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How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

Letting God fully in our hearts and souls is what strengthens our "Spiritual Immune System." Brother Andreus Cosio's advice is to remove masks during prayer, remove distance in our hearts, and dirty one's hands. Brother Cosio's advice leads to one thing: to let God love us. To give ourselves up to him and serve others. God gives us love, mercy, hope, and strength. We should not hide from God and present ourselves to Him entirely. We should communicate with Him with hearts and minds open.

Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

There are always those moments when I would feel lost, tired, and guilty. I would ask myself why life had to be filled with such negativity. I remember praying to God that all of the pain would just go away, but that is not always the case. Growing up, I have learned that God makes us endure these challenges in life to be stronger.

An example of these struggles is back when the pandemic started. Everything seemed to go wrong, and life wasn't the easiest for everyone. We were isolated in our homes and were restricted from going outside. Fast forward to grade 8, and it was the first time I've had classes at home. I thought everything would be easier if we did schoolwork at home, but I was wrong. I felt constantly tired and lonely. My days were filled with tasks and projects. But no matter how hard things got, God's love and guidance stayed with me. I've gotten through everything with the help of prayer and hope.

What are your realization/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

God has always and always will be there for me. He taught me how to keep my heart good, merciful, patient, and hopeful. Things get difficult, and there are times when we have to endure challenges. But no matter how hard everything has gotten, God stayed and guided me. I've always felt God's love through it all. Truly, God is good all the time.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

I can strengthen my Spiritual immune system  by not being afraid to be vulnerable. Being honest with God and the people around me will help me further develop as a person.

2, Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

As a person who isn't very religious, I feel God's grace and blessing when I am with my family. Waking up and having food on the table, being able to wake up is already a blessing, and having friends around me.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection.

I realized that I should be more thankful of what I have and take the opportunities that will come. I should surround myself with people who are respectful, caring, and loving.

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1. I think the steps are being vigilant as to what may affect our spiritual system in the first place and second, how we face it. Some issues are rooted within us thinking little of it or overlooking it, therefore snowballing into larger issues. From his teachings, we should simply be honest within ourselves and remove the mask we have created for ourselves, and God will lead us and guide us on what to do next.

2. Every day I feel his grace, through the blessings I
encounter each day is something I look forward and grateful for. But if I were
to choose, it would be during the pandemic because my mother had to go back to
her office to work, to provide for us. I was always thankful when she gets home
without symptoms and such and be able to provide for us, she deserved the
protection she was getting.

3. I think that it's always rooted within us on how we can
solve the issues regarding our faith. Sometimes we just must let go the feeling
of being in control and commit ourselves to Him. And the teachings and blessings
show his acknowledge of our dedication and faith.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?
I can strengthen my Spiritual Immune System by telling the truth and by not hiding anything. I need to be more honest with myself and with God. If we are more honest and we will be more relieved because we let go of the thing that is holding us.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.
I always feel God's grace every day. When waking up, breathing, and continuing living these things help me realize that God's grace is surrounding us and always with us. I especially experience it when I have dengue, my body is feeling weak and tired but God helps me to gain more strength and live.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?
I realized that I just need to be more honest with God and don't hide anything. I also need to expose myself to people that can help me grow and develop. I can also help them and  I do not expect anything in return.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

Putting my complete trust in God will help strengthen my Spiritual Immune System. In times like the pandemic, it is important to seek help from Him. Communication through prayer will strengthen our connection and opening our heart towards Him will also protect us from sin. Another thing is understanding. We face trials for a reason and we do not need to blame God for these. After all, He is the one who helps and guide us though it.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you experience God's grace.

One of the common challenges for us students is requirements. There are times where the list of deadlines is very long and there seems to be no end to it. Normally, I would still have time to rest and do my hobbies as usual even though there are still tasks left to do. But of course, I get them done before the due date. One time, the tasks are not only many, but more than half of them are insanely long. Most of them came out in just a day and there wasn't much time given to accomplish them. So I was forced to make abrupt changes to my schedule in order to finish them. Doing so s not easy. I still have to go to the eye doctor to have my checkup while the alert levels are still low since its been two years since I last went there and the grade of my glasses does not match with my current eye grade. (glasses- -6.75, eyes -8.00). Halfway through my requirements, I suddnly felt bad. I was having headaches and chest pains and I felt like it will get worse if I continue any further. So I decided to pray to God and ask for His guidance. I did the tasks at a very slow pace and added more time to rest. After 2 days, I felt better but the deadline was dangerously close and I crammed some of them on the day of the deadline itself. Eventually, I finished all of them and remembered about that time I prayed to God. I learned that he was helping me the entire time.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

I realized that God is always with us all the time. We may not realize it because of some challenges but He is helping us overcome them without us knowing. He will never fail to do so because He loves us so much. In the recollection, I also learned a lot about strengthening our faith.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

