Couples for Christ is God’s idea. In the fullness of time, He used different people to bring it into existence. None of them thought of creating Couples for Christ! Rather, each, inspired in his or her way, went about seeking to accomplish his or her purpose. No one, not even Frank Padilla, can claim credit for thinking of creating Couples for Christ. To God alone, the God who is all-knowing, merciful and steadfastly faithful in His love, to Him alone must go the credit! Praise to His Holy Name.
And yet, in saying forth the word that brings it into existence, the same Almighty and Eternal God, in His infinite Wisdom and His Sovereign Will chooses to entrust this new and unique gift of His presence, this self-realization of His Church, the sacrament of His
communion, to one couple, probably an unlikely one, from among the many He had gathered together: Francisco & Geraldine Padilla. Many are called, few are chosen.
This is not about Couples for Christ. It is about God – the God who calls! Frank and Gerry heard the call, the call to worship God: to live for God, to serve God, to die for God. This is the call to Worship – to worship the Father through the merits of the Son by the
power of the Holy Spirit! In worship, one is drawn into the communion of God’s love that makes one long to be like Jesus, the Sacrament of the Father. In worship, one is drawn to share God’s love with one’s spouse, one’s family and all of God’s people, drawing
all into communion with God. In worship one hears the call to mission, to go and share the good news of love with all men of good will, inviting them to seek not mere community but communion with God.
Frank and Gerry heard the call and worshiped God in spirit and in truth. There are many who are excited about the name Couples for Christ; many others stand amazed at its unbelievable growth. Many come to find shelter under its wings. But Couples for Christ is neither about a name nor an organization. It is not about the glory that humans seek. It is about God – the God who calls; the God who is to be worshiped! The call goes out, not just to Frank and Gerry; but to many others: young and old, single, married or widowed. It is the call to follow His Son, to be His disciple in a special way; it is the call to live in communion with Him in a specific way, to be His son in the image of The Son; it is the call to go, to be a unique missionary of holiness, of love, of mercy, to be His servant.
A special way of discipleship; this specific way of communion; this unique way of being a missionary; – what is this way? It is the way of the charism entrusted to the one(s) called and chosen. From among those ready to worship Him in spirit and in truth He chooses some, a few, to share in the gift He entrusted to the one(s) called and chosen. Hearts on fire – “were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” –These choose to say, “Yes!”
Maria and I heard the call… She said, “Yes!” I said, “Yes!” We said, “Yes!” As for me and my family we will serve the Lord.
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