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Session 1: Call to Arms

P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

As SFCs, we face the same battle that happens inside our minds, hearts, bodies and spirits. Mike Serapio, SFC missionary, talked about a "Call to Arms" in the first session of the SFC ICON. He explained, "We're not just talking about the pain of going to war..or the wounds of war. We're talking about our lives." Mike outlined four battle grounds in our lives: 1.) The Home. The home is where love is first learned. The relationship between man and woman is an image between Christ and the Church. Yet in the Philippines, 1% of couples annul their marriages; there are many more who are informally separated. As SFCs, we neglect our families because of service. Mike talked about such SFCs, "Ang galing mag-evangelize ang buong barangay, pero yung iyong family, di mo na-evangelize." (You're so good at evangelizing the entire neighborhood but you don't even try to evangelize your own family.) 2.) The School It is in the school that we develop our values, but in schools, students shoot and kill their classmates (ex., Columbine High school, Cho Seung - Hui) Mike talked about God being taken away from the schools. Mike told the story of how one SFC teacher had a female student throw an envelope at him that had a condom inside. This SFC stood firm and rejected her obvious invitation to immorality. He challenged the SFCs, "How many of you who are teachers are good role models in school?" 3.) The Work place Mike said, "We compromise our values for the sake of our career." He talked about the movie "Love and other Drugs". "(It's a) very disturbing film, (because it) makes pre-marital sex seem very normal," he added. The movie is about a young man who sleeps with a lot of people for the sake of his career. 4.) The Community/Society Mike shared that "It is only in SFC that I realized that Jesus Christ is personal." All of us discover a personal link with Jesus through SFC but so many SFCs still compromise: - Some still watch pornography. Some watch it justifying it by saying that they watch it with a "pastoral mind". - Some SFCs on the ground still do not have households or do not get to attend their meetings. - Some have beer sessions and call it "household". - Some still smoke, destroying their bodies.

5.) The Church The credibility of the Church is being attacked. Mike talked about the attacks on Pope Benedict XVI, "Recently, the Pope is really misunderstood at a great level. About the use of the condom, he was really misinterpreted." Mike asked the SFCs, "How many of us really support the Church? Do we still see the Church as kalaban (an enemy) in terms of activities? This is why we have individual consultations and confessions during the ICON. We are one with the Church. The Church is our guide. In ending, Mike encouraged everyone by saying that these things were not discussed to make people feel guilty but to assure everyone that we are in it together, in the same battle as one.

Dirty Tactics of the Devil


P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

According to Mike Serapio, the evil one's main target is really us, Man. He added, "The evil one wants us to be separated from the Lord." He attacks our entire being. He attacks our: 1.) Mind - Google "God is not real." and words like "Take a break, God is not real." will appear. - There are books that look Christian butare actually New Age. - Mike told the story about a group that became uncontrollable at last year's ICON in Davao. They started going wild because they were denied entrance to the ICON. They started speaking in strange languages and threatening people. They were eventually imprisoned. Mike discovered later on that they had been reading a book on New Age. - The influence of Oprah makes us believe that "we are successful because of us." Mike added, "The world makes us believe that God has no place in our success." 2.) Body - The abuse of alcohol and drugs is like saying "I am the owner of my body, I can do whatever I want with it." We forget that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. 3.) Heart - "When we talk about the heart, we talk about the core of our being," Mike said. The story is familiar to most of us: There is an active SFC brother who falls in love. They come a couple. Later on, they are no longer active in SFC. The song "God is enough for me" becomes "She is enough for me.." - We forget whom are hearts truly longs for. 4.) Spirit - We become mediocre. We entertain compromise and apathy. We lose the spirit. We lose the sense of living. Mike shared, "In the end, parang nag-eexist nalang tayo. (It's as if we are just existing.)" The evil one will tell you that you will never experience the fullness of life because you are sinful.