I think it is already strengthened by the help of prayers. However, I really suggest to myself to read, daily. The gospels and of course, the Bible. It is a refreshing realization to do and to absorb what God really wanted to show us. We can relax our mind and our heart while reading and reciting the Word of God. And recalling the recollection, Bro. Andreus mentioned to "remove our mask", this simply meaning to be honest with Him and to ourselves. You cannot lie under the blessed oath of God, so you must simply be honest on what you think, feel, and say to your prayers.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

I truly felt his grace and presence when my mother suffered from COVID-19. It was April 2021, and my mom had a case of COVID which was in her situation and the hospital stated a "severe" case. She was first quarantined in our home for about a week when her cough started to get more rough on the throat even a small sip of water can't fix. Her breathing also got worse and she was experiencing chills and a fever, so we had no choice to get her hospitalized, on the other hand, us in the house, me, my brother and two other people left in the house, cleaned and cleaned to ensure that we ourselves were safe. I prayed every night to make sure that my mom will be safe and sound, I remember crying while praying wherein I was asking for God to make my mother better, and I felt it. I felt something in my mind and the atmosphere around me, there were no words being said but I felt what he was trying to say. That He will heal my mother and bring her back home, safe and well. If you talked to him enough, you will always feel and I promise to you, that you will not regret it. I was so thankful for that short experience, because of that I leaned more to God and His teachings and how He works in mysterious ways. I now understood everything.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

Be honest. To you, your family, friends, even strangers and of course, God. Being honest will feel good and make you happy for the right reason, instead of lying or being in denial to make yourself happy for the wrong reason. I also realized that we need to have trust in ourselves and to others. We need full trust and faith, if both has either a missing part or even a small percentage of doubt, it will lead to circumstances and difficulties, but it's good to have a little bit of doubt, it makes us more careful and cautious around things, people and their words. Develop trust and always have faith.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

Based on the sharing of Brother Andreus, strengthening our spiritual system can be done in a way that we remove one’s mask in praying. To do that, we must be honest with him with all our heart and communicate with him. We can think of it as a way that as we all know, masks are also used to hide our faces, and when you remove the mask, you become vulnerable and show your true self. Just like with God, Brother Andreus wants us to show our true selves to God and be sincere with Him.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

In all honesty, I feel God’s grace everyday, everywhere. Just me waking up is enough for me to feel His grace. I am blessed enough to be showered with love and care from my friends and family, and I thank God everyday that He is with me, and is always there for me.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

We all have heard about the saying that, “Honesty is the best policy.” When Brother Andreus was telling a story about his childhood days, I remember how good it feels to be honest to one’s true self, and to other people. Telling the truth makes you feel good, and honesty is really the best policy. I think that it is important to know that being sincere with not only to others but also to yourself is as important as the former.

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 Juliana Christine P. Antonis /  9 - St. Catherine

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 Juliana Christine P. Antonis /  9 - St. Catherine

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1 . How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andrius?

Based on the sharing of Brother Andrius, I know of three ways on how I can strengthen my spiritual immune system. First, I must expose myself to God, I must close the distance between us and I must welcome him into my life. I shouldn't attempt to hide anything about what I've done and who I am to him because he already knows, and I need to accept the fact that he does so that I can close or somehow lessen the distance between us. I need to become more honest and expressive towards him in prayer, I need to trust him, rely on him, and never doubt him. Doing this will strengthen my commitment to my faith, and it will greatly strengthen my resolve in life.

Second, I must also close the spiritual distance between myself and other people, especially my loved ones. My family and friends have supported me for as long as I can remember. They have provided many of my needs and wants, they have provided me practical and effective pieces of advice, and they have comforted, protected, and helped me countless times from many dangers, tragedies, and inconveniences. If I become more engaging towards them, more expressive towards them, and more courageous in helping them, then I'd be able to properly repay them and God for all the love that they've given me and other people, and we'd be able to properly support each other through these times of crisis and beyond.

Third, I should humble myself and help other people as much as I can. When you humble yourself, you focus on the well-being and gain of others rather than yours. You adopt a selfless mentality, and you think of yourself as a servant of God. In that way, we are able to somehow empathize with others, and help in a kind and respectful way. We must not act boastful or entitled when helping others, we should remain humble and discreet. Helping others this way will help me properly accomplish my various duties as a Christian, and it will help me overcome arrogance.

2.  Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

I personally think that we feel God's grace in every second of our lives. The fact that I am still comfortably living is caused by God's grace. But there were many times that I felt that God's grace was uncontrollably overflowing. One night, my mother suffered severe pains radiating from one of her legs. She shouted loudly and was rushed to the hospital. According to the doctors, the cause was improper blood circulation because of hours of sitting and a bad diet. She couldn't walk properly, and the affected leg was slightly swollen and sensitive to pain. She had to undergo therapy, take pain killers, and make great changes to her diet.

