Moving into the Most Holy Week of Human History

We truly praise the Most Holy Name of Jesus and give full glory to Him alone who humbled himself to save us.

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.

Christmas...very simply...Christ becoming man...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 (John 1:1, Douay-Rheims)

 

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

(John 1:4, Douay-Rheims)

 

 

 

 

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.

(John 1:4, Douay-Rheims)

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Gift of Another Year...of Faith

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...

 

To the everlasting Father,
And the Son who made us free
And the Spirit, God proceeding
From them Each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might and endless majesty.
Amen.

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.

 

 

Simply Nostalgic Times...

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!


 

Experience The Holy Week...

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.

"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?..." (Douay-Rheims, Mark 15:34)

This cry still echoes in our lives and in our world today...

Apple...and the Tree of Life...

“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. ”

― Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O



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.

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.

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”.

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.

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.

“...keep me, as the apple of thy eye.  Protect me under the shadow of thy wings.” (Psalm 16:8, Douay-Rheims)

Getting Intimate with a Jesuit...

 

Part 1:

http://youtu.be/MVqMH5jNqE8

Part 2:

http://youtu.be/VbZkiDiarIk

The goal of our life is to live with God forever.
God who loves us, gave us life.

Our own response of love allows God's life to flow into

us without limit.

All the things in this world are gifts of God,

presented to us so that we can know God more easily

and make a return of love more readily.

As a result, we appreciate and use all of these gifts of God

insofar as they help us develop as loving persons.

But if any of these gifts become the center of our lives,

they displace God

and so hinder our growth toward our goal.

In everyday life, then, we must hold ourselves in balance

before all of these created gifts insofar as we have a choice

and are not bound by some obligation.

We should not fix our desires on health or sickness,

wealth or poverty, success or failure, a long life or short one.

For everything has the potential of calling forth in us

a deeper response to our life in God.

Our only desire and our one choice should be this:

I want and I choose what better

leads to the deepening of God's life in me.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, from the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises

Your Life...Truly Raised Me Up...

“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.”- Thich Nhat Hanh

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.

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.

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.

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;

When troubles come and my heart burdened be;

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,

Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;

But when you come and I am filled with wonder,

Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up: To more than I can be.

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...

“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.

...To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Courageous Pilgrims Everywhere...

 

Saluting the brave pilgrims...the people from various faiths...standing as ONE...in solidarity...for a better Malaysia...in their quest for freedom...

May God Continue to Walk With You All the Way!

Also dedicated to pilgrims everywhere...united in solidarity...struggling for freedom, peace and dignity!

 

Wishing everyone a meaningful Bible Sunday tomorrow...as we remember who we are and continue learning to become disciples, getting into the Word...deep into our hearts...and ultimately bringing the Word...out into the World...

  "So shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it."
(Isaiah 66:11, Douay Rheims)

 

The Long Walk to Freedom...709 Malaysia

 
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31, Douay Rheims)

Pilgrims in Malaysia have just shared that the entire pro-government-editor-controlled mainstream media in Malaysia is expected to carry shocking and bold headlines (lies!) reporting that the BERSIH rally today was a disaster...failing to muster any support from the people (6,000 a local daily claim)...numbers and stories will again be twisted in favor of the fearful ruling government!

What else is shocking in Malaysia...well, certainly not “truly Asia”, as the government tourism brochure will claim...BUT a land where the poor people are simply held as slaves to injustice, conspiracies, fabrication, blatant denials, un-clean electoral system, suppression of religious freedom, other evil you can think of...just to stay in power.

Well, according to our pilgrim friends in Malaysia, the “exodus” has begun...as the people “slaves” take their first brave steps out of “Egypt”...

The “seemingly deaf, dumb and blind, un-mandated” leader of the Government of Malaysia was earlier today forced to cancel his “get-away” from the country and was utterly disgraced when, as reported by alternative internet media sites, thousands (Foreign News Agency Al Jazeera claims 20,000) of brave and disciplined civilians, of various ethnic and religious background, turned up, in solidarity, in pouring rain from the heavens, on July 9, 2011 for the BERSIH rally to push for free, clean and fair elections.

These people turned up because they carried hope...they believed. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, must surely be weeping for Malaysia...even if there was just one “sheep” who dare stand up for what is evil.

