Jesus is the Gift
Do you know that Christmas is the best gift you'll ever get?
 because: 
-  It's the costliest you'll ever receive because it cost Jesus His life. 
-  It's the only gift that lasts forever. 
-  It's one you can enjoy for the rest of your life. 
-  It's given out of love even though undeserved.
Wouldn't this change your attitude to the giver of this great gift? wouldn't you want to love him in return in as as much He loves you? wouldn't you like to share this gift with others? 
Merry Christmas and enjoy this special gift that has been given to us. Take time to open it and let  the Spirit of the Giver help you to understand how much He loves you beyond your imagination. This Christmas can be a new start.....in discovering who you are ...... a child of God........welcome home!

  

The Challenge of the Incarnation : Today, I am invited to sit with the Trinity and imagine how they gaze down upon the world and see it in all its glory and filth:  first to see, second to hear, and third to observe the contrast between human actions and the actions of God. And, miracle of miracles, the Trinity determines that Jesus will enter into the organic life of the world.

So Jesus comes among us. Let the mind stretches and creaks as it tries to absorb this picture: a baby in the cow-feed. The Almighty crying for milk. How could the glorious one accept such iThe ndignity? How could the safe choose vulnerability? How could the strong embrace feebleness with such grace? How can God be so utterly unselfish? Absorbing the Incarnation means facing our own skewed ideas of godliness. It shows us where we equate dignity with pride, or glory with rank, or worth with recognition.

The humility of God holds the mirror up to us. If Christ gives up his honour, his dignity, his omniscient view, and immerses himself in the mess of this world, what are the implications for me? Because surely if Christ is incarnated in the world, are we not called to imitate him by being incarnated too? And what does that mean? It seems to me to be first an act of giving up – Christ leaving the heavenly kingdom to become man; second, an act of giving to – Jesus giving himself as a gift to the world; and third, an act of giving for – working the redemption of humans from eternal death. The Meditation on the Incarnation focuses us not just on what is done, but on why and how it is done.

We may be at risk in what we do, even those in mission settings, maintaining our privilege(s), according ourselves a different status from those around us, being in the developing world but not of it. But Jesus did not do this. The Incarnation shows us ourselves in God’s eyes: we are the poor, the corrupt, the hapless he chose to live with. He lived among us. He did not retain his heavenly jeep or his heavenly rank. ‘A carpenter? From Nazareth, We should not forget that the ‘little sacrifices’ we make, how paltry they are in the context of the Incarnation, just think how protected we are by God’s generosity, His abundant grace without measure.

If we concentrate only on ‘giving to’, we justify all our activities and interventions by our beneficence. However, as we meditate on the Incarnation, and our vision becomes infused in the imagination with God’s eyes looking at the world, it becomes increasingly clear to us that we are not the benefactors here; God is! Often we may donate for a good cause: but what do we donate? Most of the time branded but unwanted gifts, The kind of ‘giving to’ that harms the fragile dignity of the receiver, has nothing in common with the way in which God gives to us in the Incarnation. Let us not fool ourselves with cheap generosity.

If our chief concern is ‘giving for’ the poor, oppressed or otherwise needy groups we may work with, we can become intolerant of causes other than our own.  Incarnational ‘giving for’ is reflective; it examines itself and keeps the focus wholly on the heart of the matter in question.) 

The Incarnation calls all of us, whatever our situation, to leave aside our selfishness and dignity to engage with what is damaged around us. For what can be ‘beneath us’, if Jesus becomes a baby? What indignity could be meted out to us that could compare with the gulf he crosses? God uses the Incarnation, his own giving up, to beautify and dignify our world. How am I being called to give up something of my privilege to be more fully incarnated in my own current setting? How is God inviting me to give myself more to the people or the situation in which he has placed me? And can I consider more deeply for whom or for what I am giving gifts? This time of Advent and Christmas gives us the opportunity to ponder on how we can incarnate his love more humbly, and with deeper generosity, so that it lights our personal world with a glory or a glow or merely a glimpse that points people to the incarnate God who is the GIFT

 Advent is a period of Grace, a call to grow deeper, come to new life and appreciate the God-Gift given to us ! And this Christmas could be a new start for us.

Sweet and Sour
The Word of God is both sweet and sour. It's a double edged sword. It comforts and consoles but also reproves and challenges us. As we like to hear only words of comfort  from friends even when we are walking on the right path, we treat God's Word in the same manner. We keep those scriptures that are comforting while avoiding those that reproves our actions. Life and death goes hand in hand. The Word is Life if takes root in our hearts to bring forth fruit, fruit that will last; but it brings death if we starve our souls by rejecting it. It's a choice we make: the same God who loves and gave Himself up for my sins... who is my shepherd thus I shall need nothing,,,,if He is for me then who can be against me.....etc. also calls me to repentance, to forgive as He has forgiven me, to believe in him,  to love Him as he has love me and to love my neighbour as myself..... to pray for my enemies....... Let us not pick and choose only the Words that comfort us. Next time you order a 'sweet and sour dish', try to remove the sour part from it, if you can. Taste therefore the Word, although it is sweet as honey in your mouth, it will be bitter to your stomach....

The Purpose of Life
Consider that your very existence is a grace given you by God who created you in his own image without any merit on your part. God adopted you as a child in Baptism but what has happened to your Baptismal promise to reject satan and all his empty promises.....? Is your Baptismal candle burning, on a lamp post to give light or hidden under a bushel? God's love cannot be compared to any most affectionate parent's love for their child. God made you all that you are, that you might know him, love him, serve him in this life and thereby come to possess him entirely and eternally in heaven......
Ask yourself,  up till now what has been your understanding of why you are here on earth?

Of all the things we have to do in our lifetime, the most important is to make sure we get to heaven when we die. This is our most importasnt task, yet is it not the most ignored and overlooked......?

Saving our soul in not only the most important duty we face but it is also our only duty. Jesus said: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mt. 16:26)

There is no greater mistake we can make than neglect our eternal salvation. Other errors we can usually correct. If we loose our possessions in one way we can probably regain them in another. Even if we loose our life as long as our soul is saved, all will be well. But if we loose our soul, that loss can never be repaired.

Death  comes but once; the soul if lost is lost forever........

"Mine, mine"......
Do you know that each and everyone of us, at the end of the journey of life, will come face to face with either one or the other of the two faces: either the Merciful Face of Christ or the miserable face of Satan?  We may journey down a thousand times ten thousand roads but we will end at either one of those faces. And one of them, either the Merciful Face of Christ or the miserable face of Satan, will say "Mine, mine."........ whose shall we be? ........  Every minute of  our life is an extra moment of grace given to us to use wisely .......May we be Christ's

Waiting.......