My father mostly assisted her during these times so he was very tired and haggard, yet he still pushed forward and continued to aid my mother. Me and my little brother weren't able to help much during the situation, yet we both prayed for the physical and mental recovery of our mother. Eventually, she recovered and now she can walk and run properly. When I finally saw her properly walk after the very hard times, I was very overjoyed. I thanked God so much for guiding my father and giving him the strength he needed to aid my mother, and for lending his healing aid to my mother. I thanked him very much for his overflowing grace. My parents greatly learned from the situation, and now they exercise more often, and eat less meat and fats.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten recollection?

Our Lenten recollection reminded me of my various duties and responsibilities as a child of God. I am reminded of how I need to continue to persevere and do my best in my academic, religious, and familial duties. I have also realized that I must expose myself to God, that I must become more expressive towards my family, and that I must humbly help others not feel entitled after. I am also reminded of God's unconditional love and greatness. I am reminded of how he is not the cause of bad things but rather the devil is. The recollection has also changed my perspective on the importance of developing and strengthening one's resolve against temptations. I learnt that we cannot fight against temptation, rather we must flee from it and distract ourselves from it with God's goodness. We must have good resolve so as to not feed our temptations.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

By removing one's mask in prayer, decreasing the boundary between hearts, and dirtying one's hands by serving, I can improve my spiritual system based on Bro Cosio's sharing.

During the pandemic, we should take off our masks and converse directly with God. Furthermore, we should use this time to retreat to him and close the gap between ourselves and him in our hearts. We should also make an effort to help others, particularly those who are most in need.

This recollection has enabled us to recognize that it is now time to let go of the chains that have kept us from returning to God's arms.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

God's grace is all around us. However, it is up to the individual to decide whether something is a grace or a reward. God has lavished me with Grace and blessings during this academic year. He has been with me and directing me when I complete my necessary activities as well as while I take my tests. He recognizes how hard I work to cope with and complete my responsibilities, and by the end of the quarter, he awards me with high grades that reflect my efforts.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

"Surround yourself to the one who loves you the most," one line in particular hit me, and I realized that surrounding yourself with wonderful people may improve all element of your life, from business to romantic relationships. You're more likely to acquire powerful attitudes and experience life as happening for you rather than to you if you surround yourself with positivity. You profit from being surrounded by individuals who make you happy, but you suffer when those in your professional or social circles are negative or narrow-minded. To conclude, I'd want to make the following statement: "Surround yourself with good people since you, too, are a good person."

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1.  I would employ Bro. Cosio's advice helped me strengthen my Spiritual System. This includes removing one's mask in prayer, removing the distance of the heart, and dirtying our hands through service.

In times of crisis, such as the current epidemic, we are compelled to wear masks to protect ourselves from the virus. Let us all take off our masks and open our hearts to God. It will enable us to be strengthened and healed if we communicate with him through prayer.

Second, remove the distance from the heart; even if we must follow the protocol of "Social Distancing," this does not imply that we must also disconnect our hearts from God. Allow us to spend as much time as we need reconnecting with God and the people around us.

Finally, Christians must perform acts of service. We can make a significant difference in the lives of others by making simple contributions. "Action speaks louder than words," and in order to endure this current circumstance, we must all pull together and clasp hands.

2. There was a moment when I just wanted to give up and terminate my life here. I can't think clearly, and all of my emotions are building up inside of me. I can't let it out because I feel like everyone is leaving because of these intractable troubles I'm having. My thoughts went blank, and I did something I shouldn't have done. At the time, I questioned God's existence and whether I was still capable of living in this hellhole. At the time, I felt God's presence as if he was hugging me closely and telling me that I could still move forward. On that particular day, I felt so light, as if all of my problems had suddenly vanished.

3.  I've learned that God is always good! Our problems and grievances are only obstacles in life, and because every obstacle has a finish line, we will be able to conquer them. Accepting God in our inner selves and simply being grateful for everything he has given us is another of my realizations.

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How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" as a result of Brother Andreus's sharing?

By applying the three concepts, Bro, I can strengthen my "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM." Andreus' shared: removing one's mask in prayer, closing the gap between hearts, and getting one's hands dirty through service.

We are now accustomed to a new way of life, one in which we are required to wear masks, face shields, constantly sanitize, and practice social distancing. We now keep our distance from the people we care about and spend less time with them because we are afraid of contracting the virus. We are concerned because it is not yet certain that the virus has been eradicated completely. In such a trying time as this,

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1.     How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

Bro. Andreus Cosio shared three concepts: removing one's mask in prayer, removing the distance of the hearts, and dirtying one's hands by being a servant. It highly emphasizes the title of the program, "FAITHdemic: The Grade that Heals and Keeps."

