Saturday of Week 31 in Ordinary Time
Rm 16:3-9,16,22-27
Lk 16:9-15
“…God knows your hearts.”
Two years ago, I served at the Youth Prayer Experience Retreat (PER) #2, which was held over a 3-day weekend in our centre. Together with 3 (at times 4) other members of my music ministry, we combined with the members of our youth and young adult ministry as a worship team and ministered to just over 30 retreatants (aged between 18 and 35 yrs of age).
Needless to say, it was an enriching, rejuvenating and spirit-filled retreat where we learned from each other as we navigated unfamiliar songs (each ministry has their own ‘bank’ of worship songs) and somehow, with limited practice time in between the talks, breaks and meals, pulled together as a unit to make sure that the environment/ambience we created was conducive for those participating to fully experience the healing graces of God.
And while I had previously served with the youth community, they had just undergone a restructure and renaming. So, I relished the opportunity to reacquaint with some of their newer leaders, who ran the retreat with clockwork precision and ensured that everything was covered. From the logistics of dealing with participants and us service team members staying in, to the intricacies of meal/tea breaks with special dietary needs, and to last-minute changes requested by the retreat director. Each one handled their responsibilities with giving hearts and all were united in a common purpose – to love those they were serving and who they were serving with.
So, despite the almost daily, regular hiccups and last-minute changes to the setlists as we were practicing, we all pulled together and set aside creative/musical differences and were happy to ‘give way’ to each other. What resulted was a harmony where voices and instruments all blended as one and we somehow navigated the intricacies of new melodies/lyrics – where most definitely, the Spirit led/guided us and we just flowed with each song.
Brothers and sisters, in our desire to serve, we might find ourselves getting caught up in the dynamics of personality/leadership tussles or disagreements and end up disillusioned or disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for open discussion and long sessions debating the pros and cons of things. However, when a final decision is made, it is inevitable that not all involved will be on board/aligned. How then do we ensure that we move forward together in unity to ensure the best is all that we give to Him? There was a phrase I heard during the retreat – to ‘put our head into our hearts’ – which led me to reflect on how much time we actually spend serving vs how much time we spend disagreeing/arguing/disentangling things in our various ministries.
For those of us who are in the corporate world, the general consensus is to just ‘toe the line’ and follow the leader. But when it comes to ministry, it may not be so straightforward. In my various deliberations back then, I found the rosary a source of strength and comfort. I also advised others to step away, say an ‘Our Father’ and three ‘Hail Mary’s and then see where that takes them. For if in our hearts, we cherish the presence of God and acknowledge that He resides there, then surely, through prayer, we will be led to make decisions that are rooted in His love.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Desmond Soon)
Prayer: Lord, help me to love you with all my being so that I can love others who I serve and work with.
Thanksgiving: Thank you Lord, for all the miracles of healing and the blessings you constantly shower upon us.
OXYGEN 
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