ICCEC Foundation Day
June 27, 2021, 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Theme: “Living in Christ: Faith in Action”
Homily by +Abp Craig Bates, Patriarch – ICCEC
First Reading – Lamentations 3 : 23 – 33
Second Reading – 2 Corinthians 8 : 7 – 9
Responsorial Psalm -Psalm 30 : 3 – 12
Gospel Reading – Mark 5 : 25 – 34
HOMILY RECAP
Background of CEC Foundation Day
CEC Foundation Day was established originally to celebrate the first Patriarch of ICCEC, Abp. Randolph Adler and the founding of the CEC. It was agreed to set aside every Sunday closest to the consecration of Abp. Adler an offering of thanksgiving for his personal use as a blessing to him. But Abp. Adler, a man of generosity decided not to accept the offering as a personal gift but rather establish a fund called the “Foundation Day Fund” to buy land, build or fix buildings all around the world. And that we will be a Communion led by the Spirit and a people who recognize that God wants us to be in a space and land to worship. Since then, we have purchased many properties, built Churches, fixed buildings all for the glory of God.
The Homily
Patriarch Bates emphasized that on CEC Foundation Day, we lay a foundation for the future. We are called to be a people of the future who look for the coming of the Lord not only in heaven but here on earth.
By laying a foundation for the future, we are being taught by God how to love. Love is about living for another and surrendering our will to God’s will to love.
On foundation day, we also lay a seed for the future of our children. We shift our focus from ‘my future to other’s future’; from ‘selfishness to selflessness’; from ‘what can I get out of life to how can I live for others around me.’
In our children’s eyes, we see a future, something greater than what we have now. It is now time to leave the past and live for the future. By staying in the past, we deny the power of the cross, the resurrection, and the hope that it brings for us to live and press on.
Our future is a Yes and Amen for God! We will be blessed to see our inheritance. God has an inheritance for us that will grow into generations.
May the Lord, when He returns find us living by faith:
- Will He see us giving reluctantly or generously?
- Will He see us walking in fear or faith?
- Will He see us in bitterness and resentment or pursuing love with everything that we have?
- Will the CEC be a force of division or unity?
Most importantly, our CEC Foundation Day Offering reminds us to give thanks for the many rivers that is with us – a move of the Church that is fully charismatic, fully evangelical, and fully sacramental and liturgical. We also thank our leadership, our Clergies who help us fulfill our vision, and bring us into the presence of Jesus even if it is difficult for them at times.
On our CEC Foundation Day, and every time we gather as a Church, let us be overcome by the presence of the Lord! Surely the presence of the Lord is with us always!
Homily Recap by Jocyl Gobres-Militar
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