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......
Monday 28 May 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday 23 May 2012
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!
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!
Tuesday 15 May 2012
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.......
'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.......
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