What the Devil Uses Against Us


P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

So does the evil one use hand grenades or guns to hurt us? No. He uses good things against us. Here are three things that the evil one twists to separate us from God: 1.) Mass media On TV through shows like Sex in the City, the evil one cheapens love and cheapens our bodies. Mike Serapio explained what the show does, Ok lang magkaroon ng (Its ok to have) multiple partners. Parang (Its as if) subliminally, the devil is telling us that it's ok to have pre-marital sex. Eventually, we spend so much time in front of the TV that we become couch potatoes. Nakalimutan mo na may pamilya ka, na meron kang kapatid. (You forget that you have a family, that you have siblings.) 2.) Science and Technology Pornography is one of the top online activities. Network games lead to computer addiction, robbing us of our health and our time for ourselves and our loved ones. 3.) Culture The evil one twists our culture into one of apathy. People seem to believe and project that "nowadays, nobody cares anymore." Its all about "Me, me, me. This is concretely shown through killings like: the Maguindanao massacre In Davao, people deny the existence of the Davao Death Squad, but everyday people get killed. Through the RH Bill, the devil is making us believe that Life is worthless. Mike Serapio ended his talk by reminding everyone that even if are already part of the community, Satan will continue to pursue us and tell us lies. Our battle is a battle that rages on every day.

Session 2: Sleeping with the Enemy


P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

"You are not loved." This is one of the most powerful lies that Satan tries so hard to make us believe. Because of this lie, we seek things, relationships and possessions to comfort us and make us believe that we are "worthy" of love. Fr. Joel Jason, the speaker of the SFC ICON's 2nd session, showed the video of little Ava who cried with heartbreak because she had to give up her pacifier. In the video that had gone viral online, her dad explains "You have to let go of that because you are getting older." Ava cries so hard but agrees to send her pacifier "to heaven." Fr. Joel said that sometimes we behave like Ava because all of us are looking for something. "What is your pacifier?" Fr. Joel asked the SFCs. God is saying no to our wants now because we are ready for something better. We cry, "I want another one, another one...", but what we need is a Higher One. We are like the woman at the well who had had several men in her life. She meets Jesus and Jesus tells her, "I am the One who can satisfy you." He speaks these same words to us today.

Often we believe that the heart is the best symbol of love but the man on the Cross is the most steady expression of God's love. Fr. Joel explained, "The heart stops beating but the man on the cross never stops loving." Fr. Joel told the story of Andy and his grandmother's favorite duck. He shot and accidentally killed his grandmother's duck one day. His sister saw him and eventually took to blackmailing him every day. She tells him, "Remember the duck, Andy." One day, Andy can't take it anymore and confesses to his grandmother. His grandmother tells him, "I know. I saw everything. I was just waiting to see how long you would let Mary to keep on blackmailing you." This is how Satan operates. He makes us doubt God's love and mercy. Fr. Joel stresses, "God is not mad at you, He is mad about you."

How to Defeat the Devil


P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

According to Fr. Joel, Satan will make us feel defeated. He does not even want us to try. Fr. Joel gave the example of two frogs in two basins of milk. The first frog thought that it would drown so it did and died. The second frog kept on swimming and noticed that the longer he swam, the more the milk would thicken. So it kept on swimming until the milk solidified and the frog got to escape from the basin. From the frogs we learn that when we are in a difficult situation, we should not pray or deliverance right away. We should pray for perseverance. The devil will not be able to stand if we have the following weapons: 1.) Prayer 2.) Rebuke the devil - Do not be afraid to use the name of Jesus. Fr. Joel said that if we feel the presence of an evil spirit, we should not be afraid to cast it out in the name of Jesus. 3.) Fast - Fasting makes the spirit more intense. 4.) Flee sin. - If this movie or this person will make you fall into sin, then avoid it. 5.) Seek counsel and help. - This is why Jesus asked His disciples to go by twos. We are meant to seek support from those around us. 6.) Keep in mind who you are and whose you are. - You are God's. That is final and true. If we stay true to these weapons, then we need not fear the evil one.