Why and how have we come to loose the art of waiting? how many times do you check your watch if the Bus is late for a minute? how do you rage when the traffic light seemed to be 'red' forever? why are we in hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry through life that will end very soon and then you will want to turn back the clock even for a minute if that could be possible?
Let's look at nature: the seed is sown and the sower goes about his business. The seed takes time to sprout, grow and bear fruits.....the expectant mother waits 9  months to deliver her baby... the elephant 36 months to deliver its infant.... the hen has to sit on its eggs for 21 days....and the list goes on and on. So why have we suddenly become impatient? the 'Boss' cannot wait for the computer to start and the poor secretary becomes the victim..........
Let's begin to take time and enjoy the moments not necessarily in doing anything great or small but in doing nothing... just being
Even though we sing "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount wings like eagles;they shall run and not be wearied they shall walk and not faint; teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait.......(Is 40:31. ) yet the Father waits unconditionally for us to return 'home'. He ceaselessly looks out for the return for the prodigal child to come back home......and runs to embrace and call for a celebration ......
Jesus also waits in the Tabernacle for you to come and visit, He yearns that you come and sit at his feet while the angels adore Him, He longs to listen to your sighs, share in your burdens, reassure you of His care and love; He invites you to come and be with Him, He waits in the Tabernacle, day and night,as a prisoner of love only for you. He invites you to come and find rest in Him fo He is meek and humble of heart. Remember, humility is not a sign of weakness.

 

The worst thing in the world
Sin is not the worst thing in the world. The worst thing in the world is the denial of sin. If I am blind and deny that there is any such thing as light, shall I ever see? If I am deaf and deny that there is any such thing as harmony, will I ever hear? If I deny that there is any such thing as sin, how shall I ever be forgiven? The denial of sin is the unforgivable sin, for it makes redemption impossible as it reduces the death of Jesus on the Cross to nothing. Our sins may be grave but when we bring them to the Blood of Christ, sometimes have a good side. For we are washed in that blood and we rejoice and thank the Lord, for if we had never sinned, we never could call Jesus "Saviour".
'Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son ............
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.......... ' (Jn. 3:16 - 21)

Be not afraid!
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Theresa of Avila and it's good to recall what this holy woman said 500 years ago but very true today:

'Let nothing disturb thee,
Nothing affright thee, 
All things are passing;
 God never changeth;
Patience endurance attaineth to all things;
Who God possesseth in nothing is wanting
Alone God sufficeth.

"What is in me?"  is the necessary and sometimes painful question that must be asked. I cannot change others, the world around me, the weather or the position of my stars. But I can change myself. In somber reflection and prayer, I can trace my discomfort to its attitudinal roots. I can look clearly at what is in me and this is the area of my attitudes which I can control and change.
I can choose to be an actor and not a reactor. By being an actor I don't let the other decide how I'm going to act even under unpleasant circumstances. .. if the horse is crazy the rider or the owner should not be crazy........
As fully human persons, we need to be our own persons; we need not bend to every wind that blows. We need not be at the mercy of all the pettiness, the meanness, the impatience and anger of others.
Unfortunately, most of us feel like a floating boat at the mercy of the winds and waves. We have no sails when the winds rage and the waves churn and we say things like: "He made me so mad, ......you really ge to me, this weather really depresses me.... the very sight of him saddens me"
Note all these things are doing something to me and to my emotions. I have nothing to say about my anger, depression, sadness or whatever. I am content to blame it on others, circumstances and bad luck. But as Shakespeare puts it in Julius Caesar, know that: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not with our stars, but with ourselves..... "  We can rise above the dust of daily battle that chokes and blinds so many of us, and this is precisely what is asked of us/me in the process of growth as a person.
I need to know myself to change myself and not the other(s)....

Seasons
Living in the Northern Hemisphere gives the opportunity to witness apparent changes in the seasons. In Autumn most of the trees become bear, some very sturdy and some very fragile....yet they all have the same story to tell. Take time to look at the trees that lined your street or the park or in your yard and watch the changes that are taking place.
Our lives also have its correspondence in nature... as a baby fragile... needing care; as we grow into adulthood very strong and full of life.... like a tree with leaves producing flowers and fruits.... some 30, 40 or 60.... "like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in its season.....(Ps. 1) We reach the autumn of our lives..... loosing sight, teeth, hearing........and we stand bare .. like the tree in Autumn. But is the tree dead? No....Autumn is a period for the roots to go deeper and since there are no leaves, all its energy is stored up  for a harsh winter and to produce new buds .
Where are you now?... Do you feel bare?... it's normal as even healthy trees are pruned like the vine and the rose so that they can produce better grapes and Roses.
Jesus as the True Vine..... "every branch in me that does not bear fruit is cut away and every branch that bears fruit is pruned that it may bear more fruit.... Abide in me and I in you... as the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide... no more can you except you abide in me....for without me you can do nothing... (John 15: 1-8) Pruning may be painful... but it has  a good purpose. The bear autumn tree will have to go through a winter, that may be harsh, leading to Spring/Summer. Even though in a way it may appear dead but there is life silently present. ...
Do you at times feel abandoned by God?.
God is silently  present .....like the seed planted grows silently unseen by the naked eye.... despite where you are at the moment.... which ever cycle you are in..... whether you know it or not... God's love for you is unending..... Just as He recreates the world every day, season after season so is His love continuously being poured out to renew us...... Take time and examine your body..... there is no one like you in the whole universe....as no two trees are the same and no two leaves from the same branch are the same....not even two rose petals are same or two snow flakes are same..... you are unique, you are special and the Lord your God and Creator loves you in each season/cycle of your life....... even sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything etc.
Listen:
"Even in your old age, I shall be still the same, 
when your hair is gray I shall still support you. 
I have already done so, I have carried you, 
I shall still support and deliver you ..... (Is.46:4)
All He requires of us is to trust Him totally for He is Able to carry us through...........

The things we fear!
It's temptation that worries you and vague dread of the future that makes you afraid.
But to what avail is this fear and dread about things that may never happen? Your spiritual enemies desire that you should pile fear upon sorrow. Be patient therefore with your present troubles, and do not overly fear those that might come, for the evil of today is enough. It is a vain thing and spiritually unprofitable to be either sad or glad about things that may never happen. For it is human instability that leaves you open to the suggestions of the evil one who doesn't care whether he deceives you with truth or falsity, by love of things present or fear of things to come.

..."Therefore be not troubled and fear not. Trust firmly in me and in my mercy have perfect hope.
For when you think that you are far from me, often I am closest to you and when you think all is lost, often times your greatest rewards are closest at hand. You are not lost when things go wrong.

Do not take any sorrows so seriously that you lose your confidence in me. I said to my disciples and saying to each one of you: As my Father loves me, I love you. And yet I sent them forth into the world not to have passing joys but to wage  great battles; not to be honoured, but to be looked down upon; not to idle, but to labour; not to rest, but to bring forth much good fruit in patience and in good works" (Excerpt from True Serenity Based on Thomas a Kempis' Imitation of Christ).

