tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87400642234432655922024-03-14T05:30:22.127-07:00SimplyQuiet...There are many things to do, many events to worry about, many experiences to work through, many tasks to fulfill, many demands to be concerned about and many needs to pay attention to. Just keeping these together demands enormous amount of our time and energy. Life seems like a series of scattered 'noises' which constantly distracts us. But, there is an inner restlessness that cries out just to be...simply quiet. Simply living life simply... We are simply pilgrims along life's quiet path...Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-69356166320817591342016-03-25T07:13:00.001-07:002016-03-25T07:13:32.374-07:00Year 2016...Humble Submission to God
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today is Good Friday, March 25, 2016. Today, I reflect again
on Christ’s death on the Cross. A love story that seem to have a tragic ending
to those without the eyes of faith, but for those who have humbly accepted the
grace of God, it is a symbolic day when our Lord, Jesus Christ has claim
victory over death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My last posting was back in 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then, I have been engaged with worldly
affairs, giving priority to my career for almost 5 years now. The Lord has been
walking close to me throughout this stage of my life. I feel Him and I thank
Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As in all worldly pursuits, these
remain temporary and cannot satisfy the soul.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I read the Imitation of Christ again, I am reminded of, “Vanity
of Vanities – all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2) except to love and serve God
alone (Deuteronomy 6:13)”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas A.
Kempis reminds us that it is futile to seek for riches or public approval.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is futile to be a slave to bodily desires
and to crave for things which will have bad consequences. If is futile to
desire a long life is you do not wish for a good life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is futile to think only about this world
and to ignore eternal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is futile
to love temporary things and not to move towards the place of everlasting joy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2016 is also the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy declared
by Pope Francis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Catholics, we are</span>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">called to greater lives of love and charity, of faith and hope, both internally
and externally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lately, I have heard the voice of Christ within my being, “Come
to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give
you rest.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lord, I am truly tired of the
ways of the world and its aimless pursuit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Man keeps complicating the world because of greed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing much has changed over the years as
the hearts of Man continue to be hardened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Corrupt leaders, playing god, continue to force its rule in
countries like Malaysia and we continue to pray for the chastisement of these followers
of the evil one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">By the grace of God, I have given notice to retire from the greedy
corporate world where the mad pursuit of shareholders profit is primary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ways of the world are not the way of the
Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not require human comfort
but rather will place my complete trust in God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Blessed Easter to all and God Bless!</span></div>
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Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-36204808331319305842014-01-19T06:55:00.000-08:002014-01-19T07:09:34.500-08:00Subtle Persecution of Christians<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Martin Luther King Jr. Day offers us a time for reflection, a time to remember
hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of his quotes read, “Our lives
begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Or rather, “The day we see the truth and cease
to speak is the day we begin to die”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1qUrdsAaS0v9Al_J0a1H_1TA-Q1cCoXD6oZfSjy8yamG6lShI8FHEy3YV90RL-ZCMl7uwJ4D76Zd0yiVvpmyyvBlf2S4k8cYhyphenhyphenU8yP9EMGL5ajWSrKpDlnEP0weQ0gbtAUaKBljo5Jw/s1600/martin+luther+king+jr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1qUrdsAaS0v9Al_J0a1H_1TA-Q1cCoXD6oZfSjy8yamG6lShI8FHEy3YV90RL-ZCMl7uwJ4D76Zd0yiVvpmyyvBlf2S4k8cYhyphenhyphenU8yP9EMGL5ajWSrKpDlnEP0weQ0gbtAUaKBljo5Jw/s1600/martin+luther+king+jr.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It has been a long while since I have shared any reflection here and in
all honesty, I feel there is simply no heart to share with anyone anything that is
not genuine from my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Work must
have got the better of me in the last two and half years or so; distracting me
from this course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I visit my own blog
in many a times, I am truly amazed, by the merciful grace of God, of the many
reflections from the past, which have in turn strengthened me yet again in many
ways in the present.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Currently, I am slowly reading a great translated book, entitled “The
Gospel According to Jesus Christ”, a truly inspired work of fiction by Jose
Saramago, a 1998 winner of the Noble Prize for literature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bought this back in August 2013 when I was
in Bangkok, Thailand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">On page 81 of this most provocative book, it was written,”…At this
moment of deepest anguish a foolish thought occurs to him (Joseph), he
remembers his wages, the week’s wages he stands to lose, and such is the power
of these vile material things that, without exactly coming to a halt, he slows
down just long enough to ponder whether he can rescue both his money and his
child’s life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quick as it surfaced, this
unworthy thought disappears, leaving no sense of shame, that feeling which
often, but not often enough, proves our most reliable guardian angel.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This passage struck me as I pause to reflect how often, throughout my
simple life, have I complicated God, put Him aside, gave glory instead to my
own supposedly human superiority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes,
my fellow pilgrims, worldly ranks and especially our slavery to money, more
often than not, pushes religion aside; pushes God away – worst of all elevate
our human self above God, our Creator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We complicate the simple life gifted to us and we bring worldly noise to
the quiet of Eden, preventing us from hearing God.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Such circumstance is most evident in Malaysia, a self-proclaimed propagator
of the religion of Islam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, such
a corrupted nation, “governed” by self-proclaimed “kangkung leaders” who simply lacks
dignity and integrity, “picks and choose” what it requires, in order to serve
its own selfish political obesity at the expense of its people; bringing great shame
to the beautiful religion of Islam.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “Injustice anywhere is a threat
to justice everywhere.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">There is a meaningful quote from the Surat Al-Mā'idah in the Holy Quran,
Surah</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> 5:82 – 83, that reads:</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“You will surely find the most intense of the people in
animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others
with Allah; and you will find the nearest of them in <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">affection to the believers
those who say, “We are Christians.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when they hear what has been revealed to
the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they
have recognized of the truth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They say, “Our
Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.””</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In Malaysia, many feel that those corrupt propagators of Islam do not
seem to understand that the key attraction of Islam is in its simplicity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally, Muslims are considered simple
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To become a Muslim, it is only
necessary to make a simple declaration of acceptance of the oneness of “Allah”
together with the proposition that Muhammad was his final messenger/conduit, as
well as undertake to perform the rites associated with the 5 pillars of
Islam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Muslims believe that the Holy Quran
as the pre-existent words of God delivered by the angel Gabriel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Muslims nevertheless, refuse to accept the
Bible as inspired.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcdos9fo3YSI4mwZKLpEDtMA2eE4xTaGk5VmM9FdFBTiP3IQGBa7HdGK2JP1qbFEMi_1UgIDKd7vBvrhyGQKndniazc3on8xp4kNRZgvg-h_T3JeIcowOUXdYIj3X-HxZjRQX4TvbMp0/s1600/malaysiachristians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcdos9fo3YSI4mwZKLpEDtMA2eE4xTaGk5VmM9FdFBTiP3IQGBa7HdGK2JP1qbFEMi_1UgIDKd7vBvrhyGQKndniazc3on8xp4kNRZgvg-h_T3JeIcowOUXdYIj3X-HxZjRQX4TvbMp0/s1600/malaysiachristians.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Reuters over in London recently reported on October 31, 2013, that Malaysia's
Prime Minister blatantly defended a court ruling banning a Malaysian Christian
newspaper, “The Catholic Herald”, from using the word “Allah” to refer to God,
saying that it would help ensure stability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is important to know that the Word Allah did not spring up with
Islam, nor have Muslims created it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, the corrupt Government had, as expected, failed to demonstrate
how the Herald's use of the universal word “Allah” could threaten national
security in Malaysia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxysGBikLEG9OYIxxb_1Tg1XdzTWGe5-UxixNXs1w4S8Dbbk8ZGzaKGNrwmyIUYvjFeggaB1w_SVLeYveQPzJApFfL_rodwj3SIcKPh_r7WyjuXJbYROjBjWlCrSbULjxUU0T99JVHeNc/s1600/allahnuisance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxysGBikLEG9OYIxxb_1Tg1XdzTWGe5-UxixNXs1w4S8Dbbk8ZGzaKGNrwmyIUYvjFeggaB1w_SVLeYveQPzJApFfL_rodwj3SIcKPh_r7WyjuXJbYROjBjWlCrSbULjxUU0T99JVHeNc/s1600/allahnuisance.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Somehow, for the lack of intellectual brilliance, for that matter, plain
common sense, many have conveniently forgotten that the word “Allah” has probably
been around, just like the Creator God has been around…forever. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy Quran states that “God the Eternal,
the Uncaused Cause of All Being, He begets not, and neither is He begotten.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Christians in Malaysia too have actually used the word for centuries, but
the three government appointed Muslim judges of Muslim-majority Malaysia unanimously
ruled, on October 14, 2013, that The Herald's usage of “Allah” in its Malay
edition would “cause confusion in the community”; overturning a lower court’s
2009 decision that allowed “others” in Malaysia to use the word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2009, the High Court ruled that the Roman
Catholic Church's use of the word was constitutional; a ruling that sparked mob
vandalism and arson directed at both Christian and Muslim properties.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5_XOa5lda4-l_qKVu1o1bGZua8YaBI0e7kiKAYuW0lo62-MMcG1Vk1qChR6dxm8TJOpW6wON18WqKUbIw2HtvSY7Qlw7xI4hAJhlEROaesWKmo61f1ztD3T_eK8G9r03_4th04PpXJw/s1600/allahnuisance2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5_XOa5lda4-l_qKVu1o1bGZua8YaBI0e7kiKAYuW0lo62-MMcG1Vk1qChR6dxm8TJOpW6wON18WqKUbIw2HtvSY7Qlw7xI4hAJhlEROaesWKmo61f1ztD3T_eK8G9r03_4th04PpXJw/s1600/allahnuisance2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“The usage of the word ‘Allah’ is NOT an integral part of the faith in
Christianity,” the Muslim Chief Judge comically proclaimed in the ruling,
supporting the Government’s case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given
the benefit of the doubt, he may have consulted some knowledgeable parties to
arrive at this conclusion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwQE3Fz-3mQEDRTvbdUhgeQbtQoxZJ6Xf8m0wDWHgyNMoHqkMQbRrxQ2h_ys77Gk4UhJNyOE1IQJXNzifjAE6Qg3SOpnNM9U4vf9Ft0NY-usDHbE92sKpu2mQ7QsUs9sX4lTatTqRrMk/s1600/najiblies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwQE3Fz-3mQEDRTvbdUhgeQbtQoxZJ6Xf8m0wDWHgyNMoHqkMQbRrxQ2h_ys77Gk4UhJNyOE1IQJXNzifjAE6Qg3SOpnNM9U4vf9Ft0NY-usDHbE92sKpu2mQ7QsUs9sX4lTatTqRrMk/s1600/najiblies.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Many Malaysians viewed and have had the courage to state that “Allah” was
not exclusive to Islam or Malaysia, adding that all Malaysians had the right to
use the word under the Constitution which guarantees freedom of expression and
religion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the term “Allah”
continues to be widely used among indigenous Christian tribes in Sabah and
Sarawak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFdWDLVo2uPvbB0u66eNsLidO8HmS1S_TBubx_HVhqIOK1LGCX1oc2xhpJt7hXHiUGGzP4_BAZPtPUnhJRDRI6MIIC6txF_eLZvMVrZ00HHAjq9ACnWYa2QG3r7J3gxzJrokyWU6CzJI/s1600/allah.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFdWDLVo2uPvbB0u66eNsLidO8HmS1S_TBubx_HVhqIOK1LGCX1oc2xhpJt7hXHiUGGzP4_BAZPtPUnhJRDRI6MIIC6txF_eLZvMVrZ00HHAjq9ACnWYa2QG3r7J3gxzJrokyWU6CzJI/s1600/allah.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Very simply, as one Muslim pointed out, it is equivalent to someone
telling you that you cannot call your mother “Mom” because he calls his mother “Mom”.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just try explaining this to Malaysia’s government
leaders and the three judges!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC-A5ZZi85xNkBTcaSKN6NA7_5Nvuh5rAmTMjMutr1i0EKzjVt2O73Z2SbBoZwNfIkiXhb_WG2nuhIEBvnnYc2XOgdF_ZXtyBQc8l7LEatkY1hBtAsQ8zRnoZgSnRJF-Ak-fwSWGNcN8/s1600/allahnuisance3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC-A5ZZi85xNkBTcaSKN6NA7_5Nvuh5rAmTMjMutr1i0EKzjVt2O73Z2SbBoZwNfIkiXhb_WG2nuhIEBvnnYc2XOgdF_ZXtyBQc8l7LEatkY1hBtAsQ8zRnoZgSnRJF-Ak-fwSWGNcN8/s1600/allahnuisance3.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., “He who passively accepts evil
is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who accepts evil without protesting against
it, is really cooperating with it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There
comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic,
nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is
right....”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Catholic Answers clarified that the word “Allah” is actually the
Arabic equivalent to the English word God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word “Allah” is used by Arabic-speaking
Christians and Jews as well as Muslims. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although
they have an incomplete understanding of the nature and revelation of God,
Muslims worship the same one God whom Christians and Jews worship; hence the
monotheistic roots.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">With these political subtle influences in the judiciary, worries over
the religious freedoms of minorities in Muslim-majority Malaysia continue to
escalate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZdpaaPRvmo1GwimZKs_uIXLPip1OvUXPRER4LIvKPQRnr95KM3ROxd_KfLPo3ED2ah7iQvXXHYUEaxDXaUSPSM2e-Y8pVlWw6m2MQV5pnNi0e3yBt1W5X-0uGKI7VwDDFj-GwcwfgaU/s1600/allahcatholic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZdpaaPRvmo1GwimZKs_uIXLPip1OvUXPRER4LIvKPQRnr95KM3ROxd_KfLPo3ED2ah7iQvXXHYUEaxDXaUSPSM2e-Y8pVlWw6m2MQV5pnNi0e3yBt1W5X-0uGKI7VwDDFj-GwcwfgaU/s1600/allahcatholic.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">On January 2, 2014, a Malaysian Islamic Religious Department conducted a
raid on the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia and forcibly seize over
300 copies of the Holy Bible in Malay and Iban language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a blatant barbaric act which is surely
is not condone in the religion of Islam nor congruent to the love preached by his
messenger, Muhammad.</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWKzPxekUlzQaESkPOFAZBBN-cBcl1BbTD9qBo2U1EhnF8VoR3O3DP4k1Y0298Jft4d8-4kgscrWUcd4oSffgSCkWkU9A0d_secEYu75i6VBKOnQYuwStsiErTEtgUspzJd7CMTKcaq4/s1600/BSM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWKzPxekUlzQaESkPOFAZBBN-cBcl1BbTD9qBo2U1EhnF8VoR3O3DP4k1Y0298Jft4d8-4kgscrWUcd4oSffgSCkWkU9A0d_secEYu75i6VBKOnQYuwStsiErTEtgUspzJd7CMTKcaq4/s1600/BSM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Muslims are seekers after that simplicity of faith enjoyed by Abraham
almost three millennia ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, the
religion of Islam can be broadly characterised as Abrahamic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Per Wikipedia, the largest Abrahamic
religions in the chronological order of founding are <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Judaism</span>,
<span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Christianity</span>,
and <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Islam</span>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHQ063QJBDWV3uQ1fIpoFZ5rBXTCZKxekQYj6qmCMgk9Qqmhz5qJ5A5xYMprlLG9MBvMp2UUS4NO-PpUrPdcUHElwJrEc6J9nW18g4lnXcEohVeikhwalfPxeWLwFpSLX1SQnCWnfZ34/s1600/allahkangkung.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHQ063QJBDWV3uQ1fIpoFZ5rBXTCZKxekQYj6qmCMgk9Qqmhz5qJ5A5xYMprlLG9MBvMp2UUS4NO-PpUrPdcUHElwJrEc6J9nW18g4lnXcEohVeikhwalfPxeWLwFpSLX1SQnCWnfZ34/s1600/allahkangkung.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Christian Federation of Malaysia said that about 60% of the
approximately 2.6 million Christians in the country of 28 million use the word
“Allah” to refer to God.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVE9w9Xf7oq6JA33a_zEY8kbD-1bGLyPwOgN6VIKU3hNsCojaM5e1gGoLg7onL-O0d_U740-GXbXuFssc1-ZA869ObiY_-wJZdC1b1fZ-LrqB6rQimgqVrvlmjtrLom9xWqUazWKDlvw/s1600/allahchristian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVE9w9Xf7oq6JA33a_zEY8kbD-1bGLyPwOgN6VIKU3hNsCojaM5e1gGoLg7onL-O0d_U740-GXbXuFssc1-ZA869ObiY_-wJZdC1b1fZ-LrqB6rQimgqVrvlmjtrLom9xWqUazWKDlvw/s1600/allahchristian.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The word “Allah” certainly predates Islam. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Arthur Jeffrey states, “The name “Allah”,
as the Holy Quran itself is witness, was well known in pre-Islamic Arabia.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word “Allah” was used by <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Arabic-speaking Christians</span> and <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Arab Jews</span>
before the lifetime of <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Muhammad</span> as the word for God.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Instead, should Christians ban Muslims from using the word “Allah”
because Jesus, and in turn Christians used it before Muslims did?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">According to The Wall Street Journal, this court decision is fanning
concern about the way Islam is growing as a political force in Malaysia, where
Muslims historically have practiced a more moderate form of the faith than that
found in parts of the Middle East but where some ethnic-Malay politicians are
now using Islam as a way to exert their dominance in a complex, multiracial
society; “domestic terrorism” if one were to termed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whilst perceptions of Islam in the West have
been coloured by the activities of extremist, in Malaysia, Islam have been
stained by the activities of politically selfish extremist and their cronies.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">At the end of the day, as pilgrims in this world, making our journey
back home, we must remember that Islam will always remain a religion that
encourages peaceful co-existence of humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is the politically obese fanatics that continue to terrorize, oppress
and murder the innocence of humanity and the world today with their lower-than-low
IQ and twisted illiterate understanding of Islam!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the political terrorist that is