As we all know, prayer enables us to communicate with God. Unfortunately, in this pandemic, masks are prevalently sold to different parts of the world and ensure that we are protected from the virus. Although spiritually, we should remove our masks, be open, and communicate with God. We should not cover ourselves with earthly things, and we should receive Him wholeheartedly. As He is our Almighty God, He will never harm us; contrarily, He will protect us.

Moreover, one of the tremendous effects of this pandemic is that it made us socially distant. In a span of two years, we indeed missed a lot. Although it shouldn't be a reason for us to be spiritually distant from one another, especially from God. Instead, we should be closer to Him, especially since this is a time of uncertainty.

Lastly, many people at this time need guidance and assistance. If we have the capability to do something, even just a bit of help, from the bottom of our hearts, we are called to give. At this time, we should really be there for each other. Like what, Bro. Dreus said, "It's not about the amount; look at your hands, what can you do."

This recollection allows us to realize that the heavy cloud that the pandemic has brought upon us gave us light to spiritually see that we need faith. Truly at this time, we need His guidance through prayer. God's grace is always available, and we have been saved with grace.

2.     Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

It was a traditional hell week during eighth grade. I had a mountainous stack of requirements to finish, and I had a lot of group works to manage. It was not easy; all I could do was cry and break down. I didn't know what to do, so I ranted to my friends. They were also cramming with a lot of tasks given to them, and likewise, all they could ever do was rant and question why we even have these numerous tasks even in online classes. Finally, I said, "Lord! Bakit ba ganito? Ano po ba ginawa ko bakit ganito kahirap mga pinapagawa niyo po sa akin?” I questioned him. Of course, God won't help me finish my requirements, but he would genuinely guide me. I cried after that and then slept because of exhaustion. I woke up with a heavy heart because I had another day to meet my requirements. On that day, I was surprised that I had already finished four to six requirements before two o'clock in the afternoon! Honestly, I am a slow writer, and I am somewhat a perfectionist. Gladly, I only have about four requirements left to finish. I had actually finished all my tasks by nine o'clock in the evening! Although I passed one of my tasks late, I'm still glad I could accomplish everything! I realized that after questioning God, with all the trials I am conquering in my life, even if I question Him, He will still be there to guide me in my daily agendas.

3.     What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

Bro. Andreus Cosio emphasized many times that "God is Good." He said it so many times I couldn't even count it! I actually learned that God's grace is always available. It has always been there, and it is up to us, Christians, to receive and acknowledge it. Furthermore, as the speaker talked about God's love and being humble servants, I realized that God never failed to love and take care of us. As Bro. Cosio mentioned, “Never niyang [God] hiningi yung love mo bago ka niya mahalin.” It is up to us, His followers, to reciprocate His love by strengthening our faith and returning back to Him. He likewise said that there is a Blessing in Serving, and I had always believed that simple acts of kindness could intensely make a massive impact on an individual. It is fulfilling, showing how we give care, love, and concern to people. Overall, at this time, as we call it "FAITHdemic," we should strengthen our faith; not hatred nor the virus, but His love and His Word.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

Accep-ting and allowing God to be in our spirit, mind, and heart both externally and internally can help to strengthen the "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM." Allowing ourselves to be enveloped in the grace that he desires for us to possess. We must first help ourselves before we can expect God to be able to assist us. Having faith in his will and simply following the correct path will ensure that the rest will take care of itself. Being truthful and always possessing the truth can also help to strengthen our "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM," because being free allows us to experience peace of mind in a variety of ways and forms, which is beneficial.

1. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

I always feel God’s grace every time. By just being alive every day is already a sign of God’s Grace. Being grateful for all the minimal things that God gave is just what we need to feel his Grace. This pandemic I went through a lot of hardships, difficulties, and predicaments. Online class was never easy. I barely needed to adjust in almost everything. I always ask myself if I can surpass this or if I can do this, but through prayers and guidance from God I was able to go through all of the challenges that I faced and I’m grateful for that.

1. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

Throughout the entire Lenten Recollection, I've come to the realization that God is always good! Those problems and grievances that we have are simply obstacles in life, and because an obstacle has a finish line, we will be able to overcome them; however, we must first go through all of the ups and downs in order to be successful. Accepting God in our inner self and just being grateful for all the Grace that he gave us is also one of my realizations, through these factors we can live peacefully and content.