BERSIH is an umbrella group representing 62 Non Government Organizations, led by one of the eight women worldwide to receive the US Secretary of State's Award for International Women of Courage in 2009.  Thumbs up to her for being an obedient instrument of God!

As a woman was instrumental in bringing Jesus Christ into the world and similarly, many great prophets in the Bible...many women today continue to speak up and lead reforms throughout the world for the sake of freedom, equality, justice...ultimately, for life!

The 709 (July 9) March was peacefully aimed at pushing for a “cleansing of the electoral filth in the nation”, but the police, instruments of the powers that be, were deliberate and aggressive...tear gas and chemical-laced water cannons were used extensively to prevent the peaceful walk for fair and clean elections!

Similar BERSIH rallies conducted by Malaysians in many countries all over the world, amongst them in Seoul, South Korea, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Australia, Osaka, Japan, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Singapore, London, Paris, Switzerland, Taipei, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Ottawa, Canada, went on peacefully, some even congratulated, by the foreign police, for having organized such a peaceful demonstration!

In Malaysia, following pre-rally threats, road blocks and forced city lockdown, the supposedly guardians of the nation- the police, were busy ruthlessly baton-charging, firing tear gas and chemical-laden water cannons all over the city...including, believe it or not, into a Maternity Home...worst of all, amidst the scuffles, causing the death of a civilian!!

Reports indicated that the police have been relentless and oppressive in their efforts to bring down the marchers by sheer force, who are mostly civilians, even to the extent of locking up the public toilets in the city!

During the week before this historic day, the Government of Malaysia seems to have been badly infected with “xanthophobia” (the fear of the color yellow – BERSIH T-shirts)...resulting in the police crackdown on any persons wearing yellow...inciting hatred against the ruling party, they claimed...  It would seem that Malaysia requires police reforms as well...something that is only possible when the government changes hands...through clean and fair elections!

Nevertheless, the memorandum pleading for free, clean and fair elections in Malaysia was not presented to the King at the palace, because many of the pro-BERSIH leaders and social activists were intentionally arrested, including the youngest daughter of an Opposition leader; altogether, more than 1,600 people; men, women, boys and girls!

God is great, His protection was over the people who dared to walk for justice...today, the 709 Rally was a great success as it has awaken the people and raised their political awareness of the need for immediate electoral reforms...more than that, the people were able to witness the shameful display of raw power and “big bully dirty tactics” by the fearful “over-staying” government in their corrupt high handedness to suppress such reforms.

Today, begins a new dawn for Malaysia as the courageous citizens and fellow pilgrims rise, with God to defeat evil, corruption and injustice across the land...restoring the world that God has intended for all His children to live in, that we may love Him even more.

We continue to pray fervently for the pilgrims and the people of Malaysia as they await their new dawn...that God, the merciful, will always protect them and bring about justice, repentance and peace.

As we reflect through this experience of our fellow pilgrims in Malaysia and meditating on the Word of God this coming Bible Sunday, we should come to the realization that each of our journeys is different...each is unique...we need companions...most importantly, we need God...we need to listen to His Word...to know Him...
  

The Eucharist is Jesus Christ

“The chalice of benediction, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?  And the bread, which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?  For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread.” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17, Douay Rheims)



“The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat?  Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.

For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him.  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven.  Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall live forever.” (John 6:53-59, Douay Rheims)

Somehow, I have this restlessness within me today to share this reminder yet again, that the Holy Eucharist is indeed the source and summit of the Catholic Christian life.


Bishop Fulton Sheen wrote that, “The mark of a Catholic is the willingness to look for the divine in the flesh of a babe in a crib, and the continuing Christ under the appearance of bread and wine on an altar.”


Saint Pius X said, “Remember, this side of heaven, there is no way to be closer to Jesus than by worthily receiving him in Holy Communion.”


Therefore pilgrims, simply and quietly reflect...Jesus Christ is really present in the Holy Eucharist of the Catholic Church; nothing less...

Is it Really The Spirit Speaking?...

The celebration of Pentecost Sunday is only just a few days away…to be precise, 50 days after Easter Sunday, hence its name; from the Greek, pentekostos meaning fiftieth.

Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles (and the Blessed Virgin Mary) in the Upper Room – the birthday of the Catholic Christian Church.