leading the world astray.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Allah” surely wants all of us, people of all faiths, to live in love, peace
and harmony with His creation; life and matter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humanity cannot allow anyone to destroy the
character of Islam and its inclusiveness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOn1ohNc6J5HCi9SBtv2yKs1e0P0ga2ae2ABvVjGZb9mjNxxp4XzH_-t3UFpC-z9BqkL2mwAsFQiYFdtr5jGGW7RkrS1SCUGsjVNc7eGLn2fU3HGw2jINlXBhaI13AyvnQ2AO_9FAejzE/s1600/yahweh.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOn1ohNc6J5HCi9SBtv2yKs1e0P0ga2ae2ABvVjGZb9mjNxxp4XzH_-t3UFpC-z9BqkL2mwAsFQiYFdtr5jGGW7RkrS1SCUGsjVNc7eGLn2fU3HGw2jINlXBhaI13AyvnQ2AO_9FAejzE/s1600/yahweh.png" height="139" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Let it be known that no mortal human being or self-proclaimed head of any
State can stake a private claim to own the word “Allah”" nor does anyone claim
ownership to the many other names of God be it Yahweh or any other name above-all-names
whom others may choose to call the one Creator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ultimately and very simply, God belongs to all of humanity, all of
mankind, rich or poor, weak or strong.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Catholic Herald</span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> will rightfully
appeal against the court’s decision to </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Malaysia</span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">’s highest
court, The Jerusalem Post reported.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
then, for most of us, there will be no prizes for guessing what that expected verdict
outcome would be from the perceived government influenced court.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We pray that the great “Allah” will shower His grace and mercy to the
people of Malaysia and grant the people wisdom to know and do what is right.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In concluding this reflection, a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, “Love your
enemies.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is this: that love has
within it a redemptive power. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there
is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just keep being friendly to that person. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it
too long. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, they react in many ways in
the beginning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They react with guilt
feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition
period, but just keep on loving them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
by the power of your love they will break down under the load. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s love, you see. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says
love. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s something about love that
builds up and is creative. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Insya-allah, “We shall overcome.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Pray for Christians in Malaysia, fellow pilgrims of the world...spread the word.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-20879922092260677312013-04-07T10:00:00.001-07:002013-09-20T18:34:27.633-07:00Simply Pray for Malaysia...that Justice will Prevail<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><img height="320" src="http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/media/k2/items/cache/bff472fb16d6df6a385e5e984fe13215_XL.jpg" width="320" /><a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=kwjvyPneqFosRM&tbnid=ThAPu_POSYj67M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fousel.blogspot.com%2F&ei=h6BhUeLJMMvIrQfMy4CICA&bvm=bv.44770516,d.bmk&psig=AFQjCNGkDd4-SJHpfrhl1yMvpfK1nrDAnw&ust=1365438873376840" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor;"></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“Then he saith
to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy
hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.” (John
20:27, Douay Rheims)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><img height="201" src="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/maps/large/my-map.gif" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The joy of
Easter remains a promise and not yet come to fulfilment for all those who
still suffer political persecution in Malaysia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">As Catholic Christians and christians of all denominations,
the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us a new birth to a living hope…the hope
that leaders of governments will work to ensure that all people can live in
harmony, equality, justice and peace, in full and true freedom; that the power of Christ’s
resurrection will destroy the culture of corruption, the culture of death!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">A certain
expectation is in the air in Malaysia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the people in Malaysia have
grown downcast and sometimes deeply distressed over the last 50 years or so…they have hoped that things
would change for the better…that the corrupt government would change.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><img height="367" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.malaysiakini.com/mk-cdn.mkini.net/603/320x294xeb6bff1bfe9ae677a79712bb67616ff3.jpg.pagespeed.ic.t-wkBXrF-m.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So far, all their hopes have come to
nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, their hearts are still
burning…Could it happen this time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes,
Jesus…let your love, mercy and grace come upon this land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, like the disciple Thomas, we will doubt no longer but
believe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“Behold I will
cut off all that have afflicted thee at that time: and I will save her that
halteth, and will gather her that was cast out: and I will get them praise, and
a name, in all the land where they had been put to confusion.” (Prophecy of
Sophonias (Zephaniah) 3:19, Douay Rheims)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="319" src="http://cdn.malaysiandigest.com/images/idanadirah2/church_goers.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">On this week leading to the Divine
Mercy Sunday, the Parliament of Malaysia has been dissolved…another expectation
is in the air…that of the 13th General Elections…where new State and Federal
governments will be elected by the people…that is, if the country has a clean
and fair elections, including clean electoral rolls; not one that has been tampered by the ruling government, one that contains phantom voters!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><img height="256" src="http://www.thechoice.my/images/355/Flags-Malaysia.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We trust and believe with
confidence that as Jesus Christ bore our wounds to heal them, He too will heal
the land and the people across Malaysia. Let His glory and justice shine forth on His
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus continues to reassures us
by His wounds that He is no stranger to our human flesh and its suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us always place all our trust in Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
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<img height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/554402_4267247608126_1254755285_n.jpg" width="282" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“Who then shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? or distress? or famine?
or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword?” (Romans 8:35, Douay
Rheims)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">As the
disciples, on the road to Emmaus has hoped that Jesus of Nazareth will be the
one that set them Israel free, the people of Malaysia…Christians in Malaysia are quietly
hoping that the Opposition will simply return victorious and set Malaysia free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=xaGQrJz6z4cHcM&tbnid=VA9AMa5zi84wgM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fchuajuimeng123.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F12%2Fchua-tells-johor-pkr-leaders-to-be.html&ei=MaBhUbbpJMzHrQfpp4DADg&bvm=bv.44770516,d.bmk&psig=AFQjCNGkDd4-SJHpfrhl1yMvpfK1nrDAnw&ust=1365438873376840" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor;"><img height="326" id="irc_mi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw18Zk8OztjMWz9_3FmMzdQKKMoq8nX4anWVE7qwLpWsnbu2K6XdO8aorTDih-XCBjgAY_SBejX_d2e5XMojrZiXSn_63dyNjLDSf_Fi3aFwkPURr5uV4FK6fpOZXYKbsYsCllxl0Pyfw/s400/PR+-+your+choice.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">No matter how weak we are, Jesus is our
strength; no matter how empty we are, Jesus is our fullness; no matter how
sinful we are, Jesus is our holiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All we have to do is to cry put His holy Name. Jesus will protect us from all evil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“Neither is
there salvation in any other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For there
is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts of
the Apostles 4:12, Douay Rheims)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
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<img height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/62961_4267225567575_1415648149_n.jpg" width="283" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">As the incumbent
ruling government machinery continue abuse federal funds and spread lies, commit crimes, buy votes, provoking
religious freedom, cook up conspiracies, practice selective persecution, creating
media chaos, preaching sex tales and manufacturing of porn video tapes in order
to desperately hang on to corrupt power, each Malaysian Christian must feel, during
this Easter season, duty bound to exercise their right and responsibility to
decry crimes against our fellow citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>This time, the people of Malaysia will exercise responsible stewardship
and decisively decide that the rotten and corrupt crooks in the Barisan
Nasional government must be absolutely destroyed and evaporated once and for
all time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><img height="244" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/258/f4bb13df220a187ee2f14a4973c5d7c4.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Christians in Malaysia have a
moral obligation to do what is right and maintain Gospel values; that no one is
exploited for personal gain, that everyone can practise religious freedom and
have good access to basic human needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let
all Malaysians vote for a new Malaysia! Alleluia! Alleluia!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p><img src="http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q400/alphastable2/vote_pkr-1-1.jpg" /></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Let Christians and pilgrims the world over simply pray for the people of Malaysia during this month leading to the 13th General Elections...that Justice will surely prevail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXnQUOSRo3uvqm_4eVJESh-Debk9s0snHktfUO315vOOnfG9-v0UgsZzwds6wPItnZWxraYdzUjjuoLOst_bxKdoOCwFTVRShocHN2fekTRCweW1zQ0AJC54Zcc_LFHgAmVsIBOG3_Wp2/s400/rock+ed+election+campaign.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on Malaysia and her People!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://catholicexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Divine-Mercy-2.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Blessed and Joyful Easter to All Pilgrims the World Over.</span></div>
<br />Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-34154825985962318022013-03-24T09:49:00.004-07:002013-03-24T09:49:51.411-07:00Moving into the Most Holy Week of Human HistoryWe truly praise the Most Holy Name of Jesus and give full glory to Him alone who humbled himself to save us.<br />
<br />
O, Lord, I pray that pilgrims all over the world will have a truly meaningful Holy Week...filled with your touch of transformation, healing and forgiveness.<br />
<br />
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Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-75434083885411997622013-03-10T08:10:00.004-07:002013-03-10T08:26:59.062-07:00Snatched from the World...Possessed by God<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>oday we
celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Lent or lesser known as Rose or Laetare Sunday;
mid-point of Lent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
word Laetare <i>(“lay-TAH-ray”</i>) means Rejoice and is taken from the Latin
translation of Isaiah 66:10-11, which is the Entrance Antiphon for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In
this Mass, the colour violet or rose is used.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Today the Catholic Church interrupts Her Lenten mournfulness; the chants
of the Mass speak of nothing but joy and consolation; to encourage her children
to persevere more fervently and courageously towards the end of our holy Lenten
journey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Nevertheless,
joy seems to be the last thing on my mind today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A close aging relative is down with a mild
stroke and has been bed-ridden and hospitalised; earlier in the week, admitted
to the Medical Intensive Care Unit as he was down with severe dengue fever; a
mosquito-borne viral infection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
no specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue but he was fed alternative traditional
herbal medicine known as porcupine date; a rare “stone” as one would call it,
found in the stomach of a porcupine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is said among traditional healers that when a porcupine is wounded or sick, it
will look for herbs to heal itself and as the healing process takes place, a “stone”
may form in the stomach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My heart is also
a little restless, given that I have been robbed by a motorcyclist yesterday of something which is of great
sentimental value to me, given to me by my grandfather, something like 38 years
ago; a gold chain with a simple cross and a medal of the Sacred Heart which I have worn since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly, snatch thieves at petrol stations are cruel and heartless
barbaric creatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the flipside, I
thank God for protecting me from any serious harm; my Guardian Angel and St
Michael must be working extra heart, I am sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Otherwise, I could have been either fatally stabbed or mercilessly
slashed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am humbled by God’s love for
me, a sinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This incident
reminded me of some verses taken from St Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Chapter
3 verses 8-9, “I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme
advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything
as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Similarly, I
have always been comforted by the Letter to the Romans, Chapter 8 verse 28 which
reads, “And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto
good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My joy at this
mid-point of the holy Lenten season is that I am happy because the anger did
not rise within me for having “lost” some favourite material item.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather, I offered my prayers to the so-called
aggressor so that the blessed chain and holy medals will touch and heal his
inner being and bring him home, as appropriately mentioned in today’s gospel
taken from St Luke on the prodigal son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“..a
celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; was
lost and is found.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Deep down, this
Lent, I have also come to be even more aware that God loves me more and has showered
his grace upon me to enable me to surrender what I love most deeply so that he
can work greater wonders for his greater glory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I thank my God
this Lent for giving me the strength to thank him for this rather unfortunate incident,
as the consequence of this is that I have come to learn, albeit in a painful
way, a little bit more about forgiving others, becoming overly attached to material things of the secular world and more importantly, about the radical
work of his hands for me, a simple pilgrim, on my journey back home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-66585965181910463752013-02-14T09:06:00.002-08:002013-02-14T09:27:22.351-08:00Lent 2013...A Time for Change<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="color: purple;">“Remember that
you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A simple sharing to begin the Holy Season of Lent...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The holy season
of Lent is a time when we seek wisdom via self-sacrifice, becoming as much as
possible and to the best of our human abilities, dead to sin; so that we can
rise with Jesus to new life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, as
Psalm 89 echoes that the Lord has been our refuge from one generation to
another…yes, Lord, make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain
wisdom of heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R4iueTB162lByqEQQZ7XdBA-4H6mZ8sCFTVLoVuKhd_gUD7egFAhhuH1ABm8CYTE3qOqfkOWrQTFSr3e2SSPrLcVg9b7kCaTpdif-rGoftaNPiTXlQQWLFzq3iBt-m74nvtk8CkpL88/s1600/Lent_2013_40days.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R4iueTB162lByqEQQZ7XdBA-4H6mZ8sCFTVLoVuKhd_gUD7egFAhhuH1ABm8CYTE3qOqfkOWrQTFSr3e2SSPrLcVg9b7kCaTpdif-rGoftaNPiTXlQQWLFzq3iBt-m74nvtk8CkpL88/s320/Lent_2013_40days.jpg" width="289" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This Lent, as we
are reminded in the reading taken from the book of Tobit 4, let us once more all
turn to the Lord with our whole heart, be faithful to Him throughout this
season…never entertain the will to sin…never follow the ways that are not right…never
turn our face from any poor man…to give bread to those who are hungry…most of all
to bless the Lord God in everything.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“O God, be
merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13, Jerusalem Bible)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">As Christians,
we are constantly reminded to practise the Gospel values…our vocation…in our
ordinary daily work…or more precisely, “ordinary busy daily work”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wherever we go, wherever we are…there is the
Catholic Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must strive to live
faithfully and make our work holy…a testimony that God is with us and God goes
with us…wherever we go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In the secular
world today, so much is happening so fast that we are constantly occupied or
rather, busy; hardly have time to think, ponder, reflect or even pray!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People these days simply do not have time or make time to
stop and think…people today are hardly bothered or contemplative of their journey, their
path…we are all caught or trapped in a “rat race”; for what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is the question we all need to constantly ask ourselves; a question
I always ask myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This Lent,
fellow pilgrims, let us not fall into the trap of workaholism; our tendency to
overwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have we all lost focus on
eternity and instead choose to live in this temporal life on earth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does everything that we labour and plan for
now, focus on eternity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are we so
busy about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have we not taken time to stop and think
deep enough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is our perspective of
life, our journey?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not the ashes marked and
crossed on our foreheads remind us of anything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What has the materialistic world come to for us when we sometimes cannot
even find time to get decent rest?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I quote from
Scott Hahn’s book on his spiritual journey in Opus Dei, “We have succumbed to
the materialism of Revelation’s beast, marked repeatedly by the sixth day (of
Creation) – 666 – perpetually returning to the world of the workweek…” and not
finding the seventh day which is the Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord.