-Lynuel Escama

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?
I can strengthen my SPIRITUAL SYSTEM by letting God in.
I'll have to be honest for now since that is what God wants, I was actually outside when the retreat happened. But one thing that highlights it all was when Brother Andreus shared that by letting God in is removing the masks. It impacted most probably because when the pandemic started, I did lose faith and in hope and that was also the time where we needed mask. I shall let God in by having faith in him. And I should remove my masks at times to let him in me.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.
For a while, I haven't felt God's grace. There was this one time that I confessed to a priest and he gave me some advice that may help me have God's grace back. After letting it all out, I was just relieved. There was something really heavy that I was carrying even before and I just felt that God was with me.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?
I have had realized that we should always be honest in people for their own good as well and to let God in.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

To strengthen my Spiritual (Immune) System, I would make use of Bro. Cosio’s tips, namely removing one’s mask in prayer, removing the distance of the heart, and dirtying our hands through service.

In this time of the pandemic, we are required to wear masks as protection from the virus but not from God. The mask is to keep the virus away, not our faith.  Let us remove the mask for a second and let God in. By communicating with Him through prayer, we will be strengthened and healed. Communicating with God will make us closer to Him, and the closer we get to Him, the stronger our faith and spiritual immune system will be.

The second tip Bro. Cosio shared is to remove the distance of the heart. Although the current situation advises us to stay physically apart to stop the spreading of the virus, we must still be spiritually close to one another. One of God’s commandments is to love God and our neighbor. Let us take time to repair our connection with God through prayer, and our relationship with others through service, which is the final tip of Bro. Cosio.

Service is a must for us Christians. Through simple ways such as prayer and donations, we can be of big help to others. Words are not enough, there must be proof of promises through actions. As we survive our current situation, we must help each other with the most of our abilities. Our hands must not be full of the virus but rather of good deeds.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

It was the start of 2022 when I tested positive for covid 19. It was a time of vulnerability and weakness for me, but I still attended my online classes. It was hard taking tests and participating in classes while my body ached and my mind spun. I wasn’t in the right condition to participate actively and ace my exams. In the afternoon, my mom asked me to sit with her and watch the novena of St. Jude every Thursday of our quarantine. In the event, we would ask God to heal us and make our situation better.

The next day, it was a surprise to me that I woke up just fine. My body felt better and the tight pain in my head was gone. I did well in class, and I also got a perfect score on one of my exams. This is when I realized that God will always be there for us. If we are sincere in prayer and faith, He will not hesitate to give you His grace. Bro. Cosio said in our program that you do not have to be good to receive his grace. I have made a lot of mistakes in the past so I was sure that God would punish me for not obeying Him. This, however, was not the case. He heard my prayer and made sure to take care of it. God’s grace is truly there for us we might see it or not.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

The Lenten recollection enlightened me on how we could be spiritually healthy in this time of pandemic and the role of God’s grace in it. The main topic of the event was to emphasize how God is good and throughout the event, I realized that God is indeed good. He hears our prayers and acts upon them at the right time. He provides us with our needs indirectly through the presence of other people.  Everything happens for a reason and that is because of God. This pandemic caused us a lot of sacrifices such as losing our loved ones but that is only because God wants us to be strong. There are many challenges in life, and this is one of them. In our journey as Christians, God will always be there to support us and guide us in the hard times. The reason behind this is that God loves us. Bro, Cosio said that He loved us even before we love Him and that is applicable for everyone. As we survive this current pandemic, let us keep our faith strong and trust in God that everything will end well.

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To strengthen my Spiritual Immune System, I would like to have a daily intake of a supplement called God's Grace. Intaking this said supplement would aid and heal the internal and external wounds and ailments that I am facing. Restored and great is the term I would use to describe my spiritual well-being after my internal and external wounds disappear and after I have taken that supplement. Because the grace of God, said by Brother Andreus, can heal your inner self and external relationships.

I felt the effects of this supplement during the first months of the pandemic, where the city that we as a family reside is under an extreme lockdown. The environment around us during those several months were nothing but hours of tranquility, stillness, but saliently the uncertainty of the events that are about to unfold. Within those periods of the deafening silence, I prayed to God for the grace that we may be strong, brave and bold in facing the challenges posed to us as a family, us as members of community and society, and us as humanity and stewards of His creation. Since that particular time frame has come to pass, we as a family have grown accustomed to the pandemic, as is our relatives, extended members, friends, people from our community and society, and the entire humanity as well. I thank God for giving us the strength, boldness, and bravery to carry on, even if we stumble though the obstacles that life may give us.

This made me realize, that through the teachings of Bro. Andreus, God's grace is not only the most powerful tool that one could wield in very tough situations, it is actually free for all who know that there is that one particular supplement wherein it could heal both internal and external wounds.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

Letting God love you for who you are will let you love yourself even more. With this, I believe that I can strengthen my SPIRITUAL IMMUNE SYSTEM by allowing God loves me. I realize that you can't love others if you do not let God love you first because God is love. If we let God shower us with His love, we will be able to value and accept ourselves. With the advice of Bro. Cosio, I would be able to love and appreciate myself. I have learned the importance of letting God love you before loving others first.

