How to find true joy amid pandemic: Educators, experts explain
MANILA, Philippines — Parents for Education Foundation Inc. (PAREF), in partnership with Parousia Media of Australia, recently launched the upcoming international virtual event “Jesus-Centered Life (JCL) Conference: Share the Joy” on December 8 to 12.
The free event aims to find hope and joy for families in this time of the pandemic.
In the virtual press conference of the event, educator Mann Rentoy said that there is a need to remind everyone about the importance of Jesus Christ as the center of one’s life.
“Now more than ever, there is a need to remind everyone of the importance of centering one’s life on Christ, if we are to make sense of our existence. Recent popes have repeatedly pointed out this need,” Mann said.
Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, president and Chief Executive Officer of Servant Enterprises, said a Jesus-centered life is full of joy.
“When I think of joy, I think of a Jesus-centered life that is filled with joy and I think about the family. My mind and my heart are drawn to Romans 8, verse 5, where St. Paul wrote, ‘For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. But those who live in the spirit or the things of God set their minds on the things of God,’ makes sense,” he said.
“So to focus your life on worldly things or things that are going to pass is to cut yourself off from God’s life. But to focus on the spirit is life and peace, and that is where the joy comes from,” he added.
Deacon also said that the conference is a way to focus the family life with Jesus.
“The Philippines is one of the few Catholic countries that is still holding its own in this world today. This conference is a way to focus the family life with Jesus as the heart and center,” he said.
“The Jesus-centered life really rings a bell with me because it took me about 40 years before I finally understood, in a deep way, what Jesus said about our lives, and I know my life is full of joy when I lead a Jesus-centered life,” said International speaker Dr. Hal Urban, author of "Life’s Greatest Lessons."
“Very often people think that happiness and joy are the same thing, and they are really not. Joy has much more depth to it because I have something inside that comes from leading a Jesus-centered life. I have learned that I need constant reminders and I think everybody does, too,” he added.
To register, visit https://jesus-centeredlife.org/.