What do you Know?
It's good to ponder on these thought provoking questions: what do you know that you were not taught?, what can you do by your own strength? and what do you have that is not a gift? So if all that you know, all that you can do and all that you have is by the Grace of God then what do you have to boast about? We came with nothing and whatever we claim to own is only on loan to you for a while and soon you will take nothing with you when the time is there.....Therefore all the glory belongs to the Lord and in Him alone we should glory as without Him, we can do nothing. Scripture says  everything will pass away .... nothing remains the same except love... for we now only know and see in part, but  when perfection comes, the imperfect will disappear and  seeing Him face to face we shall fully know even as we are fully known. God is love as He first loved us therefore let us love one another as God has loved us for there is no greater love than laying down one's life for a friend.... The only debt that we owe is the debt of love... to love God as He first loved us unconditionally and each other because we are not worthy of what He did out of love for you/me/us...
Finally one more food for thought: what else could Jesus have done that He did not do for you/me/us?........

The lump of clay in the hands of the Potter
Have you ever seen a potter at work? The prophet Jeremiah was sent to the Potter's workshop where he came face to face with the work of the Potter. He saw how the Potter handled the clay, how he started re-moulding  the clay afresh whenever he was not satisfied with the outcome of his work until he finally arrived at what he wanted. In the same way, God as the sovereign Lord of all creation, has the absolute right to handle, mould and remould each one of us as He wills. "....can't I do with you what this potter does? As clay in the potter's hand so are you in my hands" Jer. 18:6. The clay therefore cannot dictate to the potter, it can be beaten/soften to become pliable as the Potter knows what he wants to make out of each lump of clay. He is very patient till he is satisfied with his work..... come to think of it, God has a plan for you and me.....He is the Potter and we are the clay, the work of His capable Hands, He alone can mould and fashion us into the image of Jesus His Son. It's good to know and accept that God is still busy with me as He can see all the flaws in me, therefore there is hope not to give up on myself or the other one.
Total surrender is required to yield to His Will.... Lord do with me as you will, not my will but Yours.......

Where Else....?
Where else can we find rest? to whom can we go? ...where else, where else can the searching soul find peace ?...where else can one sit in the company of Angels? except to sit at His feet, except at the feet of the Master.....to listen to His promptings, to gaze into His beautiful eyes and to cling to His feet, bathe it with tears of pain/joy and dry them with the hair ....  At His feet, we learn to discover how much He loves, how He yearns for you to come and rest in Him.....He desires a visit....He longs to see you come, to be with Him.....  He who is love, thirsts to give love.... thirsts to be loved. He is the beggar asking for love from His creatures.....At His feet.... time stands still.....no words need to be spoken....only a loving glance, heart speaks to heart....the 'Lover' and the beloved become one, ...the creature at the feet of the Creator. .. the sinner receives acceptance, love and forgiveness.....a coming back home.  ... Where your treasure is, there your heart is........so at the end of the visit you can unite your heart to His to continue the perpetual adoration.  At His feet is the best choice which cannot be taken away from you......all anxiety is lost in His embrace....
Behold He invites.... "Come to me all who are heavily burdened and I will give you rest,,,,,, Come to the waters, come and drink all you who are thirsty....... Come all you who are hungry, come and eat even if you have no money.... come ... why spend your wages on bread that does not satisfy..... come and learn from me for I am gentle and meek of heart... come.....come... come, just as you are.....
He waits, He waits  out of love as a prisoner of love in the Tabernacle ....here He waits for your visit, here you can find Him....... here all fears are calmed......  Blessed be Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar!....where else?.....

'Our Father' - Meditation
   Our Father in Heaven -  When Jesus taught us to call or address God as Our Father, He took the risk of sharing God with us, making us children of God, brothers and sisters. This mighty  creator of heaven and earth is loving and merciful and tt is His desire that we know Him and love Him in return......
   Hallowed be Your Name: Holy God, there is no God like Him, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are full of Your Glory, Hosanna in the highest is the everlasting hymn of the Angels, the elders and martyrs  bow down in adoration and worship before the Throne...... how do I/you pronounce God's Holy Name.. carelessly or lovingly with respect?
   Your Kingdom Come -   How did Jesus described the Kingdom of God? the blind see, the lame walk, the prisoners are set free, the dead are raised to life, the Word is proclaimed to all, justice, peace, love and joy and who are those called blessed in the Kingdom? the poor in spirit,,,, the meek...., the peace makers........ where are you in the Kingdom? .....Jesus is coming back to establish His new Kingdom.... are you ready in expectation of His imminent return, whenever and wherever?
  Your Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven  -  God's Holy Will to be done on earth (in me/you) as He has desired it in heaven.....some perfect examples are: Mary at the Annunciation responded ' be it done unto me according to your word'...,  Jesus submitted to in the garden of Gethsemane... 'Father take away this cup away from me, not my will but your will be done' .....What is God's will for me? to know, believe, seek, follow and love him as He loves me....
   Give us today our daily bread  -  Bread of angels.....daily bread, .... daily manna,  bread that satisfies, not perishable, bread that stills hunger and quench the thirst. Jesus the Word - the daily bread, the daily Holy Eucharist... consider this, the lilies don't spin, the  birds don't gather... but God feeds them, how much more you or I? what father will give a stone to his child who asks for bread? if you/I who is evil know how to give good things to our children, what about God, our heavenly Father who gives the best - the Holy spirit to those who ask Him? For every who asks - receives, who seeks - finds and who knocks have the door opened. Oh Daddy, give us today, each day the portion of bread to nourish our bodies, minds and souls. ......
   And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us -  
Forgiveness is a divine request, because in as much as I experience God's unconditional forgiveness, I'm obliged to forgive the other. The good Lord took upon Himself my sins and purchased me/you through His Precious Blood shed on the Cross. 'Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either' Mat. 6: 14-15)

Lead us not into temptation
Temptations are bound to come our way one way or the other and we need to be alert and not succumb to them, by constantly relying on the Lord and not on our own strength. Acknowledging our weakness and trusting God in everything is the way out.
But deliver us from all Evil, Amen!. The Lord himself was able to overcome the evil one - satan - through prayer, fasting, and the Word of God so should we learn to do same. We need to entrust /surrender all to the Lord, every aspect of our lives so that He will be the Ruler and Lord of our lives.

The Lord Jesus, in response to his disciples' request to teach them how to pray, taught them to pray in this manner. As we spend time in meditation on this beautiful Prayer given us by the Lord, the Holy Spirit will teach and lead us to enter more into the spirit of it. It is a common Prayer that is prayed often in haste. We need to pray with the heart, pondering on each word/phrase allowing them to penetrate into the depth of our being to take root in our lives.
Lord teach us how to pray today, more than ever !