Second, I want to apply one of the advice of Bro. Casio "Removing one's mask in prayer." This advice caught my attention. When communicating or praying to God, we should be true to Him. Even though we will not show Him the true us, He still knows what is inside our hearts. The mask in our prayer will let our relationship with God have distance because we are not showing God the genuine love we are feeling for Him. In this time of the pandemic, the virus is why we have distance from each other similar to the mask in our prayer; it will let our hearts be distanced from God, which we shouldn't allow. Praying and trusting in Him will make us closer to God and will be able to build a strong relationship with Him. Removing our masks in prayers will let God feel our genuine and pure intentions; guide us to be stronger in His hands.

But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

I every day feel God's grace. I believe that His grace is always present in our everyday lives, especially when we are waking in the morning; it is a blessing from God because not everyone has an opportunity to see the world once again. Blessings of God are always present in our lives when we can eat, breathe, drink, and wake up.

I always feel tired, drained, and empty these past few days. I can no longer feel myself, maybe because I barely take care of myself and always prioritize my requirements. I always feel that there is something heavy in my heart or feelings. I always talk to God, asking Him to help me lessen the burden I'm feeling. Gladly, one day I woke up, I was happier than before. I did not feel sad or tired anymore and could focus on my studies. This made me realize that nothing is impossible in Him. I will never forget to thank Him for helping me to survive every day. I realize that without Him, I'm nothing.

Sometimes, we feel drained and tired because our relationship with God is not close anymore. We have a distance between Him, so we start to feel empty because, just like what I said, we are nothing without God.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

During the Recollection, I realize that God is always there for us, maybe not physically but spiritually. He never leaves our side despite our doubts in Him; He is still always there to guide and enlighten us. God truly loves us; even though we commit sins and disobey Him, He still accepts us despite our flaws and imperfections. He is full of surprises, blessings, and miracles in life. "Iwan ka man ng lahat, pagdudahan ka man ng lahat, nariyan ang Diyos upang tanggapin ka paulit-ulit."

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

Brother Andreus's sharing is a thing that I thought I didn't need at the start, but I want to see and hear more in the end. I never thought that I would love someone's sharing about his life and how he got there, but it has already ended, and the only thing we can remember is our memory and the lesson Brother Andreus gave to us. So in no further, let me tell you How we can strengthen our Spiritual System based on Brother Andreu's sharing.

In Brother Andreus's sharing, there are three significant lessons Brother Andreus told us the first one is removing one's mask in prayer, the second one is pulling the distance of the heart, and the third one is dirtying our hands through service. Removing our masks during every prayer is not trouble before. Still, in recent problems, we are required to wear face masks every time we go outside, so removing our covers during every prayer means we respect God's actions, and we believe that the time we don't wear an ask, we also think for his protection. Also, by removing our masks, we can directly speak to God with no distraction and focus more on God. Removing one's mask in prayer can also be a double meaning lesson that we should pray genuinely to God and pray the best for others and not only for us. Removing the distance of the heart is the lesson that I can relate to because someone has extracted my "Trust," and I thought I couldn't "Trust" anyone again. Still, Brother Andrues's sharing made me realize something that I will discuss in my realization question below. Dirtying our hands through service is a lesson that we need to go outside and help people because even though assisting people in liking in donation is essential. We also need to participate in programs to be an assistant because even though the gift will buy the good that the program needs. Meanwhile, the assistant is the one that does all the service and the flow of the program. So the people who assist in the program are much more important than the donation.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

When I was in elementary, my mother got severed ill, and we thought, "God will take her to heaven" because my mother kept falling everywhere and vomiting every minute with a high temperature. We felt that her illness would only last a day or a week, but no, it lasted a month. At that month, we didn't know what to do because we couldn't bring her to the hospital because we were indebted, and my Father didn't have any friends that could help him because almost all of his friends either had financial problems like us, or he already has debt on them. So we couldn't do anything to help our mother physically, so we asked God to help us. For 77 days and 76 nights, my mother started to look better, and in the next week, my mother recovered from her illness. On that note, we continue Thanking God for the Impossible recovery of our mother.

