God Is Enough

There were over 600 of us spilling out after the closing Mass at St. Theresa’s. The smiles were radiant, the joy in our hearts visible as we tumbled out upon the steps.  Mass was the way Mass should always be: a unified chorus of worship with strong men’s voices leading their families’ in the responses. And it felt good.  Fr. Hudlin’s powerful homily, the Youth for Christ (YFC) Choir’s energy and the reverence of the Mass as man’s faithfulness is rewarded with God’s Real Presence.  We could feel the angels rejoicing with us and ministering to us as we fell to our knees for the Sanctus.  This is what heaven must be like.

 

The Mass culminated 4 days of the 6th CFC Caribbean Conference.  For 4 days we had been gathering in the Jean Pierre Complex Gymnasium from throughout the Caribbean, USA and as far away as the Phillipines.  We had come together as very ordinary people some of us visiting Trinidad for the first time.  Ordinary people with one extraordinary feature, we had been touched by God and the transformation that touch had wrought in our lives drove us to share Him with others.  Through Couples for Christ we had been nurtured and strengthened in that desire to grow into a people of evangelization and over the weekend we had gathered to be renewed in that CFC vision “families in the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth”. 

 

There were families of all colours, shapes, sizes and configurations, extended and nuclear.  There was something for each family member.  The Handmaids had a full day devoted to their healing and freedom and for those of us non-handmaids who were there it was heart rending to see and hear the brokenness being released in exchanged for the wholesome healing of God.  For the children 3 – 10 yrs the Kids for Christ Kid’s Village activities like finger painting, singing and playing, were simple avenues for culturing early childhood faith.  For the youths the outdoor activities of YFC expressed their motto Fun, Faith Freedom, Fellowship.  Occasionally their loud applause and shouts of praise broke in upon our more somber adult assembly and brought smiles of appreciation to the adults. But perhaps somber is not the best word to describe the Opening Night (more on that another time). 

 

But what made this assembly distinct from any other?  Was it the pride in our nations as we chipped to calypso in the Parade of Nations, was it the inspiring talks, the moving testimonies, the tasty food, the unity in the singing, the outbursts of laughter, the cleansing of tears or the hospitality of the Trinidadian hosts who opened their homes to accommodate and entertain strangers.  Maybe it was the transforming realization that they aren’t strangers at all but brothers and sisters with exotic accents who share a common CFC vision: that of “families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth”. As Bishop Donald Reece had said at the Opening Mass on Friday night the “communion” has to affect the “community”.  It was that change from “I and thou” to “we” that had been reaffirmed over the weekend: that ordinary individuals when welded by the Holy Spirit into a movement of God become a mission in motion.  

In spite of our individual inadequacies, together we are a testament that “God is Enough”.  We left reassured, that He is all we need to redeem and restore wholeness to our families and islands. He has been and will always be more than enough.

Claire

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