The Only things you own
The only things you can truly own, are those you are able to give. The things that you are not able to give, only imprison you. You truly know something only when you are able to teach it. You only know love when you can give it. You only know happiness when you can bring it to others. You can only know abundance when you provide value to the lives of others. That's not to say that we must give away all we have, but rather that it is the ability and willingness to give, which makes it ours in the first place. Can you imagine anything more miserable than having everything in the world, and no one to share it with? Whatever you are holding back and hiding from the world---- your talents, your skills, your thoughts, your passion, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, your courage --- is holding you back. The riches you have, be they material, intellectual or spiritual, are worthless unless you use them......think about it

Glory Be:
Glory be the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth; the great  I AM, the awesome God, great in compassion and love, the ever presence.............
Glory be to the Son, the Redeemer, the Alpha and Omega, the Saviour, the Truth, the Way, the Life and the Resurrection.................
Glory be the Spirit, the Paraclete, the Comforter, the Wisdom, Love................

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be forever and ever,  Amen!

All glory and honour to God forever and ever. This mighty God that cannot be contained yet desires to live in our hearts. Though mighty yet humble to stoop down to His creatures.. All Glory to Him who was, is and is to come.... May all nations acclaim Him, Lord; may all people praise His mighty deeds, may all hearts love and adore Him............may all created things fear and obey Him..... may all knees bend before Him, .........Glory be to God..........

Overwhelm by God's Love
As if the veil is drawn aside, all of a sudden touched by grace, the torrents of the Father's love pours over you. It cannot be explained but you feel overwhelmed by His merciful love and you begin to ask why Lord, why so much love? why so much waste?
Why will He allow us to see things that are not visible to the naked eye? to hear things that the ear has not heard? to proclaim what the mouth cannot speak? to be carried on wings of love to lofty heights to behold His glory and to places beyond our realm?
Oh how great is the merciful love of God? it's an ocean of great depth, that cannot be understood but only to be experienced in the degree He chooses. Don't try to wonder why? it's an incomprehensible mystery, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic.
Just take a moment and allow this torrent of love sweep you off your feet and get drowned by its high waves. His opened-side reveals His most Blessed Sacred Heart that is the gate to the fountain of  His Love. This Heart  pierced open on the cross, to reveal the Father's Love is the flame that touches all souls. Even though we are not worthy of the sacrifice He made by His death on the cross, yet we know or learning to know that His love for us is far greater than the feeble love we hold or will ever hold for Him. Therefore, o soul, be at rest and allow Him to quench your thirst in His unending love.

Lost and Found
The joy in finding a lost item varies in the degrees to what is lost. There are at times when what is lost is never found but when a treasured lost item is found there is great rejoicing. Like the parable of  the lost sheep, whereby Jesus talked about the good shepherd who will leave the 99 and go after the 1 lost sheep and when he finds it, he will call his neighbours to rejoice with him. Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep and the rejoicing in heaven by the angels over one repentant sinner who in a way has been found and restored to God.The parable of the Merciful Father and the Prodigal Son is another lost and found story in which we can recall how the prodigal son after squandering all his inheritance he decided to go back to his father who when he saw him far off staggering back, run to meet him and embraced him, and called for a celebration. The occassion? to celebrate life, for his son was lost and found, dead and now alive....
   What does it mean to be lost? when the young prodigal son voluntarily left  home with all his inheritance, he was not lost, he was much alive enjoying life how can he then be referred to as being dead? what have you lost recently?... here is a litany to help think along.... lost of conscience,  lost of vision... lost of direction in life.....lost of  your first love thus becoming lukewarm....lost of enthusiasm....lost the eagerness to please God..... lost of joy in little things????? or what are you in search for?    The prodigal son was much alive but his father described him as dead. So how can one be alive and yet dead? the prodigal son also had an older brother who never 'left home', a seemingly good son, who has 'kept' all the rules. No wonder he was not amused with the commotion over the return of a spoiled brother and righteously refused to join in the celebration. Both sons in a way are lost even though the one never left home. Both though alive yet are dead: the younger one was separated from the father - source of life, the older one even though remained at home, yet was also separated from the father as he lost contact and therefore equally dead. Both are in need of redemptiom. The father in the story is God, the Merciful Father who love his children so much that he wants us to know and experience his unconditional love. That is why Jesus came to restore us since we were all lost, blind and dead
      Jesus as a boy was supposed to be lost when the parents could not find him. After 3 days he was found in the Temple ' about His Father's business'  Are we engaged in bringing about the kingdom of God in all that we do? how are we celebrating our new found life in the Lord? do we appreciate God's amazing grace that has restored our sight and reconciled us? It's grace that saves, it's the Father who is watching out for our return if we wander away from his love. We may think we are in search for Him, but it's God who took the initiative to search and reconcile us. 'When you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me'. Even if we think we are doing the searching it's God who find us. Have you ever played 'hide and seek' as a parent with your child? yes, when the child can't find you and starts to cry, you give a sign and child finds you. Each day is an opportunity to celebrate our new found life and what a better place than at the feet of the Eucharistic Lord. He was lost and found in the temple so that we can be lost to the world and be found by Him in the Holy Eucharist, where He remains for us to come and commune with him, to allow Him to embrace us, and rejoice over us. He is the Vine and we are the branches so we need to remain in Him as outside Him we cannot live our full potential.

Stepping Stones
Today at the end of the day, you may be so grateful for being able to help someone. The more you allow yourself to be carried away with this joy you will be surprised to be reminded that you haven't done anything on your own but only used as 'a stepping stone' This revelation may amuse you at  first but the more you think about it you may realise the truth in it which if explored may lead you to futher investigation and realisation. Consider life as a journey through ups and downs. To survive, you need to depend on others or vice versa. At times you may feel cheated or let down by others making you become very angry or disappointed in life. But if you will take a look back and view your life as watching a movie being unfolded before your eyes, what will you see?  Take a peep now..... at the high and low difficult moments how did you survive those situations...... what have you learned from those experiences? .. how  have these become opportunities that have helped you to move on as you watch this movie?  which person(s) did you lean on to cross the rivers of life? .... and as you move on the social ladder of life who did you step on to reach the top?  .... On one hand, can you see that all these events/experiences have been stepping stones in your life journey, and on the other hand as you re-wind can you see how you have also been a tiny stepping stone(s) in the life of others?
We are here on this life pilgrimage for a purpose and because our Maker has a plan for each person, he did not abandon us to wander to figure out our purpose. His ever Presence is with us in the events and experiences on this journey. The Lord Jesus is the stone that even though rejected, has become the corner stone for those who choose to embrace Him. He has not left us as orphans but has poured out the Holy Spirit to be our source of power to grow in the knowledge of Christ.
As you look back on your life journey, He has always been present in all your ups and downs, He is the stepping stone(s) that have brought you so far. And if he has brought you so far will he now abandon you? His unconditional love is for all and as we remain in His love, we can be stepping stones for one another. Therefore there is nothing to boast about, our smallest actions, in words or deeds are only done by His grace. Freely we receive, freely we give, because He is a great giver.... filled and poured into our lives......