After my mother's illness, we planned to move to Manila because, in a few months, my Father will receive 100k from his Job because of an Annerverserry thing that I don't understand. So after a few months before planning to move to Manila, we pay all of our debts in Quezon City, and my Father also pays his friends, but some of his friends don't accept it because they want us to move to Manila first before settling them. So my Father & Mother are scouting to see if there's any rental house nearby in UST. It took them three days to find a decent home with a home they could pay for every month close to UST. The story of how they see this house is attractive because my Mother and Father go to the Sampaloc with the Welcome Mall to eat because they walk for almost a day; they found a Jollibee fast-food chain in that area. They decided to eat there, and while eating, one of my Father Friend's messages him say, "There's a rental house at Domingo Santiago Street in front of a basketball court in Sampaloc." They replied, "Where is the street because we're already at Sampaloc?". In weird, shocking news, his friend said, "You should be able to see a Welcome Mall, Mang Inasal Fast Food Chain, and a Jollibee Fast Food Chain. It is also nearby in a 7/ 11 convenience store with the Train Riles side of it". After they eat, they go and find that house, and when seeing it and get surprised at how low the rent has been, asked the owner if they could see it, and the owner says yes. They're expecting the house to be super small, but the place that the owner brings to them is small for others, but it is significant for us. The house has a total of a tiny living, one bedroom, and one kitchen with a straight kitchen type counter. With how small the rent was and how big the house was, they agreed and said to move into it tomorrow, and that's how we moved to Manila.

We don't know yet, but that house gives us luck that I get weirded out. Because look in most of our lives, our family has a massive debt they can't payout. Still, when we move to Manila, many Goodluck is happening to us. For example, we don't have any enormous debts like before. My Mother, Sari-sari Store, comeback and made a massive amount of money because the court was in front of her. The big one is that we have a car paid for by my Father's workplace, and he needs to pay for it. Also, this pandemic didn't affect us at all. Still, I think it helped us because my Father had his first rise in his workplace, and my Brother is joining every organization at his college while maintaining to be a dean lister in each term. And there's me that never achieved something; at least this pandemic helped my relationship with my sister improve because before when my sister and I talked, it always went into a sibling fight. Still, this pandemic helped us realize that we share many everyday things, and it started in a simple game of Valorant.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

One of my insights after this Lenten Recollection is Brother Andreu's subject of "Remove The Distance of The Hearts" because I have a strong grade in the past that why my "Trust" diapered on me. So, when Brother Andrew got into this topic, it shook me and helped me realize that I shouldn't decline help from others. I shouldn't be secretive about my problems because there are people in this world who experience my problems hand-to-hand, and I should ask them how they resolve those problems. Also, Brother Andrew helped me realize that God will always be with us; no matter how hard the situation, maybe God will send a helper to assist us with our problems. With this, I unlocked one of the locks in my life, and it is "Trust" because before, my trust in people had been rotten out by lies and deceiving promises they made to me. But maybe my "Trust" in people will go back 100%, and I promise not to run away. If someone deceives me, I will accept it and pretend nothing happened because without "Trust," I can't function as a good team member with my classmate and in our society. But before all of that, I need to accept my past self to forget my past, remember that I will not make the same mistakes, and speak up for myself.

IX- St. Catherine
Angel M. Zambrano

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

I can strengthen my "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus by letting God love me. Allowing God to love will offer me many blessings, such as greater faith, victory over sin, healing, prosperity, and joy.

I talk to myself and become conscious and attentive that I am surrounded and drowned in God's love. I believe we must first allow God to love us. I don't believe you can love God unless you open and allow God to love you. God never asked us to accomplish things in our own power; rather, He asked us to do things in His strength. He never expected us to be able to get through life without His help and comfort. As I open myself to God and embrace the truth that God's power is present, available, and genuine, wonderful and even miraculous things, I believe, will happen to me.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

Because of online classes, I’m always in front of the screen. Even though our class ends at 12:15, I’m still doing my requirements in the afternoon, and sometimes until night. I’m stressed out and confused about what I will accomplish first. I am also pressuring myself to finish my requirements and it became my habit. It is a disadvantage because I am not eating or taking care of my well-being just to finish a task. I feel not fully recharged for the task to be done during the day. It manifested all over my face, now I have a lot of pimples which used to be smooth skin. My only consolation is that I constantly pray to God to overcome all challenges. God is always touching my heart to believe in His goodness, to trust Him more, and to walk in faith with Him. I believe that I did well and continue to do well. I was able to face and overcome hardships and challenges because I know that God is always with me. He delivered me from my fears, worries, anxieties, anger, and doubt which this pandemic had created. I hope in God and believe that God will provide. Because of His grace, I want to entrust myself to His faithful care because I know anything is possible in Him. Knowing that He is with me, I can do all things through God who strengthens me.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

I learned that in life we have to show the world how God is good. Like what Brother Andreus said, Faithdemic is something that needs to be spread. We need to spread that God’s grace is always available. His grace heals our inner self. His grace desires to heal our relationships. His grace keeps us provided. God’s grace keeps saving us. Brother Andreus also said that “Ang temptation ay hindi nilalabanan, dapat ay nilalayuan.” God wants us united, the devil wants us divided. God loves us that He created us. He took risk in giving us free will and that He keeps saving us. God is good, all the time!