(Exodus 31:15)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Each year, more than the season of Lent, we
welcome and even look forward to the invention of new techy gadgets,
labour-saving devices, the Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy SIII, Galaxy Note II…all aimed at
extending the 6<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> workday well into our time in the car, at home,
with the family, at church, even at mass on Ash Wednesday!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world we live in is losing (or has totally lost)
its ability to sense God’s being and His holy presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our secular work has transformed us (by our very own choice) to worship our
work, our bosses, our projects, our salary slips…emptying the church of its “body”; as a
consequence, worship, prayer time, scripture reading time, God's time…are being shoved
aside…we push God out of our lives with the simple excuse that “there is simply no choice but
we have to work to feed the family, our children's future, for our retirement, etc., etc.”.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This 2013 Lent, let
us choose to remember our baptism when God entered or was poured into the rhythm of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Without God, we would simply be music with no rhyme, i.e., noise. </span>From my own journey, I can testify that without
God, work becomes chaotic, disordered and empty. God is simply all we need...God alone is enough!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This solemn Lent 2013, there is also a veil of sadness in our hearts following Pope Benedict XVI's emotional farewell retirement announcement, radically breaking a 600-year tradition, deciding to retire on February 28, 2013; after nearly 8 wonderful and memorable years...for, as he puts it, the good of the Church. This Pope has taught us very simply about not being held to ransom by power; instead, to simply serve the flock. Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that the path of power is not the road of God. Let the truth be spoken rather than what needs to be heard. The Pope has taught us, this Lent, that individually, we are not as important as the institution that we lead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This Lent, we all struggle to decide to bring some spiritual order into our ordinary work
days; to make it a bit more extraordinary for God and for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us not forget God and fall into the sin
of depending on our own mortal selves too much, too easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without God, our lives would have been un-livable and restless,
distracted by the seductive noise of the world...we then become part of this noise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This Lent, be
simply quiet and listen to the whisper of the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surrender your work to Him. Turn around, turn God-ward, be a good Catholic, not a Workaholic! The choice is yours...but then, as humans, none of us would know if there would be another Lent for us... Therefore, in full solidarity with Pope Benedict XVI, let us choose to make more room for God in our lives today...choose to make music with our lives for God, as part of His heavenly orchestra praising and glorifying God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-81630643727944311882013-01-27T09:24:00.000-08:002013-01-27T09:24:33.161-08:00Lent...Making the Choice to Defeat the Evil One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Quietly but
surely, the season of Lent is dawning upon us again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only seems like just yesterday that we
have celebrated Christmas...looking for the star...searching for Christ.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Once again in
this early part of the New Year 2013, we experience a fast forward from the hidden
silent growing up years of Jesus in Nazareth and dive straight from the scene
in Bethlehem to Jerusalem…transforming what is just a mere 10 km or 6 miles distance
between these two venue to a key moment that has changed humanity forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the birth of our Jesus to the Passion of
the Christ…from the wooden crib to the wood of the cross…from the manger in
Joseph’s hometown to the unused tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Latin term
for this most Holy and penitential season of Lent is “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">quadragesima</span></i>”
or more commonly known as “forty days”…forty days prior to Easter…a time of scrutiny,
self-examination, quiet reflection, penance, fasting, sacrifices, repentance, turning-over,
change…bringing about discipline, towards a new spring into our lives…renewing our
journey through life…renewing hope.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
would like to see it simply as an annual time of preparation for the
celebration…re-steering our lives, our journey back towards God…living the
Gospel values daily…becoming a bit more like Jesus…to others.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the majority
around the world, the beginning of Lent merely passes by without a whisper of
reflection, sandwiched between the more “popular” Valentine’s Day and Chinese
Lunar New Year of the Snake.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For Catholics and certain denominated
Christians, the sacred period of Lent is an opportune time of grace showered
upon us to save ourselves from the eternal fires of hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For many others, in certain parts of the politically
corrupt world, on-going oppression and persecution persist against the backdrop
of unhealthy, corrupted and stained so-called “democracy”, whereby general
elections are rigged and mainstream news media twisted to report lies and
brain-wash; the people’s cry for change constantly dampened and evil continue
to blatantly rule the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the
latter, only a clean and fair general election can provide the only opportunity
to evict the ruling government for the first time after 50+ years.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lent in this
Year of Faith 2013 will be so much more significant and meaningful for many
across the world who constantly harbour hopes of change for a more equitable,
clean, free and just future, free of the evil sins of corruption and provoking racial
persecution; many a land across the world must be healed and turned God-ward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, Lent 2013 will be a period of intense
spiritual warfare where the good will prevail to see the ultimate defeat of the
evil one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With this, let
us pray this Lent that we will always keep our eyes constantly fixed on Jesus
and to simply and meaningfully reflect on the reason and purpose of Jesus’
sacrifice and death on the cross for each and every one of us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Indeed, if we
simply listen to our hearts and dare exercise our choices bravely and wisely, Lent
will be a time for the cleansing of our souls…the beginning of a new and better
tomorrow, the rise of a new dawn…the healing of this noisy and corrupted materialistic
world, the forging of solidarity amongst humanity…acknowledging Jesus Christ as
Lord and Saviour, the Alpha and the Omega…and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Allah</i> as the One True God for the Christians, Jews and Muslims.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-85095492168927287412012-12-24T07:47:00.001-08:002012-12-24T08:01:57.194-08:00Christmas...very simply...Christ becoming man...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.</span></div>
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(John 1:1, Douay-Rheims)</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">In him was life, and the life was the light of men.</span> </div>
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(John 1:4, Douay-Rheims)</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.</span> </div>
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(John 1:4, Douay-Rheims)</div>
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Here's wishing all pilgrims the world over, that somewhere over the rainbow of God's abundant grace showered upon us this Christmas, we will remember to live our lives more meaningfully and simply...and as pilgrims, always decide to trust Jesus Christ,...choose the divine quiet and sacred silence...against the distracting noise and seduction of the world...and most importantly, persevere in our journey, taking little steps to make a simple difference...simply because Jesus lives through each one of us and this amazing grace from God from the very first Christmas, continue to be radiated out to the world today through us...in all our weaknesses, imperfections and foolishness...Blessed Christmas to all!</div>
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Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-26282779898497090912012-11-15T02:44:00.000-08:002012-11-15T04:41:42.605-08:00A Marian "Apparition" or Reminder?...<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“It was through
the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus came into the world, and it is also through
her that he must reign in the world.” (St Louis de Montfort)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">After being away
from blogging for such a long while but never losing sight and reflection of my
simple journey, today, I share my reflection of a milestone as we cross over to
the cosmopolitan town of Subang Jaya, in Malaysia, where the population of
Roman Catholics remain a small minority, what seem like a tiny drop in the vast
ocean…nevertheless, without this drop, the ocean would be incomplete.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">There has been much
talk about a supposedly “apparition” of Mary on the window pane of a private
healthcare centre; Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only through the eyes of faith, can one can
see the beauty of Our Lady and deep within the heart of faith knows that perhaps
the Lord is reminding us and a stern call to the corrupt party of the day to change,
or “ubah” as some would be more familiar. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>St Bonaventure asserts that the Blessed Virgin
Mary is the way which leads to our Lord…where truth, justice, integrity and humility
prevail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In the
holy scriptures, we know that Mary, a young Jewish woman from Nazareth in Galilee, remained
hidden during her life, poor and lowly, such that God was pleased to conceal
her from nearly every other human creature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nevertheless, Mary was chosen by God to become the earthly paradise of
Jesus Christ.</span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uGaZ5VZDwlcJgNGJPp3tupu1wwnB6zwiFTWFdgFnjShZWK3a19zDGgkxCMt4MG0bvIoJ9DNm6vzC_my4Huc8aZJgSLBxoMESUpM0IeN8P6WbM70pagUw-LWyR3JQC0NW_xb5vtt1dOI/s1600/sjmcmary5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uGaZ5VZDwlcJgNGJPp3tupu1wwnB6zwiFTWFdgFnjShZWK3a19zDGgkxCMt4MG0bvIoJ9DNm6vzC_my4Huc8aZJgSLBxoMESUpM0IeN8P6WbM70pagUw-LWyR3JQC0NW_xb5vtt1dOI/s1600/sjmcmary5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uGaZ5VZDwlcJgNGJPp3tupu1wwnB6zwiFTWFdgFnjShZWK3a19zDGgkxCMt4MG0bvIoJ9DNm6vzC_my4Huc8aZJgSLBxoMESUpM0IeN8P6WbM70pagUw-LWyR3JQC0NW_xb5vtt1dOI/s320/sjmcmary5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The Catechism of
the Catholic Church sheds more light that what the Catholic faith believes about
the all-holy, Blessed Virgin Mary is truly based on what it believes about
Christ, and what it teaches about Mary’s divine motherhood, illumines its faith
in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary is the Mother of our Saviour,
the Mother of God (in Greek, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Theo-tokos</i>)…full
of grace and enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>God had initiated the work of mankind’s redemption
on the basis of her cooperation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
virtue of this, Mary becomes the spiritual mother of every human-being…we,
thus, becomes her children.</span><br />
<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqCxh-aXMJGzv1bbIQJoZw0RirI8TODMCHxEhjP2unUL3jcozjTr_ILk2BK-89-03NSx-r8KDMeRxR8RC0aeM2rhcF90rsA6402QyxGKyc9VDA-DDZ7_4zv8Ot6fKttqXZYywkzif088/s320/sjmcmary1.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Echoing the
words of St Paul that, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of
man understood…” the beauty, the grandeur, the excellence of Mary, who is
indeed a miracle of miracles of grace, nature and glory.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“Devotion to
you, O Blessed Virgin, is a means of salvation which God gives to those whom he
wishes to save.” (St John Damascene)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Amidst much
publicity of this “apparition” in an Islamic-majority country, where much of Christian
literature, publications and scriptural texts are banned by the ruling party of
the day, some still remain positive, brave and hopeful that justice will prevail, whereas others are sceptical and
doubtful...easily seduced by money influence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">St. Louis de
Montfort also dealt with true and false devotion to Mary. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speaking of his own era he complained how, “The
devil, like a counterfeiter and crafty and experienced deceiver, has already
misled and ruined many Christians by means of fraudulent devotions to our Lady.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously “fraudulent devotions,” also
includes the possibility of false apparitions, and if that was true three
hundred years ago, then it is even more the case today, especially in the case
of Subang Jaya.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpuOsOwn9IrbKfhnUxKbOyFL_2PbYOzsTDBaFWywMY2GzoZznzs-sWRE2ryUMltXsh6oeVimsDckaYgFg12r69-mGRXzLJa_EuTua-SNs4kZ69QhEoeEDZHxI07iHRLh0pt-xw1xFEGs/s1600/sjmcmary3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpuOsOwn9IrbKfhnUxKbOyFL_2PbYOzsTDBaFWywMY2GzoZznzs-sWRE2ryUMltXsh6oeVimsDckaYgFg12r69-mGRXzLJa_EuTua-SNs4kZ69QhEoeEDZHxI07iHRLh0pt-xw1xFEGs/s320/sjmcmary3.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">He then goes on
to make an extremely important point, one which clearly indicates that some modern
apparitions must be false: “A counterfeiter usually makes coins only of gold
and silver, rarely of other methods, because these latter would not be worth
the trouble. Similarly, the devil leaves other devotions alone and counterfeits
those mostly directed to Jesus and Mary...because these are to other devotions
what gold and silver are to other metals.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pLT087sLbEh5Cm3cNsbJem7LVmYKUxsFfthX5rqJJApO6EUrqKu2w_s6MCYjIVI5OBW29-xo3TTFOKobmIGSpC9TFlfTy2biUgyFd2gIvYE0D2867_AWAGBDVm7wRFqkoQ0zbp9ev6A/s1600/sjmcmary4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pLT087sLbEh5Cm3cNsbJem7LVmYKUxsFfthX5rqJJApO6EUrqKu2w_s6MCYjIVI5OBW29-xo3TTFOKobmIGSpC9TFlfTy2biUgyFd2gIvYE0D2867_AWAGBDVm7wRFqkoQ0zbp9ev6A/s320/sjmcmary4.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Yes, fellow pilgrims, the Roman Catholic church continue to possess much
treasures and richness of the apostolic faith, in this case, devotion to the
Mother of Christ, which many others, if not all, new Christian denominations
have conveniently cast or filtered away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Now, what disciple of Jesus Christ would </span>cast their own
mother aside and then call themselves good Christians? Jesus, himself loved his mother till the very end; even entrusting her to all of us. To this end, only the Roman Catholic church has been faithful to this...still praying to Mary, the holy mother of God for her intercession for all our needs and the conversion of sinners.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uGaZ5VZDwlcJgNGJPp3tupu1wwnB6zwiFTWFdgFnjShZWK3a19zDGgkxCMt4MG0bvIoJ9DNm6vzC_my4Huc8aZJgSLBxoMESUpM0IeN8P6WbM70pagUw-LWyR3JQC0NW_xb5vtt1dOI/s1600/sjmcmary5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uGaZ5VZDwlcJgNGJPp3tupu1wwnB6zwiFTWFdgFnjShZWK3a19zDGgkxCMt4MG0bvIoJ9DNm6vzC_my4Huc8aZJgSLBxoMESUpM0IeN8P6WbM70pagUw-LWyR3JQC0NW_xb5vtt1dOI/s320/sjmcmary5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Thus, unless the
devil has radically changed his method of operation, which seems unlikely if
not impossible, given that his opposition to the divine remains unchanged, then
some of the modern alleged apparitions of Mary today may be false. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As is indicated in the section on <span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">biblical
prophecy and apparitions</span> the devil's usual</span> approach is to copy an
authentic prophecy, writing, movement or devotion and: “flood the market” with
forgeries, thus sowing confusion and causing problems for the Church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Thus it is
certain that the authentic Marian apparitions have been counterfeited and that
in all probability many, if not most, of the modern alleged apparitions are
false. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may seem like an extreme
statement, but ultimately, the facts will surely bear it out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNJXe01CiKAzdbi1oQ0NAQfrjqhlTfw6SRXJIsiDKX2O6OWDPEpR_UW0Dv2B6VdxyM1Eg7Im1Zod1FYi8OU45d5P3jBad-P4i7Xi-qGK59ea921N2SrFzPkKp-gCl5NtWEvWBFl0k8P4/s1600/sjmcmary8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNJXe01CiKAzdbi1oQ0NAQfrjqhlTfw6SRXJIsiDKX2O6OWDPEpR_UW0Dv2B6VdxyM1Eg7Im1Zod1FYi8OU45d5P3jBad-P4i7Xi-qGK59ea921N2SrFzPkKp-gCl5NtWEvWBFl0k8P4/s320/sjmcmary8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">To those simple
minded people who have simply been touched and strengthened their faith in Christ by virtue of
this Marian “apparition”, it can only be by the grace of God that your hearts be
moved and your faith increase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Make no mistake
that St Louis de Montfort has always stressed that, “Christ must be the
ultimate end of all devotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus,
our Saviour, true God and true man must be the ultimate end of all our other
devotions; otherwise they would be false and misleading. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning
and end of everything. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbNqt91gnDpj7o88BhrBIcJCaSVf1ej-XSWtfHexnkAjMddNbSqLuVbDnb2PxQ0QRpHkhw_EIWfnvgxTPrWnnMOiOvQsyA0kmfMBS9mPgYh2ZeehE0TxX6B1p_XKWoEwUmRNdE_6jbVg/s1600/sjmcmary9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbNqt91gnDpj7o88BhrBIcJCaSVf1ej-XSWtfHexnkAjMddNbSqLuVbDnb2PxQ0QRpHkhw_EIWfnvgxTPrWnnMOiOvQsyA0kmfMBS9mPgYh2ZeehE0TxX6B1p_XKWoEwUmRNdE_6jbVg/s320/sjmcmary9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“We labour,”
says St Paul, “only to make all men perfect in Jesus Christ.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For in him alone dwell the entire fullness of
the divinity and the complete fullness of grace, virtue and perfection. In him
alone we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing; he is the only
teacher from whom we must learn; the only Lord on whom we should depend; the
only Head to whom we should be united and the only model that we should
imitate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the only Physician that