Ahyen Lanot: God's Boundless Mercy and Love


P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

Ahyen Lanot grew up believing she could never be loved. During the 2nd session, Ahyen shared about coming from a family of beautiful people, which made her seek appreciation by doing well in school. She believed that she would never be appreciated or loved because of physical beauty. This childhood lie developed and twisted her notion of love. "I had a distorted notion of love. It's self-service, it's selfseeking." She shared, "I destroyed friendships, families and eventually, I destroyed herself." In a battle where God was trying to save her, Ahyen thought about suicide everyday and even actually attempted to kill herself. She asked God, " Sasagipin mo pa ba ko? Kasi patapon na ang buhay ko. (Will you still save me? Because my life is like garbage now.)" God was obviously working double time because Ahyen joined a CLP a few months after. Satan would lie to her again by "resurrecting a wrong relationship." Satan was telling her, "You're mistress material. You will never be happy." This time though Ahyen felt very guilty about this wrong relationship and eventually ended it. This was a huge step for Ahyen but later on, she would discover that she needed an operation to remove her left ovary and 80% of her right ovary. In her mind, Ahyen told God that it was ok because she had sinned so much in her life. Little did she know that she was doubting God's love and mercy. Her doctor declared her early menopausal because of her condition, it was possible that she would never have her own children. She began taking hormones to stop premature aging; she was at the time, only 26 years old. God was to show her His boundless mercy because shortly after, she got her first period since her operation. Since then, Ahyen has decided to become an advocate of purity, going on mission to give Intimacy weekends to talk to other young people about their struggles especially in the area of sexuality. In closing, Ahyen shared, "I am with wounded soldiers. (But) we want to share with you na nahihirapan din kami (that we also struggle), but we can overcome."

Session 3: I Stand
P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

The full armor of God is Christ Himself. Session 3 of the SFC ICON can be summarized by saying that. Christian Aliwanag talked about Satan who pretends to be big, but he is, in fact, small. He just brings a magnifying lens; he uses our weaknesses and insecurities against us. Christian shared about wondered why we are so attracted to sin. A priest friend told him that we are inclined to sin but it is our true nature to be holy. We are ultimately created in God's image and likeness. During the talk Christian stressed that: - There is nothing so deeply embedded in our hearts that God's love cannot reach down and remove it. - There is no area in our life that God cannot completely heal. - There is nothing we cannot forgive. Satan tries to bring us down by: 1.) Making us sin. 2.) Make us average Christians. - Christians who are "good" boys and girls but who do not want to participate in God's mission. He makes us L- ame A - pathetic M - ediocre E - gotistic Ultimately the full armor of God is Christ Himself -- not our own armor or strength. Christian shared that "The fiercest battle was fought in Gologotha. It's was not even a close fight (because) Christ's power is unlimited." Christian said a priest once told him comparing God and Satan is like comparing the Eiffel tower and dust. This just means, as well, that we will never face a temptation that Christ cannot overcome for He is our strength.

Full Battle Gear Against the Devil


P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

"If the devil could do anything he wanted, there would not be a single living person left on earth," Christian Aliwanag quoted someone once saying. God did not leave us helpless but gave us an armor designed to protect us. Here are what make up the full armor of God: 1.) Belt of Truth - Christian explained, "We cannot build the kingdom of God with deception. If Satan is the Father of lies, then Jesus is Truth personified (because) Truth is boundless, timeless. The same until eternity." It is Jesus Christ who will make us free. The belt of truth is the foundation of our armor. 2.) Breastplate of Righteousness - This is used to protect the upper torso, the heart, Christian told the story of the Trojan horse and how Troy fell because the Trojans allowed the horse to be brought to the heart of the city, the very center. This is why we should be careful of what we are putting inside our heart. At times we have to choose, should we please God or please people around us? To disobey God just to keep the peace like for example, having pre-marital sex with our boyfriend just to "keep the peace" is never right. 3.) Boots of Readiness - We need good shoes to spread the Gospel of Peace. It will help you move forward. Christian explained, "The battle is not just to defend our principles or beliefs; the battle is also about conquering." Like good soccer shoes, we cannot win without shoes that will bring victory. 4.) Shield of Faith - Christian shared that he discovered that his son has slight autism. He narrated, "My prayer life got affected. My relationship with my wife got affected. I doubted God's love for me. I served Him for a long time and this is the reward?" He talked to a priest about it and poured his heart out. The priest simply told him, "You need to deliberately find God in your situation right now." Slowly he began to accept it, and God's providence started pouring in to provide for his son's supplements and therapy. Faith does not eliminate problems. 5.) Helmet of Salvation - The helmet protects us against head injuries. Christian explained, "The mind is one of the greatest battle fields. We need to protect our minds." We do not realize that Satan does brain damage. We need to be reconciled with the Lord. Christian compared pigs and sheep. A pig's tendency is to wallow in the mud. If it falls into mud, it will stay there. Sheep, on the other hand, will stands up right away when it falls into mud. We should be like the sheep. 6.) Sword of the Spirit - This is the only offensive armor. Prayer and God's word are powerful. We realize that "No amount of human solutions will help. there are massive social programs but the problems of poverty, war continue to grow," Christian said further. When we pray, we discovers God's agenda. We will only discover God's agenda in our lives when we pray. In the end, Christ is our true armor. One of our greatest gifts is the freedom to choose Him or Satan.