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him;” - Psalm 103:11

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1.I can strengthen my spiritual (Immune System) based on the sharing of brother Andrews by making a prayer a habit.Through attending such fellowship like bible study and the like,as it would help me to build stronger relationship to the Lord.By making enough time and effort to know our Almighty God.No matter the situation ,I will prioritize to serve the Lord with all my heart.Im gonna execerise my spirit and souls through active participation in church activities.I believe that it would make me the better version.

2.There's this moment in my life wherein I felt so lost and empty.I would wake up and spend most of my time scrolling in the social media.Just laying in the bed doing nothing,not until one day while scrolling on facebook,there's this post inviting for an online fellowship and I click the link.And it lead me to a group of people who study God's words together.At first I was so confused as it was my first time hearing those words,but eventually I felt that everything feels right.At that very moment,I know God wants me to be closer  and spend time to know the Lord more.

3.After the Lenten recollection I have realize that if we put our heart to serve the Lord ,we will receive a blessings to him.A kind of blessing that we don't need to ask,because our Lord knows what we really need.The recollection made me realize that the best time to spend our days,is to spend it with God.Because knowing God and building relationship with him will molds us for the best.Also I have learned that God will never abandoned us ,as his love is unconditional and pure.

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

I can strengthen my "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" by applying the three concepts, Bro. Andreus' shared: removing one's mask in prayer, removing the distance of the hearts, and dirtying one's hands through serving.

At this point, we are now used to a new kind of lifestyle, a life where we are required to wear masks, face shields, constantly sanitize, and practice social distancing. We now keep ourselves at a distance from the people we love and lessen the time we see them due to the fear of catching the virus. We are afraid because it is not yet certain that the virus is entirely gone. In a difficult time like this, 'removing' our masks when praying is not something to be afraid of because removing one's mask means showing our vulnerability to God. This vulnerability leads us to remove the distance we have in our hearts and create a deeper connection with Him. Through this vulnerability, we become braver and start to take action and dirt our hands.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

Last September 2021, my doctor told us that I had to undergo surgery to correct my bite. Instantly, multiple surges of fear came my way. I asked the doctor if there were other options, but she said that it was the only best way. She told us that they would have to cut up my gum and remove a little of the bone part on my mouth. Hearing what my doctor had to say instantly filled my mind with 'what-ifs' and pure horror. But, I knew that it had to be done, so my parents booked a schedule for the surgery.

I came home crying because I was so afraid, not of the surgery itself, but the pain, I would had have to endure after it. I thought that I wouldn't be able to eat or talk well. I didn't want to feel sick. To stop me from crying, my grandma initiated for our family to pray a rosary and offer prayer intentions for me. We prayed that my doctor would perform the surgery well and that I wouldn't experience much pain after. The prayer circle continued until the day before the operation.

When the day I dreaded most came, I still had a sense of fear lingering in my mind, but their prayers for me helped calm me down. Thankfully, the operation was a huge success! And when I expected to feel so much pain and soreness after the surgery, I was surprised that I felt normal. Like I didn't have an operation. I was able to talk, eat, and I felt fine. Right there and then, I knew that it was God's work. It was Him who guided the doctor to perform the surgery well. It was Him who stayed by my side in the operation room while my parents waited outside for me. It was Him all along. And by His grace, I was once again saved. Saved from all the pain, fear, and worry.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

After the Lenten Recollection, I have realized how merciful and graceful God is. I learned during the talk how we are forgiven by God's grace, which transforms our thinking and leads to the renewal of our minds and heart. Through grace, we can live the kind of life that God desires for all of His children, even in a time of distress. Though it is not always easy, we still find a way to get out of a dark situation because of His guidance. No matter how hard it may be, the blessings we receive each day prove that He listens to us and is by our side.

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I. Answer the guide questions below.

II. Attach the screenshot of your favorite part of the Recollection.

GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

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1. How can you strengthen your "SPIRITUAL (Immune) SYSTEM" based on the sharing of Brother Andreus?

We should always be honest to God so we can strengthen it. By being honest and open to him. He will know that you receive him and love him. Because you tell the truth to him and honest with him.

2. Share some of your experiences wherein you feel God's grace.

During the start of the pandemic I was praying to God that we will be safe and secure during the pandemic. A year has passed and we have never been infected. I want to thank him because he listened to my prayer and helped during this pandemic

3. What are your realizations/insights after the Lenten Recollection?

Each year the Church gives us six weeks to take a long, loving look at our lives to see if our values and priorities are in line with God’s desires for us. Since most of us find that we’ve wandered from God’s path, Lent becomes that second chance, or do-over, to “return to God with our whole heart.”