can heal us; the only Shepherd that can feed us; the only Way that can lead us;
the only Truth that we can believe; the only Life that can animate us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">H</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">e alone is
everything to us and he alone can satisfy all our desires. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are given no other name under heaven by
which we can be saved. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has laid no
other foundation for our salvation, perfection and glory than Jesus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every edifice which is not built on that firm
rock, is founded upon shifting sands and will certainly fall sooner or later. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every one of the faithful who is not united to
him is like a branch broken from the stem of the vine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It falls and withers and is fit only to be
burnt.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0h9VCA36ki4xScc3XGmfQZ8MHfIdHN9WfnX-5Uc8sucouJ3__2vykSBgk2gaSsPMdGl4qg_Nab5O_MC8D2MPyShHIbdx-UDjtiqwO1ThhTOFTmfIW75037bz3s9H1dZ_4bXQVJ_Y2q3w/s1600/sjmcmary6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0h9VCA36ki4xScc3XGmfQZ8MHfIdHN9WfnX-5Uc8sucouJ3__2vykSBgk2gaSsPMdGl4qg_Nab5O_MC8D2MPyShHIbdx-UDjtiqwO1ThhTOFTmfIW75037bz3s9H1dZ_4bXQVJ_Y2q3w/s320/sjmcmary6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">If we live in
Jesus and Jesus lives in us, we need not fear damnation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither angels in heaven nor men on earth, nor
devils in hell, no creature whatever can harm us, for no creature can separate
us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through him, with him and in him, we can do
all things and render all honour and glory to the Father in the unity of the
Holy Spirit; we can make ourselves perfect and be for our neighbour a fragrance
of eternal life.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-SsOF0MDV-JQzYVLUIUhkcvzQY-4hG91tp839I5Pp_jEk0fKn56-lk9rNJfs7D-3zSoWivTScmmjKJl1HnBbNuOeSuCnNWo-G-THvTvlNvEAX180Hdt80nb-R5_OhloM13BlzVhpPmw/s1600/bernadette-mary-painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-SsOF0MDV-JQzYVLUIUhkcvzQY-4hG91tp839I5Pp_jEk0fKn56-lk9rNJfs7D-3zSoWivTScmmjKJl1HnBbNuOeSuCnNWo-G-THvTvlNvEAX180Hdt80nb-R5_OhloM13BlzVhpPmw/s400/bernadette-mary-painting.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The salvation of
the world began through Mary and through her it must be accomplished. As true
disciples of Jesus Christ, in union with Mary, our Mother, we will crush the
head of Satan with our heel, that is, our humility, and bring victory to Jesus
Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For the
community in Subang Jaya, as pilgrims through life on a journey back home, simply
feel blessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether or not this “apparition”
is true, only your eyes of faith can reveal the truth known only to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we can only call Jesus Lord by the power
of the Holy Spirit, so it is with the same Sancte Spiritus that has graciously revealed
the same to mere pilgrims in Subang Jaya.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Again, St Louis
de Montfort reminds us that no other Catholic devotion calls for more
sacrifices for God, none empties us more completely of self and self-love, none
keep us more firmly in the grace of God and the grace of God in us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No other devotion unites us more perfectly and
more easily to Jesus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally no
devotion gives more glory to God, is more sanctifying for ourselves or more
helpful to our neighbour…then our simple devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">To the pilgrims
at Subang Jaya and this blog…just two simple words… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fiat</i>
(yes) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amen</i> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(“So be it”…a simple
expression of faith that God will hear and act on the prayer)...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Ave Maria, gratia plena,
<br />Dominus tecum, <br />benedicta tu in mulieribus, <br />et benedictus fructus
ventris tui Iesus. <br />Sancta Maria mater Dei, <br />ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. <br /><i>Amen</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>(to the gifted hands that took these phorographs, may the blessings of the Lord be with you)</em></span></o:p></span></div>
Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-23418021183294897702012-10-27T09:53:00.001-07:002012-10-27T10:02:42.907-07:00A Gift of Another Year...of Faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the quiet of this dark night, as I reflect on the past year...simply another gift of grace from the Lord, I offer thee Lord, another year of journey, my simple pilgrimage through this noisy world...that I may trust you more, allow you to lead me...that you may continue to walk with me, guide me, carry me, a sinner, when I fall...lead me back, when I am lost...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
To the everlasting Father,<br />
And the Son who made us free<br />
And the Spirit, God proceeding<br />
From them Each eternally,<br />
Be salvation, honor, blessing,<br />
Might and endless majesty.<br />
Amen.<br />
<br />
Most of all, Lord, thank you for giving yourself to me, the ultimate gift...the gift of faith...the gift of the Most Holy Eucharist.<br />
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Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-81800514409280510372012-08-18T07:48:00.001-07:002012-08-18T07:51:06.698-07:00Simply Nostalgic Times...<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Something simply nostalgic today...longing for the past...becoming spiritually sentimental...reminiscing the old times on this simple journey through life...we are, after all, mere human beings...yes, we are the world, we are the children...there are choices that we are making...to save lives... As Quincy Jones pleaded to all these participating artistes..."check your ego at the door"...let's check ours as well...today and everyday... Only then, we will truly make a better day...for all! God Bless!</span><br />
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<br />Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-67038567390848829962012-08-10T10:21:00.001-07:002012-08-10T10:27:53.180-07:00We are Soldiers of Christ...<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is a common tendency today, as it was for me, over the last couple of months, to become distracted and drowned by the noise around us; not noise, in the physical sense, but rather a kind of “noise” that stirs up the peace, harmony and equilibrium of the Spirit...a type of noise that many in the world have too often failed to feel or even recognize; almost accepting this as a secular way of life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is a “noise” that is always there waiting to seduce us, to tempt us and to possess us...to disturb us...until we lose focus of the peace and calm which Jesus taught us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pope Benedict XVI reminds us, “Anyone who breaks off friendship with Jesus, casting off his “easy yoke”, does not attain liberty, does not become free, but succumbs to other powers.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The noise of our secular jobs, careers, financial pursuits, desires, wants...the list goes on and on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As mere human beings, created by a God who loves us, each day becomes a battle against these worldly temptations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prophet Isaiah goes further to remind us today...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">“Yahweh called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>...Whoever walks in darkness, and has no light shining for him, let him trust in the name of Yahweh, let him lean on his God.”</span> (Isaiah 49:1, 50:10, Jerusalem Bible)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I have been “SimplyQuiet” for quite a while and although, I myself continue to often read and reflect on this journal, reminding myself of my own thoughts and epiphanies past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, I have not found the spiritual discipline to reflect, share and put down into words much of my thoughts; mainly because, I have not made time to pause and to deeply reflect on them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Breezing through life this way, without taking time to pause and reflect on the journey, I am reminded, has left a kind of empty void deep inside; it is a kind of emptiness and loneliness that is not easy to express in words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often, many people will simply brush it off...whilst others will realise that this emptiness results from our original belongingness to our loving Creator, who keeps calling us back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This, as I have come to realise, is because, we are first loved by Him and to Him we all belong, we are the Lord’s and St Augustine could not have put it better when he shared that, <span style="color: blue;">“our hearts are restless, till they rest in God.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our hearts continue to have a deep burning love and desire for God, for oneness with Him, no matter how distant we have strayed away...no matter how distracted we have become.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless, it is heartening to see that, despite my having remained quiet; this simple blog-journal continues to draw pilgrims, by the grace of God, from all over the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a humbling experience to know that, even though I have not been blogging so frequently, at least my previously shared reflections continues to reach and touch others in ways which only God can do. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess this is what people call passive evangelization; no matter how “inactive” I have become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly God is great to use a sinner like me...to use a blog like this...I am truly humbled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For me, I continue to remain a mere instrument simply at the Lord’s disposal, quietly reflecting on my journey and simply sharing it on the blogosphere whenever He moves me to, whenever He wills me to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Earlier this month, I stumbled across an old second-hand book by a legendary author, born in 1380 at Kempen, near Dusseldorf; Thomas a Kempis...yes, “The Imitation of Christ”, this version being a translation by Leo Sherley-Price; an influential writing for over 500 years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Believe it or not, this is one book which I have screened through time and again since my yesterdays of youth but somehow, never ever managed to complete it cover to cover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly written with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the pages or even sentences always overwhelms my being...stirs my soul; reminding me of my mortality, my unworthiness and what a great sinner I have become...allowing myself to be polluted by the noises of the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Each page of this simple book glows with the reflected Light from the Holy Scriptures...the Word made flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Writing, journaling or even blogging is so important in order for us to leave a legacy for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not for Thomas obediently writing these down, we would never have been able to savour the beauty and wisdom of ‘The Imitation’.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In fact, Thomas also spent much of his time in the copying of the Scriptures; silence became his good friend, work his companion and prayer his aid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of Thomas’ outwardly life, little remains to be told......why today, he would probably have been labelled as an “anti-social”.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, many saints have fallen in love with this book and even more have experienced a sense of nearness to God upon reflection of the spirit-inspired pages within this book; second only to the Bible, as many publishers would testify.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I am hoping that this book will also rejuvenate me spiritually, in ways that will help me better deal and cope with the “noise” of the secular world; to become more aware of my own dependence on God’s love and the empty futility of my journey without the companionship of this one loving God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, to realize, live, love and work as if God is still relevant...in fact, God must be seen to be genuinely relevant in our lives lived...otherwise, dare we call ourselves Christians?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the days of old, where there did not exist as many technological gadgets like the photocopier machine, electronics like the laptop computer, communication tools like the new Apple iPhone, iPad, Android Tablets, what-have-you kind of instruments...people’s lives were much simpler then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the days of past, people read more, became interested in philosophy; essentially the simple love of wisdom (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Philo = love, Sophia = wisdom</i>). </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Through this simple habit of reading, spirituality blossom, faith deepens, wisdom nurtured, not to mention, more acute awareness and reliance or dependence on God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I cannot help but be convinced, through many experiences that there is a higher divine reason for each spiritual book that I stumble across and with each book-encounter, is revealed a hidden message that God would like to reveal to me at certain points of my pilgrimage through life; also for me to share with others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">These days, many people have fallen astray, drowned in their busy careers and personal worldly pursuit of so-called success, self-glorification and accumulation of material wealth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Someone I know, who has been experiencing a steep rise in career, was recently diagnosed with Stage 3, colon cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time and again, we receive ‘reminders’ like these to steer us back onto the right path, the narrow path...where many will not or dare not, take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often, under such circumstances, our inner worldly voice would echo, “Where is God when you need him most?” or the cries of, “Life just isn’t fair!” resounds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On the flipside, should not we ask and remind ourselves more often, “where is our gratitude to the God, who made us, blessed us, provided for us and continually love us?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Although Thomas a Kempis returned to the Father a long time ago, back in 1471, the offspring of his thoughts, through the fruit of this book lives on...guiding us...providing us with the road map to being one with the Father.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It has almost been a year since I returned back to corporate employment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be precise, August 15 will be my first anniversary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout this duration, I have endeavoured to put into practice good Christian values and most important of all, surrendering to God all what I cannot handle as a mere human weakling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, God has not let me down and my journey has found more meaning and richness, providing much opportunity for spiritual reflection, by God’s grace and naturally, choosing to reach out and touch lives in the course of my simple journey through life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Experiencing the Stations of the Cross, the Way of the Cross, the Via Dolorosa, we are reminded each Lent, coupled with the strength that we can draw from the Passion of Christ is what makes being a Catholic, extremely privilege, special and exclusive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Catholicism depicts such sacredness, holiness and richness in its Liturgy, the Mass and the Holy Sacraments; a well of strength we can draw upon each time we feel alone, fallen, isolated, unwanted or distracted by noises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever we seek quietness, simple guidance for a decision, God is there, God will be there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Across the ages, Catholicism boasts of great authors, writings from the saints and mystics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The book, “The Imitation of Christ” appropriately reminds us in these excerpts:</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“If you knew the whole Bible by heart, and all the teachings of the philosophers, how would this help you without the grace and love of God?”</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“It is vanity to give thought of this present life, and to care nothing for the life to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is vanity to love things that so swiftly pass away, and not to hasten onwards to that place where everlasting joy abides.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Strive to withdraw your heart from the love of visible things, and direct your affections to things invisible.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With such spirit-inspired gems on every other sentence, how can one ever finish a book like this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then, our God may not wish for us to just complete this book in one sitting, but rather, to slowly chew on the pages, digesting these whilst we reflectively journey through life; and like a mirror, reflecting his light to many others who are sent towards our path.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Until my next posting, God’s blessings to one and all...hope and pray that this simple blog has and will continue to attract more pilgrims of life and reach out and touch your hearts in any small little way, by the grace of God. We must always remember that we have all been chosen as Soldiers of Christ...the earth, being our battlefield, where victory is dependent on the simple choices we make each day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Therefore, just be “SimplyQuiet” amidst the more dominant seductive and corrupted noise and subtle temptations of the world. St Augustine once shared:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“The devil does not sleep, but works hard to make you lose your soul. Will you then continue to rest when your eternal salvation is at stake?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Even Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta added:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“The devil tempts us. His aim is death, not so much you or I: we are nothing. It is about God, a hatred of God.”</span></span></span><br />
