own perspectives and never from the others. We are always right. We are not blind. It's the others who are blind. Sounds funny?

Why not list down the blind spots in your relationships with family, friends, myself and God?

Think about: What am I missing or what I don't know? What would motivate me to feel this way? What could I do to change them? And commit yourself to this change for Lent and beyond.

BLYM Weekly Updates

Hey people,

How's the Lent preparation coming along? Last Cell session, Not Fair! allowed us to see that we are so comfortable within our own zone that we are so blind to the obvious unfairness and injustice around us. Some shared about the world unfairness while some shared things closer to their hearts. How about joining us for this week's cell?

1) Lent Cell (4/6), Learning How to Leave the Light On - How many times do we actually look within ourselves? This is a good time to if you haven't. Friday - 23 March, The Lighthouse, 8.30pm.

2) Taize 2 - Expect lots of candles, a nice small chapel, an icon of Jesus, songs and music, scripture reading and of course, silence. Invite a friend and join us on 23 March - Monday, IJ Chapel along Jurong West St 42, 8pm.

3) Youth Alpha 08 - We have successfully completed our first batch of Youth Alphaians! Let us congratulate Hilary, Gabriel, Weibin, Jethro, Benjamin, Gerald and Charmaine! Looking forward to Youth Alpha 09 :)

4) Tuition classes - If you are interested in joining us for tuition or to teach tuition, please keep us in the loop by calling Joachim@92394826. Secondary and primary on Sunday afternoons.

5) Way of the Cross Unexpected - Tired of the same routine of Way of the Cross? Have a different taste and a whole new experience of Way of the Cross done differently with us at St Joseph's Church, 28 March. Sign up now!

Peace,
Joachim

Lent cell session 3 - Not Fair!

Turn on the TV or flip open the newspapers. What are some news that you think are unreasonable or unfair? Many happenings are unfair in this world but because we have become so customed to seeing these happenings, we just look at them as another piece of news which is like 'boring!'

When Moses was called to deliver the people out of Egypt, he wasn't particularly enthu. He was pushing it off, "Comeon, God! You know me! I'm half-drunk all the time! Send my brother Aaron. He's a sober... most of the time (it's a joke)" However, after much arguing, he still went. When he received the 10 Commandants, he didn't hesitated. He went straight and passed it on to the people. What about you? Are you hesitating about standing up to some unfairness or injustices?

Jesus didn't hesitated to whip people around when he was cleaning up the temple. What things are obstructing us from seeing these little injustices and unfairness around us? Some shared that it's turning into a social norm for us. Some shared that we are blinded by benefits while one said that it's all because of the gray areas.

What about you?

What's obstructing you from seeing the old lady in the bus who's not given a seat?

What's obstructing you from standing up to the gossiper who goes around bad mouthing you?

Look within yourself and hesitate no longer.

BLYM Weekly Updates

Hey ppl,

Last week's cell session "Outside and Inside" looks on our own personal life inside and outside of church. Come this Friday, we will be looking at whether life is fair or not in Lent Session 3 (3 of 6): Not Fair! Come along with a friend at 8.30pm in the Lighthouse, Lvl 4. See you there!

On a weekly note:

1) Lent Taize - Tonight (9 March), we will have our first Taize session in the IJ Chapel, JW St 42 at 8.00pm. Bring a friend along!

2) FAST - Coming your way...

3) Youth Alpha - The last session of Youth Alpha is this week. Thanks to all who have been participating actively throughout be it in person, in prayers or by donations. Looking forward to Youth Alpha 09!

4) Tuition classes - We are back! If you are interested in joining us for tuition or to teach tuition, please keep us in the loop by calling Joachim@92394826. Secondary and primary on Sunday afternoons. Any Chinese tutors out there?

5) Being or Doing Youth Ministry - 21 March, 10am to 3pm @ CAYC. Cost: $20 per person. For people who are interested in youth ministry, please submit your names to Joachim @ 92394826.

Any Lent intercessions? Send us back! Let us keep each other in prayer always. For those having CA this week, good luck and God bless.