Suffering
Is there any sense in suffering? Not only are there those who lead evil lives and suffer, but there are also those who lead good lives and suffer. What therefore is the essence of suffering? At the foot of the Cross there are good lives, the best of lives - particularly that of the Blessed Mother Mary. Well we may ask "why should I suffer? what evil have I done?" Well what evil did Mary ever do? What evil did our Lord do? As there is no answer to these questions, how then do we go about suffering ?  Meaningful participation may be an option! Yes, responding to the call to share in the redemption of our Lord.....As St Paul says filling up in one's body the sufferings that are wanting to the passion of Christ..... Victim souls, souls that willingly accept and participate in the sufferings of Christ, for whose sake?... Like Christ suffered for the sake of his body, which is the Church, victim souls also share in the sufferings of Christ not for their own sakes but for others. If we live with him, we shall die with him and if we die with him we shall also be raised with him. If we participate in his humiliation we shall also share in his exultation. We are only able to make some meaning out of our own suffering in the light of the suffering of Christ on our behalf.  As members of the mystical Body of Christ, we share and carry the suffering of each other in our body. When my little finger hurts, the big toe of another also hurts so I can choose despite my tiny pain to offer it and or unite it to that of Christ so that he can dispense of it as he wishes. Only in the end without any veil shall we ever know, if necessary, the names of all  those who carried their suffering on our behalf. It's therefore possible to find meaning in suffering if  I can, by his grace, allow the Lord to use it in his own way to save souls, mine included.

Commanded to love:
How can we be commanded to love? true love has to come voluntarily and if it is commanded, will it still be love? isn't such a command a terrible incursion of the inner being of a person? Infact love is an essential ingredient of human existence. It is love that makes human existence meaningful and fulfilling. The human being therefore has a vocation to love - a moral imperative to love. Why? because we are called to love as our Lord Jesus Christ himself has loved us. The love of our Lord Jesus is a self-sacrificing love, an unconditional love, ..... a love that enriches our being. The only debt we need or should be settling is the debt of love we owe to God and to one another. It's not hard to love those who love us but Jesus revealed to us what is God's love, when died for us when we were still sinners. " For a man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends............"
We are friends of Jesus if we do what he has lovingly commanded us: " Love one another; just as I have love you, you also must love one another. By this love  you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples".  And then we shall bear abundant fruit, fruit that will endure even during the test of time.
Only love has meaning; it raises up our smallest actions into infinity!

Open Door
'Open door' means you are always welcome, no protocols as such. But is that always so? when you are really in need, will there always be doors opened for you, any time and anywhere? It takes courage and faith to believe that if one door closes, another one will be opened and not give up in the face of hardships. In this regard, it's good to know that there is another door that is always opened to everyone at anytime. Jesus called himself the Door through which we can always go in and out. " I am the door, anyone who enters through me will be safe; he will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture".  Jesus is not only the gate to life, He is also the Good Shepherd who knows each of his sheep by name. Jesus knows me by name, I belong to his flock.... wait a minute, think about it...what a revelation! is that not amazing? But do I know Him or 'about' Him?  Jesus, who is the revelation of God's love, laid down his life for me..... do I believe in this great sacrifice of love? ....
My heart is also a door to my inner being but how open is the door of my heart to God's Word? "Behold, here I am! I  stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me...." The God of heaven and earth who cannot be contained stands at the door of my heart, wanting to come in to commune with me..... Oh that you will hear his voice today, harden not your heart.......

Thirst for Holiness

We are asked to be holy because God is holy and as children of God we need to thirst for holiness just we read in one of the psalms:
"As the deer longs for streams of water,
so my soul longs for you, my God.
My soul thirst for God, the living God
when shall I go to see the face of God?"

What is it  that we have if we love the Lord? we want to be filled with his joy; we want to try to do his will; to be at peace on the inside; we have the thirst to love him as he love us; to be one with the Father and my own greatest wish is not to be separated from him as I'm too weak to live without him.
.
What then is holiness? Archbishop Fulton Sheen described it as: "Christ living in me so that his mind possesses my mind and I am governed by his truth. That is holiness. He's in my will and all things I do  are pleasing to him. He's in my body, so that my body becomes a tabernacle. Holiness is not only Christ in me, it's making Christ known to others. it's being loveable. it's making Christ loveable. When others see us, they see Christ".

Think about it.... don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?....  Yes weak as the body may be, yet we hold a treasure, not made of gold, in an earthen vessel.....!

Do not fear.....
.for I have overcome the world...  which world? sin, and death....?  Fear not, ... fear not... these are comforting words from the Lord who has overcome the world through his Passion, Death and Resurrection. It was love which made him undergo all that he suffered for the sake of fallen humanity. His bitter agony, the unjust trial, the scourging, crowning with thorns, the mockery, denials, dehumanization - were the extra miles the Lord went to reveal the Father's unconditional love and his obedience till the end. Time does not heal, it's love that heals and with love he overcame.
Fear not, listen to his cry calling out to you by name.... Can you not hear his call? be still and contemplate his Passion and ask for the grace to hear and understand his love and faithfulness.
All that He desires is that we turn to Him in repentance so that the Father can heal us through the Wounds of His Beloved Son Jesus Christ for by His stripes we have been healed............

St. Paul also reassures us that we can conquer trials overwhelmingly through him who loved us as he is convinced that neither death, nor life nor angels nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth nor any creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

However there is one thing we must fear, be afraid of the one who after killing the body has the power to cast it into hell. Therefore take courage do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more....  A disease may kill the body but not the soul........
No human power can destroy what makes up our true worth. It can only put an end to our earthly life. God has power over body and soul. He alone can deliver the whole human person to hell or call him to blessedness. God is by our side.... we need not be afraid. If God is for us who can be against us......?