<br /></div>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-19042106146159487872012-03-31T09:13:00.000-07:002012-03-31T09:15:04.738-07:00Experience The Holy Week...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/89xoXJfg2UQ" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Watch, listen and reflect on the journey of the Passion of Our King with Doug Barry of Radix... I promise you a life changing experience...I promise you will be touched to the deepest corners of your heart. Wishing one and all a Blessed and Meaningful Holy Week ahead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">"And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?..."</span> (Douay-Rheims, Mark 15:34)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This cry still echoes in our lives and in our world today...</span><br />
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<br />Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-5174767576140571772012-02-17T21:35:00.000-08:002012-02-18T07:34:30.977-08:00LENT...Finding Life's Compass...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not many days from now, on February 22, the holy season of Lent will once again dwell upon us...<span style="color: purple;">Ash Wednesday</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The events that preceded the death and resurrection of our dear Lord Jesus Christ will come upon us yet again; the <span style="color: purple;">Via Dolorosa</span>...way of the Cross. It is a season of gratitude.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is yet another opportunity, graced upon us, to examine our own life, our journey...to determine those parts of us that need to die...parts we must let go...grudges, fears, laziness, resentments, old habits, etc...a time for us to repent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is also a time for each one of us to journey to Jerusalem with Jesus once again; renewing bits of ourselves, peeling away another layer of our human condition. Each year comes and goes quickly...as impatient as we all are...the transformation and birth of our true self only takes place in God’s time. We must patiently and humbly wait for Him...but we must stay awake...we must be sensitive to God’s presence around us...we must learn to listen to His quiet whisper...most of all we must simply place our full trust in Him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I begin to jot down the above reflection, my thoughts rushed back to last weekend when I visited a terminally ill colleague. He has been journeying or rather; crawling through life...battling and hanging on to whatever bits of life that remains in him; with Stage IV nasal cancer...which of late has spread to parts of his body...now both his kidneys seem to be failing him. His breaths are short and much weight has been lost. Time seem to stand still...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, cancer is such a cruel disease...created by mankind...it does not choose...it does not warn the victim. Cancer brings so much silent pain for the parent and family, but even much more hopelessness for the innocent victim. Does God punish us? How can one find faith and hope under such circumstances?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The seconds become minutes, the minutes spill into hours, the hours into days, days turn into weeks, into months, into years...into eternity... What simple words of comfort does one offer such a friend? The journey towards Golgotha seem endless...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Encouragement, strength, courage, a touch, a hug, a smile...most of all one’s humble presence...only the sacred silence where both human spirit simply and quietly reach out to bond as one creation... through Him, with Him, in Him but ever most of all, loved and cherished by God...no matter how far we have drifted or turned away, no matter how broken our bodies have become...God will always love you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My dear friend would surely swap his condition, just lying on the hospital bed, waiting...for the good health that most of us able-bodied take for granted day in and day out. Through our daily actions and worldly pursuits, we display absolutely no gratitude for life...for God!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Such is the hopelessness and regret that is felt when one’s time on earth is almost up...when one’s breath enters into sudden death...not knowing the hour that is to come. Soon the tiredness will be put to rest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For most of us, who are truly “alive”, do we actually realize and cherish life as a gift? Are we conscious of our “alive-ness”?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Or, are we simply more distracted by how this “gift of life” is packaged? Whether we have this or that, whether we are born into a rich and wealthy family, so many whether and what ifs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The more that we come to the realization (and this is not simple) that life is freely gifted from God, the more our life will be a life of faith and spirituality; a life where we come to know God, where we journey in relationship with Him...where God becomes real in our lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As truly simple pilgrims through this life, the meaning of our short pilgrimage on earth must not depend on reaching any particular destination, accumulating a certain level of material wealth or striving to achieve any worldly goal...the world label this as success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Very simply, it should instead depend on our humbleness, simplicity, openness, faithfulness, hope and trust...that God knows the way far better than we do – He will lead us, if we just let Him. He will love us, if only we allow Him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, as prideful as we all are, in our entire majestic ego, we become impatient, restless, we seize control, we want control, we want worldly assurance...we want to become powerful in the eyes of the world. In the course of this mad obsession, we put layers after layers upon us, until we lose our simple identity; we forget our humble roots, becoming deaf to the call to discipleship, blind to others, mute to sharing the goodness of God, losing our sense of direction...becoming out-of-touch with God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This <span style="color: purple;">Lent</span>, we must come back to the Gospel...diligently journey the <span style="color: purple;">Via Dolorosa</span> with Jesus...He will surely give us hope, He will bring us home. Trust Him with your entire life. This is the best investment one can make...with guaranteed returns!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hope does not pretend that everything will be alright. Hope simply means knowing that Jesus will sustain us and walk with us...as our faithful companion. As I mentioned to someone recently, my simple view is that “God is good ALL the time.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is almost certainly the selfish acts of mankind, with its egoistic human condition, that causes chaos all around and subsequently, having to face drastic consequences of such actions...both from the past, but most of the time, changing the course of many generations into the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I reflect on the Apostolic Letter entitled, “Motu Proprio Data” of the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI for the indiction of the Year of Faith which is due to begin on October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013, I am reminded that the <span style="color: purple;">“door of faith”</span> (Acts 14:27) is always open for each one of us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“We must rediscover a taste for feeding ourselves on the Word of God faithfully handed down by the Church, and on the bread of life, offered as sustenance for his disciples.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The life of Christians, as pointed out in this simple Apostolic Letter, knows the experience of joy as well as the experience of suffering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“This is a great joy to you, even though for a short time yet you must bear all sorts of trials; so that the worth of your faith, more valuable than gold, which is perishable even if it has been tested by fire, may be proved - to your praise and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. You have not seen him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him you believe in him and so are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described; and you are sure of the goal of your faith, that is, the salvation of your souls.”</span> (1 Peter 1:6-9, New Jerusalem Bible)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This short papal letter moves on to remind each one of us that what the world is in particular need of today is the credible witness of people, like you and me, enlightened in both mind and heart by the Word of the Lord, and capable of opening the hearts and minds of many to the desire for God and for true life...a life without end...a life that is journeyed with the hope of the resurrection...a journey travelled with Jesus as an Easter people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As such, the trials of this short and finite life, while helping us to understand the mystery of the Cross and to participate in the sufferings of Christ, are a prelude to the joy and hope to which simple faith ultimately leads to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next week, beginning <span style="color: purple;">Ash Wednesday</span>, onwards into the coming holy season of Lent, let us commit, discipline and entrust ourselves to the Lord Jesus, who is and will always walk beside us as our faithful Companion, as He always knows what we need and most of all, what is best for us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wishing one and all across the world, a holy and healing season of <span style="color: purple;">Lent</span>, coupled with a meaningful <span style="color: purple;">Via Dolorosa with Jesus</span>...towards the door of faith... May the hands of the Lord touch your hearts in a way that will move you ever closer to Him. Amen.</span><br />
<br />Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-45441795114165899892012-01-05T20:10:00.000-08:002012-01-06T02:12:14.309-08:00A New Awareness This Epiphany...<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">“Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.”</span> (1 John 2:15, Douay Rheims)</span></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Christmas and New Year in Singapore this time round, brings with it much challenges...stalled MRT lines in dark tunnels, gallons of rainfall, less shoppers on Orchard Road, concrete roller coaster structures at Universal Studios, slower economics, higher jobless rate, a gloomy year ahead...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Many are aware that in Singapore these days, the current priorities in the lives of the majority still consists of the 5 Cs; Cash, Credit Card, Car, Condominium and Country Club Membership. There is a minor group of a certain quarter, who believes that these 5 Cs should be redefined into good Career, living in Comfort surrounded by Children, be more Considerate and Charitable. Those whom are more spiritual may even deem their 5 Cs to be, Compassion, Charity, Conscience, Contentment and Celebration.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Across the Causeway, in neighboring Malaysia, the 5 Cs (or even more) seems even worse and obvious from the daily media obsessive reporting...Corruption, Conspiracies, Cronyism, Controlled journalism, Court injustice, Changing history, Clowns in government...it goes on and on. All seems doom and gloom for the good citizens of this once rich, peaceful and cosmopolitan country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whilst Singapore is still way ahead in the desperate pursuit of development to combat the dulling economy, it’s neighboring peninsular has not tire itself of what the general citizens deem as sex scandals, corruption, Christian and religious persecution, injustice, rigged elections, abuse of law, etc. With the impending General Elections, the citizens must send the signal of a firm and clear "NO" to these and a "YES" to the power of the rakyat (people)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, the priorities we hold dear in our lives determine the quality of our life...our journey through life. The priorities the leaders hold dear determines the future of a nation. The wise-men of the Epiphany were rich, yet they are aware of their absolute poverty; they were wise but yet recognize more the infinite wisdom of God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Even in families, we see extreme obsession, on the part of either spouse, with the empty pursuit of wealth, materialism, career, so much so....it costs the families their marriage, their solidarity for one another, their happiness. Arguments however petty, within families generally originate from these aimless and blind pursuits. At the end of the day...when we take our final breath...only then do we realize (hopefully) that all these simply does not really matter at all...our life...our journey has been totally wasted on such temporary pursuits! The quiet night in the Bethlehem where we were born, continue to be drowned by the noise around us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Often, we hear this saying...why worry about tomorrow...simply live in the present moment. This seems to be easier said than done when the attitude of most people today is one that always wants to win...at any cost! Any other priorities that are not society-driven would likely make one feel like at outcast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ah, the paradox of being a disciple of Jesus Christ...to be in the world, yet, not of this world. To be poor, yet become rich. To be empty, but at the same time, filled to the brim. To become detached, yet to be fully attached. To lose everything, yet to gain absolutely everything. To recognize that we are one humanity...a single family built on the values of justice, equality and solidarity...a soul with meaning and direction...journeying back home to our one Source...our Creator...Our Father in Heaven...our eternal destiny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">St Augustine has shared with us that, <span style="color: red;">“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I reflect deeply of this, I understand that it cannot mean that we should not be fond of the world...that we are not to give ourselves solely to the building of the world. We have a primary obligation, as disciples, to bring the love of Jesus Christ into the world...love all things in an “ordered” way...to see the world through the eyes of Christ. Disciples do not conform to the values of the world but rather, we help transform the world by radiating forth the light of Christ to all the darkness we encounter along life’s journey. Disciples love the world through Him, with Him and in Him...our Lord Jesus Christ.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">St Augustine also said that, <span style="color: red;">“Unless you believe, you will not understand.”</span> This Saint goes on to say that, <span style="color: red;">“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”</span> Even more profound in wisdom, St Augustine continues to enlighten us today through his writings to, <span style="color: red;">“Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As we enter the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord this week, the climax of the season of Advent and Christmas, let us open our hearts to realize this awesome insight and become aware to comprehend the meaning of the coming of Jesus Christ...the Son of God into the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">What meaning will you allow for this Epiphany to have for you this time?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia;"> </span>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-81772899067902348512011-12-16T17:13:00.000-08:002011-12-16T17:26:52.880-08:00Light of Genesis...Same Light that Dawned Bethlehem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR76vP53rk8H7DJiNRq8RgsPzHMcQcYXvSvLRzxJArWawa4BQKSuYnnjLrObUTU4sm7tYNAPHKxatVZIO1TTzbmyVXr108IJqD7IouIBYYx62XQAfKMcUhsblhfg52XUMGkywchV_I-d8/s1600/adventlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR76vP53rk8H7DJiNRq8RgsPzHMcQcYXvSvLRzxJArWawa4BQKSuYnnjLrObUTU4sm7tYNAPHKxatVZIO1TTzbmyVXr108IJqD7IouIBYYx62XQAfKMcUhsblhfg52XUMGkywchV_I-d8/s400/adventlight.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“In the beginning God created heaven and earth. And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters.”</span> (Genesis 1:1-2, Douay Rheims)</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-YMcTeuFJSOTyLn1_XGiTVcqmR1vZpiHtbhqTtm2KDlKjZFuOm2LjdWGwdfcMltdpMKYJmqrhWLlZOhdjavGyvPbPh34tf0FNwhXI5erxI_xLqHg119IkRMzY83f9kKBpT1Oa9lBunw/s1600/genesis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-YMcTeuFJSOTyLn1_XGiTVcqmR1vZpiHtbhqTtm2KDlKjZFuOm2LjdWGwdfcMltdpMKYJmqrhWLlZOhdjavGyvPbPh34tf0FNwhXI5erxI_xLqHg119IkRMzY83f9kKBpT1Oa9lBunw/s400/genesis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span> simple sharing this Advent...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today, a friend asked me about the story of Creation, found in the book of Genesis. She was confused... Why is it that in the beginning, the earth is covered with darkness...emptiness...void?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LF42YkGYmcYuaStnHIEmBLNbEGfbBMFswCyw-quN4WJVBzlblb7TuK8bG7_0OjdUWwi2BDWUiIcWG1IrRHto0bSEz0y4UrbZEcMTJ-m9POC-N_dk4kUUtYDRklCXNxhwhudjLM6wTm4/s1600/creation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LF42YkGYmcYuaStnHIEmBLNbEGfbBMFswCyw-quN4WJVBzlblb7TuK8bG7_0OjdUWwi2BDWUiIcWG1IrRHto0bSEz0y4UrbZEcMTJ-m9POC-N_dk4kUUtYDRklCXNxhwhudjLM6wTm4/s320/creation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Many people continue to read Genesis as the story of creation in terms of a religion versus science debate; reading the Holy Bible as if it is a story book or a pop novel. This way of reading imposes our historical situation on the sacred text (using our finite mind to comprehend the infinite Word) and misses entirely the spiritual insights that open our heart to the “religious” meaning the story had for ancient Israel, and the spiritual meaning that God intends for us today.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4svrhsWmxy7QXA3kouV_pEeFe8sx_CK40zH0zXWUD1aDuihOva-uQXbPs_78CG-sAQy0b4S7f0fvergtjfQg0aIGgWRbHW01jaXJM2RDMVmqaHuU6T44CW6SEyzmvcyZO8Knnk0DCneM/s1600/advent+ights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4svrhsWmxy7QXA3kouV_pEeFe8sx_CK40zH0zXWUD1aDuihOva-uQXbPs_78CG-sAQy0b4S7f0fvergtjfQg0aIGgWRbHW01jaXJM2RDMVmqaHuU6T44CW6SEyzmvcyZO8Knnk0DCneM/s320/advent+ights.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This Advent, as we quietly contemplate on the lighted candles of Advent, we remind ourselves that the Word of God is alive and will continue to examine us individually today if we choose to allow it. The Word of God is Light that pierces through the darkness in our lives...bringing hope, peace, love and joy.