FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
COVENANT REVIEW AND DISCERNMENT
Our Covenant
In Christ God has made a covenant with us, a covenant which we have joyfully received and entered into by faith and baptism. He has become our God and we have become His people. As members of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon, He has called us to express in a special way this covenant established by His Son, Jesus, through His sacrifice on the cross. We do so by making a covenant with one another as a response to the call He has given us. He has joined us together in the bond of steadfast love and faithfulness, and has given us a particular call and mission.
As we enter into this relationship with one another and accept this call and mission He has given to us as a people, we do so as faithful members of our Church and we support one another in this commitment. Although this covenant is intended to be a stable commitment, we understand that it does not necessarily mean for everyone a lifelong commitment to being part of our community. We can foresee that changing circumstances in a person’s life may make active involvement in Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon no longer possible, although such change would be undertaken only with serious prayer and counsel.
It is with deep joy and gratitude, realizing the overwhelming goodness of God in giving us this opportunity that we enter into the life of this people that God has called together. We accept the particular covenant relationship that God has established among us as a community, and we express this acceptance publicly as individuals and as a people.
In order to respond to what God is doing among us, in order to be that people He is calling us to be, we desire to give our whole lives to Him, to follow His Son, Jesus, and to live more and more in the Holy Spirit. We desire to love and serve Him in lives of daily prayer and service; to praise and worship Him always; to ever seek His face; to know and serve the truth of His word in the joy, peace, and love of the Holy Spirit; to believe what He speaks to us and to be obedient to the truth of His word and the guidance of His Spirit; to offer hospitality to those whom He sends us; to widen our hearts to receive those He adds to our number; and to carry out the mission that He is entrusting to us. Above all, we desire to be a people who always grow, by His great mercy, in the fervor of that “first love” He has given us, He who is our all. We desire to consecrate our lives to Him not simply as individuals but as members of a people, members of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community.
Our Covenant
We recognize that by virtue of our membership in Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community, we are also members of The Sword of the Spirit (and Christ the King Association). This makes us part of an international community of communities. We commit ourselves to love and support our brothers and sisters in the community of communities throughout the world, and to serve with them in a common mission.
We know that in order for us to be truly a community, a people of one mind and heart in our response to the Lord, we must serve and care for our brothers and sisters in Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community, and we must understand and accept those things which make our life as one body possible. We know that we must meet together when the community meets. We must respect and support the pattern and order of our life together.
We must support the life of the community with our material and financial resources. All this is simply to take responsibility for those the Lord has given us; to be a new family, members of the same body, brothers and sisters working together in the mission He is entrusting to us as a people.
We desire to put our lives into His hands completely, and follow Him as a people wherever He may lead.
As a sign of your intention to become part of this people and to enter into the particular covenant relationship shared by its members, the following response should be made.
I ___________, want to give my life fully to God, and to live as member of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon.
FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
Introduction Video
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
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FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
Introduction Video Transcript (Svahn)
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
Welcome to Week Two of our Covenant Review and Discernment.
The Guide for Week Two focuses on the first paragraph of the Covenant.
This is the paragraph that is worthy to be remembered well and engraved in our hearts because, in a nutshell, it contains our ideals as a covenant community, the "holy desires" that describe what we want to be and, consequently, of how we want to live, both personally and as a people.
These "holy desires" are what we want to put into practice every day in response to God's particular call.”
FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
Introduction Video Transcript (Svahn)
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
This first section of the Covenant will speak to us about who we are, whose we are, what characterizes our life as a community, what we want to actually do to in order to carry out our call and mission.
We pray that the Lord will speak to our hearts and minds in a way that we have not yet experienced. May we be open to what He has to say to us personally. Most important of all, may the Lord grant us the grace of encouragement in living the radical life that we have embraced together.
Brothers and sisters, the joy of the Lord is our strength!
FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
Our Covenant
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
Paragraph 1
In order to respond to what God is doing among us,
in order to be that people He is calling us to be,
we desire to give our whole lives to Him, to follow His Son, Jesus,
and to live more and more in the Holy Spirit.
We desire to love and serve Him in lives of daily prayer and service;
to praise and worship Him always; to ever seek His face;
to know and serve the truth of His word in the joy, peace, and love of the Holy Spirit;
to believe what He speaks to us and to be obedient to the truth of His word and the guidance of His Spirit;
FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
Our Covenant
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
Paragraph 1 (cont’d)
to offer hospitality to those whom He sends us;
to widen our hearts to receive those He adds to our number;
and to carry out the mission that He is entrusting to us.
Above all, we desire to be a people who always grow, by His great mercy,
in the fervor of that “first love” He has given us, He who is our all.
We desire to consecrate our lives to Him not simply as individuals
but as members of a people, members of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community.
FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
In Other Words
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
Last Advent, we had some opportunity to look into our common “holy desires” as members of the Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon. Yes, our main desire is to live a life of holiness by following, loving and serving Jesus as our Lord. To be a disciple is to imitate Jesus in his character and mission.
We, the Ligaya, are a Community of Disciples on Mission. For us, life of holiness is translated into very concrete decisions for our everyday life –
Our Selves: a people transformed, empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit
Our Daily Prayer: Seeking God, praise and worship
God’s Word: known, believed, obeyed, proclaimed
In Our Mission: hospitable, open to receive
Continuously Growing: in the fervor of our first love
Our Lives: Consecrated, totally offered to God
FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
In God’s Words
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
The more we immerse ourselves in the Sacred Scriptures and prayer, the more we allow the light of Christ to fill our hearts and minds, giving us clarity to navigate life’s decisions. One in mind with our Lord, we can accurately evaluate ourselves, people and situations. Lord, send forth your light and your truth (Psalm 43:3).
1. Listen to God’s wisdom in prayer through the following Scripture readings:
2. Our “holy desires” can change or be lost because of our negligence and half-heartedness. Pray to the Lord that he may restore these “holy desires” to your heart and empower you again by His Spirit. Let him show you what in your daily life needs to be strengthened or changed.
FEAST OF THE COVENANT 2025
In My Own Words
Week Two
January 13-17, 2025
1. What did the Lord say to me about how I actually live this portion of the covenant?
2. Where am I growing? Where am I struggling? Where am I stuck? Can I see myself still belonging to this people despite my failures and unfaithfulness?
3. Come, Holy Spirit!
I repent of… I confess that … I need help in…
Restore to me your joy!