"Father, forgive them, they  know not  what they do". 
It is not wisdom that saves, it is ignorance. If we knew what we were doing when we crucified the Lord, we would never be saved. It is only in the ignorance of what we do when we crucify him that we come within the faint of hearing the cry 'forgive..'. Do you hear that cry ...forgive? Spend some time at the foot of the Cross, during this Holy week and listen with your heart to that cry that continues to ring through the ages. If the Lord continues to cry out 'forgive........' why are we not hearing it? why do we keep record of wrongs, ..... why do we carry so much pain in our hearts? Around the foot of the cross were groups of people: those in deep sorrow participating in the suffering of Jesus and others who mocked and taunted Jesus to come down from the cross. Back to the scene, where do we find ourselves today? The 'good thief' recognised his sinfulness and asked to be remembered.... while those who were without sin mocked /jeered and yelled insults at Jesus. Through his death on the Cross, Jesus reconciled the world to God whether one believes or accepts, nothing can change this truth for God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. The question is where do you stand at the foot of the Cross of Jesus? ... see the sinless suffering/dying for the sinner, oh what type of love is this that will not let us go? Out of His opened side, gushed forth blood and water as a fount of mercy....are still there? listen and hear another cry.....' I thirst...........'  not for water but for the souls of those who will not believe/accept his unconditional love.......will you accept His forgiveness for the sins you committed through ignorance and quench his thirst today? Jesus died for our us while we were still sinners so can we also forgive and love each other?

'Near Death' Experiences
Science cannot prove faith but only to acknowledge what it has denied. Before his death, Jesus clearly told his disciples and all those who will come to believe in him that: " Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God and believe in me.... I am going now to prepare a place for you... and I shall return to take you with me so that where I am you may be too. You know the way to the place where I am going...... I am the Way, the Truth and the Life...." (John 14: 1-6 ff) Those who experienced 'Near Death' experiences are blessed to come back to witness/remind us of God's love and reality of  heaven  and hell. Out of love, Jesus came to reveal and reconcile fallen humanity back to God. It was God who took the initiative; the death of the sinner is of no benefit to Him therefore His patience and compasion should not be taken for granted. Each new day is an opportunity to respond to God's compassionate love. What shall we do about it before it's too late? 

The Dilemma of being loved Unconditionally

"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life" (Jn. 3:16)

God loves us with so great a love, while we were dead in our sins, he brought us to life with Christ that we are placed in a position where we are obliged to respond. It was God who took the initiative in our salvation history when he decided to empty himself and become a human being. Then he decided to die on the cross for love of us. Then he knocks on the door of our hearts so he can come in and permanently live inside us. Then he decided to give us his body and blood as food for our souls.

Of course we are free to ignore or accept Jesus' incarnation, crucifixion and repeated knocks on our doors, but if the Lord hadn't loved us so much and so faithfully, we wouldn't be in this constant dilemma of what to do about his amazing love. On the otherhand, if the Lord hadn't loved us so much, we wouldn't even have the opportunity to be free, saved, pure and holy.

Because God is love, he gave us freedom, he will not force a person to love Him; and because we are free, we can decide to accept or reject God, to be with him forever in heaven or without him forever in hell. He patiently awaits our coming back home as the death of the sinner is of no benefit to him. The greatness of God's love implies the existence of heaven and hell.

God has loved us with a perfect, infinite, crucified love. This is unchangeable fact. What are you going to do about it? Will you love him in return? Today is all we have as tomorrow is uncertain. Act now!

“The Dilemma of Being Loved Unconditionally”

God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him may not die but
may have eternal life." -John 3:16

God loves us with so great a love, while we were dead in our sins, he brought us to  life with Christ  that we are put in a position where we are obliged to respond. God took the initiative when he decided to empty Himself and become a human being. Then He decided to die on the cross for love of us. Next, He knocks on the door of our lives so He can come in and permanently live inside us. Then He decides to give us His body and blood as food to feed our souls under the appearance of bread and wine.  

Of course, we are free to ignore Jesus' Incarnation, crucifixion, and repeated knocks on our doors; but if the Lord hadn't loved us so much and so faithfully, we wouldn't be in this constant dilemma of what to do about His amazing love. On the other hand, if the Lord hadn't loved us so much, we wouldn't even have the opportunity to be free, saved, pure, and holy.
 
Because God is love, He gave us freedom. He will not force a person to love Him. Because we are free, we can decide to accept or reject God, to be with Him forever in heaven or without Him forever in hell. He patiently awaits our coming back home as the death of the sinner is of no benefit to Him. The greatness of God's love implies the magnitude of our freedom. God's love implies the existence of heaven and hell.
 
God has loved you with a perfect, infinite, crucified love. This is an unchangeable fact. What
are you going to do about it? Will you love Him in return? Time is running out as toomorrow is uncertain so do what can be done today, now.

Where can we find rest?
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.." (Mat,11:28-30) This is a clear invitation to each one of us. Listen to how Jesus invites, come to me, come with your burdens, come to me with your anxieties... and where can we find Jesus as if  He's waiting for us?  in the park? in the forests? on the beaches? on the mountains? in the rain, wind, and snow?  all these of course are the work of His hands; therefore He is present in His creation. However  where can we find Him really present waiting in expection to see us come and sit at His feet. In the Tabernable in every Catholic Church, He is truly present and as the Divine prisoner of love waiting for you. Out of love He has hidden his awesome majesty so that he can be approached. He is present in his entirety, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Consecrated Host, yet in faith the eye of the soul can rent the veil to see the Angelic choirs and all heavenly Powers adoring Him without cease and without cease they are saying Holy, Holy, Holy...Here you can allow yourself to be caught up in this unending praise and worhip with this unseen/unheard Choir. This is a great gift and testament of God's mercy, for without seeing, yet we believe in his Real Presence.
Here you don't only unload your burdens to the best of friends but you also learn to listen to what He has to say to you. Here, you learn humility from Him who is God yet humble himself by emptying himself of all his glory. Here, you learn acceptance from Him who submitted to the will of his Father. You learn to grow or begin to love Him, who out of love instituted the Holy Eucharist so as to remain always with us, to be our food and strength during this life pilgrimage. The discipline of frequent visits and spending time in Eucharistic Adoration will make you a faithful disciple ever ready to meet Him in trust and love without fear.
"It is love for souls that keeps Me a Prisoner in the Blessed Sacrament. I stay there that all may come and find the comfort they need in the tenderest of Hearts, the best of Fathers, the most faithful of Friends, who will never abandon them.Were you weak or ill in body surely you would find time to see a doctor who could cure you?... Come, then, to One who is able to give you both strength and health to your soul, and bestow the alms of love on this Divine Prisoner who watches for you, calls for you and longs to see you at His side. "  (Excerpt from The Way of Divine Love of Sister Josefa Menendez)

 Passing the buck:
Our mordern world is very fond of passing the buck. That is to say, of denying responsibility. It began in the garden. Adam blamed Eve. When Adam was asked why he sinned, he said,"it was on account of the woman you gave me." he did not say his wife but he blamed God. "On account of the woman you gave me." Then Eve blamed the serpent, and the buck was passed on. Children blame their parents; people blame their pastors and pastors blame the curates; the curates blame their pastors. All blame their bishops, and bishops blame the congregations. Psychiatrists and psychoanalysts blame the grandparents; they blame the lack of sufficient playgrounds. Bad instict is the victim for no one is responsible, and so the buck is passed on. But where does the passing of the buck and denial of responsibility cease? At the cross. There it ends. . At last there's someone to blame. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole and by His stripes we have been healed. When He cried out: "It's Finished", the price was fully paid. he took full responsibility for reconciling us to the Father. Out of Love for the Father and mankind he learned to be obedient even unto death, death on the Cross. There it ends!