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhpBLx3Hs4NxHqOxtMXSufpwk64EVXet0hLrQWypIOzgHkVv6v4udUvGFFs7vVpElm_vju5oGRqqrsKqrPj-kjP-I9ymlB3svHL82NTFSEhBPYp7wey8yv30lHu3WX_fm1EanWtWcZkU/s1600/creation2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhpBLx3Hs4NxHqOxtMXSufpwk64EVXet0hLrQWypIOzgHkVv6v4udUvGFFs7vVpElm_vju5oGRqqrsKqrPj-kjP-I9ymlB3svHL82NTFSEhBPYp7wey8yv30lHu3WX_fm1EanWtWcZkU/s320/creation2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For instance, the Genesis’ creation day is different from the ordinary day with which we are normally familiar with these days. With the sacred scriptures, it is always about reading through the eyes of faith, patiently allowing the Word to sink into our hearts, taking quiet time to encounter the Word. The story of Creation tells us that the Spirit of God brought life and light out of chaos and darkness. The Holy Spirit is “the Lord and Giver of Life”.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliiFTcPHoEUCfB_IBHJQZG6BAR4SHLKgihBpWi35l4quBQstjBx3UFOMplAkAv1uwaaLPbowGqwlPqyzranxRkjxMpu53kPB4O-nso877GJV0fZrePYc67sHGeIc1CdVE2W9ROnwK4XY/s1600/creation3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliiFTcPHoEUCfB_IBHJQZG6BAR4SHLKgihBpWi35l4quBQstjBx3UFOMplAkAv1uwaaLPbowGqwlPqyzranxRkjxMpu53kPB4O-nso877GJV0fZrePYc67sHGeIc1CdVE2W9ROnwK4XY/s320/creation3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Genesis, the first book of the Bible, reminds all of us today of the power and goodness of God as manifested in the creation of the world, and also the dependence of fragile creatures like us, on the dominion of the ultimate Creator; from a formless, empty void, He unconditionally fills it with life, and from darkness, He brings forth Light – in God, there is simply no darkness...only Light.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvZI2p421nZSsP-YuJh2cJ1bz65kGhxJMzmJDnrsCEvMhGOw4IamftsvvPqI3x7CijX1n_eTaPccgBfeq160xYXNPKKM2h9mMsv8JM6EDFjiM5rcFNQgq7SuGtWjUCQ3WWD0r5g3SnUQ/s1600/god+is+light.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvZI2p421nZSsP-YuJh2cJ1bz65kGhxJMzmJDnrsCEvMhGOw4IamftsvvPqI3x7CijX1n_eTaPccgBfeq160xYXNPKKM2h9mMsv8JM6EDFjiM5rcFNQgq7SuGtWjUCQ3WWD0r5g3SnUQ/s320/god+is+light.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The first chapter of Genesis shares that in the beginning the world was “formless and empty.” It then proceeds to show how God sets out to fix this - first, by giving the world form and then filling it with abundance. In Days 1-3, God creates the “form” of the world - the day and the night; the sky and the sea; the land and the vegetation. In Days 4 - 6, God fills these “form” with the sun, moon and stars, the birds and the fish to fill the sky and the seas; and man and beast, which rule the land.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There is a perfect order to all these; from chaos, comes order. First God creates the “structure” of the world, then, He fills that structure with living beings. After each day of creation, God sees that His work is “good.” After the six “work days” are through, God sees that His work is “very” good. The word “very” is used to mark the end of the creation cycle.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fFAvEI42BjfZLLund5OAjG5tBmdKFkcJSqmDCofwbm4jrNOKmi6ZGng7OdXQiJvAzWHXAgsmL3-vry1qTAO_qnYIhhPIRCQrIuGAXkb0CRLsNZwPsHiXiFX8TxQT6O0z_pCw9ZM5Y3M/s1600/The+Light+Shines+in+the+Darkness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fFAvEI42BjfZLLund5OAjG5tBmdKFkcJSqmDCofwbm4jrNOKmi6ZGng7OdXQiJvAzWHXAgsmL3-vry1qTAO_qnYIhhPIRCQrIuGAXkb0CRLsNZwPsHiXiFX8TxQT6O0z_pCw9ZM5Y3M/s400/The+Light+Shines+in+the+Darkness.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Very briefly, Genesis is a story of faith...our faith, telling us how God chose a particular family to keep His Revelation, and how He trained His Chosen People to fulfill His mission; how His Light still shines forth today through His chosen people and still continue to radiate out simply, gently and quietly to this chaotic world that is filled with much darkness.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXuEC03d7pc8afGhv2v7ILOpvE0Je55WhLo7ZolvKBLyzqkHM8-v3s7CsLLgRRf69pm8pIQib1EDddhs8a99XXj3ZaH2iDc9ArnXOA3mddADPNFWxmDtz8QA05wIKp6NLiDpOerrFmh8/s1600/Thank+you+God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXuEC03d7pc8afGhv2v7ILOpvE0Je55WhLo7ZolvKBLyzqkHM8-v3s7CsLLgRRf69pm8pIQib1EDddhs8a99XXj3ZaH2iDc9ArnXOA3mddADPNFWxmDtz8QA05wIKp6NLiDpOerrFmh8/s320/Thank+you+God.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As we prepare for Christmas, simply remember that Christ IS “the Light that came into the world” to dispel the “darkness” of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God to each one of us. Like the poor humble shepherds, let us always be watchful and simply trusting to the quiet call of God...following the one true Light...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaYyPq_v2lurmTTzAHixGmAgtvPIA3Qr9ByDpq6gZyXV_MPWZURalltmScMptNLCUOoJMc-Qus7oNc8ccIdPoXZzi65S8nRtmrMzAtrT-YFehcRn1gq3bJpxoKR1927S1S5ltfDVsBy4/s1600/nativity+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaYyPq_v2lurmTTzAHixGmAgtvPIA3Qr9ByDpq6gZyXV_MPWZURalltmScMptNLCUOoJMc-Qus7oNc8ccIdPoXZzi65S8nRtmrMzAtrT-YFehcRn1gq3bJpxoKR1927S1S5ltfDVsBy4/s400/nativity+2011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As His chosen people, let us always choose to create a new Genesis in the lives of others on this short journey through life..to re-create the world we live in so that we can experience heaven, here on earth today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Let the joyful bells of Christmas resound, proclaiming the birth of the Creator, the source of life...the true Light of the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Maranatha! Let us simply and quietly invite Him into our lives, O Christ our Lord!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">God bless all. Blessed Christmas to one and all! Peace and joy across the land! We are but ONE family...ONE colour...the colour of the ONE human race; created and hand-painted by the ONE God who loves us for eternity!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpAB0lwHK5jVvcaWx36-YDnJMveKu5psZ5DXDgRpQbQRpJQfk7mSjM2Z9mUaT8nvEabeEuPBW6Q0q7b0S2_16DBgG4rV4OjnkyrHZF-5EROZBYkGPtV9NuadHuubXm-teP8Zsg-TtuIM/s1600/keep+christ+in+christmas+not+santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpAB0lwHK5jVvcaWx36-YDnJMveKu5psZ5DXDgRpQbQRpJQfk7mSjM2Z9mUaT8nvEabeEuPBW6Q0q7b0S2_16DBgG4rV4OjnkyrHZF-5EROZBYkGPtV9NuadHuubXm-teP8Zsg-TtuIM/s320/keep+christ+in+christmas+not+santa.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-43957896471785830782011-11-27T17:27:00.000-08:002011-11-27T22:27:11.558-08:00Simply Waiting Again...Searching...<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Who in time past were not a people: but are now the people of God. Who had not obtained mercy; but now have obtained mercy.”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(1 Peter 2:9-10, Douay Rheims)</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaQoIqtLsEHhi87gfPWE_9LTCvFp9YuA8fNzc62ADuIdk6KDmCM81Z5d6yRjyFETGSOKbj1qwF-BveD6jAW5SPmXZAFLJhMAnLM6-LC9snEuaiWOoAaEBaQoiwR0HAwmefgUSxKakZBI/s1600/liturgseason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaQoIqtLsEHhi87gfPWE_9LTCvFp9YuA8fNzc62ADuIdk6KDmCM81Z5d6yRjyFETGSOKbj1qwF-BveD6jAW5SPmXZAFLJhMAnLM6-LC9snEuaiWOoAaEBaQoiwR0HAwmefgUSxKakZBI/s320/liturgseason.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Another eventful year 2011, is about to come to a close...a new one beginning again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The economics around the world looked set to become another mess created by the greed of humans and the so-called, superpowers. Many continue to be slaves to the world, to debts, to the restlessness and anxiousness of today. Where most people around the world are led to the popular idea that Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Germany, Spain are the primary cause of this global economic downturn, many still believe that the real and present threat is quietly erupting in the United States, especially.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In any case, it is always the story of the poor becoming poorer and the rich simply gets wealthier by the day. Doesn’t this sound all too familiar during the time of Jesus as well...the mighty Egyptians against the Hebrews, the Romans, and the Samaritans, the lepers, the marginalized... This world has never learnt and never changed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Quietly, but surely, the holy season of <span style="color: purple;">Advent</span> comes upon us again; November 27, 2011. It is simply a time of waiting, a time of preparing, a time to examine, a time for renewal, conversion, turning back to God...most of all, a 4-Sundays journey to receive Jesus Christ anew at Christmas...a new beginning to the Roman Catholic Church liturgical calendar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Coincidently, according to the Holy Quran, Allah has given that it is also the first day of the first peaceful and sacred Muharram month of the Islamic calendar...yet, fighting is still ever prevalent all across the land, all over the world...greed, abuse, abortion, corruption, bribes, marginalization, crimes, conspiracy, etc!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Many <span style="color: purple;">Advents</span> has come and gone, with renewal still lacking. The soul of the world has not changed much, yet, materially, nothing looks the same. We recall that the simple word “<span style="color: purple;">Advent</span>” originates from the Latin word “ad venio”, meaning “to come”, and thus refers to the waiting of the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whether it is winter, spring, summer or fall...this sacred season is filled with expectations for many, waiting, waiting... Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, we must remember that this period is a journey towards satisfying our longing for Jesus Christ – the Word made flesh...coming to dwell amongst us...bringing hope to many...the Messiah in the form of a baby born in Bethlehem!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Is there any room for Him in the inns of our hectic hearts? We must always remember who we are in the presence of God, the source of all life, all joy, peace; without whom we are nothing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“...Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”</span> (Apocalypse of St John – Revelations 22:20, Douay Rheims)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Aramaic word, <span style="color: purple;">Maranatha</span> reminds us to continue to invite Jesus Christ the Lord into our hearts! God does not care about our past; He simply wants us to know who we are and who we can be.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4FEDACwMTGyoxKJhX773ECkkgoQYK50Szq3tSk9-4pmOcp35-BoLG_NPsoQYcaxfL0TALbpxaxccSkf3gLjVyS4ZmyLVNydOWm46NvrU6fyRpLSxmrDhwCSOrz-vAuJbJpQTsIm-k4A/s1600/ph_emmanuel_595x250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4FEDACwMTGyoxKJhX773ECkkgoQYK50Szq3tSk9-4pmOcp35-BoLG_NPsoQYcaxfL0TALbpxaxccSkf3gLjVyS4ZmyLVNydOWm46NvrU6fyRpLSxmrDhwCSOrz-vAuJbJpQTsIm-k4A/s400/ph_emmanuel_595x250.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Jesus, the same Messiah foretold in the prophecies of Isaiah, the lost lamb whom the poor shepherds found amidst their flock on a quiet night, the same King in a faraway manger whom the three humble kings searched and adored on bended knees with gifts of gold (<em>royalty, authority</em>), frankincense (<em>holy priesthood</em>) and myrrh (<em>healer</em>)...Glory to God on High, Jesus, in Hebrew, the Emmanuel...is with us...God is always with us each day. Simply wait and listen to His voice!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A Blessed and <span style="color: purple;">Holy Advent</span> to one and all as we journey together, as one people, as one human race, towards Christmas! I have been quiet for a while but sometimes, silence is good for the soul... With your prayers, it is my sincere wish this season is to be able to share more of my simple thoughts with all of you, for the glory of Him who created me, gives me life and sustained me. Praying that each one of you have a meaningful <span style="color: purple;">Advent</span> and remain in good spirit.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Simply be quiet,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Simply be watchful,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Be extra patient</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and listen for the still, small whisper of God,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Who is waiting to touch you with joy...give meaning to your journey</span></div><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Like Mary and Joseph, we, too must remain simple and simply remember that Jesus is an unconditional gift from God to us and that He came to die for all, so that each one of us may simply live...and find eternal life!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-46153212837771431592011-10-26T00:04:00.000-07:002011-11-16T07:10:24.092-08:00Apple...and the Tree of Life...<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">“Life is this simple: we are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and the divine is shining through it all the time. This is not just a nice story or a fable, it is true. ” </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><div align="center">― Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UF8uR6Z6KLc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Earlier this week, I was reminded of a sharing some years back by the CEO of Apple. Well, cancer somehow finds a way to humble even the giants among us.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, in his interactions with his people, fellow human beings, the late Steve Jobs was not the world's greatest manager. In fact, this very God-gifted person, what the world perceived as, a “visionary” who revolutionized multiple industries with his cutting-edge products could have been, if not, one of the world's worst managers; his management style shrouded with darkness...instead of radiating light.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where he could have reached out and touched many lives, he chose to destroy... constantly demanded excellence from people around him and was known for his blunt delivery of criticism. God seems to have disappeared from his life. Rather, his core obsession was with the change in people's lifestyle through his iPhones, iPads, Apple computers, iPods...everything else with the selfish “i”.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This very simple orphan, who once delivered the inspiring message at the Stanford University, seems to have forgotten how all the simple dots of his life...connected back to God...the ultimate tree of life...the ultimate architect...the ultimate provider.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At the end of the day, God will simply hold us all accountable... Let us then, as simple pilgrims, always remember this throughout our journey through life...we are merely humble instruments of God...sending out tiny ripples to make this world a little better for all...so that others too, whoever they may be, will come to know the loving God...through us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“...keep me, as the <em>apple</em> of thy eye. Protect me under the shadow of thy wings.”</span> (Psalm 16:8, Douay-Rheims)</span><br />
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</div>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-63417873717368766342011-10-19T08:38:00.000-07:002011-10-19T08:40:39.159-07:00Where on Earth is Heaven?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRQ5zGv4zJ8COrP6ONz90leTvxfSf-caFaBvVTNK9VRUPPrM3Gr8tAQfgz0l9C3VuJ3BtErjn9SLZMGVJOV-ighFBcox8kXflmEJvaM4BIYV7C0gsIhHdl97H_MJzkWKwoPHiOIl5eKU/s1600/heaven.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRQ5zGv4zJ8COrP6ONz90leTvxfSf-caFaBvVTNK9VRUPPrM3Gr8tAQfgz0l9C3VuJ3BtErjn9SLZMGVJOV-ighFBcox8kXflmEJvaM4BIYV7C0gsIhHdl97H_MJzkWKwoPHiOIl5eKU/s400/heaven.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last Sunday morning as I was making my way to Church for the Eucharistic Celebration, I came across a Buddhist sticker behind a car windscreen which read, “You can go to Heaven if you do good!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These nine simple words flung me into a deep reflection. Is that all there is to life? Is life truly that simple as many people would think or like to believe? Just doing good and heaven is there for you? Is doing good the only thing that will get a person to heaven? Are all religions the same then, since most teach us to do good? Why would a Buddhist follower even believe in the existence of Heaven; not reincarnation? For that matter, isn’t the thought of Heaven generally associated with Christianity? Where is Heaven? Can anyone dare claim that their place in Heaven is guaranteed?...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwMJFgZaRREfFPHJ9Ibdu4a51VRXp-BkKZEq6Z2qMfKsKtFjJSRGlvoMv-apK9N-bSTkEjLRIXpgOYL20OoM3qImCZOcWvvJNZN1oIqEz3JHiBLRPQQBvNsLvuf8PqEIiMNf6lcMlaXU/s1600/Heaven2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwMJFgZaRREfFPHJ9Ibdu4a51VRXp-BkKZEq6Z2qMfKsKtFjJSRGlvoMv-apK9N-bSTkEjLRIXpgOYL20OoM3qImCZOcWvvJNZN1oIqEz3JHiBLRPQQBvNsLvuf8PqEIiMNf6lcMlaXU/s400/Heaven2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Humans are truly funny creatures, they believe what they want to believe, they start a new christian sect whenever they do not agree with certain teachings. They twist and turn things to their own favor. Most humans do not even know what they themselves believe in! In the case of this Buddhist with the car sticker pronouncing Heaven...what do you call this...fusion Buddhism??</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfB8FXCBh_R7n5aAblngcERy9-2DqvtVEbG2H1-GZxXc-fr6dLSV2mFt7o1j2fNc-FSOXJhAQ9XgsK82ZkBIKJ1RBt5RHA1wYx2bRa-ieQJuINFkShcwxGue5rdwnphyphenhyphenO0ypvZIgeOQE/s1600/thomas-merton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfB8FXCBh_R7n5aAblngcERy9-2DqvtVEbG2H1-GZxXc-fr6dLSV2mFt7o1j2fNc-FSOXJhAQ9XgsK82ZkBIKJ1RBt5RHA1wYx2bRa-ieQJuINFkShcwxGue5rdwnphyphenhyphenO0ypvZIgeOQE/s400/thomas-merton.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My reflective thoughts just came streaming through my mind. Perhaps I too have been a little too pre-occupied with my new job...trying my best to settle in...to deliver a professional level of work...it’s been exactly two months...the opportunity cost? ...neglecting my favorite reflective times...times which I so cherished, spending with the Lord when I was on my Sabbatical for slightly more than a year. Now I tend to speak to Him in a rush, rush mode. Here I am now trying to get that balance back...that equilibrium to be able to share more of my thoughts in this little “SimplyQuiet” corner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Perhaps that car sticker was God's simple way of reminding me...are my actions these days, my priorities...sending the message that if I do good, I will go to Heaven?? Whatever happened to my life and actions being for the glory of God?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Coming back to the sticker...for me, I know that my life is about being constantly in a loving relationship with God, with Jesus Christ...trusting...believing...carrying that hope...the same hope and obedience carried by the Prophets throughout the Old Testament and having this hope come to fulfillment in the New Testament. Life is about surrendering our journey to Jesus and allowing Him to walk with us as our best companion. Truly, the beautiful religion of Christianity...especially Catholic Christianity is such a beautiful gift from God...sharing His Real Presence with us in the transubstantiation of the Bread and Wine into His Body and Blood...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">One cannot know Heaven if one does not know Jesus...and if one does not know Jesus, how can one know God...know Heaven?