Session 4: March to Victory


P OS TE D I N I CO N NE W S - I CON NE W S

Noli Manuel talked about how this year's ICON is SFC's coming out party. At 18, a father usually presents his daughter to the world. He explained, I guess that is also what God is doing to us today. He is presenting us to the world. With the live streaming and the coverage of local news networks of the ICON, our convictions are heard not only by the 6,000 delegates here but they are heard all around the world, even by people who do not believe in God. If we are to claim God's victory, we should know what we stand for: 1.) We are Catholics. - We should not be cafeteria Catholics or believers who choose to believe in only the Church teachings that are convenient for them. - The ICs and confessions are there to reinforce and strengthen us. - Let us attend catechism classes and not only depend on SFC for spiritual nourishment. - Uphold the sacraments. In the Middle East, the battle is against people who only want civil weddings. Noli explained, We don't just seek the right to live together. That's not what we do. We seek God's blessing. Why settle for something less? Settle for God's best. As SFCs, let us receive the sacrament of Confirmation. 2.) We are one with CFC. - We call ourselves members of Couples for Christ, serving in SFC. We are not a parallel structure, Noli explained. We should strive to work with CFC leaders in the grassroots. We will work towards connectedness... CFC is not the enemy. he said. The problem is not the structure but it is in our relationship with them. - Our first mission is to bring our family to the community. It would be a delight to know that our entire family is in community. Noli shared about his dream to still be present at CFC's 50th anniversary and for his own son, Mico to be there as well. 3.) We will stand up for Life. - What are we doing about the RH Bill? Are we just taking this on the side? - When it comes to our future, we believe that if we came from a broken family, it does not mean we will raise one. 4.) We stand for our Nation. - As SFCs, we stand by the rights of every citizen to choose leaders in government. "We heard about SFCs conviction last night, but it not only their conviction, it is ours," Noli said. - Sometimes, we always look to what comes from other countries or cultures. We should preserve the use of "po" and "opo." - We will exercise our citizenship with full responsibility. 5.) We stand for the poor. - You cannot love without serving. We do not wait for things to be all right for us before we start serving. Noli also honored SFC - Metro Manila for their SFC cans to raise funds for scholarships. "The problem with us Christians is, we treat the poor like garbage. We give them our extra, gamit na (used stuff)," he explained. What we should focus on is to uplift their dignity.

6.) We stand for the environment. - This weekend, we asked everyone to bring their own tumblers and utensils to reduce the garbage for this weekend. At 6, 000 participants, we would produce around 36, 000 bottles to be thrown away. These are small efforts but it's a start. In closing, Noli reminded everyone that standing is the best fighting stance. This is why we should keep standing up. The conference ended with Michael Ariola leading everyone to a praisefest with a rousing chant "Whoever goes against our God will have to face His people." This chant alone gave us goose bumps in its intensity. Truly, there is no one like our God.

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