How much is enough?

How  much do we have a right to use? and what constitutes exploitation? We all have the right to life but what does this mean? The right to life includes more than questions about reproduction or war or capital punishment. It means each person has a right to eat, to be clothed, to be sheltered and to be nourished by the beauty of the world of which we are all a part. But how much and what quality / and or quantity of food do we have a right to when others who also have the right to eat do not have enough to live on? How many changes of clothing do we have a right to when others who have the right to be clothed go naked? How elaborate a home do we have a right to when others who also have a right to shelter are homeless? How much beauty do we have a right to when other gentle spirits live in squalor?
There are many circumstances that contribute to the complexity of these question making them difficult to answer. We cannot be censured for putting resources aside for future use, for education of our children for possible medical needs, for retirement and even for a long deserved vacation. But the question remains: how much do we need? How much do we have a right to? Our consumer society might tell us we have a right to everything we can earn and does that mean at the expense of the poor? In a world of limited resources how much do we have have a right to? What does the balance of the world's natural resourcdes tell us? What does the the legitimate needs of others tell us? Finally what does our religious tradition tell us? There may not be easy answers to these questions but as Christians we are not merely children of this world; we are also children of light. We are more than insatiable consumers. Our value is not to be found in the measure of our possessions but rather in the quality of our relationships, in particular our relationships with our 'deprived' sisters and brothers for the sake of Christ. "....for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me.......as often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me......" (Mat. 25, 31-46)

Counting the Snowdrops:
The Northern hemisphere is at the moment enjoying what is called a 'Crocus Holiday'. The schools are closed and many families take their winter holidays going sking. But many others begin to pick up going walking as the temperatures begin to rise. This is a beautiful time to walk in the woods to see the snowdrops bursting forth from under the layers of leaves which a while ago was covered with snow. It's fun to see both adults and children counting the snowdrops. My own mind went back when I used to enjoy this snowdrop counts.
Recollecting these thoughts lead me to see this activity diferently. During winter when the ground is covered with snow, and every thing seems frozen, the naked eye cannot see the life growing underneath. We may recall the story of Jesus about the man who scatters seed upon the earth and forgot about them. He went about doing other things. The seed sprouts and grows, he knows not how. The soil produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain.... (Mk. 4:26..ff) This man has no control over the growth of the seed he has scattered. The elements needed for growth are beyond his power. God is the source of life and he nurtures growth.
The seed growing by itself is the mystery of grace at work in our hearts even if we are not aware of it. It is the presence of grace in the Church  even if not seen with the naked eye. Grace is at work in each one of us and this gives hope to persevere in prayer that God's grace will flower in us and in the lives of our loved ones. At Baptism the Trinitarian love of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. Even if we wander away, His love is with us, prompting  and reminding us of His love and mercy. It's not His will that we should die without acknowledging Him as that will not benefit Him. Jesus came and died on our behalf to reconcile us to the Father so that we can be with Him after this short span of  our earthly life compared to eternity.
As you count or admire the snowdrops and soon the crocusses, on the carpet- landscape around you, remember the same power that produced this is also working in you,  bursting and/or waiting to burst forth even though you may not know or have forgotten this.

How was Church today?
'O great, the preacher was fantastic, the singing was good and the attendance was high.....' then the little child ask: "but where is Jesus, why don't I see him for the preacher said that he lives in us ?" Yes, what is the answer to the little child's question? where is Jesus, if he lives or is supposed to live in us, why is he not visible in our actions and in our words? The first believers in Christ were called 'followers of the Way' which later came to be known as 'Christians'. Today how can we, Christians, be described? do we have the mind and heart of Christ? are we compassionate in our dealings.........?
What is the missing ingredient in our life today? "Love one another as I have loved you and by this all will know that you are my disciples". God so loved the world that He gave himself up for us even when we did not fully understand his actions. God's love for the world, me/you/us... try to personalize it, and what do you see?  the love of God that will not let you/me go..... the Cross .... that is the price of God's love for the world/me/you. That's the degree by which we should love God and one another.
Christianity is having a living relationship with Christ and one another. So therefore as the Christian world prepares for Lent, let the world see how much we love and care for one another to answer the  little child's question. That little child can be your neighbour, the homeless in your neighbouhood, your colleagues at work, don't look too far off, ask yourself: "Is Jesus living in me?" and with His grace begin act like Him.

We can hate truth and fear goodness:
Love declines when evil is at work in us and we hesitate to change. We can hate truth because it means a change. For that reason we often resent the truth that is told about ourselves. We tend to rationalize what we have done. We will stay away from a doctor, lest he find cancer. We don't want to know the truth. We like to hear about social action and political-moral problems, but we're not too keen on hearing the truth about ourselves because truth hurts.
We fear goodness because we like to keep our own standards. We have moved away from the standard of Christ to the standard of the world. We don't ask ourselves, "Does this please Christ?" but rather "Does this please the world?" So I will dress and act in such a way that I will not be separated from the world; I want to be with it. We 'marry' this age and become a 'widow' in the next one. We take on its verbiage and its fashions. Are we surprised that there is so much instability in the Church today?; the sand on which we are walking is shifting. We have sadly given up the 'rock', which is Christ.

Learning from the Birds: Dependence on God
"Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet their heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they?..." (Lk. 6:26 - 34)
St Francis was reported to have talked to birds in which he reminded them of how much God loves them; " He gave you feathers to clothe you, wings so that you might fly and everything else that you need. God has made you most noble of his creatures, giving you a home in the purity of the air; and though you neither so or reap, he protects and governs you without any anxiety on your part ". The birds seemed to be really blessed by God but what about you?  "Are you not more important than them?" . The difference is that we don't want to depend on God even though He is the source of all that we have we take a whole lifetime to realise while in between we suffer many untold anxieties. You may have seen many birds in your life but have you taken the time to really 'look' at them?. Take time and look at the birds, take time and watch them and learn from them. You are more important than them if only you will accept this fact. Discover your worth in God who has endowed you with a mind, body and soul. He knows all your needs and provides them in ways you cannot imagine. Learn to depend on him by entrusting your whole life to Him. Take time today and look at the birds and learn from them.

When do you know yourself?
When we are young we think we are doing very well but when we get older, we are sure we are not. When the 'adultress' was brought to the Lord, the woman whom the people wanted to stone......, who left first as Jesus wrote in the sand the sins of those who were there?
The eldest: "They began to leave, beginning with the eldest". As we grow older, we know that we have done little service. I'm grateful to God as I look back on my life.......without knowing He has always been with me. For what do I know that I did not receive, what am I without Him. Take a look back, don't you feel that you have done so little?