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If only many others are humble enough to open their hearts...to realize that it was God that chose them and created them...made them to love Him, to serve Him...if only people today take up the gift of Jesus Christ...if only we humans take time to know how Jesus gave up His Divinity to die the most humiliating of death on the Cross for us...that we may come back to Him with all our heart...with all our sinfulness. Sadly, human beings have drifted away into many other world religions, new age beliefs, no beliefs, self beliefs, obsession with the gods of Facebook, Twitter, what have you...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At the end of the day, only if one knows Jesus and is willing to share this life with Him...allowing Him to enter...to purify us...to cleanse us. Only when we acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior... Only when we bend our knees...get rid of our ego...recognise our own sinfulness...only then will Heaven beacons...only then will the land filled with milk and honey become a reality. Only then will our Spirit become one with God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You can go to Heaven if you do good? Perhaps not entirely true, if you have no relationship with Jesus. ...One of the privilege of Christianity is that you can live and experience the same Heaven on earth at this present moment if only you repent and open the door of your heart to let Jesus in. You can go to Heaven only if you recognize Jesus around you...today and everyday...touching lives...making this world a little better...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4KUyoqmCOGdrsTFYjmdT1fbobmz9XNB1fNFHCZzy_5rOlpci-SqjaT_0U6J54cbpc7BovEdLI-t4BawRaFj6SqYxZy0eszAB7gRQ2J3Dp1egIijqphesv8pdtjqg_34UeD5AuypyxLU/s1600/heaven3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4KUyoqmCOGdrsTFYjmdT1fbobmz9XNB1fNFHCZzy_5rOlpci-SqjaT_0U6J54cbpc7BovEdLI-t4BawRaFj6SqYxZy0eszAB7gRQ2J3Dp1egIijqphesv8pdtjqg_34UeD5AuypyxLU/s400/heaven3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The keys to the Kingdom of Heaven was given to Peter, the first Pope of the Catholic Church...therein within the universality of the Church and its Sacraments, coupled with the intercession of Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven and all the Holy Saints and Angels, with the power of the Holy Spirit lies the treasures of the Kingdom of Heaven. Come one, come all...seek and you shall find...ask...and it shall be given to you...open the door and let Jesus in today....don’t just go through life like a car sticker...stuck on the surface with no depth on the knowledge of God behind a car. Instead, allow Jesus to be the lens through which you view and live the world today...I am sure, in that way, you will begin to get a glimpse and experience the richness and peace of Heaven on earth now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.”</span> (Philippians 2:10-11, Douay Rheims)</span><br />
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</span>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-26956590933993180702011-09-29T08:08:00.000-07:002011-09-30T22:25:38.479-07:00Getting Intimate with a Jesuit...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOvMdkBI1c9WmtSJaypCDlTwS-ywQEDdgysIhxii0nAcwostcGEUn4oxhbWwmorGesgsVm7aocIePXgTyT5Xf8r1vvc2XW0wU7XO6J8EgG4QOqaSyoWtqS4biiZGw1etK0V_pgDXmdAQ/s1600/Lightin_Candle_Jesuits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOvMdkBI1c9WmtSJaypCDlTwS-ywQEDdgysIhxii0nAcwostcGEUn4oxhbWwmorGesgsVm7aocIePXgTyT5Xf8r1vvc2XW0wU7XO6J8EgG4QOqaSyoWtqS4biiZGw1etK0V_pgDXmdAQ/s400/Lightin_Candle_Jesuits.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Part 1:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://youtu.be/MVqMH5jNqE8"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://youtu.be/MVqMH5jNqE8</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Part 2:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://youtu.be/VbZkiDiarIk"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://youtu.be/VbZkiDiarIk</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The goal of our life is to live with God forever.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">God who loves us, gave us life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Our own response of love allows God's life to flow into</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">us without limit.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All the things in this world are gifts of God,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">presented to us so that we can know God more easily</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and make a return of love more readily.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As a result, we appreciate and use all of these gifts of God</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">insofar as they help us develop as loving persons.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But if any of these gifts become the center of our lives,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">they displace God</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and so hinder our growth toward our goal.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In everyday life, then, we must hold ourselves in balance</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">before all of these created gifts insofar as we have a choice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and are not bound by some obligation.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We should not fix our desires on health or sickness,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">wealth or poverty, success or failure, a long life or short one.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For everything has the potential of calling forth in us</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">a deeper response to our life in God.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Our only desire and our one choice should be this:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I want and I choose what better</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">leads to the deepening of God's life in me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>St. Ignatius of Loyola, from the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises</em></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
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</div>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-35544603814796280782011-09-27T08:09:00.000-07:002011-09-28T07:48:19.938-07:00The World...Always Losing Heart...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZ9JgyeJDeCrPC_zboPa_mVWg6pm9T6XlvoGX1e2C7o47z-LqjIS8tecJc03l-3ZCyvWvITtOiTMve6NWzVC1BntrgT78qIfrZKxewJcViYVtqdgI7R4bhNrDK4gzr0r_r5ddtVTJA_k/s1600/economic+meltdown3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZ9JgyeJDeCrPC_zboPa_mVWg6pm9T6XlvoGX1e2C7o47z-LqjIS8tecJc03l-3ZCyvWvITtOiTMve6NWzVC1BntrgT78qIfrZKxewJcViYVtqdgI7R4bhNrDK4gzr0r_r5ddtVTJA_k/s320/economic+meltdown3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Once upon a time, just a couple of years back, not so long ago, huge mega financial companies, such as Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and AIG came tumbling down, and government officials were scrambling to prevent a global financial meltdown. These people cooked up bailouts and pushed weak companies to merge with stronger ones. The government has “fooled” the people into believing that investors were reassured and that order was restored in the financial system.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, these bitter lessons were never ever learnt and the consequences are still being felt today in the USA...Europe...Asia...all over the world. Tough and difficult times continue for humanity, the world over. Certain powers and hidden forces that be and self proclaimed economists, bankers, officials at the top seem to have done it again in their quest to feed their insatiable egoistic pursuit; at the expense of the people, their lives, their families, friends....</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PGlJ8In593IoZPdPxD5ObkluU9zW8ham5gytw1mckaXrZMo2krqM66Og9AkPdXN3MPuNrVjCAf03-HfqwN4IgG9gWKOe0LuCkVZGiXlEiG5EI-qw3SwN8ye5qCF5T71aZkKNOM-XFqg/s1600/economic+meltdown2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PGlJ8In593IoZPdPxD5ObkluU9zW8ham5gytw1mckaXrZMo2krqM66Og9AkPdXN3MPuNrVjCAf03-HfqwN4IgG9gWKOe0LuCkVZGiXlEiG5EI-qw3SwN8ye5qCF5T71aZkKNOM-XFqg/s320/economic+meltdown2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whilst the US National Debt clock keeps ticking and its ratings downgraded, more than 300 million Americans indirectly have a vested “share” of this debt! Americans feel the painful effects. Mr. President, where is the basic risk management skills and early warning system of your so-called “esteemed” government?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Across the globe, bearish international investors have also coined a new term for the countries that they believe are the weak links of the Euro Zone, facing debt crisis: PIIGS — which basically stands for Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain. Greece, the home the peaceful monastery in Mount Athos, barely avoided a major bankruptcy in June 2011, looks set to default the October deadline...Greece is sinking...imminent default in sight!...many predict that Greece will go into depression!...the rest of Europe into a recession.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdygMXLrr49N0uzsKf0nZNOtYNxaAD1edf9Ek7fdYU1TMGvWf5j-XPZYh66Yb1-fm3GjHbo1uAKDkgjNLeW7387fXXtHMJh1rthjWdbON1Dmytk_ck6M2vuQfyzi290hnstz9MfAFbyU/s1600/economic-meltdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdygMXLrr49N0uzsKf0nZNOtYNxaAD1edf9Ek7fdYU1TMGvWf5j-XPZYh66Yb1-fm3GjHbo1uAKDkgjNLeW7387fXXtHMJh1rthjWdbON1Dmytk_ck6M2vuQfyzi290hnstz9MfAFbyU/s320/economic-meltdown.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Will the US become like Greece? Will this event be another Black Swan event? Are the world super powers going to be red-faced again? Has not the bitter events of 9/11 taught some humility and responsibility to the US government?? Whilst healing have taken place slowly and painfully amongst the loved ones of the departed, the US government, the Central Bankers, the Federal Reserve have all turn a deaf ear to the future of the American people. Ah, politicians will forever be selfish politicians...so was it Osama or Bush or Obama’s conspiracy???</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25XwKf6DW_W7xxh29_bCv-XUGMvaJ0CZUIcl1MXzaKNwF5wZUYZPyYz-PsyemAtsck5WE5h9cAABTrMKIOXRpveGvP3Ppoko6WW-5alIhXj_9DP2k5TTJJqisS9tbkvcc8AA7UI4L3Mc/s1600/economic+meltdown+4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25XwKf6DW_W7xxh29_bCv-XUGMvaJ0CZUIcl1MXzaKNwF5wZUYZPyYz-PsyemAtsck5WE5h9cAABTrMKIOXRpveGvP3Ppoko6WW-5alIhXj_9DP2k5TTJJqisS9tbkvcc8AA7UI4L3Mc/s320/economic+meltdown+4.gif" width="246" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In Asia, stock markets becomes volatile and are crashing in response to these adverse developments...many innocent investors and companies are caught...capital positions of many companies, heavily invested in equities are threatened by negative unrealized losses in the financial statements.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2B6xHMuA9MASNl2mjqoO1C0IuDiHlJiGVFOURjgWs3dXQ-T5hUnZ35l79wPIzMCpSSO6JrPKs7oRREbis-NOtR8lywLjctpejB5d05NullZulX5C4USqzXco1PzvY7JwV87kLapJg1U/s1600/economic+meltdown+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2B6xHMuA9MASNl2mjqoO1C0IuDiHlJiGVFOURjgWs3dXQ-T5hUnZ35l79wPIzMCpSSO6JrPKs7oRREbis-NOtR8lywLjctpejB5d05NullZulX5C4USqzXco1PzvY7JwV87kLapJg1U/s320/economic+meltdown+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The reason why so many people have lost heart today is that they feel both confused and powerless...helpless to see their future...to choose their own lives. Everything that had seemed so important – stock options, investments, affluent lifestyles – suddenly begins to fade, yet again. The world is facing a crisis of meaning yet again...life becoming more complex these days. Where is Jesus in America? Where is Jesus in Europe? Where is Jesus in the world? Most of all, where is Jesus in our lives?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuGKNhr7yTiq1ZN5iJP_aRFUftYGE4jSYV7Wq1ucdBGn3i2P3Bgkg6zFOx8ZvVztUoL7q8xZPWlrZD_3YvgfW4wiDmtzVHtnf_sZed03pvGLrP8AoU4YGLFvYp0F_SmtFC9KJUhPRlI8/s1600/where+is+jesus2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuGKNhr7yTiq1ZN5iJP_aRFUftYGE4jSYV7Wq1ucdBGn3i2P3Bgkg6zFOx8ZvVztUoL7q8xZPWlrZD_3YvgfW4wiDmtzVHtnf_sZed03pvGLrP8AoU4YGLFvYp0F_SmtFC9KJUhPRlI8/s400/where+is+jesus2.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr, shared that, <span style="color: blue;">“Belief hinged on what could be proven by a certain paradigm called science. Science assumed – and this became the arrogance of the modern mind – that it knew more than anybody else ever had! ...It told us that education, reason and science would make the world a better place. ...Now, in fact, we have a lot of new diseases and many insolvable diseases of the mind and soul. ...The inner world of meaning has not been fed. (The world today)...is starved for meaning, grasping at anything and everything. This is a terrible dilemma to live under.”</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkirdiUofcUCyKjjVO9CAzX-tnPjNIn7itWHqLFX1U9Q1kB1U-A3rMGRehzZppaPstX6gcrsfJOu_m60nC8zneOhpkkqXgZvp-0PnTAj9RI09q7WZqtv95AxDro8xXmKxry0XKLf3ulQ/s1600/faith-hope-love2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkirdiUofcUCyKjjVO9CAzX-tnPjNIn7itWHqLFX1U9Q1kB1U-A3rMGRehzZppaPstX6gcrsfJOu_m60nC8zneOhpkkqXgZvp-0PnTAj9RI09q7WZqtv95AxDro8xXmKxry0XKLf3ulQ/s320/faith-hope-love2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here, it is timely that we remember the following episode in the life of our Lord...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“...and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there. Making a whip out of cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, sheep and cattle as well, scattered the money changers' coins, knocked their tables over and said to the dove sellers, “Take all this out of here and stop using my Father's house as a market.””</span> (John 2:14-16, New Jerusalem Bible)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMG7ILUYTHGfdWPD4iiY1rg659I-SKHUUaEHFnOj-2gBghRZBlH6lVBSQ-YyBHhASlEbRxftk8dzQJf3kHddXN4MTnmeDImiEsW0nEpl4jQygnVan4llG8NQuy-od93M0KN-00zQCUIo/s1600/meaning+of+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMG7ILUYTHGfdWPD4iiY1rg659I-SKHUUaEHFnOj-2gBghRZBlH6lVBSQ-YyBHhASlEbRxftk8dzQJf3kHddXN4MTnmeDImiEsW0nEpl4jQygnVan4llG8NQuy-od93M0KN-00zQCUIo/s320/meaning+of+life.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What are the real values held by politicians elected to hold public office, whose fundamental mission is to serve the people, to protect them and build them a better future? What are the priorities of humanity? In continuous pursuit of potential upside in the stock market or to seek the Lord who have created us and called us by name? Humanity seems to have lost the inner compass time and again. It is sad that the so-called “developed” world today, despite countless gentle “reminders” from the loving Father, is still wandering aimlessly and getting all lost again...</span><br />
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</span>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-31438325211375206802011-09-19T08:54:00.000-07:002011-09-19T08:56:06.421-07:00Internet Down...SimplyQuiet...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34zmB0Oo_V26PtsUYXRpp8hq25MFev60KshtzEkd4YcqDnnad49LdgOVTrsaKqqjfjLahohyec_l8S-wsrYKkbO8fk-3elrk_Y9haJWNENm0KjSnxisTAMtxaHrTfwrkMy4xRSxQqN2c/s1600/no-internet-connection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34zmB0Oo_V26PtsUYXRpp8hq25MFev60KshtzEkd4YcqDnnad49LdgOVTrsaKqqjfjLahohyec_l8S-wsrYKkbO8fk-3elrk_Y9haJWNENm0KjSnxisTAMtxaHrTfwrkMy4xRSxQqN2c/s400/no-internet-connection.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Just a quick post to share with all that my wireless router was down for a while...therefore, absolutely no access to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">the internet...hence, my quiet absence for the last couple of days...or weeks! Last weekend, my internet has been restored...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“</span></span>We should not absent ourselves from the assembly, as some do, but encourage one another.”</span> (Hebrew 10:25)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Life's journey is beginning to pick up, in terms of intensity, for me, after getting back to full time employment. At the same time</span>, I am having some minor challenges finding the time to blog...to share my light with many others out there. The discipline which I enjoy for the past year seem to be fading a little, distracted by the demands of the working life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The corporate world can be demanding but I am enjoying my new tour of duty. Please be patient as I will be back soon and hopefully...more revitalised.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Someone, <span style="color: black;">once said, <span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“</span></span>with great power, comes great responsibility”</span><span style="color: black;">...</span>for me, it would be the ultimate responsibility to become an obedient disciple of Jesus Christ....a humble instrument of the Lord.</span></span>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-40458276336672783782011-09-03T10:12:00.000-07:002011-09-03T10:12:28.893-07:00Remembering 9/11...Reunited with Each Other...With God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9cdQV2PqUbiIU4GQ0oJcIeJSdwPhIOoWv6wcIjAOqhcANB16eWqm5fncIdFtUyCHqgueLxEXwzoYFCtv89i4UOOjhwRtB1ZxcGIbDotjmjCJmL-bIotfb-OLP5YEY7H5uwS5BfIdpb8/s1600/911_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9cdQV2PqUbiIU4GQ0oJcIeJSdwPhIOoWv6wcIjAOqhcANB16eWqm5fncIdFtUyCHqgueLxEXwzoYFCtv89i4UOOjhwRtB1ZxcGIbDotjmjCJmL-bIotfb-OLP5YEY7H5uwS5BfIdpb8/s400/911_3.jpg" width="370" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">September 11. 2001...more commonly known these days as 9/11...seemed like a simply quiet and normal Tuesday morning in New York City.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I remember I was at an evening bible study meeting half way across the globe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Down in New York City, nothing seemed unusual...nothing lookked extraordinary...faceless people sending their kids to school...grabbing their quick breakfast...reading the papers...packing breakfast...catching the bus...the tube...hugging their loved ones...kissing their good byes...for some...whereas for others...getting into an argument...not talking...no home to go to...unwanted...marginalized...living out their last days...on board their very last suicidal flight...American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77 and United Airlines Flight 93...worst still, those who fell or jumped off the tragic floors of the World Trade Center’s North and South Twin Towers....the Pentagon...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYYguWS6Gv1mAsTaVpZd9PuJLIQ62sFzTKdLYem-6aF5Qk_rPIdZHbVkHQb1LhIExYFN8aOWPFN5nttv13S1WRuzWg4xRN4VeqqaJFG1CxdyqSp6HOVu6OBY7T_1iQgDrbqOiaRMHP2U/s1600/911_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYYguWS6Gv1mAsTaVpZd9PuJLIQ62sFzTKdLYem-6aF5Qk_rPIdZHbVkHQb1LhIExYFN8aOWPFN5nttv13S1WRuzWg4xRN4VeqqaJFG1CxdyqSp6HOVu6OBY7T_1iQgDrbqOiaRMHP2U/s400/911_2.jpg" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Do you remember what you were doing on that fateful day?...when...just about everyone, suddenly remembered God...reaching out to Him...coming home to Him...talking to Him...praying - pleading...crying...begging...reconciling...