St Peter, the first Pope, was already the leader and spoke for the Apostles on this first Pentecost; he preached with such joy that 3,000 were baptized that very day.  From thereon, the Catholic Church has been empowered by the Holy Spirit for over 2,000 years, to live differently in the midst of a chaotic world, to journey as a community of pilgrims, to lead the world lovingly back to God the Father


“…Rome represents the entire world and therefore embodies Luke's idea of catholicity.  The universal Church is brought into being, the Catholic Church, which is the extension of the Chosen People and makes its history and mission her own.” – Pope Benedict XVI, St Peter’s Basilica, Pentecost 2008


However, back then, Pentecost might not have been much of a celebration because the disciples of Jesus would probably have been more confused, anxious and unsure of what to do next…perhaps worrying about their own safety and grieving over the brutal crucifixion of their Rabbi and Master.

Like them, we can relate to similar emotions but we often remind ourselves that to lead a good Christian life, we must listen to the Holy Spirit; to be obedient to what the Spirit asks.  But then, more often than not, how can we tell if it is really the Spirit who speaks to us?  All of us wonder about this voice within us amidst the many other voices that are outside of ourselves.


In today’s world grown weary of God, there are many people who do not trust much in the workings of the Holy Spirit..Not only that, they do not even trust much in their own ability to respond to the Spirit.

These people often have a passion for control, as if they could harness and manage the power of the Spirit to their own judgment; deep down, these people are actually more afraid about the freedom that is a prerequisite for life in the Spirit.

Being obedient to the workings of the Holy Spirit (does not mean speaking in a tongue that one has never learnt) means being able to love in a way that can be learnt only through commitment to the Spirit – a power that can change the face of the earth because it has the ability to transform the hearts of humanity.


So, back to the same question, how can we tell if it is really the Holy Spirit speaking to us in the course of our daily lives?  I would like to think that we should be able to measure what we ‘hear’ against the Gospels.


“There is wholeness in the life of a person who lives by the Spirit, an integrity that is not destroyed by the stresses of life…  A man (or woman) of faith fits together and his (or her) actions flow from a consistent pattern of Gospel convictions…giving a testimony of faith.” – Fr Eugene C Kennedy, The Pain of Being Human, 1974

The Gospel is the best test and the service of others (servanthood) is still the best sign of those who are truly living in relationship with the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit always leads us to spiritual growth and sharing within a community, instead of pride, selfishness and the manipulation of other people.


People living in the Spirit comes to life in relationship with others…willing to die to what keeps him or her from loving others better…gives new life to others…in the process, discovering a richer life.

As pilgrims on a journey, we know that, although life can be challenging and serious, we are not grim…life can be a constant struggle, but we do not mistake it for a battle…faced with death or the culture of death, but we are filled with life.

We always carry a deep and serene sense of peace, if we live by the Holy Spirit; a peace that the world cannot give, a peace that the world may not understand…a peace that fills, renews and transforms the world around us.

Real Friendship...With Jesus...

“I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.”

(John 15:15, NAB)

Friends…are people whom one knows, likes and trust; as most dictionaries would define for us.  A true friend is like a gem, but many a times, we tend to take friends for granted, just as we take this short journey through life for granted.


A Roman Catholic, French-Cuban author, Angela Anais Nin puts it beautifully when she said, “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”


What is it that you cherish most in life? Some say it would be their closest and best friends. Most of us depend greatly on the company of true friends, those who care for their welfare and being and most importantly, help to shape us to become a better person.


As with any relationship or journey, friends bring much needed companionship, support, joy and occasionally strife.


I recall someone having said that a friend is one who wishes and does good things to a friend, for the friend's sake, wishes the friend to exist and live, for her or his own sake, spends time with her or his friend, makes the same choices as her or his friend and finds the same things pleasant and painful as her or his friend.  Quite a mouthful, but it just goes to show why friends are so valued to fill some void within ourselves.


However, in these modern days, technological and digital age, true and sincere friends are hard to come by.  Whatever happened to meeting friends the old fashioned way, perhaps over a cup of tea, coffee or just chit chatting in the park?