Peace,
Joachim

Lent cell session 2 - Outside and Inside

Look at a coin. Turn it around. Are there 2 different faces? Many times in our lives, we put on 2 faces too. For some, they will put on a happy face when they are with their friends and an impatient face when they are with their parents. For some, they will put on a “Holier-then-thou” face in church and an “Evilier-then-you” look outside the church. What about you? What face do you present to others when you are in church? Do you present it differently to others when you are outside church?

Many people associate Jesus's transfiguration with holiness. Imagine the lightings, clouds and everything. Woah, his clothes turned DAZZLING white in front of Peter, John and James! This must surely be the Son of God! the disciples were amazed. However, the whole epsiode left them more confused then amazed when Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had saw until he had risen from the dead. Why must the glory of God be told only after Jesus has risen from the dead? I'm more confused. Why must holiness be associated only after death?

Many times, we are only concerned about showing a 'holy face' in church compounds and forgetting our 'holy face' outside the church. We are more concerned about glorification and people praising us for spending so much time in church that we forget about our responsibilities towards our friends, families, studies and work. Simply put, we only carry our cross within the church while we forgo the cross in our own personal life. Even Abraham was not called to sacrifice his son.

For you this Lent, what 3 qualities would you try to change to enable you to carry the cross in your own personal life? Etc: Being more patient with my parents is definately top of my list! Write them down and commit to changing them for the rest of Lent. Put them at a place where you will see them first thing in the morning and last thing before you sleep. A committment once fulfilled for 30 days will become a habit.

Are you committed to this change?

The Devil Made Me Do It - Lent Session 1

Is it common for us to say “The devil made me do it” when we do something that separates us from God? Do you know that as a Christian, we have free will? No one can make us do anything but still, we are quick to make excuses for our behaviors (act jealously, in anger, selfishly…). “It’s the way he acts! It’s not my fault!” True, we are always affected by the way people around us act but our goal is to weigh each situation carefully, consider consequences and make a choice based on what is right. Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own choices and actions. Temptations do exist but the phrase “The devil made me do it” is simply not a good enough excuse for sinful actions.

Why are we easily tempted? It might be because of instant enjoyment; living for the 'shiokness' for that moment. What are you tempted by at your age? What can you do to avoid the temptations? Some skills for resisting temptations shared and raised during the session are:

1) Say no.

2) Pray.

3) Walk away.

4) Talk to someone you respect.

5) Redirect your energy to something else.

What can you do this week to resist temptations?

BLYM Weekly Updates

Hey everyone!

How was the past week for you? Have you had a good rest? We gained a lot of insights from the Youth Forum 09 participants yesterday which will serve us well and so a big THANK YOU to those who had came! For those who couldn't make it, never fear for there will be another one next year! Hoping to see you next year at Youth Forum 10!

1) Lent cell (2 of 6 sessions) - It's so difficult to live a Christian life in the secular world... Is that so? Rediscover the call to holiness in daily living through this short session of activities, Bible and small group sharing. 6 March 09, 8.30pm in the Lighthouse.

2) Lent Taize - Experience the Taize way of prayer with songs, silence and chants during Lent. It's all happening on 9 March, Monday in the IJ Chapel at 8pm. (IJ Chapel is located along Jurong West St 42)

3) FAST - A day of 12 hours fast is coming up for you in our parish. Fasting is one of the ways to remember the poor of this world and the donations collected will be donated to the people in Myanmar. More information coming your way.

4) Tuition group commence - We had started our tuition group. Those who are interested to join (be it as a student or as a teacher), please email us your contact number, name, level and subjects.

5) Youth Alpha - These are the last two sessions of the program. Thanks for your support and see you at the next one!

Father Michal and 4 youths will be leaving for Myanmar this week from the 7th to 11th of March. Let's pray for them. Also, as a Lent community service, if you have any prayer intentions, you can send us back with your intention or post it up on our blog! We, the youth community will pray for your intentions.

Peace,
Joachim