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcVCQ3Quh5KNIIWFyyzyJBu4EQBhLv4vuaj_-71GHn-Ezn3m7dXyZ0WT7iSgnI7S7tpSnK4gT8-TpRqN_iV3VjbOn_T2ac36qEnPUbNqhEYYL7ceNir1YJE_p0O13d3z3RWNhLY4L0Pw/s1600/911_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcVCQ3Quh5KNIIWFyyzyJBu4EQBhLv4vuaj_-71GHn-Ezn3m7dXyZ0WT7iSgnI7S7tpSnK4gT8-TpRqN_iV3VjbOn_T2ac36qEnPUbNqhEYYL7ceNir1YJE_p0O13d3z3RWNhLY4L0Pw/s400/911_1.jpg" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On that day...the world stood still and witnessed the powerful United States cruelly brought down to their knees...humbled, at the expense of many, many innocent Americans...2,977 victims per official reports...someone else’s mother, father, daughter, son, brother, sister, friend, neighbor, colleague...a created human being whose life was suddenly and cruelly taken away...the words of Job rings aloud...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“...Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done: blessed be the name of the Lord.”</span> (Job 1:21, Douay Rheims)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One often wonders how does God ever fit into the everyday lives of the people in a big, cosmopolitan, noisy and seductive city like New York? The city that never sleeps...try telling this to the brave emergency workers, firemen, paramedics, medical units, armed forces, chaplains, volunteers...at Ground Zero...where humanity was once again reunited with each other and most importantly with God. Suddenly, the noise and seduction of big New York City does not seem to be so distracting after all...it really does not matter about the outside...as much as what was felt deep inside...the emptiness...the loss...the void...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Only when you empty yourself completely...can God fill your heart...and your soul...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglG3-qZJGJ1BwrZunc8-xf3KbcGvhN9A1rwN-U5n5xkKeMfqGD3DRD7JipA82NxKuwHCQ13gbK2aSHNG62UmeulDWDC-1E8detNkpuPPFFZT-50OYTPfuUlWH8Nv9-vDF_AjH7KIBw0Q4/s1600/911_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglG3-qZJGJ1BwrZunc8-xf3KbcGvhN9A1rwN-U5n5xkKeMfqGD3DRD7JipA82NxKuwHCQ13gbK2aSHNG62UmeulDWDC-1E8detNkpuPPFFZT-50OYTPfuUlWH8Nv9-vDF_AjH7KIBw0Q4/s400/911_5.jpg" width="293" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Americans have always known wars in foreign soil...Vietnam, Afghanistan, Kosovo...but never in their own back yard...the center of a great city... not far from the New York Harbor with the torch of the Statue of Liberty and Freedom held high...9/11 struck!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Soon after, there was so much anger...so much unforgiveness...so much vengeance...so much hatred...even today, continues to reverberate in many hearts and minds...terror for terror...is this, the only answer...as the US continue its spending on defense (against what?) and its relentless attacks on oil fields in the Middle East.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As Pilate said to Jesus, “What is truth?” ...Terrorism?...Political Conspiracy? ...Does it matter anymore? ...when innocent lives are lost?? ...Such is the price humanity must pay...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd8Kc9xgfNcbaYttrH87_5iP_icgC9_KLJmggYEGK5PzYlsFQWg-aYgbXzDMi8ifhnhfUIhjBL2T9drF79VHfiKJSXpjpKG881bjp_ENT5-cTF7mZ4GuW4WTUGS5Jsg61IzshDqZMlKk/s1600/911_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd8Kc9xgfNcbaYttrH87_5iP_icgC9_KLJmggYEGK5PzYlsFQWg-aYgbXzDMi8ifhnhfUIhjBL2T9drF79VHfiKJSXpjpKG881bjp_ENT5-cTF7mZ4GuW4WTUGS5Jsg61IzshDqZMlKk/s400/911_6.jpg" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Where was God? Why did God let this happen? Was this, rather, the work of mankind in their selfish quest for power and personal glory? The consequence of the sins of humanity against humanity? ...against God?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So much for our human finite understanding of God...why do we need events or tragedies such as these to help humanity remember? Who is God really, for you, in your life? A punishing God? A loving God? An absent God? A non-existent God? An unknowing God? A God amongst many other worldly gods...wealth, materialism, success, etc?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kKwQWBcu-xG4qMGG4j3cbGj7_8tv7IBgm-5nRBD-3taRPpX1IfZCsUkhClQlnttude4zHtXw0b80wmIZatN9Mp8j3u7asVAj_F8XGnlI9ypa-aeyMdriJkUedkcHjJ2eSnUkyxgGtJ0/s1600/911_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kKwQWBcu-xG4qMGG4j3cbGj7_8tv7IBgm-5nRBD-3taRPpX1IfZCsUkhClQlnttude4zHtXw0b80wmIZatN9Mp8j3u7asVAj_F8XGnlI9ypa-aeyMdriJkUedkcHjJ2eSnUkyxgGtJ0/s400/911_7.jpg" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For such a long time, the world have witnessed the US slavery era in the 1600s, World War I in 1914, World War II in 1939, the Holocaust and bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, South Africa under apartheid from 1948, the Korean War in 1950, the Vietnam War in 1955, great Chinese Famine in 1959, the assassination of President JFK in 1963, AIDS Pandemic beginning in 1981, Chernobyl Nuclear disaster in 1986, Rwanda genocide in 1994, Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004...sins of abortion and many, many more suffering and deaths around the globe which are even much worst off than 9/11...but, on that fateful day, the world was in solidarity with the USA...the world offered their prayers and comfort...as good and caring neighbors sharing the same planet...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdNNy93hwaqDEHVlhpwL3eyX1xp14g3f-Y2HPUwBm-GWqvnnb0IP1iYkhfuaFF8BDslsVXCRmiNekpj3ONJP_4Irunw2sbHxX21ya7OV1CTitf5IJBQ2enhU1BAS3jMtbedlqlMQXxa4/s1600/911r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdNNy93hwaqDEHVlhpwL3eyX1xp14g3f-Y2HPUwBm-GWqvnnb0IP1iYkhfuaFF8BDslsVXCRmiNekpj3ONJP_4Irunw2sbHxX21ya7OV1CTitf5IJBQ2enhU1BAS3jMtbedlqlMQXxa4/s400/911r.jpg" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Nevertheless, we want to still remember and respect those whom we lost on that fateful day of 9/11 and throughout history amongst the many other tragedies around the world...may their souls find eternal rest and the world find healing and peace. May the price that they paid be worthwhile for the spiritual growth of the world...where each and every country can have great influence over the future of the world we live in...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tragedies, pain and suffering are something we humans simply cannot control...but what we can do in response is to simply allow these events, become turning points, to help us reconnect with one another and with God...bringing much spiritual meaning and maturity to supposedly, meaningless innocent suffering and sacrifices.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICbkdViJHOXfc0NP6ilqO729YCNhj-1BOiRnlaELjNi0AVrGHdh7CQH15rEtnCD7uBYfHl_QM8wHZupwh5NobZTv5lG0ioFqYL7ZeCBF6oWubz-9wcCjw1bZabbw6RQMzJxYo1hSZE-4/s1600/Jesus_Back_in_America.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICbkdViJHOXfc0NP6ilqO729YCNhj-1BOiRnlaELjNi0AVrGHdh7CQH15rEtnCD7uBYfHl_QM8wHZupwh5NobZTv5lG0ioFqYL7ZeCBF6oWubz-9wcCjw1bZabbw6RQMzJxYo1hSZE-4/s400/Jesus_Back_in_America.jpg" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We must draw strength from Jesus who journeyed the Via Dolorosa and learn to view such world tragedies and human suffering through the lenses of His wounds on the Cross. Forgiveness and change will then become possible because, as obedient Christian disciples, others will then see and know the love of Christ through us – our spoken words, our actions, our silence and also our non-action...our generous love...a love which the world knows so little of these days.</span><br />
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</span>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-24779583051361400212011-08-30T09:18:00.000-07:002011-08-30T09:40:56.736-07:00God's Grace to Grow in Stewardship<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not serving to the eye, as pleasing men, but in simplicity of heart, fearing God. Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.”</span> (Colossians 3:22-24, Douay Rheims)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKncrp7dnOqF2pc8tnN_rWskF2kq3zhQebPp_jfsgSIiBkHLCPzloSwZz1sPXJ5FYjNiDnjG4-NPwJQdC7AWbRD9S6-FeoC5B3v0oFW-Qd22r__b6MMnfBlYbFQeUodby63XwQjlnnGw/s1600/work_life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKncrp7dnOqF2pc8tnN_rWskF2kq3zhQebPp_jfsgSIiBkHLCPzloSwZz1sPXJ5FYjNiDnjG4-NPwJQdC7AWbRD9S6-FeoC5B3v0oFW-Qd22r__b6MMnfBlYbFQeUodby63XwQjlnnGw/s400/work_life.jpg" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It has been quite sometime since my last piece of journal on this blog. Many events have happened since then...on my journey. I still feel sad when I recollect the sudden departure of my good companion and friend...only two weeks ago...but just seem like yesterday. Sad or not, life for me must still go on...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04OaWRoJIBdJGJj0puzavTQnWRxxfSDjIbjngW8p40RYYvlzNbClWukjbrQNa_8TK8wuugA7YM3GwFEbJ_xP1bpXuT6QBq6AdjJXTwO3UFCBDTCnolWadyjK8bNFU9O9gJs4taQtZHLg/s1600/Future-Past-Present.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04OaWRoJIBdJGJj0puzavTQnWRxxfSDjIbjngW8p40RYYvlzNbClWukjbrQNa_8TK8wuugA7YM3GwFEbJ_xP1bpXuT6QBq6AdjJXTwO3UFCBDTCnolWadyjK8bNFU9O9gJs4taQtZHLg/s320/Future-Past-Present.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Coincidently, I have been back working in the corporate world...the very week after my best friend’s funeral. I still remember my last conversation with him, just the week before...he advised me to give it a shot...get back to employment...as there are still so many lives I am capable of reaching out to and touching. My friend, I have taken your last words into heart...we are indeed God's gift to the world...our lives are meant to be shared...our light...to brighten where it is dark...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But then, my dear companion never stayed long enough to hear the good news...that I have successfully got the job...on the very day after he passed on. In fact, the phone call came when I was at the wake at his residence near the coastal waters off the Straits of Malacca...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sometimes, the happenings in life are such a paradox...emotions of sadness and joy all mixed up...one just does not know what to feel anymore. What I know is that my journey from this point onwards will miss the cherished companionship of a very dear friend. Nevertheless, I thank God for bringing him into my life and will always hold his words in my heart...guess this must have been similar of how the twelve disciples must have felt when Jesus suddenly left them at Golgotha...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUv-7N5Wli2GrocCyTRBffaVF20FFMf6d6ri2nMbpqNmPSG0_Mfb2_75O7rSBAdBEazWiSTGsb0seTrZ87pEsn9Tb1g7jdmsUR6EQxIEKwQpIL-uZWTUVFnGCeEDxtFi5IxSNNcWlxGxc/s1600/life+mystery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUv-7N5Wli2GrocCyTRBffaVF20FFMf6d6ri2nMbpqNmPSG0_Mfb2_75O7rSBAdBEazWiSTGsb0seTrZ87pEsn9Tb1g7jdmsUR6EQxIEKwQpIL-uZWTUVFnGCeEDxtFi5IxSNNcWlxGxc/s320/life+mystery.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Me getting a new job and losing a dear friend...at the same moment? Perhaps the Lord has a hidden message for me...somewhere under the blanket of these events in life. Perhaps Jesus wants me to bring His Light back into the world...perhaps there are lives I must still reach out and touch... Perhaps, I must walk the rest of this journey without my good friend...perhaps, my dear friend is called onto another journey somewhere else...perhaps there is more learning for me...perhaps I require more refining...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whatever it is, I remain the humble instrument of the Lord... Once we have experienced God’s merciful grace and forgiveness in our lives...surely we are obligated to share and pass this on joyfully and willingly to many others who have yet to experience the same...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2R4UT_JvQj3pujpVLJKYJcBCyPI3kwASWVSj_3GWw92c4VaTHDYOiS8GOcci1_3uul00QRhKQ6MFKbiEtV02CaclQTyF5jhGwWYd_Kpfzh9Wf8HcYp7f4AehOJnKg6HwdaalNcUvVWos/s1600/I+am+with+you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2R4UT_JvQj3pujpVLJKYJcBCyPI3kwASWVSj_3GWw92c4VaTHDYOiS8GOcci1_3uul00QRhKQ6MFKbiEtV02CaclQTyF5jhGwWYd_Kpfzh9Wf8HcYp7f4AehOJnKg6HwdaalNcUvVWos/s400/I+am+with+you.jpg" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For me, two weeks have passed into the corporate world...the landscape of my journey is beginning to change again...yet my mission remains the same...to do my small part, in partnership with God, in making this world a little better; with my strength anchored on God alone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My time management has gone a bit wacko since then as I re-orientate myself and settle into this new position. What I have realized these past 2 weeks is that I must be even more disciplined, spiritually, as I pursue my new journey; as a disciple of Christ...amidst the “noise” and “seduction” of this crazy world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Trying to be simple amidst the “complexities” and “complications” of the competitive entrepreneur world is never easy. To achieve this spiritual equilibrium, I have fallen back to rely on the basic foundation of prayer and the rosary...coupled with much scriptural and spiritual reading. This has helped, to a certain extent, to sustain me and maintain a calm “center”...not forgetting the Holy Eucharist which I am so privilege to receive at each Friday noon mass, given that my new place of employment is within walking distance to a cathedral. Thank God for that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Don’t get me wrong but I am indeed pleased to be back to work again...I know that my past sabbatical year has helped formed me somehow, to face the competitive business world with much more composure, confidence, spiritual maturity and priority.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Indeed God continues to work in mysterious ways...He has a unique plan for all of us...if we but be obedient to His ways. Although we are sinners, He loves each one of us all the same. So, here I am, Lord...is it I, Lord?...I will go, Lord, if you need me!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnUZHoF3s1umhyphenhyphenaUFarBBNBjCK7tCQdrlNBlJfXbg0Ty28dYU2v0vFxItKs1fytutuRLzh8dH7eYV0NZbu5I5NqyPOhX60mXaiQSUacpKYPyLl1C5ezkUU9ec60AWRhndh_i-zBakGi8/s1600/here+I+am+lord.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnUZHoF3s1umhyphenhyphenaUFarBBNBjCK7tCQdrlNBlJfXbg0Ty28dYU2v0vFxItKs1fytutuRLzh8dH7eYV0NZbu5I5NqyPOhX60mXaiQSUacpKYPyLl1C5ezkUU9ec60AWRhndh_i-zBakGi8/s400/here+I+am+lord.png" width="400" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I just pray that my humble listening to Him, discerning...and obedience in journeying this route through the waves of life...will bring only more glory to His Holy Name. I pray that He will continue to guide me in all my decisions and actions. May He increase as I decrease...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">“You have seduced me, Yahweh, and I have let myself be seduced...”</span> (Jeremiah 20:7, NJB)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ultimately, I know that</span> I am “employed” by God and He remains my first “boss”. As a Catholic Christian, I also know that my work on earth is a spiritual stewardship; not a secular necessity. What I contribute, in any small way, at my workplace must serve His purposes with the utmost integrity and fit into His entire plan for Creation and the Universe. I, a mere servant, partner with God through my “sacred” worldly responsibilities to bring life to this “dying” world and humanity. By the grace and mercy of God, I now have another opportunity to grow in my stewardship at work...placing all my trust in God alone. Alleluia!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">“Otherwise, you might say in your heart, “It is my own power and the strength of my own hand that has got me this wealth.” Remember then the Lord, your God, for he is the one who gives you the power to get wealth, by fulfilling, as he has now done, the covenant he swore to your ancestors. But if you do forget the Lord, your God, and go after other gods, serving and bowing down to them, I bear witness to you this day that you will perish utterly.”</span> (Deuteronomy 8:17-19, NAB)</span><br />
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</span>Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740064223443265592.post-1977236729074301512011-08-09T18:50:00.000-07:002011-08-12T05:26:38.650-07:00Your Life...Truly Raised Me Up...<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”-</span> Thich Nhat Hanh</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A day has past and many are mourning your sudden departure...suddenly ending this journey without a single word of farewell...no warnings. Life is indeed very fragile.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tan Chee Wee, my friend...as funeral arrangements are being made for tomorrow and you continue to simply lie quietly on the cold stainless steel autopsy table at the hospital last night, I recalled you once shared of your favorite song, entitled, You Raised Me Up. This was right after you attended a live concert with your spouse, one by British tenor, Russell Watson.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You mentioned that the every word of this song was especially meaningful to you. As a simple tribute to celebrate your short but meaningful and simple life, here is a more solemn version by Celtic Woman...for your now-lonely spouse and 3 young children who must surely miss your fatherly presence but must still persevere on with the journey, ageing parents who mourn the loss of their little boy, your siblings, friends...everyone who met you on this journey through life...indeed, you too have raised many of us up in many, many simple and quiet ways.</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When troubles come and my heart burdened be;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Until you come and sit awhile with me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up: To more than I can be.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up: To more than I can be.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There is no life - no life without its hunger;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But when you come and I am filled with wonder,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up: To more than I can be.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up: To more than I can be.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You raise me up: To more than I can be. </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chee Wee, you know that life belongs only to God...it is not to be lived selfishly but to be given away... Lingering in our minds will be your simple smile and open heart. Your life have touched many... May your soul rest in peace, my dear friend! You will always be in our hearts...never ever be forgotten...</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person’s suffering and bring that person joy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: purple;">...To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”</span> Thich Nhat Hanh </span><br />
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Pilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06275875135905335163noreply@blogger.com0