On Eagle's Wings

Thursday, August 09, 2007

5:47 PM

Welcome Back!

My blog has been stagnant for a period of time since June. Therefore, I have decided to add on a new entry on this special day since I have a long weekend from yesterday afternoon to Sunday.

I just attended a retreat organised by the music ministry. The speaker/ spiritual director was a Franciscan Brother Derrick. He is a choir master himself and plays the keyboard for church as well. There are two topics which he talked about during this short retreat/ workshop:
1. God
2. Service

In the morning session, he asked us about who we think God is, i.e. our own image of God. Many word's popped up from the choir members, words too commonly used to describe our Father in Heaven, like merciful, gracious, awesome, non-judgemental etc. He shared with us what the trinity is about- the overflow of God's love for us. God love us so much that he send his only Son to Earth to redeem us.

After the talk on God, we went to break up into group sharing on what do we think our image of God is. Many of my group members have their own experience with God. For me, I know God is always with me, guiding me along in every step I take. He might not be physically there, but He is there in his own ways, correcting every mistake I made, encouraging me through others. I shared with my group the revelation I had in the beginning of this year, how this year will become a year where I begin to do something different. I shared with them about the many new things which I dont believe I can ever do it, like organising the Feast day, handling human relations, teaching young children to sing song, and also playing the organ for mass. All this is impossible without God's help. He just told me to make the first step and he will guide me along, be it successful or insuccessful, but there will always be someone to tell me what's wrong and right.

Before lunch, Brother Derrick also shared with us about prayer, the two most important element in prayer, i.e. Being (your presence with God) and 'Affectus' (to put meaning to every word you pray). He also talked about how we, the music ministry members often seen moving about in mass, as a result, we often find it difficult to concentrate during mass. He suggested attending another mass (maybe time comsuming), or getting a missal and reflect the readings during the week.

After lunch, Brother Derrick went on to talk about service, the why, the how in serving. The most important element is serving is love. Why do we want to serve? To make use of the talents God given us. God called us to serve by placing desire in us. In my own experience, I know I am called to serve in the music ministry through the priest and the fruits.

After the talk, we break into groups again, this time in the own individual choir, the St Cecilia choir and the Seraphim choir.

Oh well Watching NDP 07 now...

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord
who abide in his shadow for life
Say to the Lord, "My refuge,
my rock in whom I trust!"

And He will raise you up
On Eagle's wings
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun
and hold you in the palm of his hand

The snare of the fowler will never capture you
and famine will bring you no fear
Under his wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield

And He will raise you up
On Eagle's wings
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun
and hold you in the palm of his hand

You need not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.
And He will raise you up
On Eagle's wings
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun
and hold you in the palm of his hand

For to his angels he's given a command
to guard you in all of your ways;
up on their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone
And He will raise you up
On Eagle's wings
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun
and hold you in the palm of his hand