I read in the weekend papers that Colombian-born singer ‘Shakira’ Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, raised a Roman Catholic, has become the latest recording artist to accumulate over 30 million ‘friends’ on Facebook.  Just imagine, having such voluminous number of ‘friends’ or just fans!  It certainly can make some of us, normal people, feel ‘out-of-place’ or most ‘unwanted’.  Sometimes, the ways of the world are just simply beyond our wildest imagination!

Shakira, who had met Pope John Paul II back in 1998, apparently surpassed the 30 million mark a few days back, on May 26, and in a show of gratitude, uploaded a video on Facebook thanking her ‘friends’ for making her one of only a handful of musicians to gain such huge number of ‘friends’ on the cyber social networking site.


Similarly, another Christian, American rapper Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, became the first person to hit the 30 million ‘friends’ mark on March 10,  Currently the rapper has more Facebook friends (37,279,306) than any other person; living or dead.


As of May 27, other musicians with over 30 million ‘friends’ include another raised Roman Catholic, ‘Lady Gaga’ Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (35,451,406).  Similarly, Robyn ‘Rihanna’ Fenty, known for the dark lyrics of her song Russian Roulette (34,269,822) and even the late, Jehovah Witness follower, Michael Jackson (33,651,096).

For many of these famous ‘celebrities’, life can be very much lonely, abusive and fake; having real friends even more rare.  They may seem to have all the ‘right’ friends in terms of social prestige, in-group cachet, or Hollywood/MTV connections, or a spouse who is rich, brilliant and fabulous looking, but if there is no deep emotional resonance, honesty, sincerity and humility, then none of these relationships will satisfy the deep restless hunger for connection, companionship or ease the pain of feeling isolated.

Behind all the popular celebrity status, who are these people, truly?  As entertainers, are their songs, videos and values even consistent with their own spirituality?

Now, what type of “friends” are these then, on their Facebook?  Online ‘friends’?  Cyber ‘friends’?  Virtual ‘friends’?  ‘Friends’ who “like” you?  Are these mostly stranger-‘friends’ on their homepage; existing purely to boost their popularity ego?  Or, are these merely, just one of the many millions of ‘fans’ who just wants an association with the so-called celebrity; to compete with the ‘statistics’ of other Facebook ‘Joneses’?  Very simply, can you even find any genuine 'friends' on Facebook - one that you know or trust?


In the beginning of this year, we were reminded by Pope Benedict XVI, in a message entitled, “Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age” that, although Social Networking sites can be a blessing in this digital era, it cannot replace real human contact; real relationships - real community.

The Roman pontiff encouraged social networkers to be more open and honest in their communications, and to not confuse online friendships with real, deeper, lasting ones.    “It is important always to remember that virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives,” he wrote.

Although the Pope, at 83 years of age, does not even have his own personal Facebook page, the Vatican has made social media strides through its site, Pope2you.net, which links users to YouTube, Facebook pages and even an iPhone application!


The Holy Father continues to invite all Christians, especially young people and youths, to use social media to proclaim the Gospel - both directly, through evangelization and apologetics efforts, and indirectly, through the witness of a life well lived, in cyberspace as well as in real life.


Having said that, although we all do need varied experiences of friendship and community in our lives to help us or to simply share with us this short journey through life...we must always be cautious of online ‘friends’ and not allow these to get into our head to the extent that we get swayed away from our spirituality and diverted from our journey back home.

At the root of it all, we must always maintain the center of our being and know that there is only true friendship in Jesus Christ...the only one who is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6)...the friend and companion that we must know, like and trust.

Our tradition rich Catholic faith continues to remind us through the Body of the Church and the Holy Sacraments that Jesus has called each one of us, by name, to be his friends.  An Irish Evangelical poet, Joseph M. Scriven, who wrote the poem, ‘Pray without Ceasing’; later renamed into a hymn by a Presbyterian, Charles Crozat Converse, ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus’, sums up very simply and beautifully what a friend should be.

This familiar tune carries many, many special heartfelt memories for me and my family…as I remember all my loved ones, especially my late loving father, who was truly and always will be, my precious true friend…

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised

Thou wilt all our burdens bear;

May we ever, Lord, be bringing

All to Thee in earnest prayer.

Soon in glory bright, unclouded,

There will be no need for prayer—

Rapture, praise, and endless worship

Will be our sweet portion there.