Foolish: How foolish am I? when was the last time someone called me foolish? It's better to be foolish in the eyes of the world than God.
The Parable of the Rich Fool: (Lk 12:16-21) In this story the rich had a bountiful harvest. he had ro pull down his small barns to build larger ones so to store his harvest. After that he congratulated himself on his achievements: ..'rest eat, drink be merry as you have stored  so much for many years!'... But God said to him 'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have stored, to whom will they belong?'. God is the source of all blessings so are we not obliged to share not only the surplus with others?
The Parable of the Ten Virgins: (Mt. 25:1-13) In this story the kingdom of heaven is compaired to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones when taking their lamps brought no oil with them but the wise ones brought flasks of oil with them.. after a long waiting the bridegroom finally was announced. The wise ones trimmed their lamps but the foolish ones have to go to buy oil and so could not meet the bridegroom when he arived.

To be called foolish by the world is better than to be called a fool by God so be prepared always!

Indifference:
As time goes by we tend to adopt subtle attitudes to suit the times we are living in. There is a danger of  losing our sensitivity and become indifferent.
Take a frog and put that frog in water. Then heat the water imperceptibly, day by day increasing the temperature until the water is boiling. At no point during the increase of temperature will the frog ever offer resistance. It will never realise that the water is too hot - untill it's dead. That's the way we can be spiritually. We just become used to temperatures of the world and we don't realise that it is gradually possessing us, untl we are in its grip. So we are toying with triteness, shallowness and dullness until nothing matters anymore - whatever!
As Christians, we need be alert not to become lukewarm, neither cold or hot. This is a dangerous state to loose your zeal for the Lord our first love. He loved us first by giving himself for us while we were still sinners. And  "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him and he with me........" (Rev. 3:20)
We can only hear this gentle knock if we listen and have the courage to open the door of our hearts to let in the Lord . In this age of noise all around and within, we need to take time to withdraw to listen. May you make time today to listen and pray:
Maranatha, Come Lord
Come Lord and be my guest
Come and take delight in my soul
Come and reign in my heart
Come and make me entirely yours.

Buried Talents: The mole once had eyes to see, but it grovelled down in the depths of the earth, and mother Nature, as if seated in judgment, said, 'Take the talent away!' and the talent that is not used was taken away. Is this not sad? ..... Think about it, recall Jesus' parable of the talents (Mt.25:14-30). The 3 servants were given varied talents by their master. "To one he gave five talents, to another he gave, two talents; to  third he gave one - to each according to his ability".... How best are we using the talent(s) that have been entrusted to us? are we putting them to good use or have we burried them? If we take time to count, we will be surprised what the Lord has done. Don't take them for granted, each has been given to you for a purpose and only you will give an account. Those who receive more will have to account for more, so work with the 'one' you have as you have to account only for one.
It's not how many talents you have been given, but how best you try to use them not for self glory but for the benefit of others and to the glory of Lord.

"Give me therefore an understanding mind in governing your people that I may discern between good and evil"  was King Solomon's humble response to God
An understanding mind so as to discern between good and evil.. God was very pleased with King Solomon's request that he was granted more than he even dared to ask. "Because you have requested this rather long life, or wealth or even vengeance.........I shall grant your request......... I will also give you what you have not asked for, both wealth and fame......"(1 Kings 3:4-13)

How will the world be if everyone in authority before taking office will pray for understanding mind, to govern their nationals to discern between good and evil?; what about if each person in whatever you do will seek to discern between good and evil?. The world today needs more than ever leaders with understaning mind to discern between good and evil. Every authority is given from above and to be able to perform according to the will of the Giver, we need to seek wisdom to make right decisions and the ability to discern justice.
Like Solomon our prayer should be generous and unselfish. We need to ask for the Holy Spirit to live as Christians in the face of today's challenges, boldness to witness to God's unfailing love and mercy towards us, and to recognise that everything we have is a gift to be accounted for. If all we have is a gift, then we cannot boast of them but acknowledge the giver of the gift, keeping in mind that we are only channels for the gift to flow to others. We are at the threshold of a new evangelisation and we do need an understanding mind to discern good from evil. Let's not be afraid to ask for wisdom.

"God, grant me the courage to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference"

Challenges of Christianity:
The world we live is the battleground of the Church. We may be living at the end of Christendom but not Christianity. Christendom is the political, economic, moral, social, legal life of a nation as inspired by the Gospel ethic. Unfortunately, that is sadly being eroded. Abortion, the breakdown of family life, greed, dishonesty, even the natural virtues upon which the supernatural virtues were based, are being discredited. Christianity, however, is not at the end; but we are at the end of Christendom. The sooner we acknowledge this fact and act, the sooner we will be able to solve many of the problems the world faces today. Do we have the courage to hit the nail on the head? The church may be caught up in a storm but the Lord is in the boat... asleep?.... Be still ..... "and behold, I'm with you always till end of time"............

Why is it that some people have more of Christ than others? Is it because Christ cannot get in? I think the more empty of self we are, the more he can fill us. The more we yearn for him, the more we long for him the more he is ready to fill us.
Like the Psamists:
" O God you are my God, for you I long!
   For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts,
Like a land partched, lifeless, and without water
   So I look to you in the sanctuary to see your power and glory.....' Ps. 63 :1-3
What do you long for and what is your heart's desire"
"As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you O God.
My being thirsts for God, the living God.
     When can I go and see the face of God?"... Ps. 42: 1-3
It's grace to yearn and long for God just as He so love the world (you/me/us) that He send His only Son, Jesus, into the world that if we believe in Him we will not perish but will have eternal life.
Jesus came out of love into the world not to condemn it  but that the world might be saved through Him. He is therefore willing to fill us in the degree we yearn for Him. If you have somehow lost the zeal to yearn for him, ask for the grace to return to your first love, for He is waiting for your coming back home.

What is true happiness? Our greatest happiness comes when all our desires are fulfilled. How? Accepting the will of God can truly make us happy and conformity to God's will can bring us lasting peace. If we therefore desire only what God wills, then we have all that we want, because whatever happens, happens through God's will. Let us ask for the grace to seek and accept God's will.

Our love for God and each other should exceed our need for God and each other. Relationships based on love are long lasting whereas relationships based on need, come to an end once the need is met. Most of the times the later is true and as we take God for granted so we take each other for granted once the need is met. Our relationships should therefore be based on love just as God so loved us beyond our imagination to reconcile humanity to Himself through Jesus Christ His Son, who is God's love made visible to us. Through God's unconditional love, we have become His beloved children who need to love Him in return for all that He has done.