Rooted In Christ

Objectives

At the end of the session, participants are expected to:

1. Renew their commitment to live the New Year rooted in Christ as the center of their personal and family life.

2. Understand that being rooted, built, and held firm in Christ is essential for perseverance amid today’s challenges.

3. Commit to walking in mission as missionary families, grounded in faith, community, and gratitude.

Expanded Outline

I. Introduction

As we begin the year 2026, we pray and refocus our lives. A new year reminds us to look at where we are and where God is calling us to go, personally, as families, and as a community. We also recognize that we are living in challenging times, with many uncertainties in the world, in families, and even in the Church.

Our 2026 theme, “Rooted in Christ: Living the Call, Walking in Mission,” 

This Chapter Teaching is based on the theme write-up of our founder, Frank Padilla. It reflects his constant reminder that everything in Missionary Families of Christ begins and ends with Jesus Christ. This theme calls us to return to our foundation and to deepen our relationship with Him.

Our journey of faith started when we received Christ, and we continue to live and walk in Him. As missionary families, we are sustained not by our own efforts, but by staying rooted in Jesus. As we start this New Year, we are invited to anchor our lives, our families, and our mission more firmly in Him.

II. Rooted In Christ

“You must live your whole life according to the Christ you have received, Jesus the Lord; you must be rooted in him and built on him and held firm by the faith you have been taught, and full of thanksgiving.”  Colossians 2:6–7 (NJB)

We have been called by Jesus, and we continue to live out that call just as we first received Him, Jesus Christ the Lord. Everything in MFC begins with this encounter. We are missionary families not because of our own strength or programs, but because we first received Christ as Savior and Lord.

To be rooted in Christ means allowing Him to shape our entire lives. Faith is not static; it is a living, daily journey. We walk each day in and with Jesus, letting Him guide our decisions, relationships, and priorities. For MFC, this means spouses serving one another in love, parents forming their children in faith, youth growing in holiness, and singles witnessing through purity and service. Ordinary family life becomes extraordinary when lived in Christ.

III. Deeply Rooted, Firmly Built, Held By Faith 

1. Rooted in Him: Strength and Nourishment

Roots anchor and nourish a tree; without deep roots, it cannot withstand storms. In the same way, we remain faithful only when we are deeply rooted in Christ. These roots grow through prayer, Scripture, the Eucharist, and life in community.

In MFC, our households, teachings, and ministries nurture these roots, making our families stronger and more resilient amid trials and changing values.

2. Built on Christ: Our Sure Foundation

Jesus is not only our nourishment; He is our foundation. He is the Rock upon which our families and community are built. To be built on Christ means that our values, priorities, and decisions are anchored in Him, not in success, comfort, or worldly approval.

Being built on Christ also means growth. We do not merely survive; we thrive and mature toward the fullness of Christ. In MFC, this calls us to sustained formation, pastoral care, nurturing vocations and raising future generations of missionary disciples.

3. Held Firm by the Faith We Have Been Taught

We must be held firm by the faith we have been taught. Such faith is grounded on truth. We are blessed with the Church’s teaching and tradition. But we need to learn more, so that we can distinguish false heretical teachings. In MFC, we are never to compromise with the world or attune ourselves to the zeitgeist, an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition. We are to guard what has been authentically taught by the Church and the Bible, and hand these on faithfully to our children.

IV. Abounding in Thanksgiving: Walking In Mission

St. Paul reminds us to be “full of thanksgiving.” Gratitude keeps us humble, joyful, and hopeful. When we recognize that all is grace, we realize that our continued growth as a community is not by our own merit but by God’s faithfulness.

In MFC, gratitude is lived through worship, joyful service, generosity, tithing and mission. A grateful heart naturally overflows into evangelization. As we walk in mission this 2026, thanksgiving fuels our courage to serve and our desire to share Christ with others.

As said by St. John Paul II, "Remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with confidence".

V. Conclusion

As we begin this New Year, everything is already in place. Christ has called us. Christ sustains us. Christ sends us. Whatever challenges lie ahead, for the world, the Church, or our families, we stand firm because we are rooted in Him.

Let us take firm hold of what we have received and live our lives in Christ to the full. Rooted in Christ, we live the call. Rooted in Christ, we walk in mission. Rooted in Christ, we move forward together as Missionary Families of Christ in 2026. Our theme will further be discussed in our different Sections Congresses. 

Discussion Questions

1. As I begin this New Year, what areas of my life need to be more deeply rooted in Christ?

2. How can my family and household help one another grow stronger roots through prayer, Scripture, and community life?

3. What concrete step can I take this year to walk more intentionally in mission as an MFC member?